Lumpini Park was created in the 1920s by King
Rama VI on royal property. A statue of the king stands at the southwestern entrance to the park. It was named after
Lumbini, the birthplace of the
Buddha in
Nepal, and at the time of its creation stood on the outskirts of the city. Today it lies in the heart of the main business district and is in the
Lumphini sub-district, on the north side of Rama IV Road, between Ratchadamri Road and Witthayu Road.
It has Bangkok's first
public library and dance hall. During winter time, the Palm Garden of Lumphini Park becomes the site for the annual Concert in the Park festival featuring classical music by the Bangkok
Symphony Orchestra and other bands.
It was near the Clock Tower in Lumpini Park that Elder Hinckley gave the Dedicatory Prayer in 1966 for the land of Thailand. David O. McKay was President of the Church at that time.
Dedicatory Prayer for the Land of Thailand
At 6:30 am on the morning of Wednesday November 2, 1966, Elder Gordon B. Hinckley of the Quorum of the Twelve, President Marion D. Hanks of the First Council of the Seventy, President Keith E. Garner of the Southern Far East Mission and a small group of Latter-day Saints from the Bangkok servicemen’s branch assembled in central Bangkok, in a quiet area of Lumpini Park, for the dedication of Thailand for the preaching of the gospel.
Elder Hanks offered the invocation. After speaking briefly Elder Hinckley offered the prayer of dedication. President Garner then offered the benediction.
Our Father and our God, we come unto thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, with grateful hearts this beautiful morning. We are thankful, Father, for the purpose for which we are met, to turn the key to the preaching of the gospel in this ancient land of Thailand.
Our hearts are full of gratitude unto thee for the gift of thy Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and for the gift of His life, which has made possible eternal life for all who will hearken unto His teachings. We thank thee; Father, for His atonement, everlasting in its consequences. We thank thee for the light of the gospel restored in this dispensation of time, for thy coming and the coming of thy Son to the boy Joseph Smith, and for thy declaration unto Him. We thank thee for the coming of heavenly messengers thereafter with a bestowal of keys and authority, bringing to pass a restoration of all previous dispensations for the blessing of thy children throughout the earth. We thank thee; Father, for faithful servants, missionaries, who in times past gathered our forebears from among the nations of the earth and for the glorious blessings of the gospel which have come to us because of their faith. We thank thee for those who are abroad in the earth today preaching the restored gospel. We pray thy blessings upon them wherever they may be, that their labors may be fruitful and that their joy may be great.
This morning we are particularly grateful for those of thy Church who have come to this land in the service of the United States, and who, while so serving, have gathered together frequently to bear testimony one to another and to increase their faith in thee. As they have worshipped thee, there has come into their hearts a desire to share that which they have with others. We thank thee for their great desire that this land be opened to missionary endeavor.
And now, our Father, in the authority of the Holy Priesthood, even the authority of the Holy Apostleship in us vested, we dedicate and consecrate this land of Thailand, this ancient kingdom of Siam, to the preaching of the everlasting gospel, even the restored gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We pray that thy Spirit may rest upon this land and this nation. Soften the hearts of the people that they may listen with understanding and accept the truth. Bless those who shall teach thy gospel, the missionaries who will be sent here; bless them with thy holy spirit and love for the people among whom they labor. Loosen their tongues that they shall speak the language of the people, and bless them that they shall be effective in proclaiming thy word; and may there be many, Father, yea, thousands and tens of thousands, who will hearken to their message. Open the way before thy servants that the blessings of thy work and thy word may come to the people of this land, that they may draw near unto thee and that there may be fulfilled here the revealed purposes for which thy gospel has been restored in this dispensation, namely, that every man might, speak in the name of God, the Lord, even the Savior of the world; that faith also might increase in the earth; that thine everlasting covenant might be established; and that the fullness of thy gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers, that they might come to understanding.
Father in heaven, pour out they spirit upon this land. Soften the hearts of the people. Take from them the elements of cruelty and meanness which have troubled so many in the past. Increase their love one for another, and may the bonds of brotherhood and affection be strengthened among them. May they grow in leadership in thy kingdom as they partake of the blessings of thy glorious truth.
Holy Father, we pray that thou wilt bless those who govern this nation that they may be men of judgment and understanding, of goodness and virtue, that the lives of the citizens of the land may be blessed. Touch the hearts of these rulers that they may be kindly to thy servants, that the way may be opened without difficulty, that thy servants may travel here in the coming years to preach thy word and find a friendly reception, not only at the hands of the people but at the hands of those who stand in positions of government. Open the way, Father, that properties may be found, that houses of worship may be established, that thy word may be taught and instruction given to all who will hear.
Now, Holy Father, as we gather this morning we sustain before thee thy anointed servant, the prophet of this day, under whose authority we exercise the keys of the apostleship in dedicating this land. We pray likewise for all who stand in positions of responsibility in thy kingdom wherever they may be. And we invoke upon this land and this nation the blessings of peace and pray that thou wilt overrule throughout the realm of southeast Asia, that some solution may be found to the terrible conflict which is presently bringing so much suffering and oppression to the peoples of this part of the earth.
Holy Father, we acknowledge before thee our love for thee and our love for thy Son. We acknowledge thee as the God of the heavens, the creator, and ruler of the universe, our Father. We acknowledge before thee thy beloved Son as our Savior and Redeemer and express unto thee and unto Him our love for Him. Accept our gratitude, accept of this dedication, accept of our faith, we ask as we rededicate ourselves to thy holy service and invoke thy blessing upon that which we here do and upon those who shall follow us in thy ministry, in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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Clock Tower near where Elder Hinckley dedicated Thailand for Missionary Work.
We met on p-day with missionaries from our district. |
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| Rama VI |
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| Beautiful Lake |
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| Critter in lake including lots of fish with big mouths |
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| We took turns reading the Dedicatory Prayer with our District Elders |
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| Elder Moleff reading the Dedicatory Prayer with the Sisters |
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Sisters serving from 3-different Branches.
?, Sister Brown (in our district), ?,?, Sister Ellis (in our district),
Sister Jackson (plays the violin beautifully), and Sister Moleff |
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| L-t-R: Elder Hogan, Proctor, Howard, and Kettavong |
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| Elder and Sister Moleff |
