Overseeing the Temple Department for nearly 10 years through its most vigorous period of growth in history was a "heavenly assignment," said Elder Wm. Grant Bangerter.

As executive director of the Temple Department from June 1980, until his release on Sept. 30 when he became an emeritus member of the First Quorum of the Seventy, he saw the number of operating temples increase from 17 to 42, and many refinements made. Elder Bangerter was called as an Assistant to the Twelve in April 1975 and to the First Quorum of the Seventy in October 1976. He served in the Presidency of the First Quorum of Seventy from 1978-80 and again from 1985-89.Elder Bangerter was called to direct the department two months after the First Presidency announced the first multiple, smaller temples for international areas. Within a year, 16 new temples had been announced, launching both unprecedented opportunity and challenges.

At that time, the operating number of "17 temples was supposedly quite a few," said Elder Bangerter in a recent interview. "But 17 temples could never accomplish the work that is before us.

"We are now on the threshold of being able to begin the great work for the redemption of the dead. We are in a position to move forward now, as we never were before. Nearly all members of the Church who desire to go to the temple can find a way to get there. This was not possible 10 years ago."

Perhaps the greatest advance has been the increase in temple activity. Temple attendance has grown in some areas beyond estimates. For example, the Boise Idaho Temple operated at 102 percent of capacity during its first year - far beyond expectations. The increase in activity required additions to this temple and to several others just a few years after they were dedicated.

One reason for the increase in activity, in addition to the Church's emphasis on temple work, has been a deeper understanding of temple work by the members, he said.

"Formerly, members of the Church had the feeling they were going to the temple out of duty to assist the temple president or to assist the Church," said Elder Bangerter. "However, the prevailing concept today is is that the activity of temples is the business of the members, and that temples have been established to assist them in performing their own work.

"Temples should be understood to be family-name oriented. This is an important concept."

There yet remains much room for improvement, he observed. "We are fully aware that there are so many who have not been to the temple and who don't have recommends that every stake could double its activity in the temple without undue pressure on those who are now attending."

Today's challenges include finding temple missionaries to work in temples where other languages are spoken. "Finding couples that speak other languages has been a challenge," noted Elder Bangerter. "We have not been able to fully supply them. We have great needs in the Spanish and in Asian languages."

Highlights of the decade of new temples include:

- Construction of 23 new temples (including the Las Vegas Nevada Temple, to be dedicated Dec. 16-18).

- Dedication of 26 new temples.

- Groundbreakings of 25 temples, including those under construction in Toronto, Ontario, and San Diego, Calif.

- Open houses for temples in 18 countries, attended by a total of 2,447,000 people.

- Dedication of 17 temples in less than three years, from 1983-85.

- Addition of refinements, such as video presentations, automated computer recording systems, many standardized temple procedures, regular three-year terms for temple presidents, and an annual temple presidents seminar.

- Translation of the temple instructions into additional languages.

- Presentations for the deaf.

The important nature of temple work has been under the close personal care of the First Presidency, said Elder Bangerter.

"In the beginning, President Spencer W. Kimball called me in with frequency, sometimes almost daily, to keep abreast of the developments and to give me guidance."

President Kimball also was personally involved in planning temple dedications and groundbreakings. "One of our big challenges was to know how to handle properly the events of the groundbreakings and dedications," said Elder Bangerter. "We soon settled into a procedure that has become pretty standardized."

Temple Department leaders visited temples throughout the world and used ideas from each in developing a general pattern of operation for temples.

Design of the new temples turned out to be quite adequate and able to handle lots of workers and patrons efficiently, he said.

Soon after Elder Bangerter was called, he attended the groundbreaking of the Santiago Chile Temple. The Chilean members had made great strides in preparing for the temple. "The night before the groundbreaking the weather was clear. The leadership had invited a great number of excited members to the groundbreaking. By 6 a.m., almost the entire temple site was filled.

"But heavy rain descended. Families, with little children bundled up, stood in that rain for hours so they could be involved in the building of a temple. It was a tremendous example of faithfulness and devotion."

The new temples have greatly strengthened members throughout the world. But members near Church headquarters have also gained by frequent temple attendance.

"One bishop in the Bountiful, Utah, area told me that in five years, because his members had attended the temple regularly, he had not had a single serious interview on morality," related Elder Bangerter.

"A young bishop from Idaho Falls, Idaho, who came frequently to the temple with large numbers of members from his ward, explained his attendance by saying, `I don't wish to be encumbered with all the problems bishops can have, including family problems, people who don't want to serve, and so forth. So I bring my people to the temple, and it eliminates most of the problems.' "