Article for the Liahona on Temple Worship
Submitted by President Charles W. H. Goo
Hong Kong China Temple
This past June, Sister Goo and I had a special blessing and experience as I was honored and privileged to perform the sealing for our youngest son and his bride. As we, our other four children and their spouses, and other family and friends entered the sealing room in the Kona Hawaii Temple, we felt a powerful spiritual presence. My eyes grew wet as I realized how much the Lord has blessed our family as we, as parents, have tried to follow the Lord in directing our family to the temple and in making temple worship a pattern in our lives. And we felt a renewed commitment to honor the sacred covenants that we have made in the House of the Lord.
Following Prophetic Counsel
In a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1831 the Lord said, “….but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.” (D&C 1:38). Thus the words of our living Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, in the April 2009 General Conference are the same as if the Lord were speaking directly to us. President Monson said:
“Now my brothers and sisters, we have built temples throughout the world and will continue to
do so. To you who are worthy and able to attend the temple, I would admonish you to go often
The temple is a place where we can find peace. There we receive a renewed dedication to the gospel and strengthened resolve to keep the commandments. What a privilege it is to be able to go the temple, where we may experience the sanctifying influence of the Spirit of the Lord. Great service is given when we perform vicarious ordinances for those who have gone beyond the veil. In many cases we do not know those for whom we perform the work. We expect no thanks, nor do we have the assurance that they will accept that which we offer. However, we serve, and in that process we attain that which comes of no other effort: we literally become saviors on Mount Zion. As our Savior gave His life as a vicarious sacrifice for us, so we, in some small measure, do the same when we perform proxy work in the temple for those who have no means of moving forward unless something is done for them by those of us here on the earth.”
President Monson’s declaration gave new emphasis to his statement in the April 2008 General Conference wherein he said, “To you who are able to attend the temple, I would counsel you to go often. Doing so will strengthen marriages and families.”
The words “admonish” and “counsel” suggest a sense of urgency. The dictionary defines “admonish” as “to warn” and “counsel” is “to advise”. Taken together, these statements are urging us to go to the temple often insofar as we have the ability to do so.
How should we define “often”? Elder Richard G. Scott told us in the April 2009 General Conference that he attends once a week. He said: “Fourteen years ago I decided to attend the temple and complete an ordinance once a week. When I am traveling I make up the missed visits in order to achieve that objective. I have kept that resolve, and it has changed my life profoundly. I strive to participate in all the different ordinances available in the temple.” Elder Scott continued by sharing, “I encourage you to establish your own goal of how frequently you will avail yourself of the ordinances offered in our operating temples. What is there that is more important than attending and participating in the ordinances of the temple? What activity could have a greater impact and provide more joy and profound happiness for a couple than worshipping together in the temple?”
As a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Scott has many assignments around the world. As I reflected on his observation, I recommitted to participate in at least one ordinance each week.
Our Commitment to the House of the Lord
The Lord, in the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple in 1836 revealed these words to the Prophet Joseph Smith.
“…and honorably hold a name and standing in this thy house, to all generations and for eternity”.
(D&C 109:24)
In his book, The House of Glory, Michael Wilcox states that “the word “standing” implies frequent attendance. The dictionary’s definitions of standing are “length of time or duration; permanent and unchanging; not movable; stationary; high reputation or esteem. (The American Heritage Dictionary.) All these meanings bear on the Lord’s words in the Doctrine and Covenants and imply the constant, continual use of the recommend. …If we desire the promised protection of the Father’s name, we must receive our temple recommends, hold them honorably, and use them frequently, not merely to attend the temple but also to worship there.” (p. 56)
Bro. Wilcox also shared that: “Most of all, we must not become discouraged. It was never intended that we understand the temple ordinances all at once. They were designed to feed us for a lifetime…The temple ordinances, like the scriptures, are worth thousands of readings, and even then we shall not have sounded the depths of their possibilities.” (p. 27)
Another author, Andrew C. Skinner in his book, Temple Worship, stated: “The temple endowment is not a casual matter, nor was it intended to be understood fully in one or two visits to the temple. President David O. McKay is reported to have said, after nearly sixty years of temple attendance: ‘Now I am beginning to understand the endowment.’ If it took a prophet of God of the spiritual depth of President McKay almost six decades to begin to understand the temple endowment, I think we may be pardoned if we sometimes don’t understand- but only if we approach our deficiency in a spirit of humility and resolve to do better…we must go often to the temple with a seeking mind and heart.” (p. 58)
President Howard W. Hunter a strong advocate for temple attendance, stated the October 1994 General Conference:
“Let us be a temple-attending and a temple-loving people. Let us hasten to the temple as frequently as time and means and personal circumstances allow. Let us go not only for our kindred dead, but let us go for the personal blessing of temple worship, for the sanctity and safety which is provided within those hallowed and consecrated walls. The temple is a place of beauty, it is a place of revelation, it is a place of peace. It is the House of the Lord. It is holy unto the Lord. It should be holy unto us.”
In the April 2009 General Conference Elder David A. Bednar stated:
“… the process of taking upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ that is commenced in the waters of baptism is continued and enlarged in the house of the Lord. As we stand in the waters of baptism, we look to the temple. As we partake of the sacrament, we look to the temple. We pledge to always remember the Savior and to keep His commandments as preparation to participate in the sacred ordinances of the temple and receive the highest blessings available through the name and by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, in the ordinances of the holy temple we more completely and fully take upon us the name of Jesus Christ.”
Elder Bednar’s added as he described the exodus from Nauvoo and President Brigham Young’s letter to the saints: “Now is the time for labor. Let the fire of the covenant which you made in the House of Lord, burn in your hearts, like flame unquenchable.” Elder Bednar further explained that it was the fire of the covenant that burned in their hearts. It was their commitment to worship and honorably hold a name and standing in the house of the Lord. Let us all remember the covenants that we have made in the temple and have them burned in our hearts.
Temple Worship Strengthens Families
For you who are parents, I would like to share some counsel Elder Boyd K. Packer gave couples who are about to be sealed which applies to us: “You now become a family, free to act in the creation of life, to have the opportunity through devotion and sacrifice to bring children into the world and to raise them and foster them safely through their mortal existence; to see them come one day, as you have come to participate in these sacred temple ordinances.”
Bro. Skinner adds:
“As we follow this pattern, we are doing what our Heavenly Parents do. We create and nurture life, we provide our sons and daughters with opportunities for growth and progression, and we seek to have them arrive at the point where they desire to continue the pattern, wherein lies true happiness. Being sealed together as husband and wife and children is not just a nice thing to do, not just the customary pattern to follow. Being sealed together as an eternal family is the very order of heaven. It is the kind of life our Heavenly Parents live. In other words, the family isn’t just the basic unit of society; it is the basic unit of eternity.” (p.68)
I encourage parents, insofar as possible, to support and encourage your children, especially those between the ages of 12 and 18, to go to the temple at least once a month to do baptisms and confirmations for the dead. As the youth do this, they will develop a pattern in their lives of going to the temple often and they will also feel the power of the temple and the great love that our Savior has for each one of His children. This practice eventually will lead them to participate in the crowning ordinance of the temple: being sealed as families for time and all eternity.
My Testimony
On the east wall of every temple is engraved: “The House of the Lord. Holiness to the Lord.” I testify that all of the temples of the Lord are His sanctuaries here upon this earth. I pray and sincerely hope that the Lord will bless you with a strong desire to attend the temple more often, as your circumstances permit, and claim the blessings and protections that the Lord has promised. May we remember that the words of our Prophets and Apostles are the words of our Savior to us. He has warned and counseled us to go to the temple often. I testify that Jesus Christ lives, that this is His Church, that the Temple is his holy House, and that He is the center of our worship in the Temple. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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