I was down
Nobody took my ground
Just when I thought I stand alone
All I said that life was just for fun
I forget that I’m your man
You knocked my heart and I woke up
Filled my life with lots of care
Took my hand and lift me up
Hugging me when I'm in doubt oh
My apologies
I was looking for your love
Because love will keep us there
With the vow to defend the holy one
Keep us with your coat of love
Now I know
You've got the winning smile
I never thought you'd still forgive
Someone like me who's ugly strategy
Wrecked my life I almost died
But you knocked my heart and I woke up
Filled my life with lots of care
Took my hand and lift me up
Hugging me when I’m in doubt oh
My apologies
I was looking for your love
Because love will keep us there
With the vow to defend the holy one
Keep us with your coat of love
Here's the Youtube Video Song about this Lyric -
Mothers and Daughters
Elder M. Russell Ballard
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In these last days it is essential—even critical—that parents and children listen to and learn from one another.
Brothers and sisters, six months ago I spoke in the priesthood session of general conference to fathers and sons. As you might expect, my 5 daughters, 24 granddaughters, and ever-increasing number of great-granddaughters have been asking for equal time. So today I will speak primarily to the mothers and daughters of the Church.My dear wife, Barbara, has had an eternally significant influence on our daughters and granddaughters—and they, in turn, on her. Mothers and daughters play a critical role in helping each other explore their infinite possibilities, despite the undermining influences of a world in which womanhood and motherhood are being corrupted and manipulated.
Speaking to the women of the Church nearly a century ago, President Joseph F. Smith said: “It is not for you to be led by the women of the world; it is for you to lead the . . . women of the world, in everything that is praise-worthy, everything that is God-like, everything that is uplifting and . . . purifying to the children of men” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith [1998], 184).
Sisters, we, your brethren, cannot do what you were divinely designated to do from before the foundation of the world. We may try, but we cannot ever hope to replicate your unique gifts. There is nothing in this world as personal, as nurturing, or as life changing as the influence of a righteous woman.
I understand that some of you young women do not have mothers with whom you can discuss these issues. And many of you women do not presently have daughters in your lives. But because all women have within their divine nature both the inherent talent and the stewardship to mother, most of what I will say applies equally to grandmothers, aunts, sisters, stepmothers, mothers-in-law, leaders, and other mentors who sometimes fill the gaps for these significant mother-daughter relationships.
Young women, your mothers adore you. They see in you the promise of future generations. Everything you accomplish, every challenge you overcome brings them pure joy. And likewise your worries and heartaches are their worries and heartaches.
Today I wish to give you young women some suggestions on how to take full advantage of your relationship with your mother. And then I have a few thoughts to share with mothers about how they can maximize their influence with their daughters as well as the other members of their families.
It is, unfortunately, all too easy to illustrate the confusion and distortion of womanhood in contemporary society. Immodest, immoral, intemperate women jam the airwaves, monopolize magazines, and slink across movie screens—all while being celebrated by the world. The Apostle Paul spoke prophetically of “perilous times” that will come in the last days and specifically referenced something that may have seemed particularly perilous to him: “silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts” (2 Timothy 3:1, 6). Popular culture today often makes women look silly, inconsequential, mindless, and powerless. It objectifies them and disrespects them and then suggests that they are able to leave their mark on mankind only by seduction—easily the most pervasively dangerous message the adversary sends to women about themselves.
And so, my dear young women, with all my heart I urge you not to look to contemporary culture for your role models and mentors. Please look to your faithful mothers for a pattern to follow. Model yourselves afterthem, not after celebrities whose standards are not the Lord’s standards and whose values may not reflect an eternal perspective. Look to your mother. Learn from her strengths, her courage, and her faithfulness. Listen to her. She may not be a whiz at texting; she may not even have a Facebook page. But when it comes to matters of the heart and the things of the Lord, she has a wealth of knowledge. As you approach the time for marriage and young motherhood, she will be your greatest source of wisdom. No other person on earth loves you in the same way or is willing to sacrifice as much to encourage you and help you find happiness—in this life and forever.
Love your mother, my young sisters. Respect her. Listen to her. Trust her. She has your best interests at heart. She cares about your eternal safety and happiness. So be kind to her. Be patient with her imperfections, for she has them. We all do.
Now may I share a few thoughts with you mothers about the special role you play in your daughters’ lives. We have a family friend who travels often with members of her extended family. Her primary observation after each trip is how much the young women behave like their mothers. If the mothers are thrifty, so are their daughters. If the mothers are modest, so are the girls. If the mothers wear flip-flops and other casual clothing to sacrament meeting, so do their daughters. Mothers, your example is extremely important to your daughters—even if they don’t acknowledge it.
Throughout the history of the world, women have always been teachers of moral values. That instruction begins in the cradle and continues throughout the lives of their children. Today our society is bombarded with messages about womanhood and motherhood that are dangerously and wickedly wrong. Following these messages can put your daughters on the path to sin and self-destruction. Your daughters may not understand that unless you tell them or, better, unless you show them how to make good choices. As mothers in Israel, you are your daughters’ first line of defense against the wiles of the world.
Now, mothers, I understand that it sometimes appears that our children aren’t paying attention to the lessons we’re trying to teach them. Believe me—I’ve seen that glazed-over look that comes to the eyes of teenagers just when you’re coming to what you think is the best part of your instruction. Let me assure you that even when you think your daughter is not listening to a thing you say, she is still learning from you as she watches you to see if your actions match your words. As Ralph Waldo Emerson is believed to have said, “What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say” (see Ralph Keyes, The Quote Verifier[2006], 56).
Teach your daughters to find joy in nurturing children. This is where their love and talents can have the greatest eternal significance. Consider in this context President Harold B. Lee’s injunction that “the most important . . . work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own homes” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee [2000], 134). This is true for all of us, of course, but it is especially powerful when considering the relationship of mothers and daughters.
Mothers, teach your daughters that a faithful daughter of God avoids the temptation to gossip or judge one another. In a sermon to the Relief Society of Nauvoo, the Prophet Joseph counseled, “The tongue is an unruly member—hold your tongues about things of no moment” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 455).
In recent years there has been a rash of articles, books, and films written about women and girls who gossip and who are “mean.” Satan is always attempting to undermine the most precious element of a woman’s divine nature—the nature to nurture.
A mother-daughter relationship is where a daughter learns how to nurture by being nurtured. She is loved. She is taught and experiences firsthand what it feels like to have someone care about her enough to correct her while continuing to encourage and believe in her at the same time.
Remember, sisters, God is the source of all moral and spiritual power. We gain access to that power by entering into covenants with Him and keeping those covenants. Mothers, teach your daughters the importance of making covenants, and then show them how to keep those covenants in such a way that they will desire to live worthy to go to the temple.
In today’s world this means talking to your daughters about sexual matters. Your daughters as well as your sons are coming of age in a world that openly embraces early, casual, and thoughtless promiscuity. Immodest, unchaste women are glamorized and all too often celebrated and emulated. While there are steps that we can take in our homes and families to minimize our exposure to these unsavory elements of contemporary living, your daughters cannot entirely avoid the blatant sexual messages and enticements that surround them. You need to have frequent, open discussions during which you teach your daughters the truth about these issues.
For example, they need to understand that when they wear clothing that is too tight, too short, or too low cut, they not only can send the wrong message to young men with whom they associate, but they also perpetuate in their own minds the fallacy that a woman’s value is dependent solely upon her sensual appeal. This never has been nor will it ever be within the righteous definition of a faithful daughter of God. They need to hear this—clearly and repeatedly—from your lips, and they need to see it modeled correctly and consistently in your own personal standards of dress, grooming, and modest living.
All youth will be more likely to make and keep covenants if they learn how to recognize the presence and the voice of the Spirit. Teach your daughters about things of the Spirit. Point them to the scriptures. Give them experiences that will help them cherish the blessing of priesthood power in their lives. Through keeping covenants they will learn to hear the voice of the Lord and receive personal revelation. God will truly hear and answer their prayers. The Mutual theme for 2010 applies to our youth as well as to all of us: “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9). This will lead them safely to the blessings of the house of the Lord.
Make sure they know that keeping covenants is the safest road to eternal happiness. And if needed, teach them how to repent and how to remain pure and worthy.
Now, if this has a familiar sound, my brothers and sisters, it’s because I’ve been speaking to parents and their children for three general conferences in a row. Last April I encouraged the youth to “learn the lessons of the past.” From that talk I quote: “When you are willing to listen and learn, some of life’s most meaningful teachings come from those who have gone before you. . . . How much better your life will be if you will follow the noble example of the faithful followers of Christ” (“Learning the Lessons of the Past,” Liahona and Ensign, May 2009, 31, 33).
Last October I spoke to fathers and sons in priesthood meeting, and today I have spoken mostly to mothers and daughters. In each case my message has been different but similar. I hope you are listening and see a pattern and hear a steady, consistent message that in these last days it is essential—even critical—that parents and children listen to and learn from one another. These are not just ethereal concepts about which I have been speaking. They are the essence, the center, of God’s plan for our eternal happiness and peace.
The Church will help wherever we can. We are there to support and sustain you as parents and as children. But the home is the most important place to prepare the youth of today to lead the families and the Church of tomorrow. It rests upon each one of us as mothers and fathers to do all we can to prepare our youth to be faithful, righteous men and women. It is in the home where we must teach the gospel by precept and by example.
I conclude my counsel with this prophetic summary from President Joseph F. Smith: “Our [family] associations are not exclusively intended for this life, for time, as we distinguish it from eternity. We live for time and for eternity. We form associations and relations for time and all eternity. . . . Who are there besides the Latter-day Saints who contemplate the thought that beyond the grave we will continue in the family organization? the father, the mother, the children recognizing each other . . . ? this family organization being a unit in the great and perfect organization of God’s work, and all destined to continue throughout time and eternity?” (Teachings: Joseph F. Smith, 385, 386).
May God bless us to teach, nurture, and prepare one another within the walls of our homes for the great work that must be done by all of us now and in the future is my prayer in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
“And upon the Handmaids in Those Days Will I Pour Out My Spirit”
Julie B. Beck
Relief Society General President
Relief Society General President
We know we are successful if we live so that we qualify for, receive, and know how to follow the Spirit.
In the past year I have met thousands of Latter-day Saint women in many countries. The list of challenges these sisters face is lengthy and sobering. There are family troubles, economic tests, calamities, accidents, and illnesses. There is much distraction and not enough peace and joy. Despite popular media messages to the contrary, no one is rich enough, beautiful enough, or clever enough to avoid a mortal experience.The questions sisters ask are serious and insightful. They articulate uneasiness about the future, sorrow for unrealized expectations, some indecision, and diminished feelings of self-worth. They also reflect a deep desire to do what is right.
There has grown in me an overwhelming testimony of the value of daughters of God. So much depends on them. In my visits with the sisters, I have felt that there has never been a greater need for increased faith and personal righteousness. There has never been a greater need for strong families and homes. There has never been more that could be done to help others who are in need. How does one increase faith, strengthen families, and provide relief?1 How does a woman in our day find answers to her own questions and stand strong and immovable against incredible opposition and difficulty?
Personal Revelation
A good woman knows that she does not have enough time, energy, or opportunity to take care of all of the people or do all of the worthy things her heart yearns to do. Life is not calm for most women, and each day seems to require the accomplishment of a million things, most of which are important. A good woman must constantly resist alluring and deceptive messages from many sources telling her that she is entitled to more time away from her responsibilities and that she deserves a life of greater ease and independence. But with personal revelation, she can prioritize correctly and navigate this life confidently.
The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life. Qualifying for the Lord’s Spirit begins with a desire for that Spirit and implies a certain degree of worthiness. Keeping the commandments, repenting, and renewing covenants made at baptism lead to the blessing of always having the Lord’s Spirit with us.2 Making and keeping temple covenants also adds spiritual strength and power to a woman’s life. Many answers to difficult questions are found by reading the scriptures because the scriptures are an aid to revelation.3 Insight found in scripture accumulates over time, so it is important to spend some time in the scriptures every day. Daily prayer is also essential to having the Lord’s Spirit with us.4 Those who earnestly seek help through prayer and scripture study often have a paper and pencil nearby to write questions and record impressions and ideas.
Revelation can come hour by hour and moment by moment as we do the right things. When women nurture as Christ nurtured, a power and peace can descend to guide when help is needed. For instance, mothers can feel help from the Spirit even when tired, noisy children are clamoring for attention, but they can be distanced from the Spirit if they lose their temper with children. Being in the right places allows us to receive guidance. It requires a conscious effort to diminish distractions, but having the Spirit of revelation makes it possible to prevail over opposition and persist in faith through difficult days and essential routine tasks. Personal revelation gives us the understanding of what to do every day to increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and seek those who need our help. Because personal revelation is a constantly renewable source of strength, it is possible to feel bathed in help even during turbulent times.
We are told to put our trust in that Spirit which leads us “to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously.”5 We are also told that this Spirit will enlighten our minds, fill our souls with joy, and help us know all things we should do.6 Promised personal revelation comes when we ask for it, prepare for it, and go forward in faith, trusting that it will be poured out upon us.
Relief Society—Teaching, Inspiring, and Strengthening
Additionally, the Lord in His wisdom has provided a Relief Society to help His daughters in these latter days. When Relief Society functions in an inspired way, it lifts women up and out of a troubled world and into a way of living that prepares them for the blessings of eternal life. This society has at its very core the responsibility to help sisters increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and seek out and help others who are in need. Through Relief Society, sisters can receive answers to their questions and be blessed by the combined spiritual power of all the sisters. Relief Society validates the true and eternal nature of daughters of God. It is a sacred trust, a guiding light, and a system of watchcare that teaches and inspires women to be strong and immovable. Its motto, “Charity never faileth,”7 is embodied in all good women.
When a girl advances into Relief Society or when a woman is baptized into the Church, she becomes part of a sisterhood that strengthens her in her preparation for eternal life. Entrance into Relief Society signifies that a woman can be trusted and relied upon to make a significant contribution in the Church. She continues to progress as an individual without receiving much outward credit or praise.
The second general Relief Society president, Eliza R. Snow, said this to the sisters: “We want to be ladies in very deed, not according to the term of the word as the world judges, but fit companions of the Gods and Holy Ones. In an organized capacity we can assist each other in not only doing good but in refining ourselves, and whether few or many come forward and help to prosecute this great work, they will be those that will fill honorable positions in the Kingdom of God. . . . Women should be women and not babies that need petting and correction all the time. I know we like to be appreciated but if we do not get all the appreciation which we think is our due, what matters? We know the Lord has laid high responsibility upon us, and there is not a wish or desire that the Lord has implanted in our hearts in righteousness but will be realized, and the greatest good we can do to ourselves and each other is to refine and cultivate ourselves in everything that is good and ennobling to qualify us for those responsibilities.”8
Measuring Success
Good women always have a desire to know if they are succeeding. In a world where the measures of success are often distorted, it is important to seek appreciation and affirmation from proper sources. To paraphrase a list found in Preach My Gospel, we are doing well when we develop attributes of Christ and strive to obey His gospel with exactness. We are doing well when we seek to improve ourselves and do our best. We are doing well when we increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and seek out and help others who are in need. We know we are successful if we live so that we qualify for, receive, and know how to follow the Spirit. When we have done our very best, we may still experience disappointments, but we will not be disappointed in ourselves. We can feel certain that the Lord is pleased when we feel the Spirit working through us.9 Peace, joy, and hope are available to those who measure success properly.
A revelation in the book of Joel states that in the last days, sons and daughters of God will prophesy and the Lord will pour out His Spirit upon His servants and His handmaids.10 President Spencer W. Kimball echoed this prophecy when he said:
“Much of the major growth that is coming to the Church in the last days will come because many of the good women of the world (in whom there is often such an inner sense of spirituality) will be drawn to the Church in large numbers. This will happen to the degree that the women of the Church reflect righteousness and articulateness in their lives and to the degree that the women of the Church are seen as distinct and different—in happy ways—from the women of the world. . . .
“Thus it will be that female exemplars of the Church will be a significant force in both the numerical and spiritual growth of the Church in the last days.”11
I bear my witness that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true. The Lord depends on His daughters to do their part to strengthen the homes of Zion and build His kingdom on the earth. As they seek and qualify for personal revelation, the Lord will pour out His Spirit upon His handmaids in these latter days. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
NOTES
1. See Jacob 2:17; Mosiah 4:26; Doctrine and Covenants 38:35; 44:6.
2. See Doctrine and Covenants 20:77.
3. See 2 Nephi 32:3.
4. See 3 Nephi 19:24–33.
5. Doctrine and Covenants 11:12.
6. See Doctrine and Covenants 11:13–14.
7. 1 Corinthians 13:8.
8. Eliza R. Snow, address to Lehi Ward Relief Society, Oct. 27, 1869, Lehi Ward, Alpine (Utah) Stake, in Relief Society, Minute Book, 1868–79, Church History Library, Salt Lake City, 26–27.
9. See Preach My Gospel (2004), 10–11.
10. See Joel 2:28–29.
11. Spencer W. Kimball, “The Role of Righteous Women,” Ensign, Nov. 1979, 103–4.
Hold on a Little Longer
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Hold on a Little Longer,” Liahona, Jan 2010, 4–8
One of the enduring lessons of the Kirtland period is that our spirits need constant nourishment. We need to stay close to the Lord every day if we are to survive the adversity that we all must face.
Last summer my wife and I took our twin grandsons to Kirtland, Ohio. It was a special and precious opportunity for us to spend time with them before they left on their missions.During our visit there, we learned to better understand the circumstances of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Saints who lived in Kirtland. That era of Church history is known as a time of severe trials but also supreme blessings.
In Kirtland the Lord bestowed some of the most remarkable heavenly manifestations and spiritual gifts this world has ever experienced. Sixty-five sections of the Doctrine and Covenants were received in Kirtland and surrounding areas—revelations that brought new light and knowledge about topics such as the Second Coming, caring for the needy, the plan of salvation, priesthood authority, the Word of Wisdom, tithing, the temple, and the law of consecration.1
It was a period of unparalleled spiritual growth. Indeed, the Spirit of God like a fire was burning. Moses, Elijah, and many other heavenly beings appeared during this time, including our Heavenly Father and His Son, the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.2
One of the many revelations Joseph received in Kirtland was a revelation he called the “olive leaf … plucked from the Tree of Paradise, and the Lord’s message of peace to us” (introduction to D&C 88). This remarkable revelation includes the sublime invitation, “Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me” (D&C 88:63). As the Saints of Kirtland drew near unto the Lord, He truly did draw near unto them, pouring out the blessings of heaven upon the heads of the faithful.
A Spiritual Outpouring
Perhaps the culmination of these spiritual manifestations occurred during the dedication of the Kirtland Temple on March 27, 1836. One of those present was 28-year-old William Draper, who described the day as a “day of Pentecost.” He wrote: “There was such a time of the outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord, that my pen is inadequate to write it in full or my tongue to express it. But I will here say that the Spirit was poured out and came like a mighty rushing wind and filled the house, that many that were present spoke in tongues and had visions and saw angels and prophesied, and had a general time of rejoicing such as had not been known in this generation.”3These spiritual manifestations were not limited only to those inside the temple, for “the people of the neighborhood came running together (hearing an unusual sound within, and seeing a bright light like a pillar of fire resting upon the Temple), and were astonished at what was taking place.”4
Lorenzo Snow (1814–1901), later to be President of the Church, was living in Kirtland during this blessed period. He observed, “One would have imagined that after receiving these wonderful manifestations no temptation could have overthrown the Saints.”5
But, of course, great spiritual experiences do not make us exempt from opposition and trials. Just a few months after the temple dedication, a widespread economic crisis shook the United States, and Kirtland felt the effects deeply. Banks failed, leaving many in difficult financial straits. To make matters worse, many of the Saints who were immigrating to Kirtland came with very few material possessions, not knowing what they would do once they arrived or how they would survive.
Before long, persecutions arose and mobs formed against the Saints. Members of the Church—even some of those closest to the Prophet, many of whom were present at the dedication of the temple—apostatized and condemned Joseph as a fallen prophet.
As I walked near the Kirtland Temple with my wife and grandsons, I pondered how tragic it was that some could not remain faithful even after the spiritual manifestations they had witnessed. How sorrowful it was that they could not endure the ridicule and criticism of disbelievers. How sad that, when faced with financial trial or other struggles, they could not have reached inside themselves and found the strength to remain faithful. How unfortunate it was that they somehow lost sight of the miraculous spiritual harvest at the dedication of the temple.
The Lessons
What can we learn from this remarkable era in the history of the Church?One of the great, enduring lessons of the Kirtland period is that our spirits need constant nourishment. As President Harold B. Lee (1899–1973) taught: “Testimony isn’t something that you have today and you keep always. Testimony is either going to grow and grow to the brightness of certainty, or it is going to diminish to nothingness, depending upon what we do about it. I say, the testimony that we recapture day by day is the thing that saves us from the pitfalls of the adversary.”6 We need to stay close to the Lord every day if we are to survive the adversity that we all must face.
In some ways our world today is similar to Kirtland of the 1830s. We too live in times of financial distress. There are those who persecute and rail against the Church and its members. Individual and collective trials may sometimes seem overwhelming.
That is when we need, more than ever, to draw near unto the Lord. As we do, we will come to know what it means to have the Lord draw near unto us. As we seek Him ever more diligently, we will surely find Him. We will see clearly that the Lord does not abandon His Church or His faithful Saints. Our eyes will be opened, and we will see Him open the windows of heaven and shower us with more of His light. We will find the spiritual strength to survive even during the darkest night.
Although some of the Saints in Kirtland lost sight of the spiritual experiences they had, most did not. The majority, including William Draper, held fast to the spiritual knowledge God had given them and continued to follow the Prophet. Along the way they experienced more bitter trials but also more sweet spiritual growth until, ultimately, those who endured to the end were “received into … a state of never-ending happiness” (Mosiah 2:41).
You Can Hold On
If ever you are tempted to become discouraged or to lose faith, remember those faithful Saints who remained true in Kirtland. Hold on a little longer. You can do this! You are part of a special generation. You were prepared and preserved to live at this important time in the existence of our beautiful planet earth. You have a celestial pedigree and therefore have all the necessary talents to make your life an eternal success story.The Lord has blessed you with a testimony of the truth. You have felt His influence and witnessed His power. And if you continue to seek Him, He will continue to grant you sacred experiences. With these and other spiritual gifts, you will be able not only to change your own life for the better but also to bless your homes, wards or branches, communities, cities, states, and nations with your goodness.
It may be hard to see that at times, but hold on a little longer, for “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” and wait for Him (1 Corinthians 2:9; see also D&C 76:10; 133:45).
I bear witness of the truth of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and the truth of this, His Church. I testify with all my heart and soul that God lives, that Jesus Christ is His Son and stands at the head of this great Church. We have a prophet on the earth again, even President Thomas S. Monson.
May we ever remember the lesson of Kirtland and hold on a little longer—even when things look bleak. Know and remember this: the Lord loves you. He remembers you. And He will ever sustain those who “endure in faith to the end” (D&C 20:25).
First Presidency Message “Who Shall Ascend into the Hill of the Lord?”
By President James E. Faust
Second Counselor in the First Presidency
Second Counselor in the First Presidency
James E. Faust, “Who Shall Ascend into the Hill of the Lord?” Ensign, Aug. 2001, 2
In the 24th Psalm is the query, “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?” (Ps. 24:3). I believe we find the beauty and sanctity of “his holy place” as we enter the magnificent temples of God. Under the prophetic inspiration of President Gordon B. Hinckley, we are living in the greatest day of temple building. Almost every week last year a new temple was dedicated. In one month as many as seven temples were dedicated. Never before in any age has temple construction gone forward on such a grand scale. The faithful Saints who pay their tithes and offerings have made this possible, and each will receive eternal blessings because of his or her faithfulness. Those who take advantage of the blessings of the temple will also be eternally blessed.
In the 24th Psalm is the query, “Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?” (Ps. 24:3). I believe we find the beauty and sanctity of “his holy place” as we enter the magnificent temples of God. Under the prophetic inspiration of President Gordon B. Hinckley, we are living in the greatest day of temple building. Almost every week last year a new temple was dedicated. In one month as many as seven temples were dedicated. Never before in any age has temple construction gone forward on such a grand scale. The faithful Saints who pay their tithes and offerings have made this possible, and each will receive eternal blessings because of his or her faithfulness. Those who take advantage of the blessings of the temple will also be eternally blessed.
Each temple building is an inspiration, magnificent and beautiful in every way, but the temple building alone does not bless. The endowed blessings and divine functions—involving much that is not of this world, such as priesthood keys—come through obedience and faithfulness to priesthood authority and covenants made.
As we feel and see the awesome beauty of each temple, we see in vision and hold in our remembrance the endless blessings that will come to so many through its being. However, we should remember that we have faithful leaders and Saints in parts of the world where as yet they have no hallowed sanctuary in which to receive the sanctifying and cleansing ordinances of the temple. They are stake presidencies, patriarchs, high councilors, bishoprics, and other priesthood leaders, and a host of faithful Saints, as yet unendowed, who desire above all else to be sealed to their beloved parents, companions, and children. We have the blessing and the responsibility of helping them receive the blessings of the temple. Future temples will in a measure be a sanctification of our devotion and labors to build the kingdom of God in our time.
In the magnificence and splendor of our modern temples, well might we pause and reflect upon the laborers without shirts and shoes who built the Nauvoo and Kirtland Temples. Each temple that stands today is a vindication of Joseph and Hyrum Smith and a triumph for them and all of our people who suffered the destruction, the beatings, and the murders at the hands of the cruel tyrants in the mobs who drove our people west.
There is triumph for little Sardius Smith, a lad of about nine years who, at the Haun’s Mill Massacre (30 October 1838), crawled under the bellows in the blacksmith shop to seek safety and, when discovered, was shot dead. There is triumph for Bishop Edward Partridge (1743–1840), who was seized in his home and dragged to the town square by brutal and heartless men who proceeded to pour hot tar over his body and sprinkle it with feathers.
In the temples of the Lord, we learn obedience. We learn sacrifice. We make the vows of chastity and have our lives consecrated to holy purposes. It is possible for us to be purged and purified and to have our sins washed away so that we may come before the Lord as clean, white, and spotless as the newly fallen snow.
“Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?” We can see in vision the almost endless hosts of the elect, the devout, the believing who shall come to God’s holy sanctuary to seek its blessings. As they enter those hallowed halls, Nephi would remind all that “the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name” (2 Ne. 9:41).
As the Saints come into the sacrosanct washing and anointing rooms and are washed, they will be spiritually cleansed. As they are anointed, they will be renewed and regenerated in soul and spirit.
We can see in vision the countless couples in their youth and beauty coming to be married. We see clearly the unspeakable joy on their countenances as they are sealed together and as there is sealed upon them, through their faithfulness, the blessing of the holy Resurrection, with power to come forth in the morning of the First Resurrection clothed with glory, immortality, and eternal lives. We can see unnumbered families surrounding the altar, all clothed in white, with bowed heads and clasped hands, as they are sealed one to another, as though they were born in the new and everlasting covenant. We can see the army of angelic young children with the mirth and eagerness of youth, coming to the house of the Lord with awe and wonder to be baptized for the dead.
We see the vision of the heavenly hosts unnumbered whose eternal odysseys have been suspended as they wait for their vicarious work to be done, including the purification of baptism, the hallowed blessings of the endowment, and the exalting beatitude of sealings. We can see families dancing, shouting, and crying with joy in their being united in another world.
We are grateful for the presence of the sealing power that binds in heaven that which is bound here on earth. We render thanks for and veneration to our great and humble prophet, who holds all of these keys.
“Who shall stand in his holy place?” May there be extended a helping hand to those who have wavered in their faith or who have transgressed, to bring them back. After fully repenting, they will have a special need for the redemptive portion of the endowment. May they know that their sins will no more be remembered.
As we recall the commandment to stand in holy places, we should remember that beyond the temple, the most sacred and holy places in all the world should be our own dwelling places. Our homes should be committed and dedicated only to holy purposes. In our homes all of the security, the strengthening love, and the sympathetic understanding that we all so desperately need should be found.
“Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?
“He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully” (Ps. 24:3–4). For “holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever” (Ps. 93:5).
Gospel topics: temples, covenants, priesthood, family, home, temple work
Some Points of Emphasis
You may wish to make these points in your home teaching discussions:1. What a blessing it is to live in this great day of temple building.
2. It is good to reflect on the early laborers without shirts and shoes who built the Kirtland and Nauvoo Temples.
3. Many members still do not live near temples; we have the responsibility to help them receive temple blessings.
4. The blessings of the temple come through obedience and faithfulness to priesthood authority and covenants made.
5. In temples we learn about obedience, sacrifice, chastity, and consecrating our lives to holy purposes.
6. Beyond the temple, the most sacred and holy places should be our own homes, places also dedicated to holy purposes.
Discussion Helps
1. Relate your feelings about the temple.2. Are there some scriptures or quotations in this article that the family might read aloud and discuss?
3. Would this discussion be better after a previsit chat with the head of the house? Is there a message from the bishop or quorum leader?
Personal Preparation for Temple Blessings
Elder Russell M. Nelson
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Those who enter the temple are also to bear the attribute of holiness. … We can acquire holiness only by enduring and persistent personal effort.
Russell M. Nelson, “Personal Preparation for Temple Blessings,” Ensign, May 2001, 32
Under President Gordon B. Hinckley’s inspired direction, temples are now more accessible than ever. Inscribed on each temple are the words “Holiness to the Lord.” 1 That statement designates both the temple and its purposes as holy. Those who enter the temple are also to bear the attribute of holiness. 2 It may be easier to ascribe holiness to a building than it is to a people. We can acquire holiness only by enduring and persistent personal effort. Through the ages, servants of the Lord have warned against unholiness. Jacob, brother of Nephi, wrote: “I would speak unto you of holiness; but as ye are not holy, and ye look upon me as a teacher, [I] must … teach you the consequences of sin.” 3
Under President Gordon B. Hinckley’s inspired direction, temples are now more accessible than ever. Inscribed on each temple are the words “Holiness to the Lord.” 1 That statement designates both the temple and its purposes as holy. Those who enter the temple are also to bear the attribute of holiness. 2 It may be easier to ascribe holiness to a building than it is to a people. We can acquire holiness only by enduring and persistent personal effort. Through the ages, servants of the Lord have warned against unholiness. Jacob, brother of Nephi, wrote: “I would speak unto you of holiness; but as ye are not holy, and ye look upon me as a teacher, [I] must … teach you the consequences of sin.” 3
Now I feel that same sense of responsibility to teach. As temples are prepared for our members, our members need to prepare for the temple.
The temple is the house of the Lord. The basis for every temple ordinance and covenant—the heart of the plan of salvation—is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Every activity, every lesson, all we do in the Church, point to the Lord and His holy house. Our efforts to proclaim the gospel, perfect the Saints, and redeem the dead all lead to the temple. Each holy temple stands as a symbol of our membership in the Church, 4 as a sign of our faith in life after death, and as a sacred step toward eternal glory for us and our families.
President Hinckley said that “these unique and wonderful buildings, and the ordinances administered therein, represent the ultimate in our worship. These ordinances become the most profound expressions of our theology.” 5
To enter the temple is a tremendous blessing. But first we must be worthy. We should not be rushed. We cannot cut corners of preparation and risk the breaking of covenants we were not prepared to make. That would be worse than not making them at all.
In the temple we receive an endowment, which is, literally speaking, a gift. In receiving this gift, we should understand its significance and the importance of keeping sacred covenants. Each temple ordinance “is not just a ritual to go through, it is an act of solemn promising.” 6
The temple endowment was given by revelation. Thus, it is best understood by revelation, prayerfully sought with a sincere heart. 7 President Brigham Young said, “Your endowment is, to receive all those ordinances in the house of the Lord, which are necessary for you, after you have departed this life, to enable you to walk back to the presence of the Father, … and gain your eternal exaltation.” 8
In preparing to receive the endowment and other ordinances of the temple, we should understand the sealing authority of the priesthood. Jesus referred to this authority long ago when He taught His Apostles, “Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven.” 9 That same authority has been restored in these latter days. Just as priesthood is eternal—without beginning or end—so is the effect of priesthood ordinances that bind families together forever.
Temple ordinances, covenants, endowments, and sealings enable individuals to be reconciled with the Lord and families to be sealed beyond the veil of death. Obedience to temple covenants qualifies us for eternal life, the greatest gift of God to man. 10 Eternal life is more than immortality. Eternal life is exaltation in the highest heaven—the kind of life that God lives.
Preparation also includes qualification for a temple recommend. Our Redeemer requires that His temples be protected from desecration. No unclean thing may enter His hallowed house. 11 Yet anyone is welcome who prepares well. Each person applying for a recommend will be interviewed by a judge in Israel—the bishop—and by a stake president. 12 They hold keys of priesthood authority and the responsibility to help us know when our preparation and timing are appropriate to enter the temple. Their interviews will assess several vital issues. They will ask if we obey the law of tithing, if we keep the Word of Wisdom, and if we sustain the authorities of the Church. They will ask if we are honest, if we are morally clean, and if we honor the power of procreation as a sacred trust from our Creator.
Why are these issues so crucial? Because they are spiritual separators. They help to determine if we truly live as children of the covenant, 13 able to resist temptation from servants of sin. 14 These interviews help to discern if we are willing to live in accord with the will of the true and living God or if our hearts are still set “upon riches and … vain things of the world.” 15
Such requirements are not difficult to understand. Because the temple is the house of the Lord, standards for admission are set by Him. One enters as His guest. To hold a temple recommend is a priceless privilege and a tangible sign of obedience to God and His prophets. 16
One prepares physically for the temple by dressing properly. It is not a place for casual attire. “We should dress in such a way that we might comfortably attend a sacrament meeting or a gathering that is proper and dignified.” 17
Brides and grooms enter the temple to be married for time and all eternity. There brides wear white dresses—long sleeved, modest in design and fabric, and free of elaborate ornamentation. Grooms also dress in white. And brethren who come to witness weddings do not wear tuxedos.
Wearing the temple garment has deep symbolic significance. It represents a continuing commitment. 20 Just as the Savior exemplified the need to endure to the end, we wear the garment faithfully as part of the enduring armor of God. 21 Thus we demonstrate our faith in Him and in His eternal covenants with us. 22
In addition to physical preparation, we prepare spiritually. Because the ordinances and covenants of the temple are sacred, we are under solemn obligation not to speak outside the temple of that which occurs in the temple. There are, however, some principles we can discuss.
Each temple is a house of learning. 23 There we are taught in the Master’s way. 24 His way differs from modes of others. His way is ancient and rich with symbolism. We can learn much by pondering the reality for which each symbol stands. 25 Teachings of the temple are beautifully simple and simply beautiful. They are understood by the humble, yet they can excite the intellect of the brightest minds.
Spiritual preparation is enhanced by study. I like to recommend that members going to the temple for the first time read short explanatory paragraphs in the Bible Dictionary, listed under seven topics: 26 “Anoint,” 27 “Atonement,” 28 “Christ,” 29 “Covenant,” 30 “Fall of Adam,” 31 “Sacrifices,” 32 and “Temple.” 33 Doing so will provide a firm foundation.
With each ordinance is a covenant—a promise. A covenant made with God is not restrictive, but protective. Such a concept is not new. For example, if our water supply is not clean, we filter the water to screen out harmful ingredients. Divine covenants help us to filter out of our minds impurities that could harm us. When we choose to deny ourselves of all ungodliness, 36 we lose nothing of value and gain the glory of eternal life. Covenants do not hold us down; they elevate us beyond the limits of our own power and perspective.
President Hinckley has explained that lofty perspective: “There is a goal beyond the Resurrection,” he said. “That is exaltation in our Father’s kingdom. … It will begin with acceptance of him as our Eternal Father and of his son as our living Redeemer. It will involve participation in various ordinances, each one important and necessary. The first of these is baptism by immersion in water, without which, according to the Savior, a man cannot enter into the kingdom of God. There must follow the birth of the Spirit, the gift of the Holy Ghost. Then in succession through the years will come, for men, ordination to the priesthood, followed by the blessings of the temple for both men and women who are worthy to enter therein. These temple blessings include our washings and anointings that we may be clean before the Lord. They include the … endowment of obligations and blessings that motivate us to behavior compatible with the principles of the gospel. They include the sealing ordinances by which that which is bound on earth is bound in heaven, providing for the continuity of the family.” 37
I have learned that temple blessings are most meaningful when death takes a loved one away from the family circle. To know that the pain of separation is only temporary provides peace that passes ordinary understanding. 38 Death cannot sever families sealed in the temple. They understand death as a necessary part of God’s great plan of happiness. 39
Such perspective helps us to maintain fidelity to covenants made. President Boyd K. Packer emphasized that “ordinances and covenants become our credentials for admission into [God’s] presence. To worthily receive them is the quest of a lifetime; to keep them thereafter is the challenge of mortality.” 40
Ordinances of the temple relate to personal progress and to the redemption of departed ancestors as well. “For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, … they without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect.” 41 Service in their behalf provides repeated opportunities for temple worship. And that service deserves commitment to a planned schedule. By doing for others what they cannot do for themselves, we emulate the pattern of the Savior, who wrought the Atonement to bless the lives of other people.
Meanwhile, in this world smitten with spiritual decay, can individuals prepared for temple blessings make a difference? Yes! Those Saints are “the covenant people of the Lord, … armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.” 44 Their example can lift the lives of all humankind. I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Gospel topics: Atonement, commitment, covenants, death, faith, leadership, morality, obedience, ordinances, preparation, priesthood, spirituality, symbols, temples, temple work, temptation, tithing, worship, worthiness
Notes
1. See Ex. 28:36; Ex. 39:30; Ps. 93:5. Translated equivalents are used on temples in non-English-speaking localities.2. See Ex. 19:5–6; Lev. 19:1–2; Ps. 24:3–5; 1 Thes. 4:7; Moro. 10:32–33; D&C 20:69; D&C 110:6–9; see also Bible Dictionary, “Holiness,” 703–4.
3. 2 Ne. 9:48.
4. See “Following the Master: Teachings of President Howard W. Hunter,” Ensign, Apr. 1995, 21–22; Howard W. Hunter, “The Great Symbol of Our Membership,” Tambuli, Nov. 1994, 3.
5. “Of Missions, Temples, and Stewardship,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 53.
6. Gordon B. Hinckley, Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley (1997), 638.
7. See Moro. 10:4–5.
8. Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe (1941), 416.
9. Matt. 16:19.
10. See D&C 14:7.
11. See D&C 109:20; see also Isa. 52:11; Alma 11:37; 3 Ne. 27:19.
12. Or the branch president and mission president.
13. See 3 Ne. 20:26; see also Russell M. Nelson, “Children of the Covenant,” Ensign, May 1995, 32.
14. See Rom. 6:17, 20; D&C 121:17.
15. Alma 7:6.
16. President Hinckley said, “I urge our people everywhere, with all of the persuasiveness of which I am capable, to live worthy to hold a temple recommend, to secure one and regard it as a precious asset, and to make a greater effort to go to the house of the Lord and partake of the spirit and the blessings to be had therein” (“Of Missions, Temples, and Stewardship,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 53).
17. Boyd K. Packer, The Holy Temple (1980), 73.
18. See Neal A. Maxwell, “Not My Will, But Thine” (1988), 135; see also D&C 100:16.
19. This reminds us that “God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34; see also Moro. 8:12).
20. The Lord assured that even though “the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; … my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my people be removed” (JST, Inspired Version, Isa. 54:10). Surely we would not ever want knowingly to discard from us an emblem of His everlasting covenant.
21. See Eph. 6:11–13; see also Alma 46:13, 21; D&C 27:15.
22. In a letter dated 10 October 1988, the First Presidency wrote: “Practices frequently observed among the members of the Church suggest that some members do not fully understand the covenant they make in the temple to wear the garment in accordance with the spirit of the holy endowment.
“Church members who have been clothed with the garment in the temple have made a covenant to wear it throughout their lives. This has been interpreted to mean that it is worn as underclothing both day and night. … The promise of protection and blessings is conditioned upon worthiness and faithfulness in keeping the covenant.
“The fundamental principle ought to be to wear the garment and not to find occasions to remove it. Thus, members should not remove either all or part of the garment to work in the yard or to lounge around the home in swimwear or immodest clothing. Nor should they remove it to participate in recreational activities that can reasonably be done with the garment worn properly beneath regular clothing. When the garment must be removed, such as for swimming, it should be restored as soon as possible.
“The principles of modesty and keeping the body appropriately covered are implicit in the covenant and should govern the nature of all clothing worn. Endowed members of the Church wear the garment as a reminder of the sacred covenants they have made with the Lord and also as a protection against temptation and evil. How it is worn is an outward expression of an inward commitment to follow the Savior.”
23. See D&C 88:119; D&C 109:8.
24. In fact, He is the way (see John 14:6).
25. See John A. Widtsoe, “Temple Worship,” Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, Apr. 1921, 62.
26. Members of the Church who do not read English may find comparable terms in their language editions of the Guide to the Scriptures.
27. Page 609, paragraphs 1, 4.
28. Page 617, paragraphs 1–2.
29. Page 633, paragraphs 1–3.
30. Page 651, paragraphs 1–2.
31. Page 670, paragraphs 1–2.
32. Pages 765–66, paragraph 1.
33. Pages 780–81, paragraphs 1–3.
34. Chapters of special interest include Ex. 26–29, 39; Lev. 8; 2 Sam. 12 (2 Sam. 12:20); 2 Chr. 6–7; Isa. 22; Ezek. 16.
35. See D&C 124:40–41.
36. 2 Ne. 9:48.
37. “Temples and Temple Work,” Ensign, Feb. 1982, 3.
38. See Philip. 4:7.
39. See Alma 42:8.
40. “Covenants,” Ensign, May 1987, 24.
41. D&C 128:15.
42. See 2 Ne. 9:41.
43. See D&C 137:9.
44. 1 Ne. 14:14.
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