I Love to See the Temple
I had the chance to speak in church a few Sundays ago. I actually love preparing for and giving talks! I learn so much, and my testimony is strengthened so much as I share what I learn. Here's a copy of it in case anyone is interested.
Here is a verse of a popular children's song within the church,
"I love to see the temple.
I’ll go inside someday.
I’ll cov’nant with my Father;
I’ll promise to obey.
For the temple is a holy place
Where we are sealed together.
As a child of God, I’ve learned this truth:
A fam’ly is forever."
There are so many truths to be found within this one verse. A temple truly is a holy place, it is the house of the Lord on earth. It is a place where ordinances are received and covenants are made. It is the place where families are sealed and are given the chance to be forever. It is a place of learning and teaching. It is a place where heavenly work is done for those living, and those who have passed on.
Each of us are at such different stages regarding the temple. Some of us are children, singing the primary song, eagerly awaiting the day they can go to the temple. Others are youth who beginning at age 11 can perform temple work, such as baptisms and confirmations on behalf of the dead. Some are young adults preparing for their own washing, anointing and endowment. Some adults have been sealed as families in the temple and attend regularly.
Others may have a very different experience. Some members don't understand the importance of the temple or may even be sorrowful that their own family is not sealed. Some members are not worthy to attend the temple or may be frightened or intimidated by the deep symbolism of ordinances and covenants in the temple. Despite our personal views or different experiences regarding the temple, it truly is something of great importance.
At the recent conference a list of updated and clarified temple recommend questions were given. I'd invite each of us to take the time to review them at some point this week. As President Nelson said, they are how we can assess our personal holiness. If we are lacking in some areas, I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can access the enabling power and forgiveness we need to change. Those changes might be hard to make, but they are worth it.
President Nelson testifies of this when he says, "Individual worthiness to enter the Lord’s house requires much individual spiritual preparation. But with the Lord’s help, nothing is impossible. I testify that such preparatory work brings innumerable blessings in this life and inconceivable blessings for the life to come, including the perpetuation of your family unit throughout all eternity “in a state of never-ending happiness.” "The temple is where you will receive your highest spiritual treasures."
There is so much power and strength made available in temple ordinances and service. We must not let Satan stand in our way of the temple. There are eternal blessings and consequences at stake.
I'd like to put some emphasis on two parts of the primary song I already read. The temple is a place where families are sealed and families are forever. Families are so important to me. I truly have a testimony that the family is ordained of God and that temples are critical in His plan for our families. Elder Eyring said, "God the Father wants His children home again, in families and in glory. There is nothing that has come or will come into your family as important as the sealing blessings. There is nothing more important than honoring the marriage and family covenants you have made or will make in the temples of God."
There is nothing more important than being sealed in the temple as families and keeping those covenants. Our Heavenly parents wants us home again, in families and in glory.
President Nelson teaches more about how important families are in God's plan. "While salvation is an individual matter, exaltation is a family matter. Only those who are married in the temple and whose marriage is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise will continue as spouses after death and receive the highest degree of celestial glory, or exaltation. A temple marriage is also called a celestial marriage. Within the celestial glory are three levels. To obtain the highest, a husband and wife must be sealed for time and all eternity and keep their covenants made in a holy temple.
The noblest yearning of the human heart is for a marriage that can endure beyond death. Fidelity to a temple marriage does that. It allows families to be together forever. This goal is glorious. All Church activities, advancements, quorums, and classes are means to the end of an exalted family. The proclamation on the family helps us realize that celestial marriage brings greater possibilities for happiness than does any other relationship. The earth was created and this Church was restored so that families could be formed, sealed, and exalted eternally.”
God's whole plan, everything we do in the church, is to create eternal families. And temples and the work done there is the only way to accomplish that. In temples not only do we unite our family here and now, we serve in behalf of our ancestors which continues the work of sealing and exalting families. We are promised revelation, peace, power, strength, ministering angels, love, comfort, hope, protection, and healing as we serve in the temple.
If we don't understand the importance of temples, may we gain a testimony of them. If we are not now worthy to attend the temple, may we make the changes to be worthy. If we are not attending regularly, may we sacrifice to serve. If our families are not sealed, may we do everything in our power to make this blessing a reality. Also keep in mind that God is a loving Heavenly Father. Our earthly families are far from perfect and some are downright dysfunctional. There were some people on my mission who were horrified with the idea of being sealed to their family because their family had treated them so badly. We assured them that if they qualified on their end to receive temple blessings, God would work everything out in the end. Or if your family members are not ready to be sealed or do not keep the covenants made, do not despair. Have hope in the Atonement of Christ and focus on your own temple worthiness and service.
Also keep in mind that regularly serving in the temple is different for everyone. As stated earlier, we are all at different stages. President Nelson encourages, "Our need to be in the temple on a regular basis has never been greater. I plead with you to take a prayerful look at how you spend your time. Invest time in your future and in that of your family. If you have reasonable access to a temple, I urge you to find a way to make an appointment regularly with the Lord—to be in His holy house—then keep that appointment with exactness and joy. I promise you that the Lord will bring the miracles He knows you need as you make sacrifices to serve and worship in His temples." How regularly our appointment with the Lord in the temple occurs is an individual matter. The important thing is that we set a goal and we go. That's when the Lord sends the miracles.
I know the temple is the house of God. I have learned so much about the Atonement of Christ as I've worked hand in hand with Him in the work of redemption. We do something for others that they can't do for themselves. Just like Christ did something that none of us could do for ourselves. I know that Jesus is the Christ. He truly Atoned for each one of us. His hopes are that we will use His atonement and that we will return to Him sealed and exalted. I know the ordinances and covenants of the temple are real as well as the power that comes from serving there and keeping those covenants. I know that families are forever.
Here is a verse of a popular children's song within the church,
"I love to see the temple.
I’ll go inside someday.
I’ll cov’nant with my Father;
I’ll promise to obey.
For the temple is a holy place
Where we are sealed together.
As a child of God, I’ve learned this truth:
A fam’ly is forever."
There are so many truths to be found within this one verse. A temple truly is a holy place, it is the house of the Lord on earth. It is a place where ordinances are received and covenants are made. It is the place where families are sealed and are given the chance to be forever. It is a place of learning and teaching. It is a place where heavenly work is done for those living, and those who have passed on.
Each of us are at such different stages regarding the temple. Some of us are children, singing the primary song, eagerly awaiting the day they can go to the temple. Others are youth who beginning at age 11 can perform temple work, such as baptisms and confirmations on behalf of the dead. Some are young adults preparing for their own washing, anointing and endowment. Some adults have been sealed as families in the temple and attend regularly.
Others may have a very different experience. Some members don't understand the importance of the temple or may even be sorrowful that their own family is not sealed. Some members are not worthy to attend the temple or may be frightened or intimidated by the deep symbolism of ordinances and covenants in the temple. Despite our personal views or different experiences regarding the temple, it truly is something of great importance.
President Nelson, the spokesman for Jesus Christ Himself, has focused a lot on temples recently. He has said, "The crowning jewel of the Restoration is the holy temple. The Lord wants all His children to partake of the eternal blessings available in His temple. He has directed what each person must do to qualify to enter His holy house.
All requirements to enter the temple relate to personal holiness. To assess that readiness, each person who wants to enjoy the blessings of the temple will have two interviews: first with a bishop, bishopric counselor, or branch president; second with a stake or mission president or one of his counselors. In those interviews, several questions will be asked."
All requirements to enter the temple relate to personal holiness. To assess that readiness, each person who wants to enjoy the blessings of the temple will have two interviews: first with a bishop, bishopric counselor, or branch president; second with a stake or mission president or one of his counselors. In those interviews, several questions will be asked."
At the recent conference a list of updated and clarified temple recommend questions were given. I'd invite each of us to take the time to review them at some point this week. As President Nelson said, they are how we can assess our personal holiness. If we are lacking in some areas, I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can access the enabling power and forgiveness we need to change. Those changes might be hard to make, but they are worth it.
President Nelson testifies of this when he says, "Individual worthiness to enter the Lord’s house requires much individual spiritual preparation. But with the Lord’s help, nothing is impossible. I testify that such preparatory work brings innumerable blessings in this life and inconceivable blessings for the life to come, including the perpetuation of your family unit throughout all eternity “in a state of never-ending happiness.” "The temple is where you will receive your highest spiritual treasures."
In the temple awaits innumerable and inconceivable blessings and our highest spiritual treasures. It's where we come closer to Christ, receive power, and build families. No wonder Satan tries to stand in our way. Satan doesn't want us to understand the importance of the temple. He doesn't want us to understand the power of our baptismal and temple covenants. He doesn't want families to be united eternally. And President Nelson adds, "Satan certainly does not want you to understand that every time you worthily serve and worship in the temple, you leave armed with God’s power and with His angels having “charge over” you."
There is so much power and strength made available in temple ordinances and service. We must not let Satan stand in our way of the temple. There are eternal blessings and consequences at stake.
I'd like to put some emphasis on two parts of the primary song I already read. The temple is a place where families are sealed and families are forever. Families are so important to me. I truly have a testimony that the family is ordained of God and that temples are critical in His plan for our families. Elder Eyring said, "God the Father wants His children home again, in families and in glory. There is nothing that has come or will come into your family as important as the sealing blessings. There is nothing more important than honoring the marriage and family covenants you have made or will make in the temples of God."
There is nothing more important than being sealed in the temple as families and keeping those covenants. Our Heavenly parents wants us home again, in families and in glory.
President Nelson teaches more about how important families are in God's plan. "While salvation is an individual matter, exaltation is a family matter. Only those who are married in the temple and whose marriage is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise will continue as spouses after death and receive the highest degree of celestial glory, or exaltation. A temple marriage is also called a celestial marriage. Within the celestial glory are three levels. To obtain the highest, a husband and wife must be sealed for time and all eternity and keep their covenants made in a holy temple.
The noblest yearning of the human heart is for a marriage that can endure beyond death. Fidelity to a temple marriage does that. It allows families to be together forever. This goal is glorious. All Church activities, advancements, quorums, and classes are means to the end of an exalted family. The proclamation on the family helps us realize that celestial marriage brings greater possibilities for happiness than does any other relationship. The earth was created and this Church was restored so that families could be formed, sealed, and exalted eternally.”
God's whole plan, everything we do in the church, is to create eternal families. And temples and the work done there is the only way to accomplish that. In temples not only do we unite our family here and now, we serve in behalf of our ancestors which continues the work of sealing and exalting families. We are promised revelation, peace, power, strength, ministering angels, love, comfort, hope, protection, and healing as we serve in the temple.
If we don't understand the importance of temples, may we gain a testimony of them. If we are not now worthy to attend the temple, may we make the changes to be worthy. If we are not attending regularly, may we sacrifice to serve. If our families are not sealed, may we do everything in our power to make this blessing a reality. Also keep in mind that God is a loving Heavenly Father. Our earthly families are far from perfect and some are downright dysfunctional. There were some people on my mission who were horrified with the idea of being sealed to their family because their family had treated them so badly. We assured them that if they qualified on their end to receive temple blessings, God would work everything out in the end. Or if your family members are not ready to be sealed or do not keep the covenants made, do not despair. Have hope in the Atonement of Christ and focus on your own temple worthiness and service.
Also keep in mind that regularly serving in the temple is different for everyone. As stated earlier, we are all at different stages. President Nelson encourages, "Our need to be in the temple on a regular basis has never been greater. I plead with you to take a prayerful look at how you spend your time. Invest time in your future and in that of your family. If you have reasonable access to a temple, I urge you to find a way to make an appointment regularly with the Lord—to be in His holy house—then keep that appointment with exactness and joy. I promise you that the Lord will bring the miracles He knows you need as you make sacrifices to serve and worship in His temples." How regularly our appointment with the Lord in the temple occurs is an individual matter. The important thing is that we set a goal and we go. That's when the Lord sends the miracles.
I know the temple is the house of God. I have learned so much about the Atonement of Christ as I've worked hand in hand with Him in the work of redemption. We do something for others that they can't do for themselves. Just like Christ did something that none of us could do for ourselves. I know that Jesus is the Christ. He truly Atoned for each one of us. His hopes are that we will use His atonement and that we will return to Him sealed and exalted. I know the ordinances and covenants of the temple are real as well as the power that comes from serving there and keeping those covenants. I know that families are forever.
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