This week in Church History
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The Freiberg Germany Temple was dedicated by President Gordon B. Hinckley, then second counselor to President Spencer W. Kimball, June 29-30, 1985, according to the Deseret News 2010 Church Almanac.
An article in the June 30, 1985, Church News reported that nearly 90,000 people toured the temple during its two-week open house.
The article quoted both temple president Henry Burkhardt, who spoke of how impressed people were by the temple, and Elder Hans Ringger of the First Quorum of the Seventy, who declared the open house a success.
The Freiberg temple was the Church's 33rd operating temple, and the first to be built in a communist country. It currently serves members in several formerly communist nations.
In the dedicatory prayer, President Hinckley expressed profound gratitude to all who made the temple possible, from government officials to faithful East German saints.
"May this day long be remembered in the annals of the Church," President Hinckley prayed. "May it be recalled with gratitude and appreciation. May it mark the beginning of a new day of gladness of thy people. May their tears turn to smiles. May their burdens be lightened. May their cares be lifted. May the assurance that thou art near strengthen every heart."
President Hinckley returned to Freiberg to rededicate the temple in September 2002, well after his prayerful pleas had been answered by the reunification of Germany in 1990.
