The Light of the Temple

We have talked about the three purposes of Relief Society:

Increase faith and personal righteousness.

Strengthen families and homes.

Serve the Lord and His children.

All three of these things can be accomplished simultaneously, (talk about multi tasking sisters) As we go to the temple.

I remember Elder Eyring saying once that We better give heed unto the word of the Lord especially when it gets repeated several times.

1. April Conference we heard three talks on the power of temple worship

2. In May we received our conference Ensign where we could really study

3. In June our Joseph Smith lessons were

a. Redemption for the Dead

b. Receiving the Ordinances and Blessings of the Temple

4. In July the VT message is

Qualify for and Partake of Temple Worship

5. In July our stake is having a Stake temple day

6. On August 23^rd our Church services will be replaced by a Temple Dedication.

In the impoverished days of the early church, as the apostles were trying to decide how to allocate the Church’s meager resources, Joseph Smith said” “We need the temple more than anything else.”

Today, as we live in a spiritually & temporally impoverished world, our leaders are saying once again: “We need the Temple more then anything else”

President Benson said “Many parents, in and out of the Church, are concerned about protection against a cascading avalanche of wickedness, which threatens to engulf the world. There is a power associated with the ordinances of heaven, even the power of godliness, which can and will thwart the forces of evil, if we will but be worthy of those sacred covenants made in the temple of the Lord. Our families will be protected, our children will be safeguarded as we live the gospel, visit the temple, and live close to the Lord.

There is a moment in almost every couple’s life that is very profound, very powerful, and that is the moment after much travail that we bare a child into this world. The feelings are unexplainable. Russell M Nelson said: When a woman bares and care for a child she glorifies God. That’s why that moment is so powerful. You are glorifying God.

When My children were finally placed in my arms, and I knew they were safe, and I am finally free from pain, we were together at last, happiness, love and the spirit of the Lord filled the room. And I said can it get any better then this?

But then as I was raising my kids, I experienced other moments. One of my favorite moments ever, was watching them all play together outside in the dirt, Pretending to build huts and roads or whatever and I could see them all, they were together. They were safe, they were free, content, and happy, and I was filled with love and the spirit of the Lord. It can’t get any better then this..

But then they grew up: We experienced More ultimate moments as we watched three of our children be sealed in the house of the Lord: We were safe, we were free, we were together, content, and happy. Love and the spirit of the Lord was thick. I’ve never loved my family more. It can’t get any better then this. We are anxiously waiting for the day the other two will be with us in the temple. It may take more travail and more labor to get one of them there, but labor we will until that day..

But in the mean time the grandchildren have started coming: It’s worth being parents just to have grandchildren. Last week end we had 3 of them and their parents at the house, and at 4:30 in the morning little Gracie was ready to get up and play. “Hello Mommy, she happily said.:, mommy wasn’t quit so happy. But Grandma and Grandpa were. So when it got light enough Grandpa and I took her outside. There she was floating through our yard chasing butterflies. And then I was picking my green beans and there she was sprawled out beside me in the dirt on her belly , barefoot and in her pajamas pretending who knows what. But She was safe, she was free, content, happy and I was filled with love and the spirit of the lord. Can it get any better then this?

Tomorrow I head out to Alabama to help to bare another special spirit into this world. I am anxiously waiting for the moment that she will, after much travail, be placed in her mothers arms. She will be safe, Mom will be free from pain, happiness , love, and the spirit of the Lord will fill the room once again. And so it keeps going.

Well, there is another very similar but even more profound and powerful moment that we all should be preparing for and that is the moment, after much travail, that we bare our families back in to the presence of our Father. That is the day we will truly glorify God, There we will be safe, we will be free, together, content and filled with a fullness of love and joy and a fullness of the spirit. and there is no other way to reach that moment then through the Holy Temples and the sealing power of the Priesthood. It won’t get any better then that, will it?

That is why I go to the temple. So I can be taught what it is I need to do so I can have that ultimate experience with my famiiy.

We invite everyone to do something to bring the temple closer to you. As we touch the temple, the temple will touch us. Pres Monson.

And on July 29^th , our stake temple day, everyone of us can do something that will bring the temple closer.

Family History or Indexing - Enrichment

Read one of the articles on the temples in the Ensign

Set a goal, that day, to do something to make yourself more temple worthy

Come to the Temple. Spend the day and live the experience.

Meridian Magazine: Becoming a Zion People

Meridian Magazine:: Becoming a Zion Person: In an Unsafe World: Safety in the Covenant

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Life giving seed

John 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone, but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit.

A seed sitting by itself is nothing, but as it is planted and dies, it brings forth life and much fruit. So Christ did for us. He died that we might have everlasting life, and bring forth much fruit.

So a woman, as she carries a child within her, gives of her life giving nutrients to the growing child. Then she suffers near death to deliver this child into this world. Thus giving life. And it does not end here. As she then nurtures this child, her own self interests die, as she gives her time and love to the life of the child she loves.

The Light of working in the Nursery

I was asked to substitute in the nursery today. Of course, I said yes, trying to sound joyful about it. But the truth was I hate to miss Relief Society and all the wonderful lessons in there. But I wore my most comfortable dress, kicked my shoes off when I walked in and sat down on the floor to see what I could do to help.

Tessa was wanting mommy. So I distracted her with the little kitchen set, and a baby doll to feed. She was willing to play, but only half heartedly. And every now and then she would look at me and say "Mommy". We then moved to the rocking chair to read a book. Now she settled into my lap seeming to accept it as a substitute for her mothers. Then the bubbles came out and off my lap she hopped to play with the bubbles seeming as happy as ever.

Next came Marie, who is over two years old and still has to have mom in the nursery with her. I coaxed her on to my lap and began to read a book to her. We were finding the puppy dog and the cat on each page. When she finally started to respond to my questions and tell me what the puppy said, I said Good Job Marie and little face just lit up with excitement. So on we went through the book, and now she began to tell me about her pens with the cows and horses and pigs in them. Now she is just beaming every time we find something new in the book. Mean while mom has left the nursery. She then was able to jump off my lap and play with the parachute all the while smiling and smiling.

Izzy: Isabella was also thinking she needed mommy. Her eyes just lit up when we sang wheels on the bus and Daddies on the bus go read read read. She then started jabbering about her daddy. Her sparkling eyes and big huge dimples made me smile, and see that there is light in the nursery. The children just needed to feel safe and secure and that someone cared. And I needed to remember that through little children we can find simple and uncomplicated light.

The light of Tender Mercies

For our family scritpure study this year, instead of reading the Book of Mormon straight through like we usually do, we are taking a subject and reading every scripture that is about this subject. We chose faith. So last night we read our first scripture. 1 Nephi 1:20. ."...I Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance." We then talked about the tender mercies the Lord has shown us recently. 1. Bruce got sick Saturday and it looked like it was going to be a bad one, but was recovered by Sunday night. 2. I had spoken with three people during the day, that had something to tell me that taught me things, unbeknowst to them, that I need to be sure to work on in my life. 1. We can not condemn people for their weaknesses, no matter how much it bugs us. If we do, it will turn to our own condemnation. 2. We must not withhold our compliments to others even for their slightest efforts. Always be aware of the efforts of others, even if those efforts are small and seem insignificant to us. We do not make big huge changes over night, they are gradual and ever so slight and we even sometimes slide backwards at times. The Lord accepts our efforts and we need to do the same for others. 3. If we are faithful the Lord will provide a way for our deliverance from whatever our trial is at the moment. Which leads to one of my newest favorite scriptures. DC 35:24 "Keep all the commandments and covenants by which you are bound and I will cause the heavens to shake for your good, and satan shall tremble, and zion shall rejoice upon the hills and flourish." He will deliver us.

Let Charity abound

As I have struggled the last few months, and especially this last week on where to draw the lines of standing for whats right and showing love for persons who are violating God's commands, I received light and inspiration once again as the Sun Rose. I found myself three times in this last week finding basically the same answer in three different places.

First I was studying DC 18 and 19. DC 18:10-12 & 19. Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God; For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh: wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him. ..... And if you have not faith, hope, and charity, you can do nothing. I am always worried that this person doesn't understand the gravity of the situation and that I need to harp on them and nag them into repentance. I also felt I needed to do some punishing by withholding support of even some good actions on their part. Obviously this way does not work. We have to have charity and do things and say things that communicate complete love and understanding. We need to show faith in our Saviors plan and realize each person has their own path which they choose and we can let it be in the hands of the Lord to judge and punish. Each soul is precious, each one must be given opportunities to turn to the Lord and receive His light. I must be a light and an example through the light of charity which suffereth long, and is kind,...is not easily provoked....Wherefore, my beloved brethern, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth... Moroni 7:45 I am going to hold to the promise that it never faileth.

Second: I was reading our Relief Society lesson. Pres. Monson's talk in conference this past conference, Finding Joy in the Journey. In there he says: "Never let a problem to be solved become more important than the person to be loved."

Third: I was reading for the Sunday School Lesson Mormon 1 - 6 and Moroni 9: Here is Mormon surrounded by wickedness, leading them into battle, not withstanding their wickedness because he loved them, according to the love of God which was in him. Mormon 3:12. For a time he refused to take them into battle, but in Mormon 5:1 he repents of his oath and goes once again to battle with them, having no hope, for he knew the judgementsw of the lord would come. Then in Moroni 9: 4-6, he says he labors with them continually, "let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God. Moroni's situation is far more precarious and awful then mine. I still have hope. Moroni is a great example of love and enduring to the end.

Each reading this week gave me a deeper understanding and feeling of love. I have certain actions that I must accept and be supportive of. I need to pray for these feelings to be with me when I am confronting each new situation and have the kind of conversation that would allow the spirit to be there. DC 88: 125 And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and PEACE. I know this is a learning process and I will not be perfect at it. However, even Moroni gave up for a little while and then repented and went forward with his mission, laboring diligently until the end.

Now putting all this into practice will be another story. I'm sure I will fail miserably at times. I will have to review this lesson often so i can REMEMBER.

The Lord will not come to reign over the righteous… Until everything for the Bridegroom is ready

What needs to be made ready?
In our own earthly experience, as we prepare for a wedding party, the first things we women would do would be to clean house, wouldn't we? Everything must be in perfect order. I remember preparing for Brittney's wedding, I even cleaned behind the washer and dryer, and what guest would have ever looked behind there? No one, but it sure felt good when it was done.

Well, the earth must be cleansed also, thus we see wars, and rumors of wars, vapors of smoke, famines, pestilence and earthquakes in diverse places. The earths way of cleaning house. Its part of what must happen. We also need to be cleaning our homes, our hearts and our minds.

What must the bride do to be ready? In the Joseph Smith manual it states: “Brother Joseph arose and said, to receive revelation and the blessings of heaven it was necessary to

1. Have our minds on God and
   
2. Exercise faith and or be Faithful
   
3. become of one heart and of one mind.
4. Therefore he recommended all present to pray separately and vocally to the Lord for [Him] to reveal His will unto us concerning the upbuilding of Zion and for the benefit of the Saints.” Each high priest “bowed down before the Lord” and then spoke of his feelings and
   
5. determination to keep the commandments of God.3

After all present at this meeting described above, Joseph Smith then received what is Section 88 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

If we look at each directive and apply to ourselves preparing to meet our Bridegroom, we can also find deeper meaning in preparing ourselves to receive Him.

1. Every bride has her mind on her bridegroom. You can see it in her eyes. They convey love, and adoration. She seems somewhat oblivious to the preparations going on around her, as she keeps her mind on Him. That we must do also, to be able to make it through the cleansing process. We ourselves may get scrubbed in the washing, but we are ok, because our eyes are on Him.
2. She is faithful to him. No one comes before Him. Does anyone or anything come before Him in our lives? Are we distracted by the glitter and the noise of the world?
3. Become One. If ye are not one ye are not mine. As we become one with our Savior, we will become more one as a husband and wife, as a family, as a ward, and as a neighborhood. There is power in One. And it takes great individual exertion. Joseph Smith said “Let the Saints remember that great things depend on their individual exertion, and that they are called to be co-workers with us and the Holy Spirit in accomplishing the great work of the last days; and in consideration of the extent, the blessings and glories of the same, let every selfish feeling be not only buried, but annihilated; and let love to God and man predominate, and reign triumphant in every mind, that their hearts may become like unto Enoch’s of old, and comprehend all things, present, past and future, and come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
4. Let us pray to God without ceasing that we may know personally the things we need to do to prepare ourselves and our families for His coming. Elder Bednar spoke of Prayer in this last general conference and how to improve our prayers. Please read it.
5. As we submit ourselves to the will of the Savior, and keep His commandments what happens to us? Are we beaten down and abused. No, not with him who is the perfect bridegroom. He raises us up. We become as he is and we receive all that he has. He receives us into His mansion, prepared by His hand. DC 81:6 And if thou art faithful unto the end thou shalt have a crown of immortality, and eternal life in the mansion which I have prepared in the house of my Father.

As we think of the bridegroom, the other parable that comes to mind is that of the 10 virgins. Let us be like the five wise virgins and fill our lamps with oil that we may LIGHT our way. DC 45: 56, 57 They took the Holy Spirit as their guide and they were not deceived. The Lord will not come to them as a thief in the Night, for they are children of the light, and he will come as the light of the morning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west, and covereth the whole earth.
Fill yourselves with light that you might dispel the darkness around us. DC 50: 24 That which is of God is light and he that receiveth light and continueth in God receiveth more light and that light growth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.

And then we shall say:
10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

DC 33:17 Wherefore, be faithful, praying always, having your lamps timmed and burning, and oil with you, that you may be ready at the coming of the Bridegroom--

DC 101:16 Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion, all flesh is in my hands, be still and know that I am God