203 Preparing to Enter the Temple Worthily
203 Preparing to Enter the Temple Worthily
Temples are really important to the Lord. In this day, when
His work is being hastened before the Second Coming of His Son Jesus Christ, we
have many temples on the earth.
Can you explain why the temple is important to you? Why is
it important to your family? Does it hold an important place in your plans for
the future?
In order to obtain a temple recommend, either for baptisms
for the dead or for endowments and sealing ordinances, the temple patron should
adhere to certain standards of worthiness. Do you know what those standards
are?
HOLINESS to the LORD
The HOUSE of the LORD.
The temple recommend questions are a good way for us to take
inventory of where we are and prepare to go to the temple and make covenants
with the Lord, both for ourselves and for others. To gain a temple recommend to
be able to participate in baptisms for the dead, you need to have an interview
with the Bishop, or one of his counselors.
To receive a recommend to participate in endowments and sealing ordinances, you
need to be interviewed at both the ward level and the stake level. These
interviews are great. Really everyone involved has the same goal, to help you
get to the temple. Your decision on your worthiness is paramount in the
process. It’s the first signature. But there is no shame in saying your not
ready yet, or in the Bishops asking us to do certain things to be ready. Just
like going to the temple, preparing to go is a process of becoming more like
our Savior.
Temple recommend questions for youth:
Do you have faith in and a testimony of God, the
Eternal Father; His Son, Jesus Christ; and the Holy Ghost?
Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Jesus
Christ and of His role as your Savior and Redeemer?
Do you have a testimony of the Restoration of the
gospel of Jesus Christ?
Do you sustain the President of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints as the prophet, seer, and revelator and as the only
person on the earth authorized to exercise all priesthood keys? Do you sustain
the members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as
prophets, seers, and revelators? Do you sustain the other General Authorities
and local leaders of the Church?
The Lord has said that all things are to be “done in
cleanliness” before Him (Doctrine
and Covenants 42:41). Do you strive for moral cleanliness in your
thoughts and behavior? Do you obey the law of chastity?
Do you follow the teachings of the Church of Jesus
Christ in your private and public behavior with members of your family and
others?
Do you support or promote any teachings, practices,
or doctrine contrary to those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints?
Do you strive to keep the Sabbath day holy, both at
home and at church; attend your meetings; prepare for and worthily partake of
the sacrament; and live your life in harmony with the laws and commandments of
the gospel?
Do you strive to be honest in all that you do?
Are you a full-tithe payer?
Do you understand and obey the Word of Wisdom?
Are there serious sins in your life that need to be
resolved with priesthood authorities as part of your repentance?
Do you consider yourself worthy to enter the Lord’s
house and participate in temple ordinances?
I cannot emphasize enough that being worth to enter the
temple doesn’t mean to be perfect. Remember that Jesus Christ is worthy, and He
is the One who can help you feel worthy through faith on His name and you
honestly strive to live your covenants and be His disciple.
Brother Wilcox said,
“Some mistakenly receive the message that they are not
worthy to participate fully in the gospel because they are not completely free
of bad habits. God’s message is that worthiness is not flawlessness. Worthiness
is being honest and trying.”
Have you ever asked anyone to write a letter of
recommendation for you?
Who would you recommend for the following scenarios:
- Take
an important kick in a soccer game?
- To
help you study for an upcoming test?
- To
sing a solo?
- To
give you directions to a new place?
What does it mean to have Church leaders recommend you to
enter the temple?
What does in mean personally to you to have a recommend in
your possession?
Elder Rasband recounted visiting his father-in-law. He
arrived as his father-in-law’s Bishop was leaving. He mentioned how nice it was
that his Bishop would come to his house to visit. But his father-in-law told
Elder Rasband that it was more than that. He needed a temple recommend
interview. Then he said, “I want to go recommended to the Lord.”
Isn’t that lovely? He wanted to have a current recommend
when he was called home to heaven, and he did.
If students
don’t mention it, you might share that as part of Heavenly Father’s loving plan
for His children, He and the Savior, Jesus Christ, have established standards
to enter the temple. Following these standards recommend us to worthily enter
Their house.
We shouldn’t doubt ourselves so much when we need to be
interviewed. If we are living the commandments and partaking the sacrament each
week, and if we can answer the interview questions in the right way and feel
good about that, we should go. If we feel prompted to wait while we work on
something particular, we can do that first. Remember though, it’s about being
worthy, not about being perfect.
Read Doctrine
and Covenants 8:2–3
2 Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in
your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which
shall dwell in your heart.
3 Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation;
behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of
Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground.
The Lord will help us know when we’re good to go! His
recommendation and endorsement are the best!
Elder Kearon:
‘My friends, my fellow disciples on the road of mortal life,
our Father’s beautiful plan, even His “fabulous” plan, is designed to bring you
home, not to keep you out. No one has built a roadblock and
stationed someone there to turn you around and send you away. In fact, it is
the exact opposite. God is in relentless pursuit of you. He “wants all of His
children to choose to return to Him,” and He employs every possible measure to
bring you back.’
Consider what Elder Soares says about temple preparation. It’s
not just when we are seeking a recommend; it’s every time we go!
If we change our preparation to enter the temple, we will
change our experience in the temple, which will transform our lives outside of
the temple.
Preparation isn’t just for those going to the temple for the
first time. We all should be perpetually preparing to go to the house of the
Lord.
The Savior desires that we become prepared to understand,
with great clarity, exactly how to act as we make covenants with our Heavenly
Father in His name. He wants us to be prepared to experience our privileges,
promises, and responsibilities; to be prepared to have the spiritual insights
and awakenings that we need in this life.
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