The Temple Is The House of God

“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”, April 2001 General Conference

“Why are so many willing to give so much in order to receive the blessings of the temple? Those who understand the eternal blessings which come from the temple know that no sacrifice is too great, no price too heavy, no struggle too difficult in order to receive those blessings. There are never too many miles to travel, too many obstacles to overcome, or too much discomfort to endure. They understand that the saving ordinances received in the temple that permit us to someday return to our Heavenly Father in an eternal family relationship and to be endowed with blessings and power from on high are worth every sacrifice and every effort.”

Thomas S. Monson, “The Holy Temple A Beacon To The World”, April 2011 General Conference

“Say the word temple. Say it quietly and reverently. Say it over and over again. Temple. Temple. Temple. Add the word holy. Holy Temple. Say it as though it were capitalized, no matter where it appears in the sentence.

“Temple. One other word is equal in importance to a Latter-day Saint. Home. Put the words holy temple and home together, and you have described the house of the Lord!”

Boyd K. Packer, “The Temple – The Priesthood”, April 1993 General Conference

“I encourage you to establish your own goal of how frequently you will avail yourself of the ordinances offered in our operating temples. What is there that is more important than attending and participating in the ordinances of the temple? What activity could have a greater impact and provide more joy and profound happiness for a couple than worshipping together in the temple?”

Richard G. Scott, “Temple Worship: The Source of Strength and Power In Times of Need”, April 2009 General Conference

“I bear witness that all those things that have and will bring me the greatest happiness in life have roots in the temple ordinances. Decide now to receive the ordinances of the temple at the appropriate time. Don’t let anything overcome that resolve.

“If you are now ready to receive the ordinances of the temple, prepare carefully for that crowning event… Come to the temple now. It will greatly bless your life and provide essential ordinances for those beyond the veil that they cannot obtain by themselves.”

Richard G. Scott, “Receive the Temple Blessings”, April 1999 General Conference

“Everything that occurs in the temple is eternal in its consequences. We there deal with matters of immortality, with things of eternity, with things of man and his relationship to his Divine Parent and his Redeemer. Hands must be clean and hearts must be pure and thoughts concerned with the solemnities of eternity when in these sacred premises.”

Gordon B. Hinckley, “Keeping The Temple Holy”, April 1990 General Conference

“I remember a warm, sunny afternoon when spring was trying to nudge its way through a long winter in Cache Valley, Utah. My father, whose Saturdays were always filled with chores for his grandsons, stopped by our home with an offer to ‘go for a ride.’ Always happy to ride in Grandpa’s truck, our four- and six-year-old sons scurried into the back jump seat, and I joined my father in the front. Our drive took us through the streets of downtown Logan, which wrap around the Logan Temple, prominently situated on a hill, centered beautifully in the city. As we moved further away from the city, we turned from paved, busy streets to seldom-used dirt roads, where we crossed old bridges and weaved through trees far into the country. We were far from any other traffic and all alone. Realizing his grandsons were in a place they had not been before, my father stopped the truck. ‘Do you think we are lost?’ he asked the wide-eyed boys as they gazed out the windshield across the valley. Followed by a moment of silent assessment came the profound reply of a young child. ‘Look,’ he said, pointing his finger. ‘Grandpa, you are never lost when you can see the temple.’ Our eyes turned, focusing with his, seeing the sun glistening off the spires of the Logan Temple, far across the valley. You are never lost when you can see the temple. The temple will provide direction for you and your family in a world filled with chaos. It is an eternal guidepost which will help you from getting lost in the ‘mist of darkness.’ 1. It is the house of the Lord. 2. It is a place where covenants are made and eternal ordinances are performed.”

Gary E. Stevenson, “Sacred Homes, Sacred Temples”, April 2009 General Conference

“We would do well to follow the example of our beloved prophet, President Ezra Taft Benson. He and his sweet companion, Flora, have set aside time each Friday to regularly attend the house of the Lord, and they would join with me here this morning in declaring that members of the Church who absent themselves from temple attendance, where it is possible for them to attend, are denying themselves rich blessings.”

David B. Haight, “Temples And The Work Therein”, October 1990 General Conference

“Another transcendent blessing came the last weekend of August when a magnificent temple of the Lord was dedicated in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In its gleaming glory, the temple seems to beckon to each who views its splendor, ‘Come! Come to the house of the Lord. Here is found ‘rest for the weary and peace for the soul.’

“And how the people did come! First they thronged to the public open house, where reverently and quietly they viewed the interior of the temple and learned the purpose for its erection and of the blessings which the temple can provide. One visitor described the temple’s beauty with the words, ‘This is a center of serenity.’ As she was about to leave the temple, a young Asian girl said, ‘Mommy, this is beautiful here. I don’t want to go.”

Thomas S. Monson, “Days Never To Be Forgotten”, October 1990 General Conference

“When you come to the temple you will love your family with a deeper love than you have ever felt before. The temple is about families. As my wife, Karen, and I have increased our temple service, our love for each other and for our children has increased. And it doesn’t stop there. It extends to parents, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, forebears, and especially our grandchildren! This is the Spirit of Elijah, which is the spirit of family history work; and when inspired by the Holy Ghost, it prompts the turning of the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers. Because of the priesthood, husbands and wives are sealed together, children are sealed to their parents for eternity so the family is eternal and will not be separated at death.”

Richard H. Winkel, “The Temple Is About Families”, October 2006 General Conference

Position Statement:

The temple is the House of God on earth. Within its sacred walls everything that is done pertains to eternity. The ordinances performed therein are only done once in our own behalf and every visit following is made to perform a saving ordinance for another child of God who cannot, without a physical body, do this for themselves. The Lord’s emphasis on the temple, even for the Children of Israel, is apparent as he commanded them to carry it with them in the wilderness. Today the command to build temples is in full force and our prophets have answered the call. With 136 operating temples around the world these special and necessary blessings are being made more accessible to all of God’s children. As we can read in the above statements, there truly is no sacrifice too great to gain access to the ordinances of God’s holy temple. Let us consider how we may qualify or more fully utilize the blessings of these sacred buildings of worship and through them dedicate our lives to the service of God.