When President Gordon B. Hinckley said at the April 1998 General Conference that he hoped to have 100 operating temples by the end of the year 2000, many were amazed at such an undertaking considering that there were only 51 operating temples at the time. But no one doubted the determination in President Hinckley's voice.

"This will be a tremendous undertaking," he said. "Nothing even approaching it has even been tried before."

His lofty, visionary declaration followed an announcement he had made six months earlier in the October 1997 General Conference that in many areas smaller temples would be built.

"There are many areas of the Church that are remote, where the membership is small and not likely to grow very much in the near future. Are those who live in these places to be denied forever the blessings of the temple ordinances? While visiting such an area a few months ago, we prayerfully pondered this question. The answer, we believe, came bright and clear.

"We will construct small temples in some of these areas, buildings with all of the facilities to administer all of the ordinances. They would be built to temple standards, which are much higher than meetinghouse standards. They would accommodate baptisms for the dead, the endowment service, sealings, and all other ordinances to be had in the Lord's house for both the living and the dead."

When he stretched our minds to envision up to 100 temples in a relatively short time, President Hinckley said "In this program we are moving on a scale the likes of which we have never seen before."

"If temple ordinances are an essential part of the restored gospel, and I testify they are, then we must provide the means by which they can be accomplished. All of our vast family history endeavor is directed to temple work. There is no other purpose for it. The temple ordinances become the crowning blessing the Church has to offer."

There soon followed announcements of temple sites that were reminiscent of the old song that talked about "Far away places with strange sounding names."

Though the adversary raised his perpetual opposition to the various temples sites, they came about in rapid succession in such places as Monticello, Ut., Anchorage, Alaska., Colonia Juarez, Mexico; Madrid, Spain; Bismarck, N. D.; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Regina, Saskatchewan; Oaxaca Mexico; Palmyra, N.Y.; and Fukuoka, Japan, to mention only a few of other far flung sites around the world.

Now, on October 1, President Hinckley will preside at the dedication of the Boston Massachusetts Temple, the 100th operating temple and the fulfillment of his energetic goal. The Boston temple will be the 32nd temple to be dedicated in the year 2000.

But President Hinckley is not content to stop at 100. Already more sites have been announced and the pace continues with even more fervor. "We are determined to take the temples to the people and afford them every opportunity for the very precious blessings that come of temple worship," President Hinckley has affirmed.

When he spoke to a Christmas devotional for workers in the Washington D.C. Temple in 1996, President Hinckley gave a strong hint about what might lie ahead in the next few years when he said: "No person has all of the gospel until he is able to receive the ordinances of the temple. And the responsibility rests with us to see that the facilities are available. I do not know how much longer I am good for, but I hope to end out my days building temples of the Lord, taking the temples to the people so that they can have the marvelous blessings that are to be obtained here." (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, p. 641.)

In his 91st year he is certainly carrying out this announced desire, and his pace does not slacken, but seems to intensify with each new year.

There is yet another dedication of importance that will occur in October. During the October General Conference President Hinckley will dedicate the marvelous new Conference Center.

This remarkable structure, seating 21,000, is also the result of President Hinckley's farsightedness as to the needs of the Church. It will be the site of general conferences, and will also host many other types of events as well. Its rooftop gardens with running water will be a favorite gathering place for many.

As we contemplate the hastening of the Lord's work in our day, we raise our combined voices of love and gratitude to God for giving us such a marvelous Prophet as Gordon B. Hinckley to guide us in this day and time.

When President Gordon B. Hinckley said at the April 1998 General Conference that he hoped to have 100 operating temples by the end of the year 2000, many were amazed at such an undertaking considering that there were only 51 operating temples at the time. But no one doubted the determination in President Hinckley's voice.

"This will be a tremendous undertaking," he said. "Nothing even approaching it has even been tried before."

His lofty, visionary declaration followed an announcement he had made six months earlier in the October 1997 General Conference that in many areas smaller temples would be built.

"There are many areas of the Church that are remote, where the membership is small and not likely to grow very much in the near future. Are those who live in these places to be denied forever the blessings of the temple ordinances? While visiting such an area a few months ago, we prayerfully pondered this question. The answer, we believe, came bright and clear.

"We will construct small temples in some of these areas, buildings with all of the facilities to administer all of the ordinances. They would be built to temple standards, which are much higher than meetinghouse standards. They would accommodate baptisms for the dead, the endowment service, sealings, and all other ordinances to be had in the Lord's House for both the living and the dead."

When he stretched our minds to envision up to 100 temples in a relatively short time, President Hinckley said, "In this program we are moving on a scale the likes of which we have never seen before."

"If temple ordinances are an essential part of the restored gospel, and I testify they are, then we must provide the means by which they can be accomplished. All of our vast family history endeavor is directed to temple work. There is no other purpose for it. The temple ordinances become the crowning blessing the Church has to offer."

There soon followed announcements of temple sites that were reminiscent of the old song that talked about "Far away places with strange sounding names."

Though opposition was raised to the various temples sites, temples came about in rapid succession in such places as Monticello, Utah; Anchorage, Alaska.; Colonia Juarez, Mexico; Madrid, Spain; Bismarck, N. D.; Halifax, Nova Scotia; Regina, Saskatchewan; Oaxaca, Mexico; Palmyra, N.Y.; and Fukuoka, Japan, to mention only a few among the far flung sites around the world.

Now, on October 1, President Hinckley will preside at the dedication of the Boston Massachusetts Temple, the 100th operating temple and the fulfillment of his energetic goal. The Boston temple will be the 32nd temple to be dedicated in the year 2000.

But President Hinckley is not content to stop at 100. Already more sites have been announced and the pace continues with even more fervor. "We are determined to take the temples to the people and afford them every opportunity for the very precious blessings that come of temple worship," President Hinckley has affirmed.

When he spoke at a Christmas devotional of workers in the Washington D.C. Temple in 1996, President Hinckley gave a strong hint about what might lie ahead in the next few years when he said: "No person has all of the gospel until he is able to receive the ordinances of the temple. And the responsibility rests with us to see that the facilities are available. I do not know how much longer I am good for, but I hope to end out my days building temples of the Lord, taking the temples to the people so that they can have the marvelous blessings that are to be obtained here." (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, p. 641.)

In his 91st year he is certainly carrying out this announced desire, and his pace does not slacken, but seems to intensify with each new year.

There is yet another dedication of importance that will occur in October. During the October General Conference President Hinckley will dedicate the marvelous new Conference Center.

This remarkable structure, seating 21,000, is also the result of President Hinckley's farsightedness as to the needs of the Church. It will be the site of general conferences, and will also host many other types of events as well. Its rooftop gardens with running water will be a favorite gathering place for many.

As we contemplate the hastening of the Lord's work in our day, we raise our combined voices of love and gratitude to God for giving us such a marvelous prophet as Gordon B. Hinckley to guide us in this day and time.