How I Love the Temple!

As we walked out of our church meetings, the satellite connection that would provide the Draper temple dedication services was already live. Music from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir was playing, along with beautiful photos from the inside and outside of temples.

And even that filled my heart with the Spirit.

I was thrilled that two of my three children were old enough to attend the dedication. My "baby" and I had our own special temple day; we went to a local temple, and she got to take pictures with a disposable camera that was all hers. We came home when the weather started to turn, and watched "The Mountain of the Lord" (one of my favorite Church videos) while eating popcorn and sipping hot chocolate.

For scripture study a couple of nights ago, we simply read and discussed these two quotes.

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, as a sign of our faith in life after death, and as a sacred step toward eternal glory for us and our families. (Russell M. Nelson, “Personal Preparation for Temple Blessings,” Ensign, May 2001, 32)

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. ...Pres. George Q. Cannon [said]: “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” (Boyd K. Packer, “The Holy Temple,” Ensign, Feb 1995, 32).

I am so grateful we have another temple to invoke those blessings and increase God's power on the earth.

Another thing that has really affected me this week is something my husband recently heard.

Our forebears had little money, and what did the Lord ask of them? To sacrifice their money (think of what it took to build those early temples).

We often find ourselves strapped for time, and what does the Lord ask of us? To sacrifice our time to go to the temple often.

He asks what is hard to give. I am determined to give more of my time to this marvelous work.