The Temple

Today's lesson, taught Sunday, March 2, 2008, was given by Janie Ward.  The topic was the temple.  The objective of the lesson was to help get us excited about attending the temple, especially our RS temple trip on Saturday, April 19, at 4 p.m.  

In the early history of the church, the Lord was constantly revealing temple plans to his Saints. 

Read D&C 124: 39-41

Temple ordinances are crucial to us.  The blessings promised us for attending the temple affect every aspect of our lives.

Quote #1: "Many parents, in and out of the Church, are concerned about protection against a cascading avalanche of wickedness which threatens to engulf [the world]...There is a power associated with ordinances of heaven--even the power of godliness--which can and will thwart the forces of evil if we will but be worthy of those sacred [covenants made in the temple of the Lord]...Our families will be protected, our children will be safeguarded as we live the gospel, visit the temple, and live close to the Lord." (President Ezra Taft Benson)

Quote #2: "Our labors in the temple cover us with a shield and a protection, both individually and as a people."  "The Lord will bless us as we attend to the sacred ordinance work of the temples.  Blessings there will not be limited to our temple service.  We will be blessed in all of our affairs.  We will be eligible to have the Lord take an interest in our affairs both spiritual and temporal." (Elder Boyd K. Packer)

Quote #3: "I am satisfied that if our people would attend the temple more, there would be less of selfishness in their lives.  There would be less of absence of love in their relationships.  There would be more of fidelity on the part of husbands and wives.  There would be more of love and peace and happiness in the homes of our people." (President Gordon B. Hinckley)

Making it to the temple can be hard.  What are some of the challenges that face us?

-finding a babysitter

-not feeling like we're in the right mood or state of mind

-the need to prioritize and make time for it

-we don't always have an amazing spiritual experience when we're there, which can cause us to think maybe it is a waste of our 5 hours

There is opposition whenever we try to go to the temple.  Regarding this, George Q. Cannon (I think) said:

"Temples are the very center of the spiritual strength of the Church.  We should expect that the adversary will try to interfere with us as a Church and with us individually as we seek to participate in this sacred and inspired work.  The interference can vary from the terrible persecutions of the earlier days to apathy toward the work.  The latter is perhaps the most dangerous and debilitating form of resistance to temple work."

He also said: "Every foundation stone that is laid for a temple, and every temple completed according to the order the Lord has revealed for his holy Priesthood, lessens the power of Satan on the earth, and increases the power of God and Godliness, moves the heavens in mighty power in our behalf, invokes and calls down upon us the blessings of the Eternal Gods, and those who reside in their presence."

Janie had asked 5 sisters ahead of time to share some of their thoughts about the temple:

1) Michelle Garn: While she was serving as YW president in another word, she found out that both of her counselors would have to be released to serve in other callings.  After a week of praying about who her new counselors should be, she could not get any answers.  She and Byron went to the temple at the end of that week, and she determined that she would not leave that sacred building until she had the names of her new counselors.  Finally, one of the workers told her that the temple was closing.  She still did not have the answers she had been seeking.  As the worker opened the double doors leading out of the celestial room, Michelle saw a large beautiful painting of the Savior directly in front of her.  She was overwhelmed at that moment with a sense of his love for her.  She knew that he had accepted and was pleased with the work she had done as the YW's president, and that it was time for her to move on to a new calling.  Throughout the previous week as she had sought the names of her new counselors, the only recurring thought she'd had was that her time as YW's president might be over, but she kept pushing it out of her mind b/c it didn't seem right to go to the bishop and ask to be released.  But this ended up being the answer all along.  She believes that being in the temple made it possible for her to feel more clearly that outpouring of love from god.

2) Julie Kincaid: has been studying some academic writings by a British scholar who is not of our faith, but researches the ancient temples of the Jews.  This scholar notes that the two main purposes of those temples was to teach about the creation and the atonement.  The people went to the temple to get the knowledge of God, and there he teaches us the most important things he knows, just as we try to pass on to our children the most important truths that we know.

3) Sharon Thacker: as a youth, attending the temple to do baptisms for the dead was an important, regular activity for her.  She believes that regular temple attendance with her friends is one of the main ways that she "survived" a very difficult teenage-hood.  On days that school started late due to teacher inservice meetings, etc., she and her friends would often go to the temple together to do baptisms.

4) Lisa Jibson: After spending this past week in San Diego with her children, she was surprised by their desire to spend time on the temple grounds there.  They chose to go there three times over the week, instead of activities like going to the beach, etc.  Take children to the temple grounds, have a picnic there, let them feel the safety and peace that surrounds the temple long before they are old enough to enter themselves.

The temple ceremony has been hard for Lisa to enjoy.  After years of difficult struggle asking herself "what is wrong with me?"  she has finally made peace with her mixed feelings about the temple.  She loves the covenants and the truths that are taught there, and believes them with all her heart.  It is the presentation that she struggles with, the physical way in which those covenants and truths are represented that doesn't really click with her.  But she's decided to let that go and not worry about it so much.  She has tried to stop thinking about herself and to stop feeling bad for not loving her experience in the temple.  She reminds herself that attending the temple after the first time isn't really about us, anyway.  We only make those covenants one time for ourselves, and the rest of the time we are extending god's blessings to his other daughters.  He wants those covenants brought to each one of his children, and each time we choose to not go to the temple, we are making one of his children wait that much longer to receive her blessings and make her covenants.   These are some of the thoughts and attitudes that have been helpful to her.

5) Jill Mitchell: Likes to read her scriptures in the celestial room as she asks the question "what does God want me to learn?"  She feels his love there.

We ran out of time for others to share their thoughts.  Janie closed by telling us about the time last year when she went to the temple hoping for help in preparing her RS lesson on temple attendance.  She left the session feeling uninspired and mildly disappointed.  But several hours later her mind was filled with ideas of things to do in her own life to help herself and her family.  She felt that God had given her the most important information, even though she had been seeking something else.  She told us that when we choose to attend the temple, we are showing god a willingness to take a further step.   He is asking us, "will you make this step so that I can shower more blessings on you?"