Temple Service

Today I read Luke 19, which contains the parable of the talents, Jesus riding into Jerusalem for the final time and the cleansing of the temple. These are all topics we have covered in Matthew and/or Mark already. However, the temples have been on my mind recently. I have been re-listening to this past April's General Conference in my car as I drive around town and go to and from work. President Monson's talk on the temples has stayed with me and been much on my mind lately.

Temple work is perhaps the most sacred, worthwhile thing we as Latter-day Saints can do on this earth. We sometimes are given grief over those who are not Latter-day Saints because in their eyes we are trying to save ourselves. They sometimes feel we do not believe we are saved by grace and Jesus Christ. However, all Latter-day Saints look to the Savior as their Redeemer and know that without Him it is impossible to be cleansed from sin and we will never return to live with God someday. So we most emphatically DO believe we are saved by grace and that nothing we do will change that. Only the supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ is going to save us.

But, there are certain requirements that must be met in order to take full advantage of the sacrifice Jesus made for us. For example, few in the Christian world will refute that baptism is necessary for salvation in the Kingdom of God. Along those same lines, there are certain other ordinances that must be performed in order to obtain the highest degree of glory and become like God is. These must be performed in the temple and are so sacred that we do not talk about them outside of the temple with a few exceptions. Perhaps the most sacred ordinance in the temple is that of marriage for time and eternity. All marriage outside of the temple generally contain the phrase "till death do you part". The Latter-day Saint marriage inside the temple does not contain this phrase because when performed in the right place by the right authority, marriage is eternal. It's so interesting because if you were to go randomly poll people on the streets anywhere you go and ask them if after death, if they believe in an afterlife anyway, they will be with their families, 90% will say yes they will be. It is in our nature to want our associations that we have here to continue with us into the next life. And yet without the proper authority, it won't happen. It is the same concept of earthly authority today. Everyone knows that only a drivers license issued by the government is valid and no matter how much you make one to look like it, unless it was issued by the government it is invalid. So it is with sacred ordinances.

Now, the temple is also the place where Latter-day Saints can help those who have gone on before us and not had an opportunity to hear the Gospel or participate in ordinances. Just as Jesus paid the price for our sins, so to can Latter-day Saints perform sacred, necessary ordinances for those who no longer have a body and consequently cannot perform them for themselves. There are few places on earth that you can feel the Spirit of God stronger than you can in the temple doing this sacred work. It is indescribable if you have never felt it and there are few times in life that you will feel nearer to God than while doing work in the temple.

It is important for faithful Latter-day Saints to attend the temple often. It is part of keeping our covenants we made with God upon baptism and joining His church. All take part in this great work in whatever way they can and all Latter-day Saints should make the time to attend the temple regularly. Whatever it takes to make that happen, no sacrifice is too big. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of examples where Latter-day Saints have sold everything they have except the clothes on their backs, even their homes, to journey to the temple to receive the blessings of an eternal family. Are we taking advantage of the blessings of a temple when all we have to sacrifice is our time and perhaps a little money to pay for gas to reach the temple? I feel it will be one of those things that God asks us about when we see Him again and as with everything else, you don't want to be standing there with excuses, especially not one as lame as "I was too busy".

Temple service is as close to God as we can get on this earth. It is a gift He has given us, to allow us to be part of other people's eternal progression and salvation. Do not squander it for petty, worldly things such as TV, movies or whatever other convenient excuse we can come up with. If we try hard enough, anything can become a reason NOT to attend the temple. Instead, focus on all the reasons why you SHOULD attend the temple, and then make the time for it. You will be glad you did. I promise. Until tomorrow.