Temple honors Mormon roots
Rochester NY Democrat and Chronicle 26May99 C3
By Doug Mandelaro: Democrat and Chronicle

MANCHESTER, NY -- President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Palmyra NY Temple on Tuesday, May 25th. President Hinckley indicated to the audience that this Temple is special for its location. "I regard this temple as perhaps the most significant in one respect in the entire church," Hinckley told an audience enduring rain showers. "This is where it all began. . . . I marvel at what has happened here. From this place, this work has spread over the Earth to more than 160 nations and to more than 10 million people. Who could ever have imagined it?"

The Temple, actually in Manchester, New York, just over the Palmyra town line, should be completed in about a year. It will serve the Rochester area and most of upstate New York. The town of Manchester approved the construction last month over concerns of some residents that the Temple would attract too much traffic. Other residents noted that the Temple would boost the local economy.

After the ceremonial first shovelfull of earth was moved, President Hinckley invited a number of attendees, including several children, to also break-open the site.

One of those able to turn a spadefull of earth was former Eastman Kodak chairman and local leader Kay R. Whitmore. He said that this was a great blessing to members in the Rochester area. "This is beyond belief that this could happen, this is really, really a big deal for us," he said. Whitmore, can remember that in the 1950s there were only a handful of Mormons in the area. Now there are about 6,000 near Rochester.

Alexandra Ahern, 10, and her sister, Brooke, 7, were also able to wield the spade. "I got to dig up where the temple is going to be," a beaming Brooke said.

See also:

President of Mormon Church consecrates new temple site (Long Island) NY Newsday (AP) 26May99 C3 http://www.newsday.com/ap/rnmpmt1m.htm Associated Press