Conference tecrus::mormonism

    Some consider the temple ceremony to be sort of a 'fifth' Standard
    Work, since the information there is scriptural but is not all found
    in the Scriptures.  Seems I always learn something new each time
    I go.  Kind of like how I tend to learn something new each time
    I read the Bible, B of M, D & C or P of GP.
    
    Also, going to the temple the first time is for yourself.  Other
    times are for others, and there are a lot of folks waiting ... some
    of whom (including ancestors) we'll be face to face with later ...
    
    And, I've made promises in the temple.  Each Sunday at Sacrament
    as I remember Christ and His mission, I also remember and review
    the covenents I made at baptism.  Going to the temple helps me to 
    remember and review the covenents I made there.
    
    Besides that, I *love* going to the temple.  I always feel good
    when I'm there and I feel good when I get back.  I wish I could
    find a way to swing going more than twice a year.

    
    Steve

    We enjoy going to the temple on a monthly basis.  Lately, it has
    been semi-monthly due to the weather and wifey having 5 weeks left
    in her pregnancy.
    
    We enjoy it because it is something that we have committed to do
    in our temple recommend interview.  Also, we see it as a date and
    a chance to get away from home for an evening.  I really enjoy it
    because it is one of the few times we eat restaraunt food.  It is
    an hour drive each way so we stop and get something to eat at Wendy's
    or Taco Bell midway.
    
    When we were in college at the Y, my wife did her internship in
    Salt Lake and I would ride the bus up and meet her at temple square
    and we'd do a session there.
    
    One thing our ward did when we were in southern California is rent
    buses and go that way.  Someone would get some donuts and drinks
    and we'd eat them on the way back.  It was fun to go with a group
    and get to know other members of the ward better.  What made it
    even better was that noone except the bus driver had to negotiate
    the horrible traffic. ;^)
    
    I guess the bottom line is the people who do temple work are also the
    ones who get there home/visit teaching done and fulfill there other
    callings while other members are just along for the ride.  I call it the
    reliables vs. the unreliables. 
    
    scott

    For me, the Temple (Washington, DC) is 500 miles away from home
    so I only get a chance to go there once a year.  Although I have
    not been able to take out my own endowment as yet, due to an
    inactive husband, I make it a point to go there once a year to
    do baptism work for my ancestors.  As was said in note 217.1,
    we will have to face our ancestors some day and depending upon
    how faithful we have been in our Temple work, will be reflected 
    in both their and our countenances......joy or sadness!
    
    What better way is there be to leave the world behind and partake
    of the Spirit of Christ than at the Temple.  Just stepping from the
    vehicle that drove you there onto the sacred ground and the peacefulness
    of the Temple is worth the trip there.  The words over the entrance
    of the doorway leading into the Temple tell you that this is the
    House of the Lord.  What better place can there be to draw close to
    Him and fell the Spirit in such great abundance than in the Temple.
    Just being there helps me to remember what the Lord has instructed
    us to be like...."Be ye therefore in this world, BUT NOT OF IT"   To
    be anywhere near the Temple (inside or on the grounds) instills in
    me a deep desire to keep His Commandments and never desire to be
    'worldly'.   The Holiness that is there and that is felt within you
    being there is stronger and deeper than what you feel during Sacrament
    Meeting on Sunday.  It gives you a chance to reflect upon the work you
    have been called to do for the Lord and the covenants you have made
    with Him and you feel refreshed, invigorated and filled with a desire
    to push forward no matter what your trials in life may be and endure
    to the end.  We have to remember what we are here on earth for.  If
    we don't attend the Temple often enough, we get dragged into what the
    rest of the world is doing and procrastination takes over and we lose
    sight of our mission.  Worldliness is a very strong magnet that pulls
    us away from the Lord and gets us so involved we don't have time to
    do the things we need to do for Him within our 24 hour day.  Going to
    the Temple keeps us on track and breaks that magnetic force.
    
    My feelings and my testimony,
    Penny
    	

There is a cassette tape by Truman Madsen about the Temple that really brings
out why we should attend often.  He talks about the Temple as a place of
revelation and gives an example of John A. Widstoe (scientist and later a
LDS Apostle) who published two scientific books from the insight he received
in the Temple about his research. 

I don't remember the name of it, but I assume (hope) it is still available and
can be ordered from LDS bookstores.

Allen

    
I would like to talk a little about my _first_ visit to the temple. 8^)
    
I won't bore you to death by giving you a travelogue of my temple trip.  Nor 
will I go into any of the ceremonies that were done in the temple.  These things
are sacred to me and I am sure that you will respect my desire not to discuss 
things that are sacred outside of the temple.  I _would_ like to share my some
of my feelings that I had both in & out of the temple.

The first step for me was to have an interview with my bishop to get a temple 
recommend.  The standards are high, but that is obvious since the person being 
interviewed will be visiting the House of the Lord.  After entering the temple,
I got my own endowments, was sealed to my wife and children, and then performed 
work for those who have passed away.  The following describes how I felt during 
each of these important events:

My wife & I attended an Open House of the Temple in Frankfurt a few years ago
(before it was dedicated).  It was very beautiful inside.  One thing was missing
though - the Spirit.

Later on, before I got my recommend, I was in Frankfurt on business and dropped
by Friedrichsdorf (near Frankfurt) and visited the temple.  Of course, I did
not enter the temple, but I just wanted to think, meditate and pray.  As I 
walked around the temple, I could feel the Spirit of the Lord.  I could *feel*
that this was more than just a building - that it was a House of the Lord.  I 
felt a great need to go to the temple.  The feeling is difficult to describe, 
but it was as if I could feel my soul and it wanted so much to go into the 
temple.  It was a beautiful and moving experience - too deep and too spiritual
for words.  


Temple Recommend
Getting the temple recommend was a big step for me.  I didn't get it the first
time.  There were some things I had to work on first.  Just being a mormon 
doesn't mean that you get to go to the temple.  There are certain standards 
that you have to live by.  I worked hard to to live worthy enough to get the 
recommend (which allows me to enter the House of the Lord), but I realize 
now that getting the temple recommend means that I have met only the *minimum* 
requirements to enter the temple.  I am glad that I got this far, but I have a 
lot farther to go.  I have always known that the temple is a House of the Lord.
It is very sacred and very special to me.  I have a strong urge to attend the 
temple often.  It is an urge that is prompted by the Spirit.  When you enter 
the temple, it is like entering another world - a world of peace happiness and 
joy.  You leave all your problems and cares behind you when you enter the 
temple.  You have entered a holy place - you have entered the House of the Lord.


Endowments
In the temple, my wife & I took a few minutes to share how we felt as we 
received the Endowments.  I won't go into detail, but we both had *exactly* 
the same feelings and were moved by the Spirit in *exactly* the same way.  
We both learned a lot.  We now see & understand things in a different light
than we did before.  Like any knowledge gained, many questions that we had 
before were answered and it opened up many new questions.  It was a wonderful, 
spiritually uplifting, and very moving experience that I will always remember.  
The Spirit was very strong in the Temple.  Going to the temple is a beautiful 
experience.  I would like to invite all to go to the temple to share in this 
joyous experience.


Sealing
This was the most joyous event that I have ever experienced.  Some members of 
our Ward in Munich drove up (5 hours each way) to attend our sealing.  The 
person who sealed us was Edwin Q. Cannon.  I doubt if any of you know him, but 
he is very nice and you can feel the Spirit when he speaks.  Tears of joy filled
my eyes as my wife & I were sealed together for time & eternity.  I felt the 
Spirit very strong during the ceremony.  It is both comforting and a joy to know
that even death cannot separate me from my wife and children.  


Temple Work (for the dead)
In short, I did a lot of work for those who have passed on.  I guess I spent 
a week on this alone.  It was a lot, yet it is not enough.  There is so much
work to do that needs to be done - especially when you think of how many people
have passed on before us.  There must be billions of people just waiting for us
to do the ordinances for them - my ancestors and yours.  I know that some will 
reject the work that we do; but others are waiting for us to do the work and are
overjoyed when the work is finally done.  They have been waiting a long time for
us to do the work, and some must wait even longer; but it will be worth the 
wait.

Normally, I don't like to volunteer to do things.  But it is a joy and an honor
to do the Lord's work and to do work for those who have gone on before.  I would
like to encourage those of you who have temple recommends to go as often as you 
can to the temple.  We have two children and have to drive 5 hours each way to 
the temple, and take turns babysitting our 9-month old daughter & 3-year old 
son.  It is a sacrifice to go,  but I wouldn't pass up the opportunity for 
anything to do this wonderful work.  I am really honored to be able to do this
work.  Originally, I hadn't planned on going often, maybe once or twice a year 
(because of the sacrifice involved (distance, children, expense, etc).  My wife
and I talked about after our visit to the temple.  We would like to try to go 
once a month.  I don't know if we can reach this goal, but we are going to do 
our best.  If you don't feel like you will want to go very often, try to think
back and remember how it was when you were in the temple.  Try to remember how
strong the Spirit was in the temple.  It is a truly wonderful experience.

Those of you who haven't been to the temple will have a hard time understanding
this and putting it into proper perspective.  Going to the temple is a goal of
every member of our church.  I can't put into words how important it is to me
to go to the temple, but I will say that it is the most wonderful, spirituallly
uplifting, joyous experience I have ever experienced.  

Again, I would like to invite all to go to the temple.  The requirements to get
in are the same for everybody.  If you haven't been to the temple yet, please 
go.  It is the most beautiful experience you will probably ever have.

With Love,

Frank