By DIANA VAN ORDEN
diana@du2.byu.edu
BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA -- President Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Bismarck, N.D. temple Sunday -- the 61st operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Participating in the dedication with President Hinckley, were Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Elder Yoshihiko Kikuchi, of the First Quorum of the Seventy.
Approximately 2,700 of the nearly 9,000 members in the temple district attended the dedication, either in the temple or in the overflow at the adjacent stake center, during the three dedicatory sessions, said Dwight Clayton, facilities manager for the area.
The temple district includes the South Dakota Rapid City Mission and four stakes that cover parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Minnesota.
According to Bismarck Temple President Robert B. Dahlgren, the reason a temple was built in such a remote area, is not because of the thousands of Saints in the vicinity, but 'because they had to drive so far.'
Previously, members from the Bismarck stake were assigned to the Cardston, Alberta, Canada temple, approximately 800 miles away, Clayton said.
The 10,500 square foot granite Bismarck Temple is the sixth of the smaller temples to be dedicated. It contains a Celestial room, two sealing rooms, two endowment rooms and a baptistry.
The building is located in the middle of a residential neighborhood in the northwest part of Bismarck. It was built with materials from various locations in Canada and Europe, said President Donovan R. Fiest, second counselor in the temple presidency.
The granite veneer is from Quebec, the marble is from Italy, the stain glass windows are from Germany and the chandeliers in the Celestial room and sealing rooms are from the former Czechoslovakia.
Alycia Danielson, 21, a senior from Tuttle, N.D., majoring in history, was one of several BYU students who drove 18 hours from Provo to make it home for the dedication.
'I never in my wildest dreams thought there would be a temple in Bismarck,' she said. 'It's a dream come true. It's amazing.'
Ryan Tait, 21, a sophomore from Phelan, Calif., majoring in music, also drove to Bismarck for the dedication because he served part of his mission in the area.
He said after the announcement of the temple, he noticed a 'total spiritual increase in the whole area.' He added, 'It opened a lot of doors for missionary work.'
The Bismarck temple was announced on Aug. 8, 1998 and ground was broken Oct. 17, according to a church press release.
On Sept.10 and 11, a public open house was held where 10,267 people attended, said President Dahlgren.
The temple will be open to members by appointment Tuesday through Thursday nights, as well as all day Friday and Saturday.