Meeting the demands of the rapidly increasing numbers of temple-attenders worldwide, a new Beehive Clothing facility in Salt Lake City was dedicated Jan. 26, becoming the manufacturing center of the Church for garments and temple clothing.

President Thomas S. Monson, second counselor in the First Presidency, presided at the dedication and offered the dedicatory prayer. In addition to President Monson, other speakers were Elder Boyd K. Packer and Elder David B. Haight, both of the Council of the Twelve. The meeting was conducted by Bishop Glenn L. Pace, second counselor in the Presiding Bishopric.

Others attending the dedicatory ceremony were Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Council of the Twelve; Elder John K. Carmack of the First Quorum of the Seventy; and Sisters Barbara W. Winder and Joanne B. Doxey, general president and second counselor, respectively, of the Relief Society.

"As we dedicate this lovely facility," said President Monson in his remarks to the hundreds of employees and other guests, "our attitude will be all-important. When one should ask you, what do you do in your daily work . . . I would hope that within your heart you could have the feeling, `I am preparing the sacred clothing that will mean ever so much to every person that is privileged to wear it.'

"Let there be no spirit of antagonism or contention in the work we do one with another," he continued. "Rather, let there be the love of Christ, the brotherhood or sisterhood which we seek. When we dedicate this building, I feel it might be wise if we dedicate our lives as wellT."

President Monson cited the inscription on the wall of the Library of Congress - Too low they build who build beneath the stars - and commented, "In this facility we have built above the stars, as our labors take on an eternal aspect. Someone said we had been resurrected when we moved from the old facility to this one - I think we've been exalted!"

Elder Packer told the gathering, "The temple is the consummate delegation the Lord has given us. No one touches this work without being blessed."

Elder Haight, chairman of the Temple and Family History executive council, noted that "all of this is indicative of what's happening in the world that is taking place in a dramatic and marvelous way. . . . The stone is rolling forth. The contribution that you are making here is a great privilege."

The new 300,000 square-foot-building, located at 3880 W. 1820 South, consolidates both the old Beehive Clothing plant in Salt Lake City (in use for 42 years) and the nearby plant in West Valley City, Utah. Nearly 500 people are employed at the new facility, 385 of whom are involved in the sewing and knitting steps of the manufacturing. Some 25,000 units of clothing are produced daily.

In his dedicatory prayer, President Monson said, "We come here in the spirit of reverence, for we realize that our hands touch clothing which will be made sacred by the ordinances which thou hast restored to the earth. . . .

"Above all, Father, may thou grant that we have the spirit and love and the example of thy son Jesus Christ as we serve here and as we perform the sacred work which is entrusted to our hands . . . that we may be better individuals through the privilege of serving each day in this dedicated building."

Established in the mid-1930s, Beehive Clothing _ then known as the Deseret Clothing Factory _ had its beginning as a training school for women, teaching them to sew on power machines. There they made garments and welfare items for the Church. By 1937, they had 20 sewing machines and 16 operators, five knitting machines and two knitters. In 1961, its name was changed to Beehive Clothing Mills, and 20 years later the word "Mills" was dropped.

In an interview with the Church News prior to the dedication, Nolan B. Leishman, director of Beehive Clothing, said, "We pride our employees as our greatest asset, and our facility is one of the finest in the world. It's equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and technology, and all of this is done to achieve efficiency to meet the growing needs of the Church.

"Most of the operators are paid piece rate, based on the quality of work they do," explained Brother Leishman. "We strive for excellence at Beehive; every effort is made to produce products as perfect as we can make them."

Beehive Clothing supports 39 distribution centers worldwide.