Presidents Spencer W. Kimball, Ezra Taft Benson, and five other members of the Quorum of the 12 apostles visited Israel to dedicate Orson Hyde Garden and announce planned construction of a facility to house the study abroad program.

The circumstances leading up to the announcement were:

April 10, 1979 The First Presidency calls Elder Howard W. Hunter to pursue a “Jerusalem Center” project to be a Church presence in Jerusalem and a facility to house BYU’s student programs in the Holy Land.

October 20, 1979 Elder Hunter, in the company of President Spencer W. Kimball, formally announces the desire to construct a Center if suitable land can be found. President Kimball and Elder Hunter unveil a concept model of the Center to a large group of Latter-day Saints on a cruise ship traveling to the Holy Land for the dedication of the Orson Hyde Memorial Garden.

October 24, 1979 The Orson Hyde Memorial Garden is dedicated by President Kimball. In his dedicatory prayer, President Kimball prays for the welfare of all of Abraham’s children. President Kimball selects the site where the Center now sits. President Tanner calls for a vote to sustain the choice, which is unanimous in the affirmative.

(Information provided by BYU Studies Quarterly Volume 59, Number 4, 2020)