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.
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.
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.”
These 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.”
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.”
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.” 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).
By President James E. Faust
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. 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?
Elder Russell M. Nelson
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 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.” 5To 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.” 6The 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.” 8In 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.” 15Such 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
Physical Preparation for the Temple 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.” 17Within the temple, all are dressed in spotless white to remind us that God is to have a pure people. 18 Nationality, language, or position in the Church are of secondary significance. In that democracy of dress, all sit side by side and are considered equal in the eyes of our Maker. 19Brides 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
Spiritual Preparation for the Temple 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. One may also read in the Old Testament 34 and the books of Moses and Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price. Such a review of ancient scripture is even more enlightening after one is familiar with the temple endowment. Those books underscore the antiquity of temple work. 35With 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.” 37I 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. 39Such 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.” 40Ordinances 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. One day we will meet our Maker and stand before Him at Judgment. 42 We will be judged according to our ordinances, covenants, deeds, and the desires of our hearts. 43Meanwhile, 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.
By President Boyd K. Packer
Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
 There are many reasons one should want to come to the temple. Even its external appearance seems to hint of its deeply spiritual purposes. This is much more evident within its walls. Over the door to the temple appears the tribute "Holiness to the Lord." When you enter any dedicated temple, you are in the house of the Lord.
In the temples, members of the Church who make themselves eligible can participate in the most exalted of the redeeming ordinances that have been revealed to mankind. There, in a sacred ceremony, an individual may be washed and anointed and instructed and endowed and sealed. And when we have received these blessings for ourselves, we may officiate for those who have died without having had the same opportunity. In the temples sacred ordinances are performed for the living and for the dead alike.
These Things Are Sacred
A careful reading of the scriptures reveals that the Lord did not tell all things to all people. There were some qualifications set that were prerequisite to receiving sacred information. Temple ceremonies fall within this category.
We do not discuss the temple ordinances outside the temples. It was never intended that knowledge of these temple ceremonies would be limited to a select few who would be obliged to ensure that others never learn of them. It is quite the opposite, in fact. With great effort we urge every soul to qualify and prepare for the temple experience. Those who have been to the temple have been taught an ideal: Someday every living soul and every soul who has ever lived shall have the opportunity to hear the gospel and to accept or reject what the temple offers. If this opportunity is rejected, the rejection must be on the part of the individual himself.
The ordinances and ceremonies of the temple are simple. They are beautiful. They are sacred. They are kept confidential lest they be given to those who are unprepared. Curiosity is not a preparation. Deep interest itself is not a preparation. Preparation for the ordinances includes preliminary steps: faith, repentance, baptism, confirmation, worthiness, a maturity and dignity worthy of one who comes invited as a guest into the house of the Lord.
All who are worthy and qualify in every way may enter the temple, there to be introduced to the sacred rites and ordinances.
Worthy to Enter
Once you have some feeling for the value of temple blessings and for the sacredness of the ordinances performed in the temple, you would be hesitant to question the high standards set by the Lord for entrance into the holy temple.
You must possess a current recommend to be admitted to the temple. This recommend must be signed by the proper officers of the Church. Only those who are worthy should go to the temple. Your local bishop or branch president has the responsibility of making inquiries into your personal worthiness. This interview is of great importance, for it is an occasion to explore with an ordained servant of the Lord the pattern of your life. If anything is amiss in your life, the bishop will be able to help you resolve it. Through this procedure, as you counsel with the common judge in Israel, you can declare or can be helped to establish your worthiness to enter the temple with the Lord's approval.
The interview for a temple recommend is conducted privately between the bishop and the Church member concerned. Here the member is asked searching questions about personal conduct and worthiness and loyalty to the Church and its officers. The person must certify that he or she is morally clean and is keeping the Word of Wisdom, paying a full tithe, living in harmony with the teachings of the Church, and not maintaining any affiliation or sympathy with apostate groups. The bishop is instructed that confidentiality in handling these matters with each interviewee is of the utmost importance.
Acceptable answers to the bishop's questions will ordinarily establish the worthiness of an individual to receive a temple recommend. If an applicant is not keeping the commandments or there is something unsettled that needs putting in order, it will be necessary to demonstrate true repentance before a temple recommend is issued.
After the bishop has conducted such an interview, a member of the stake presidency likewise interviews each of us before we go to the temple.
Taught from on High
Before going to the temple for the first time, or even after many times, it may help you to realize that the teaching in the temples is done in symbolic fashion. The Lord, the Master Teacher, gave much of His instruction in this way.
The temple is a great school. It is a house of learning. In the temples the atmosphere is maintained so that it is ideal for instruction on matters that are deeply spiritual. The late Elder John A. Widtsoe of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was a distinguished university president and a world-renowned scholar. He had great reverence for temple work and said on one occasion:
"The temple ordinances encompass the whole plan of salvation, as taught from time to time by the leaders of the Church, and elucidate matters difficult of understanding. There is no warping or twisting in fitting the temple teachings into the great scheme of salvation. The philosophical completeness of the endowment is one of the great arguments for the veracity of the temple ordinances. Moreover, this completeness of survey and expounding of the Gospel plan, makes temple worship one of the most effective methods in refreshing the memory concerning the whole structure of the Gospel" (Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, April 1921, 58).
If you will go to the temple and remember that the teaching is symbolic, you will never go in the proper spirit without coming away with your vision extended, feeling a little more exalted, with your knowledge increased as to things that are spiritual. The teaching plan is superb. It is inspired. The Lord Himself, the Master Teacher, taught His disciples constantly in parables—a verbal way to represent symbolically things that might otherwise be difficult to understand.
The temple itself becomes a symbol. If you have seen one of the temples at night, fully lighted, you know what an impressive sight that can be. The house of the Lord, bathed in light, standing out in the darkness, becomes symbolic of the power and the inspiration of the gospel of Jesus Christ standing as a beacon in a world that sinks ever further into spiritual darkness.
Upon entering the temple you exchange your street clothing for the white clothing of the temple. This change of clothing takes place in the locker room, where each individual is provided with a locker and dressing space that is completely private. In the temple the ideal of modesty is carefully maintained. As you put your clothing in the locker, you leave your cares and concerns and distractions there with them. You step out of this private little dressing area dressed in white and you feel a oneness and a sense of equality, for all around you are similarly dressed.
The Power to Seal
 For those of you who look forward to a temple marriage, you may want to know what will occur. We do not quote the words of the sealing (marriage) ordinance outside of the temple, but we may describe the sealing room as being beautiful in its appointment, quiet and serene in spirit, and hallowed by the sacred work that is performed there.
Before the couple comes to the altar for the sealing ordinance, it is the privilege of the officiator to extend, and of the young couple to receive, some counsel. These are among the thoughts that a young couple might hear on this occasion.
"Today is your wedding day. You are caught up in the emotion of your marriage. Temples were built as a sanctuary for such ordinances as this. We are not in the world. The things of the world do not apply here and should have no influence upon what we do here. We have come out of the world into the temple of the Lord. This becomes the most important day of your lives.
"You were born, invited to earth, by parents who prepared a mortal tabernacle for your spirit to inhabit. Each of you has been baptized. Baptism, a sacred ordinance, is symbolic of a cleansing, symbolic of death and resurrection, symbolic of coming forward in a newness of life. It contemplates repentance and a remission of sins. The sacrament of the Lord's Supper is a renewal of the covenant of baptism, and we can, if we live for it, retain a remission of our sins.
"You, the groom, were ordained to the priesthood. You had first conferred upon you the Aaronic Priesthood and probably have progressed through all the offices thereof—deacon, teacher, and priest. Then the day came when you were found worthy to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood. That priesthood, the higher priesthood, is defined as the priesthood after the holiest order of God, or the Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God (see Alma 13:18; Helaman 8:18; D&C 107:2–4). You were given an office in the priesthood. You are now an elder.
"Each of you has received your endowment. In that endowment you received an investment of eternal potential. But all of these things, in one sense, were preliminary and preparatory to your coming to the altar to be sealed as husband and wife for time and for all eternity. 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.
"You come willingly and have been judged to be worthy. To accept one another in the marriage covenant is a great responsibility, one that carries with it blessings without measure."
If we would understand both the history and the doctrine of temple work, we must understand what the sealing power is. We must envision, at least to a degree, why the keys of authority to employ the sealing power are crucial—crucial not just to the ordinance work of the temples but to all ordinance work in all the Church throughout the world.
The sealing power represents the transcendent delegation of spiritual authority from God to man. The keeper of that sealing power is the Lord's chief representative here upon the earth, the President of the Church. That is the position of consummate trust and authority.
As has been said, much of the teaching relating to the deeper spiritual things in the Church, particularly in the temple, is symbolic. We use the word keys in a symbolic way. Here the keys of priesthood authority represent the limits of the power extended from beyond the veil to mortal man to act in the name of God upon the earth. The words seal and keys and priesthood are closely linked together.
The keys of the sealing power are synonymous with the keys of the everlasting priesthood. "When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? . . .
"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
"And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
"And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Matthew 16:13–19).
Peter was to hold the keys. Peter was to hold the sealing power, that authority which carried the power to bind or seal on earth or to loose on earth and it would be so in the heavens. Those keys belong to the President of the Church—to the prophet, seer, and revelator. That sacred sealing power is with the Church now. Nothing is regarded with more sacred contemplation by those who know the significance of this authority. Nothing is more closely held. There are relatively few men who have been delegated this sealing power upon the earth at any given time—in each temple are brethren who have been given the sealing power. No one can get it except from the prophet, seer, and revelator and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
A clear statement follows regarding the sealing power as binding on all that we do for the living and the dead.
"Whenever the fulness of the gospel is on earth, the Lord has agents to whom he gives power to bind on earth and seal eternally in the heavens. (Matthew 16:19; 18:18; Helaman 10:3–10; D&C 132:46–49.) . . .
"All things that are not sealed by this power have an end when men are dead. Unless a baptism has this enduring seal, it will not admit a person to the celestial kingdom; unless an eternal marriage covenant is sealed by this authority, it will not take the participating parties to an exaltation in the highest heaven within the celestial world.
"All things gain enduring force and validity because of the sealing power. So comprehensive is this power that it embraces ordinances performed for the living and the dead, seals the children on earth up to their fathers who went before, and forms the enduring patriarchal chain that will exist eternally among exalted beings" (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 2nd edition [1966], 683).
In the Church we hold sufficient authority to perform all of the ordinances necessary to redeem and to exalt the whole human family. And, because we have the keys to the sealing power, what we bind in proper order here will be bound in heaven. Those keys—the keys to seal and bind on earth, and have it bound in heaven—represent the consummate gift from our God. With that authority we can baptize and bless, we can endow and seal, and the Lord will honor our commitments.
The Prophet Joseph Smith said he was frequently asked the question, "‘Can we not be saved without going through with all those ordinances, etc?' I would answer, No, not the fullness of salvation. Jesus said, ‘There are many mansions in my Father's house, and I will go and prepare a place for you.' House here named should have been translated kingdom; and any person who is exalted to the highest mansion has to abide a celestial law, and the whole law too" (History of the Church, 6:184).
Not without Opposition
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. Temple work brings so much resistance because it is the source of so much spiritual power to the Latter-day Saints and to the entire Church.
At the Logan Utah Temple cornerstone dedication, President George Q. Cannon, then of the First Presidency, made this statement:
"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" (Millennial Star, 12 November 1877, 743).
When members of the Church are troubled or when crucial decisions weigh heavily upon their minds, it is a common thing for them to go to the temple. It is a good place to take our cares. In the temple we can receive spiritual perspective. There, during the time of the temple service, we are "out of the world."
Sometimes our minds are so beset with problems and there are so many things clamoring for attention at once that we just cannot think clearly and see clearly. At the temple the dust of distraction seems to settle out, the fog and the haze seem to lift, and we can "see" things that we were not able to see before and find a way through our troubles that we had not previously known.
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.
 Come to the Temple
No work is more of a protection to this Church than temple work and the family history research that supports it. No work is more spiritually refining. No work we do gives us more power. No work requires a higher standard of righteousness.
Our labors in the temple cover us with a shield and a protection, both individually and as a people.
So come to the temple—come and claim your blessings. It is a sacred work.
By President Gordon B. Hinckley
 Was there ever a man or woman who, in a time of quiet introspection, has not pondered the solemn mysteries of life?
Has he or she not asked, "Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? What is my relationship to my Maker? Will death rob me of the treasured associations of life? What of my family? Will there be another existence after this, and, if so, will we know one another there?"
The answers to these questions are not found in the wisdom of the world. They are found only in the revealed word of God. Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are sacred structures in which these and other eternal questions are answered. Each is dedicated as a house of the Lord, a place of holiness and peace shut apart from the world. There truths are taught and ordinances are performed that bring knowledge of things eternal and motivate the participants to live with an understanding of our divine inheritance as children of God and an awareness of our potential as eternal beings.
These buildings, different from the thousands of regular Church houses of worship scattered over the earth, are unique in purpose and function from all other religious edifices. It is not the size of these buildings or their architectural beauty that makes them so. It is the work that goes on within their walls.
The designation of certain buildings for special ordinances, as distinguished from regular places of worship, is not new. This was the practice in ancient Israel, where the people worshiped regularly in the synagogues. Their more sacred place was, first, the tabernacle in the wilderness with its Holy of Holies, and then a succession of temples, where special ordinances were performed and where only those who met the required qualifications could participate in these ordinances.
So it is today. Prior to the dedication of a temple, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints invites the public to go through the building and inspect its various facilities. But when it is dedicated it becomes the house of the Lord, vested with a character so sacred that only members of the Church in good standing are permitted to enter. It is not a matter of secrecy. It is a matter of sanctity.
The work that goes on in these buildings sets forth God's eternal purposes with reference to man—God's child and creation. For the most part, temple work is concerned with the family, with each of us as members of God's eternal family and with each of us as members of earthly families. It is concerned with the sanctity and eternal nature of the marriage covenant and family relationships.
It affirms that each man and woman born into the world is a child of God, endowed with something of His divine nature. The repetition of these basic and fundamental teachings has a salutary effect upon those who receive them, for as the doctrine is enunciated in language both beautiful and impressive, the participant comes to realize that since every man and woman is a child of Heavenly Father, then each is a member of a divine family; hence, every person is his brother or sister.
When asked by the scribe, "Which is the first commandment of all?" the Savior replied, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
"And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Mark 12:28, 30–31).
The teachings set forth in modern temples give powerful emphasis to this most fundamental concept of our duty to our Maker and to our neighbors. Sacred ordinances amplify this ennobling philosophy of the family of God. They teach that the spirit within each of us is eternal, in contrast with the body, which is mortal. They not only give understanding of these great truths but also motivate the participant to love of God and encourage him to demonstrate a greater neighborliness toward others of our Father's children.
Accepting the premise that each is a child of God helps us see that there is divine purpose in mortal life. Here again, revealed truth is taught in the house of the Lord. Earth life is part of an eternal journey. We lived as spirit children before we came here. The scriptures bear testimony of this. Witness the word of the Lord to Jeremiah: "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations" (Jeremiah 1:5).
 We come into this life as children of mortal parents and as members of families. Parents are partners with God in bringing to pass His eternal purposes with reference to His children. The family, therefore, is a divine institution, the most important both in mortality and in eternity.
Much of the work that goes on within temples is concerned with the family. Basic to an understanding of its meaning is recognition of the fact that even as we existed as children of God before we were born into this world, so also shall we continue to live after death, and the treasured and satisfying relationships of mortality, the most beautiful and meaningful of which are found in the family, may continue in the world to come.
Marriage partners who come to the house of the Lord and partake of its blessings are joined not only for the period of their mortal lives but for all eternity. They are bound together under authority not only of the law of the land that joins them until death but also through the eternal priesthood of God, which binds in heaven that which is bound on earth. The couple so married has the assurance of divine revelation that their relationship and that of their children will not end with death but will continue in eternity, provided they live worthy of that blessing.
Was there ever a man who truly loved a woman, or a woman who truly loved a man, who did not pray that their relationship might continue beyond the grave? Has a child ever been buried by parents who did not long for the assurance that their loved one would again be theirs in a world to come? Can anyone believing in eternal life doubt that the God of heaven would grant His sons and daughters that most precious attribute of life, the love that finds its most meaningful expression in family relationships? No, reason demands that the family relationship shall continue after death. The human heart longs for it, and the God of heaven has revealed a way whereby it may be secured. The sacred ordinances of the house of the Lord provide for it.
But all of this would appear to be unfair indeed if the blessings of these ordinances were available only to those who are now members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The fact is that the opportunity to come into the temple and partake of its blessings is open to all who will accept the gospel and be baptized into the Church. For this reason, the Church carries forward an extensive missionary program in much of the world and will continue to expand this program as widely as possible, for it has the responsibility, under divine revelation, to teach the gospel to "every nation, kindred, tongue, and people."
But there are uncounted millions who have walked the earth and who have never had the opportunity to hear the gospel. Shall they be denied such blessings as are offered in the temples of the Lord?
Through living proxies who stand in behalf of the dead, the same ordinances are available to those who have passed from mortality. In the spirit world these same individuals are then free to accept or reject those earthly ordinances performed for them, including baptism, marriage, and the sealing of family relationships. There's no compulsion in the work of the Lord, but there must be opportunity.
This vicarious work constitutes an unprecedented labor of love on the part of the living in behalf of the dead. It makes necessary a vast undertaking of family history research to find and identify those who have gone before. To assist in this research, the Church coordinates a family history program and maintains research facilities unmatched in all the world. Its archives are open to the public and have been used by many who are not members of the Church in tracing their forebears. This program has been praised by genealogists throughout the world and has been utilized by various nations as a safeguard of their own records. But its primary purpose is to afford members of the Church the resources needed to identify their ancestors that they might extend to them the blessings that they themselves enjoy. They in effect say to themselves, "If I love my wife and children so dearly that I want them for all eternity, then should not my deceased grandfather and great-grandfather and other forebears have opportunity to receive the same eternal blessings?"
And so these sacred buildings are scenes of tremendous activity, quietly and reverently carried forward. They call to mind a part of the vision of John the Revelator wherein are recorded this question and this answer: "What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? . . .
"These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
"Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple" (Revelation 7:13–15).
Those who come to these holy houses are arrayed in white as they participate therein. They come only on recommendation of their local ecclesiastical authorities, having been certified as to their worthiness. They are expected to come clean in thought, clean in body, and clean in dress to enter the temple of God. As they enter they are expected to leave the world behind them and concentrate on things divine.
 This very exercise, if such it may be called, carries with it a reward of its own, for who in these times of stress would not welcome an opportunity to shut out the world and enter into the Lord's house, there to ponder quietly the eternal things of God? These sacred precincts offer the opportunity, available nowhere else, to learn of and reflect on the truly meaningful things of life—our relationship to Deity and our eternal journey from a premortal state into this life and on to a future estate where we shall know and associate one with another, including our own loved ones and our forebears who have preceded us and from whom has come our inheritance of things of the body, mind, and spirit.
Surely these temples are unique among all buildings. They are houses of instruction. They are places of covenants and promises. At their altars we kneel before God our Creator and are given promise of His everlasting blessings. In the sanctity of their appointments we commune with Him and reflect on His Son, our Savior and Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ, who served as proxy for each of us in a vicarious sacrifice in our behalf. Here we set aside our own selfishness and serve for those who cannot serve themselves. Here, under the true priesthood power of God, we are bound together in the most sacred of all human relationships—as husbands and wives, as children and parents, as families under a sealing that time cannot destroy and death cannot disrupt.
These sacred buildings were constructed even during those dark years when the Latter-day Saints were relentlessly driven and persecuted. They have been built and maintained in times of poverty and prosperity. They come from the vital faith of an ever-growing number who bear witness of a living God, of the resurrected Lord, of prophets and divine revelation, and of the peace and assurance of eternal blessings to be found only in the house of the Lord.
By Elder James E. Talmage (1862–1933)
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
 Both by derivation and common usage the term temple, in its literal application, is of restricted and specific meaning. The essential idea of a temple is and ever has been that of a place specially set apart for service regarded as sacred, and of real or assumed sanctity; in a more restricted sense, a temple is a building constructed for and exclusively devoted to sacred rites and ceremonies.
The Latin Templum was the equivalent of the Hebrew Beth Elohim, and signified the abode of Deity; hence, as associated with divine worship, it meant literally the House of the Lord.
Structures regarded in their entirety as sanctuaries, or enclosing apartments so designated, have been raised in many different ages, both by worshipers of idols and by the followers of the true and living God. Heathen temples of antiquity were regarded as abiding places of the mythical gods and goddesses whose names they bore, and to whose service the structures were dedicated. While the outer courts of such temples were used as places of general assembly and public ceremony, there were always inner precincts, into which only the consecrated priests might enter, and wherein, it was claimed, the presence of the deity was manifest. As evidence of the exclusiveness of ancient temples, even those of heathen origin, we find that the altar of pagan worship stood not within the temple proper, but in front of the entrance. Temples have never been regarded as places of ordinary public assembly, but as sacred enclosures consecrated to the most solemn ceremonials of that particular system of worship, idolatrous or divine, of which the temple stood as a visible symbol and a material type.
In olden times, the people of Israel were distinguished among nations as the builders of sanctuaries to the name of the living God. This service was specifically required of them by Jehovah, whom they professed to serve. The history of Israel as a nation dates from the Exodus. During the two centuries of their enslavement in Egypt, the children of Jacob had grown to be a numerous and powerful people: nevertheless, they were in bondage. In due time, however, their sorrows and supplications came up before the Lord, and He led them forth by the outstretched arm of power. No sooner had they escaped from the environment of Egyptian idolatry than they were required to prepare a sanctuary, wherein Jehovah would manifest His presence and make known His will as their accepted Lord and King.
The tabernacle, which, from the time of its construction in the wilderness and thence onward throughout the period of wandering and for centuries thereafter, was sacred to Israel as the sanctuary of Jehovah; it had been built according to revealed plan and specifications. It was a compact and portable structure, as the exigencies of migration required. Though the tabernacle was but a tent, it was made of the best, the most prized, and the costliest materials the people possessed. This condition of excellence was a nation's offering unto the Lord. Its construction was prescribed in minutest detail, both as to design and material; it was in every respect the best the people could give, and Jehovah sanctified the proffered gift by His divine acceptance. In passing, let us be mindful of the fact that whether it be the gift of a man or a nation, the best, if offered willingly and with pure intent, is always excellent in the sight of God, however poor by other comparison that best may be.
To the call for material wherewith to build the tabernacle, there was such willing and liberal response that the need was more than met: "For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much" (Exodus 36:7). Proclamation was made accordingly, and the people were restrained from bringing more. The artificers and workmen engaged in the making of the tabernacle were designated by direct revelation, or chosen by divinely appointed authority with special reference to their skill and devotion. The completed tabernacle, viewed in relation to its surroundings and considered in connection with the circumstances of its creation, was an imposing structure. Its frames were of rare wood, its inner hangings of fine linen and elaborate embroideries with prescribed designs in blue, purple, and scarlet; its middle and outer curtains of choice skins; its metal parts of brass, silver, and gold.
Outside the tabernacle, but within its enclosing court, stood the altar of sacrifice and the laver or font. The first apartment of the tabernacle proper was an outer room, or Holy Place; and beyond this, screened from observation by the second veil, was the inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place, specifically known as the Holy of Holies. In the appointed order, only the priests were permitted to enter the outer apartment; while to the inner place, the "holiest of all," none but the high priest might be admitted, and he but once a year, and then only after a long course of purification and sanctification (see Hebrews 9:1–7; Leviticus 16).
Among the most sacred appurtenances of the tabernacle was the ark of the covenant. This was a casket or chest made of the best wood obtainable, lined and overlaid with pure gold, and provided with four rings of gold to receive the rods or poles used to carry the ark during travel. The ark contained certain objects of sacred import, such as the golden pot of manna, preserved as a remembrance; to this were afterward added Aaron's rod that had budded and the tablets of stone inscribed by the hand of God. When the tabernacle was set up in the camp of Israel, the ark was placed within the inner veil, in the Holy of Holies. Resting upon the ark was the mercy seat, surmounted by a pair of cherubim made of beaten gold. From this seat did the Lord manifest His presence, even as promised before either ark or tabernacle had been made: "And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubums which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel" (Exodus 25:22).
No detailed description of the tabernacle, its appurtenances, or its furniture will be attempted at this place; it is sufficient for our present purpose to know that the camp of Israel had such a sanctuary; that it was constructed according to revealed plan; that it was the embodiment of the best the people could give both as to material and workmanship; that it was the offering of the people to their God and was duly accepted by Him (see Exodus 40:3–38). As shall yet be shown, the tabernacle was a prototype of the more stable and magnificent temple by which in course of time it was superseded.
After Israel had become established in the land of promise, when, after four decades of wandering in the wilderness, the covenant people possessed at last a Canaan of their own, the tabernacle with its sacred contents was given a resting place in Shiloh; and thither came the tribes to learn the will and word of God (see Joshua 18:1; 19:51; 21:2; Judges 18:31; 1 Samuel 1:3, 24; 4:3–4). Afterward it was removed to Gibeon (see 1 Chronicles 21:29; 2 Chronicles 1:3) and yet later to the City of David, or Zion (see 2 Samuel 6:12; 2 Chronicles 5:2).
David, the second king of Israel, desired and planned to build a house unto the Lord, declaring that it was unfit that he, the king, should dwell in a palace of cedar, while the sanctuary of God was but a tent (see 2 Samuel 7:2). But the Lord spake by the mouth of Nathan the prophet, declining the proposed offering, and making plain the fact that to be acceptable unto Him it was not enough that the gift be appropriate, but that the giver must also be worthy. David, king of Israel, though in many respects a man after God's own heart, had sinned; and his sin had not been forgiven. Thus spake the king: "I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood" (1 Chronicles 28:2–3; see also 2 Samuel 7:1–13). Nevertheless, David was permitted to gather material for the house of the Lord, which edifice not he, but Solomon, his son, should build.
Soon after Solomon's accession to the throne he set about the labor, which, as heritage and honor, had come to him with his crown. He laid the foundation in the fourth year of his reign, and the building was completed within seven years and a half. With the great wealth accumulated by his kingly father and specifically reserved for the building of the temple, Solomon was able to put the known world under tribute and to enlist the cooperation of nations in his great undertaking. The temple workmen numbered scores of thousands, and every department was in charge of master craftsmen. To serve on the great structure in any capacity was an honor; and labor acquired a dignity never before recognized. Masonry became a profession, and the graded orders therein established have endured until this day. The erection of the Temple of Solomon was an epoch-making event, not alone in the history of Israel, but in that of the world.
According to commonly accepted chronology, the temple was finished about 1005 B.C. In architecture and construction, in design and costliness, it is known as one of the most remarkable buildings in history. The dedicatory services lasted seven days—a week of holy rejoicing in Israel. With fitting ceremony, the tabernacle of the congregation and the sacred ark of the covenant were brought into the temple; and the ark was deposited in the inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place. The Lord's gracious acceptance was manifest in the cloud that filled the sacred chambers as the priests withdrew, "so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God" (2 Chronicles 5:14; see also 2 Chronicles 7:1–2; Exodus 40:35). Thus did the temple supersede and include the tabernacle, of which, indeed, it was the gorgeous successor.
A comparison of the plan of Solomon's Temple with that of the earlier tabernacle shows that in all essentials of arrangement and proportion the two were so nearly alike as to be practically identical. True, the tabernacle had but one enclosure, while the temple was surrounded by courts, but the inner structure itself, the temple proper, closely followed the earlier design. The dimensions of the Holy of Holies, the Holy Place, and the porch, were in the temple exactly double those of the corresponding parts in the tabernacle.
 The glorious preeminence of this splendid structure was of brief duration. Thirty-four years after its dedication, and but five years subsequent to the death of Solomon, its decline began; and this decline was soon to develop into general spoliation, and finally to become an actual desecration. Solomon the king, the man of wisdom, the master-builder, had been led astray by the wiles of idolatrous women, and his wayward ways had fostered iniquity in Israel. The nation was no longer a unit; there were factions and sects, parties and creeds, some worshiping on the hilltops, others under green trees, each party claiming excellence for its own particular shrine. The temple soon lost its sanctity. The gift became depreciated by the perfidy of the giver, and Jehovah withdrew His protecting presence from the place no longer holy.
The Egyptians, from whose bondage the people had been delivered, were again permitted to oppress Israel. Shishak, king of Egypt, captured Jerusalem—the city of David and the site of the temple—"and he took away the treasures of the house of the Lord" (1 Kings 14:25–26). Part of the aforetime sacred furniture left by the Egyptians was taken by others and bestowed upon idols (see 2 Chronicles 24:7). The work of desecration continued through centuries. Two hundred and sixteen years after the Egyptian spoliation, Ahaz, king of Judah, robbed the temple of some remaining treasures and sent part of its remnant of gold and silver as a present to a pagan king whose favor he sought to gain. Furthermore, he removed the altar and the font and left but a house where once had stood a temple (see 2 Kings 16:7–9, 17–18; see also 2 Chronicles 28:24–25). Later, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, completed the despoiling of the temple and carried away its few remaining treasures. He then destroyed the building by fire (see 2 Chronicles 36:18–19; see also 2 Kings 24:13; 25:9).
Thus, about 600 years before the earthly advent of our Lord, Israel was left without a temple. The people had divided; there were two kingdoms—Israel and Judah—each at enmity with the other. The people had become idolatrous and altogether wicked, and the Lord had rejected them and their sanctuary. The kingdom of Israel, comprising approximately 10 of the 12 tribes, had been made subject to Assyria about 721 B.C., and a century later the kingdom of Judah was subdued by the Babylonians. For 70 years the people of Judah—thereafter known as Jews—remained in captivity, even as had been predicted (see Jeremiah 25:11–12; 29:10).
Then, under the friendly rule of Cyrus (see Ezra 1, 2) and Darius (see Ezra 6) they were permitted to return to Jerusalem and once more to raise a temple in accordance with their faith. In remembrance of the director of the work, the restored temple is known in history as the Temple of Zerubbabel. The foundations were laid with solemn ceremony, and on that occasion living veterans who remembered the earlier temple wept with joy (see Ezra 3:12–13). In spite of legal technicalities (see Ezra 4:4–24) and other obstructions, the work continued, and within 20 years after their return from captivity the Jews had a temple ready for dedication. The Temple of Zerubbabel was finished in 515 B.C., specifically on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. The dedicatory services followed immediately (see Ezra 6:15–22). While this temple was greatly inferior in richness of finish and furniture as compared with the splendid Temple of Solomon, it was nevertheless the best the people could build, and the Lord accepted it as an offering typifying the love and devotion of His covenant children. In proof of this divine acceptance, witness the ministrations of such prophets as Zechariah, Haggai, and Malachi within its walls.
About 16 years before the birth of Christ, Herod I, king of Judea, commenced the reconstruction of the then decayed and generally ruinous Temple of Zerubbabel. For five centuries that structure had stood, and doubtless it had become largely a wreck of time.
Many incidents in the earthly life of the Savior are associated with the Temple of Herod. It is evident from scripture that while opposed to the degraded and commercial uses to which the temple had been betrayed, Christ recognized and acknowledged the sanctity of the temple precincts. The Temple of Herod was a sacred structure; by whatsoever name it might have been known, it was to Him the house of the Lord. And then, when the sable curtain descended upon the great tragedy of Calvary, when at last the agonizing cry, "It is finished," ascended from the cross, the veil of the temple was rent, and the one-time Holy of Holies was bared. The absolute destruction of the Temple had been foretold by our Lord, while He yet lived in the flesh (see Matthew 24:1–2; Mark 13:1–2; Luke 21:6). In the year A.D. 70, the temple was utterly destroyed by fire in connection with the capture of Jerusalem by the Romans under Titus.
The Temple of Herod was the last temple reared in the Eastern Hemisphere in ancient times. From the destruction of that great edifice onward to the time of the reestablishment of the Church of Jesus Christ in the 19th century, our only record of temple building is such mention as is found in Nephite chronicles. Book of Mormon scriptures affirm that temples were erected by the Nephite colonists on what is now known as the American continent, but we have few details of construction and fewer facts as to administrative ordinances pertaining to these western temples. The people constructed a temple about 570 B.C., and this we learn was patterned after the Temple of Solomon, though it was greatly inferior to that gorgeous structure in grandeur and costliness (see 2 Nephi 5:16). It is of interest to read that when the resurrected Lord manifested Himself to the Nephites on the western continent, He found them assembled about the temple (see 3 Nephi 11:1–10). The Book of Mormon, however, makes no mention of temples even as late as the time of the destruction of the temple at Jerusalem; and, moreover, the Nephite nation came to an end within about four centuries after Christ. It is evident, therefore, that on both hemispheres temples ceased to exist in the early period of the Apostasy and the very conception of a temple in the distinctive sense perished among mankind.
For many centuries no offer of a sanctuary was made unto the Lord; indeed, it appears that no need of such was recognized. The apostate church declared that direct communication from God had ceased, and in place of divine administration a self-constituted government claimed supreme power. It is evident that, as far as the church was concerned, the voice of the Lord had been silenced, that the people were no longer willing to listen to the word of revelation, and that the government of the church had been abrogated by human agencies (see James E. Talmage, The Great Apostasy [1953], chapter 9).
When, in the reign of Constantine, a perverted Christianity had become the religion of the state, the need of a place wherein God would reveal Himself was still utterly unseen or ignored. True, many edifices, most of them costly and grand, were erected. Of these some were dedicated to Peter and Paul, to James and John; others to the Magdalene and the Virgin; but not one was raised by authority and name to the honor of Jesus, the Christ. Among the multitude of chapels and shrines, of churches and cathedrals, the Son of Man had not a place to call His own. It was declared that the pope, sitting in Rome, was the vice-regent of Christ, and that without revelation he was empowered to declare the will of God (see The Great Apostasy, chapter 10).
Not until the gospel was restored in the 19th century, with its ancient powers and privileges, was the holy priesthood manifest again among men. And be it remembered that the authority to speak and act in the name of God is essential to a temple, and a temple is void without the sacred authority of the holy priesthood. In the year of our Lord 1820, Joseph Smith, the prophet of the latest dispensation, then a lad in his 15th year, received a divine manifestation in which both the Eternal Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared and instructed the youthful suppliant (see James E. Talmage, The Articles of Faith, 12th edition [1924], chapter 1). Through Joseph Smith, the gospel of old was restored to earth, and the ancient law was reestablished. In course of time, through the ministry of the Prophet, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized and established by manifestations of divine power.
It is a significant fact that this church, true to the distinction it affirms—that of being the Church of the living God as its name proclaims—began in the very early days of its history to provide for the erection of a temple (see D&C 36:8; 42:36; 133:2). The Church was organized as an earthy body-corporate on the sixth of April, A.D. 1830; and, in July of the year following, a revelation was received designating the site of a future temple near Independence, Missouri.
On the first day of June 1833, in a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord directed the immediate building of a holy house in which He promised to endow His chosen servants with power and authority (see D&C 95). The people responded to the call with willingness and devotion. In spite of dire poverty and in the face of unrelenting persecution, the work was carried to completion, and in March 1836 the first temple of modern times was dedicated at Kirtland, Ohio (see D&C 109). The dedicatory services were marked by divine manifestations comparable to those attending the offering of the first temple of olden times, and on later occasions heavenly beings appeared within the sacred precincts with revelations of the divine will to man. In that place the Lord Jesus was again seen and heard (see D&C 110:1–10). Within two years from the time of its dedication, the Kirtland Temple was abandoned by the people who built it; they were forced to flee because of persecution, and with their departure the sacred temple became an ordinary house, disowned by the Lord to whose name it had been reared. The building still stands.
The migration of the Latter-day Saints was to the west; they established themselves first in Missouri, and later in Illinois with Nauvoo as the central seat of the Church. Scarcely had they become settled in their new abode when the voice of revelation was heard calling upon the people to again build a house sacred to the name of God.
The cornerstones of the Nauvoo Temple were laid 6 April 1841, and the capstone was placed in position 24 May 1845; each event was celebrated by a solemn assembly and sacred service. Though it was evident that the people would be forced to flee again, and though they knew that the temple would have to be abandoned soon after completion, they labored with might and diligence to finish and properly furnish the structure. It was dedicated 30 April 1846, though certain portions, such as the baptistry, had been previously dedicated and used in ordinance work. Many of the Saints received their blessings and holy endowments in the Nauvoo Temple, though, even before the completion of the building, the exodus of the people had begun. The temple was abandoned by those who in poverty and by sacrifice had reared it. In November 1848 it became a prey to incendiary flames, and in May 1850 a tornado demolished what remained of the blackened walls.
On 24 July 1847 the Mormon pioneers entered the valleys of Utah, while the region was yet Mexican territory, and established a settlement where now stands Salt Lake City. A few days later Brigham Young, prophet and leader, indicated a site in the sagebrush wastes and, striking the arid ground with his staff, proclaimed, "Here will be the temple of our God." That site is now the beautiful Temple Block, around which the city has grown. In February 1853 the area was dedicated with a sacred service, and on the sixth of April following, the cornerstones of the building were laid to the accompaniment of solemn and imposing ceremony. The Salt Lake Temple was 40 years in building; the capstone was laid on 6 April 1892, and the completed temple was dedicated one year later.
 It is not the purpose of the present material to consider in detail any particular temple, either ancient or modern, but rather to show the essential and distinguishing features of temples, and to make plain the fact that in both ancient and modern times the covenant people have regarded the building of temples as a labor specifically required at their hands. From what has been said, it is plain that a temple is more than chapel or church, more than synagogue or cathedral; it is a structure erected as the house of the Lord, sacred to the closest communion between the Lord and the holy priesthood, and devoted to the highest and most sacred ordinances characteristic of the age or dispensation to which the particular temple belongs. Moreover, to be indeed a holy temple—accepted of God, and by Him acknowledged as His house—the offering must have been called for, and both gift and giver must be worthy.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints proclaims that it is the possessor of the holy priesthood again restored to earth, and that it is invested with divine commission to erect and maintain temples dedicated to the name and service of the true and living God, and to administer within those sacred structures the ordinances of the priesthood, the effect of which shall be binding both on earth and beyond the grave.
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