temple work brings blessings · 2018. 9. 7. · blessings of the temple i picture you coming to the...
TRANSCRIPT
Lesson 3
Temple Work
Brings Blessings
The Lord has always commanded his
people to build temples
He has revealed work to be done in them
Tabernacle of Moses – ~1480 BC
Solomon’s Temple - ~950 BC
The Temple of Herod – 19 to 4 BC
The Temple of Herod – 19 to 4 BC
The Nephites had Temples(This might not actually be one of them)
Temples are built to surround altars
Abraham built an altar
Adam & Eve built an altar
Abraham built an altar
Because of apostasy, all of these temples eventually
lost their true purposes and were destroyed.
Temple work in its fulness has been restored in our
day through the Prophet Joseph Smith
Command to build a Temple
In December 1832 the Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph
Smith that he should build a temple
"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and
establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a
house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of
order, a house of God." D&C 88:119
Building the Kirtland Temple
The command to build a templeConstruction of the temple became the main priority of the Church in
Kirtland between 1833 and 1836, although the Saints lacked both workers
and money.
Eliza R. Snow said: "At that time . . . the Saints were few in number, and
most of them very poor.
Had it not been for the assurance that God had spoken, and had
commanded that a house should be built to his name, of which he not only
revealed the form, but also designated the dimensions, an attempt towards
building that Temple, under the then existing circumstances, would have
been, by all concerned, pronounced preposterous." Our Heritage A Brief History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, p.21
A Trial of FaithFor three years they labored on the building. Besides the construction skill
and effort provided by the men, the women spun and knit in order to
clothe those who were working. Later they made the curtains that
partitioned the rooms.
Construction was made more difficult by mob threats to destroy the
temple, and those who worked by day guarded the temple by night. But
after the Saints' immense sacrifices of time and resources, the temple was
finally completed in the spring of 1836.
Our Heritage A Brief History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, p.21
The Dedication … A spiritual feast
Vision
Angels
The Spirit filled
the Saints
The Dedicatory Prayer
The Dedicatory Prayer (D&C 109) was revealed to the Prophet Joseph. In it, the Lord refers to guidance he gave in Section 88 when he asked Joseph to build a House.
And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom, seek learning even by study and also by faith;
Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God
Why, after the temple has been completed, should the Lord say: Organize yourselves? Prepare every needful thing?
Joseph organized to build a temple We must organize to attend the temple
Joseph prepared every needful thing to build a temple
We must prepare every needful thing to attend the temple
Joseph established the temple as a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, and a house of learning
We must do more than attend the temple. For us, the temple should be considered a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, and . . . A house of learning
Joseph instituted the School of the Prophets in the Kirtland temple. They assembled a library and taught the doctrines of the gospel in the temple
We won't be studying books in the temple. But we can study them beforehand and after, inspired by what we learn in the temple, and we can seek learning even by study and even by faith
How can we liken these verses to us?
The Dedicatory Prayer
Blessings of the templeI picture you coming to the temple to be sealed
for time and for all eternity. I yearn to talk to
you about the sacred sealing ordinance, but
this we do not do outside those sacred walls. The transcendent nature of all
that is conferred upon us at the marriage altars so marvelous that it is
worth all of the waiting and all of the resisting...
The exalted concept of marriage and courtship and of romantic love as
taught in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that they are
ordained of God… It has no bounds. Love like this may have a beginning,
but never, throughout all eternity need it have an end.
Boyd K. Packer, Eternal Marriage, BYU Devotional 1970
Enjoy the temple!!
Doctrine & Covenants 109:10–12, 22–23, 59, 67, 72, 75
Consider these blessings mentioned by the Lord
The Lord’s glory will be upon His people.
The Lord’s servants will leave the temple with the Lord’s power, name, and glory, and angels will
have charge over them.
The Lord’s servants will take the truth of the gospel from the temple to the ends of the earth.
Stakes will be organized so that the Lord’s people may be gathered.
All of scattered Israel will learn the truth and rejoice.
The families of the Saints and all of their sick and afflicted will be remembered before the Lord.
The Lord’s kingdom will fill the whole earth.
The Lord’s servants will someday be caught up to meet the Lord and will be with Him forever.
How do you feel when you consider these wonderful blessings promised to those who attend the
temple worthily and honor their covenants?