Brian’s post below on conversions caused me to search through some of the articles I have written in the past. I would hope anybody interested in temples or temple dedications or President Hinckley or conversions would find this article interesting. In short, this was one of the three greatest spiritual experiences I have ever had. Remembering the wave of the spiritual confirmation that washed over me at this event makes me get teary-eyed.
Here’s another link to the article.
Here are some key excerpts:
As soon as President Hinckley walked into the room, the choir director started weeping. A huge man sitting in front of me kept on wiping tears from his face, and his teenage son to his right had eyes that were red and shiny. The man who was translating for President Hinckley had a trembling chin and a voice that cracked as he tried to perform his job while being overwhelmed by the spirit in the room.
And…
The prophet then led us in the Hosanna Shout, and the choir sang “The Spirit of God.” The room filled with the sound of people singing, a rising, immense chorus that filled us and lifted us up. The sound felt as loud as an airplane engine. I looked around and noticed that many people, myself included, were crying too much to sing. Who was filling that chamber with so much noise? I don’t know. I do know that there was not a dry eye in the house.
What are we to make of a man who brings people to tears just by entering a room? I found myself wondering whether the prophet causes people to weep when he goes shopping for Christmas presents at a mall in Salt Lake City, but my instincts tell me that there was something special about this particular event that caused the spirit to infuse us all with euphoria and a sense of our greater purpose.