Following is the text of President Gordon B. Hinckley's remarks presented July 4 at the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Church in Switzerland.

I am pleased and happy to congratulate you as you celebrate the 150th anniversary of the preaching of the gospel in the Schweitz/Deutsche speaking area of Switzerland.

Burgdorf meetinghouse in Switzerland.

The history shows that Lorenzo Snow set apart Thomas B. H. Stenhouse as the first president of the Swiss Mission with the work opening in the Italian and French speaking areas. The first convert baptisms took place in Geneva in March of 1851.

However, the first work in the German-speaking areas began in 1853 by Elders T. B. H. Stenhouse, Serge L. Ballif and Frederick Roulet. This occurred in Basel.

Since those early beginnings a marvelous harvest has occurred.

In the early days the converts emigrated to the United States. When they arrived in Salt Lake City, a number of them were sent to southern Utah to grow grapes.

How forlorn they must have felt. They were natives of that beautiful land of gentle hills and great mountains, of green pasturelands and magnificent lakes.

In southern Utah they found the summer temperatures to be scorching hot. The rains were infrequent. They were in a desert land where they struggled to bring irrigation water to their vineyards. They were marvelous pioneers, men and women of great faith and great integrity. They loved the gospel more than comfort. They were willing to pay a very high price for their faith.

In more recent times they have remained in Switzerland to build the Church there. What stalwart and wonderful saints they have been. I was in Zollikofen in 1955 and had much to do with setting up the work in the new and beautiful temple there. This first temple in all of Europe was placed in Switzerland because of the faith of the saints there and the marvelous tradition of freedom in the government of that nation. President David O. McKay spoke of this at the time of dedication.

I was there again to rededicate the temple when it was remodeled and refurbished. Again that was a marvelous occasion.

I have in my heart a great love for the wonderful saints who reside in your good land. You have been faithful and true. You have loved the Lord and sought to do His work. You have moved the Church forward in a magnificent way. It has not been easy. Missionary work has been rather difficult. But those who have come into the Church have been men and women of great integrity and great capacity. I wish I could be with you when you celebrate this great anniversary.

Nevertheless, please know that my thoughts will be with you. I share with you a testimony of the truth of this great latter-day work. It is the work of God in this last and final dispensation. It will bless everyone who will accept it and live it.

May heaven smile upon you, my beloved brethren and sisters. I pray that the windows of heaven may be opened and that you will experience the beneficent hand of the Almighty in your behalf.

May Switzerland ever remain a nation of free men, who love liberty and who cherish peace. May the land be ever beautiful, the nurturing place of great and good people. May you grow in faith and faithfulness. May your generations after you be true and solid in respect to gospel principles.

I send you my love and blessing.