Returning to Goerlitz Aug. 27 was an act of completion, "coming full circle," for President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency.

In 1968, President Monson, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, visited the city of Goerlitz near Poland's border, far behind what was once the Iron Curtain. In visiting with Church members in Goerlitz, he made a promise that took 27 years to come into reality."Under the inspiration of the Lord, I promised those worthy Saints who had nothing - nothing - that if they were faithful to the Lord, He, in His kindness and fairness, would provide them with all the blessings any other member of the Church in a free country received," President Monson said en route to Germany.

Through the years, as the result of many miraculous events, members in Goerlitz received all the blessings of members elsewhere, except one. Although the Church had been organized in Goerlitz for nearly a century, the members had never had their own meetinghouse. Finally, a meetinghouse was constructed, and President Monson returned with his wife, Frances, to dedicate the building Aug. 27.

Accompanying President and Sister Monson to the meeting to dedicate the new building were Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Seventy and second counselor in the Europe West Area and his wife, Harriet.

From the moment President and Sister Monson entered the new building it was evident they were among old friends. Entering from the back of the chapel, they proceeded toward the front, stopping frequently to shake hands or embrace members they have known over the years. President Monson made his first visit to what was then the German Democratic Republic (DDR, or East Germany) in 1968, when he was assigned to supervise the Europe area, comprised of the missions in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy.

"That was the first time, as far as I know, that an apostle of the Lord had been to Goerlitz," President Monson told the Church News. "The land reflected the oppression of its rulers. Fear and apprehension were everywhere to be found." President Monson made numerous trips to East Germany over the years, becoming closely acquainted with the Saints and their particular challenges.

As he and Sister Monson neared the podium in the new chapel, President Monson paused to greet Henry Burkhardt, Walter Krause and Gottfried Richter, who he set apart as the presidency of the Dresden Mission during his second visit to the German Democratic Republic in 1969.

Before he offered the prayer to dedicate the Goerlitz Branch meetinghouse, President Monson reminisced about his association with the members.

"It's been a long time since I spoke in a meeting in Goerlitz," he said. "To be exact, it was in 1968, 27 years ago." He noted that he had requested one of the same hymns to be sung at the meeting to dedicate the building as had been sung at the meeting nearly three decades ago. The hymn, which was in an earlier version of the LDS hymnal, was "If the Way Be Full of Trial, Weary Not."

Addressing the congregation, President Monson said: "When I first received the assignment to supervise Europe, I discovered that the German Democratic Republic had not had a visitor from the Church for many years. I decided I would come. I checked with our government authorities. They said, `We would advise you to not to go the DDR. We have no diplomatic relations with the DDR, and occasionally Americans will be arrested for one charge or another. If that happens, we can't get you out. We recommend that you not go.' "

President Monson said he went home and talked with Sister Monson. He decided he should go. "I said, `This is our Heavenly Father's work. He will look after you and the children at home.'

"So, away I came to Berlin, through Checkpoint Charlie, and drove all the way down to Goerlitz."

President Monson described the stark conditions he found in the city: Buildings bore the marks of bullets and mortar shells, supplies of many kinds were limited, and a dreary mood settled over everything and nearly everybody. "The more the time went by, the more I realized I was a long way from home," he said. "I was in a strange land."

Then, he said, he went on Sunday morning to the building where members of the Church met. He mentioned Brother Krause's efforts to help make the building's interior more comfortable and attractive. "I heard Brother Burkhardt, Brother Krause and Brother Richter speak," he said. "And then I heard the German members sing, and heaven was very near.

"I looked at the conditions under which the Church met in those days. They had had no ability to get Church materials (manuals and other publications), no visitors from Church headquarters, no patriarchs to give patriarchal blessings, no permission to hold a youth conference, no temple, no missionaries."

But, he noted, the members were full of faith, true to the commandments of God. "I knew of the promises of God to those who keep His commandments," President Monson declared. "Here were a relatively small number of our Church members, but completely unified. I remembered the Lord said, `Where two or more are gathered in my name, there will I be also.'

"When it was my turn to speak, I made a promise . . . that if the members of the Church were true and faithful, every blessing that our members had in every other land would be given to them. When I got back to the old hotel that night - it was really dreary - I knew I had promised what I could not deliver. I got upon my knees, and I prayed to our Heavenly Father: `Here I am. Thou knowest what I said. Wilt thou honor the promise.' I remembered the revelation where the Lord said, `Whether by my own voice or the voice of my servants, it is the same.'

"I watched miracles unfold. I won't enumerate all of the elements, but soon a patriarch was called. Soon a mission was organized. Then visitors from Church headquarters. . . ."

"Other events took place. We were given permission to acquire property, to build buildings. Stakes were created in Dresden and Leipzig. Visitors from the DDR were given permission to go to conferences in Salt Lake City. . . .

"Then, miracle of miracles, a temple was built, a temple in Freiberg, behind the Berlin Wall. . . .

"The final blessing," President Monson continued, "was permission for the missionaries to return - 50 years after they were expelled at the beginning of World War II. And then young men and women from the DDR were given permission to leave to go on missions throughout the world.

"Every promise came true, but one. We had nice buildings in Leipzig, in Dresden and in other places. But not little Goerlitz, where the promise was made. Then in Salt Lake City one day I saw the recommendation for a building to be approved for Goerlitz."

President Monson added, "I received the assignment to dedicate this building." He said some might ask why a member of the First Presidency would travel so far to dedicate a branch chapel. "I am in Goerlitz, fulfilling that one unfulfilled element of the promise that you would have a building here," he said. "Now my restless spirit can calm down. It is a day of happiness for me, too.

"I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every visit I have made to this country, whether in bad times or good, for I testify that you are a noble people, and you are loved by the Lord."

In his remarks, Elder Uchtdorf said, "Historic things were happening here 50 years ago, at the end of World War II."

"Then," he noted, "some years later, an apostle of the Lord came here and said that if the people were faithful and would do what the Lord wanted them to do that things would change. . . . We can now see what happened."

Elder Uchtdorf encouraged the members to not always look back at the bad things that have happened but to see what can happen in the future through the Lord's work. "In the gospel of Jesus Christ we should look forward," he said.

Also speaking in the meeting were Dresden Stake Pres. Siegfried Sacher, Henry Burkhardt, Goerlitz Branch Pres. Thomas Lehmann and Sister Monson. Goerlitz Mayor Matthias Lechner was a special guest and also addressed the meeting.

After the meeting, President and Sister Monson visited with several members of the Church from the area. From time to time, he put a loving arm around a shoulder, patted an arm, gave a tender embrace to an elderly priesthood leader, bestowed a kiss on the forehead of an elderly war widow, held a hand, and wiped tears from a member's eyes.

President and Sister Monson talked with their long-time friends in the Dresden area, recalling memories fond and painful that helped unite them. The occasion of his having come full circle was filled with joyful emotions.