The roomful of excited Primary children in the Parleys 6th Ward in Salt Lake City eagerly awaited the arrival of President Gordon B. Hinckley Sunday, Feb. 16. It was a special occasion for the more than 135 children of the Primary, and as they waited their leaders led them in singing hymns.

But as President Hinckley entered the Primary room, all was momentarily quiet and then the youngsters and their leaders began to reverently sing "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet." President Hinckley was attending the ward that day to speak in the sacrament meeting prior to his granddaughter, Amy Pearce, leaving on a mission, and he was invited to visit the Primary before the start of the meeting."You are part of a wonderful generation in the Church," President Hinckley told the children. "How wonderful to come to earth at this season, this time. It is just marvelous. You will span two centuries, the 1900s and the 2000s, and the whole world lies ahead of you and it is just a wonderful thing."

President Hinckley said he wouldn't talk long, but he did want to tell the children, "I love you, all of you, every one. You are just wonderful."

Before President Hinckley left the Primary room, one of the leaders asked: "President Hinckley can we sing you a Primary song?"

"The only Primary song I can remember from long, long ago is `Give, Said the Little Stream,' " President Hinckley replied. "Do you know that? All right, then sing `Give, Said the Little Stream.' "

President Hinckley joined with the children as they sang the song.

Concluding, he told the youngsters: "You just look wonderful to me. Everybody can love you. Little children are beautiful."

As he left, many children excitedly reached to shake his hand.

During his talk in sacrament meeting, President Hinckley said his granddaughter becomes part "of the great army of missionaries - 55,000 of them across the world. They are wonderful, dedicated and devoted people."

He said that missionaries do "the work of miracles," noting that the Church's missionary program is now in 155 nations across the world.

"Last year the missionaries baptized over 320,000 people," he noted. "That is the equivalent of a hundred new stakes, a hundred new stakes in one year, my brothers and sisters. The work is moving on. This is the work of the Almighty. It is the work of the Savior of the world, a work of bearing testimony and witness of the living reality of the Son of God."

President Hinckley said that nobody gets prayed for as much as the missionaries. "The missionaries are prayed for in the homes of the people of this Church everywhere, and those prayers are heard and answered as day after day they go about their work finding one here and another there who will accept this glorious truth and become a member of this great and marvelous Church."