President Gordon B. Hinckley at the 175th semiannual General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints this weekend announced two new temples to be built in Utah.

He said that the Church does not favor Utah, but because of high temple attendance in the state the two new buildings were necessary.

One temple will be built at the south end of the Salt Lake valley, the other’s location will be announced in the near future. Two or three others, all of which are still in varying stages of planning, will also follow these two temples.

“Temple service is the end product of all our teaching,” President Hinkley said.

Thirty-two million temple ordinances were completed last year in 122 operating temples, he said.

Later, in his remarks on Sunday morning, President Hinckley spoke of the importance of forgiveness.

“Somehow forgiveness with love and tolerance accomplishes miracles that can happen in no other way,” he said.

A general theme of the conference was overcoming adversity.

Richard G. Scott, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said: “our Heavenly Father knew that deteriorating world conditions would lead his children to seek for spiritual assurance.”

Keith B. McMullin, second counselor in the presiding bishopric, spoke on calamities as a natural form of adversity. Adversity is necessary for the plan of happiness, he said.

“The more we cleave unto righteousness, the more we receive the protecting care of the Savior,” McMullin said.

Henry B. Eyring, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said it is important to develop faith long before it is tested.

“It is not to endure storms, but to choose the right while they rage,” Eyring said.

Benjamin De Hoyos, of the Quorum of the 70, also spoke on faith in adversity.

“We find happiness in the midst of the trial of our faith,” Hoyos said.

Other speakers at the conference spoke on the importance of family.

M. Russell Ballard, of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles, said the mission statement of life should be to build eternal families.

“Nothing is more connected to our happiness than how we love and serve one another in the family,” Ballard said.

Dallin H. Oaks, of the Quorum of the 12 apostles, spoke on the priesthood and its functions in church and family life.

“The family and the Church have a mutually reinforcing relationship,” Oaks said.

He said church activities should build the family and in turn families should build the Church.

With all the counsel on adversity and family life given by the Church during the two day conference, President Hinckley closed his talk by thanking the members of the Church.

“Thank you for all you do, you wonderful Latter-day Saints,” he said.



Copyright Brigham Young University 3 Oct 2005