Joseph, yes, I believe it was the Chofetz Chaim. He also used to study all the halachos regarding doing the avodah in the Beis HaMikdash. He said that as a Kohen, he’d be expected to serve in the Beis HaMikdash, so he needed to know how!
I was also told by R’ Yaakov Bender shlita that R’ Nosson Wachtfogel zt”l kept a packed bag for when Mashiach would come. One time, a bochur was practicing blowing shofar in the dormitory. For years, R’ Nosson used to stay in the dormitory during the week, and he was there when the bochur started blowing. The bochur recounted how a few seconds after he blew the shofar, R’ Nosson came running down the stairs, carrying his special bag, asking, “Is it the shofar of Mashiach??? Is he here???”
newbee: While I hear your point, I don’t think it’s a good comparison. You buy a lotto ticket knowing the odds are so slight, but you say, “Hey, it’s only a dollar to play!” With Mashiach, we should have more belief than that!