The House of the Lord, a Sacred Space

Manti Utah Temple - © Stuart L. Gardner Photography

“The Lord always has commanded His people to build temples, holy places in which worthy Saints perform sacred gospel ceremonies and ordinances for themselves and for the dead. Temples are the most holy of all places of worship. A temple literally is the house of the Lord, a sacred space specifically set apart for worshipping God and for receiving and remembering His great and precious promises.” 

– Elder David A. Bednar, “Exceeding Great and Precious Promises,”

LDS General Conference, October 2017.

Grand, Vast, Essential, and Urgent

Taipei Taiwan Temple - Photo from LDS Media Library

“We live and serve in the dispensation of the fulness of times. Recognizing the eternal importance of the distinctive dispensation in which we live should influence all that we do and strive to become. The work of salvation to be accomplished in these last days is grand, vast, essential, and urgent. How grateful each of us should be for the blessings and responsibilities of living in this specific season of the final dispensation. How humble we should be knowing that “unto whom much is given much is required” (D&C 82:3).” 

– Elder David A. Bednar, “Missionary, Family History, and Temple Work,” Ensign, October 2014.

Why I Want My Children To Know

May 2014, Orem City Cemetery, visiting their great-grandma Pete (Leola Peterson)

This post is part of a blog link up - check out the other contributor posts here:

Why Share Family History With Children

As I was pondering this month's link up topic "Why Share Family History With Children", I kept thinking about why I want my children to know about their family history and their heritage. Why is it so important that they know? And what do I want them to know?

Belonging

I want them to know that they belong to large family organizations full of people who love and care about them. Full of people who have experienced hardship and happiness, struggle and success, and sadness and joy. And that all of these experiences and emotions are part of life and are normal. I want to share with them stories and pictures of family members so they can learn from others experiences and can find their own strengths as they overcome their own challenges.

Love

I want them to know that those family members who have died still love them and are concerned about them. As a mother I know how deeply I love my children and I know I will love all my grandchildren and great-grandchildren throughout the eternities as I know that my grandparents and great-grandparents obviously love and are concerned about me. I want them to know that they are in the middle of generations past and generations yet to be that love them.

Knowledge

I want them to know about their history and the heritage and freedoms given to them by their ancestors. I want them to know about their family members sacrifices. I want them to know how they fit into history, where their family members lived and what they accomplished in their lives.

One day, as a young teen, I was reading a story about my 4th Great-Grandparents, Elisha Hurd and Lucy Simmons Groves. I was amazed to find out that they were called by LDS Church leaders to settle and establish the area in which I was living.  My parents had individually moved to this area to attend college and my mother did not know the story of her ancestors. I promised myself that day that I would know the history of all my ancestors and I would pass those stories, lessons, emotions, and memories to my children. Why? So that my children would know their heritage.

As a parent I have a great responsibility to know the stories and the history so that I can teach values and principles to my children. If I don't know them myself, then how can I teach my children?

Protection

There is an amazing power that fills my life when I am working on my family history. I have literally felt, not only the love, but also the protection of my deceased family members. They care about me! They care that I am interested in learning about them and they have power to protect me in my life. It is not just the principles I learn from their history (frugality, sacrifice, hard work, etc) that provide protection. It is actual physical and spiritual protection directly provided by them. I want my children to have this protection.

“Ministry of Angels” – Kerri Guthrie, used with permission

Prophets have also promised protection when we participate in family history.

“As you respond in faith to this invitation, your hearts shall turn to the fathers. The promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be implanted in your hearts. Your patriarchal blessing, with its declaration of lineage, will link you to these fathers and be more meaningful to you. Your love and gratitude for your ancestors will increase. Your testimony of and conversion to the Savior will become deep and abiding. And I promise you will be protected against the intensifying influence of the adversary. As you participate in and love this holy work, you will be safeguarded in your youth and throughout your lives.”  - Elder David A. Bednar, The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn, October 2011 General Conference.

“Do you … want a sure way to eliminate the influence of the adversary in your life? Immerse yourself in searching for your ancestors, prepare their names for the sacred vicarious ordinances available in the temple, and then go to the temple to stand as proxy for them to receive the ordinances … Have you prayed about your own ancestors’ work?  Set aside those things in your life that don’t really matter.  Decide to do something that will have eternal consequences.” – Elder Richard G. Scott, “The Joy of Redeeming the Dead,” General Conference, October 2012.

Why do I want my children to know? I want them to know that they belong to something much larger than themselves, that all the people in their family love them and will love them throughout all eternity. That having knowledge about where their family came from and with what they struggled will provide power. That their ancestors who are in the spirit world can literally provide protection to them throughout their lives.

This is what I want my children to know and this why it is important for me to share family history with them.

#FHforChildren

This Is One Great Work of Salvation

Photo From LDS Media Library

“Some individuals may wonder how both preaching the gospel and seeking after our dead can be simultaneously the greatest duties and responsibilities God has placed upon His children. My purpose is to suggest that these teachings highlight the unity and oneness of the latter-day work of salvation. Missionary work and family history and temple work are complementary and interrelated aspects of one great work, “that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him” (Ephesians 1:10).”

“Preaching the gospel and seeking after our dead are two divinely appointed responsibilities that relate to both our hearts and to priesthood ordinances. The essence of the Lord’s work is changing, turning, and purifying hearts through covenants and ordinances performed by proper priesthood authority.”

“Preaching the gospel and seeking after our dead are complementary parts of one great work—a labor of love intended to change, turn, and purify the hearts of honest seekers of truth. The artificial boundary line we so often place between missionary work and temple and family history work is being erased; this is one great work of salvation.”

- Elder David A. Bednar, “Missionary, Family History, and Temple Work,” Ensign, October 2014.

Blessing Individuals Not Yet Under Covenant

Fort Collins Colorado Temple - Open House, August 19, 2016

“Enabling the exaltation of the living and the dead is the Lord’s purpose for building temples and performing vicarious ordinances. We do not worship in holy temples solely to have a memorable individual or family experience. Rather, we seek to fulfill the divinely appointed responsibility to offer the ordinances of salvation and exaltation to the entire human family. Planting in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; turning the hearts of the children to their own fathers; and performing family history research and vicarious ordinances in the temple are labors that bless individuals in the spirit world not yet under covenant.” 

– Elder David A. Bednar, “Missionary, Family History, and Temple Work,” Ensign, October 2014.

I Know Of No Age Limit

“I now invite the attention of the young women, young men, and children of the rising generation as I emphasize the importance of the Spirit of Elijah in your lives today. My message is intended for the entire Church in general—but for you in particular. Many of you may think family history work is to be performed primarily by older people. But I know of no age limit described in the scriptures or guidelines announced by Church leaders restricting this important service to mature adults. You are sons and daughters of God, children of the covenant, and builders of the kingdom. You need not wait until you reach an arbitrary age to fulfill your responsibility to assist in the work of salvation for the human family.” 

– Elder David A. Bednar, The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn, LDS General Conference, October 2011.

We Have The Covenant Responsibility To Search Out Our Ancestors

Mesa Arizona Temple - Stuart L. Gardner Photography

"The Spirit of Elijah affects people inside and outside of the Church. However, as members of Christ’s restored Church, we have the covenant responsibility to search out our ancestors and provide for them the saving ordinances of the gospel. “They without us should not be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:40; see also Teachings: Joseph Smith, 475). And “neither can we without our dead be made perfect” (D&C 128:15).  For these reasons we do family history research, build temples, and perform vicarious ordinances. For these reasons Elijah was sent to restore the sealing authority that binds on earth and in heaven. We are the Lord’s agents in the work of salvation and exaltation that will prevent “the whole earth [from being] smitten with a curse” (D&C 110:15) when He returns again. This is our duty and great blessing." 

- Elder David A. Bednar, The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn, General Conference, October 2011.

What Were The Promises Made To The Fathers?

Ogden Utah Temple - © Stuart Gardner 

Who are the fathers? We have Patriarchal fathers and we have our own ancestral fathers. All of them have received promises from the Lord himself.

When we hear the question, "What were the promises made to the fathers?" we think of the Patriarchal fathers: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We tend to think first of the Abrahamic Covenant. Did you know that the promises actually started with the first Patriarch Adam?

"Although we generally speak of the Abrahamic covenant beginning with Abraham, he was actually the inheritor of promises, passed down through the lineage of his fathers, that began with Adam. Abraham himself wrote: “And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness” (Abr. 1:2). Abraham desired and “sought” the priesthood with all its accompanying promises. These blessings “came down from the fathers, from the beginning of time” (Abr. 1:3)." 

- S. Michael Wilcox. The Abrahamic Covenant, Ensign, January 1998.

"Abraham first received the gospel by baptism (which is the covenant of salvation). Then he had conferred upon him the higher priesthood, and he entered into celestial marriage (which is the covenant of exaltation), gaining assurance thereby that he would have eternal increase. Finally he received a promise that all of these blessings would be offered to all of his mortal posterity (D&C 132:29–50; Abr. 2:6–11). Included in the divine promises to Abraham were the assurances that (1) Christ would come through his lineage, and that (2) Abraham’s posterity would receive certain lands as an eternal inheritance (Gen. 17; 22:15–18; Gal. 3; Abr. 2). These promises taken together are called the “Abrahamic covenant.” It was renewed with Isaac (Gen. 26:1–4, 24) and again with Jacob (Gen. 28; 35:9–13; 48:3–4). 

"The portions of the covenant that pertain to personal salvation and eternal increase are renewed with each individual who receives the ordinance of celestial marriage (see D&C 132:29–33). Those of non-Israelite lineage, commonly known as Gentiles, are adopted into the house of Israel and become heirs of the covenant and the seed of Abraham through the ordinances of the gospel (Gal. 3:26–29). 

"Being an heir to the Abrahamic covenant does not make one a “chosen person” per se but does signify that such are chosen to responsibly carry the gospel to all the peoples of the earth. Abraham’s seed have carried out the missionary activity in all the nations since Abraham’s day. (Matt. 3:9; Abr. 2:9–11.)

"To fulfill the covenant God made with Abraham—having particular reference to the fact that the literal seed of his body would be entitled to all of the blessings of the gospel (Abr. 2:10–11)—a number of specific and particular things must take place in the last days. The gospel must be restored, the priesthood must be conferred again upon man, the keys of the sealing power must be given again to mortals, Israel must be gathered, and the Holy Ghost must be poured out upon the Gentiles. All this has already taken place or is in process of fulfillment."

- LDS Bible Dictionary

What about our ancestral fathers? What were the promises the Lord made to them?

The answer is found in Section 138 of the Doctrine and Covenants. This section contains a vision of the redemption of the dead given to President Joseph F. Smith on October 3, 1918.

This is the verse break down of the section:
1–10, President Joseph F. Smith ponders upon the writings of Peter and our Lord’s visit to the spirit world; 11–24, President Smith sees the righteous dead assembled in paradise and Christ’s ministry among them; 25–37, He sees how the preaching of the gospel was organized among the spirits; 38–52, He sees Adam, Eve, and many of the holy prophets in the spirit world who considered their spirit state before their resurrection as a bondage; 53–60, The righteous dead of this day continue their labors in the world of spirits.

Pay particular attention to the following verses - D&C 138:28-35, 58-59

Especially:

31 And the chosen messengers went forth to declare the acceptable day of the Lord and proclaim liberty to the captives who were bound, even unto all who would repent of their sins and receive the gospel. 

32 Thus was the gospel preached to those who had died in their sins, without a knowledge of the truth, or in transgression, having rejected the prophets. 

33 These were taught faith in God, repentance from sin, vicarious baptism for the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands,

58 The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God,

59 And after they have paid the penalty of their transgressions, and are washed clean, shall receive a reward according to their works, for they are heirs of salvation.

The Lord himself promised all of our ancestral fathers they would have the opportunity for vicarious baptism (covenant of salvation) and redemption through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God (covenant of exaltation).

“My beloved young brothers and sisters, family history is not simply an interesting program or activity sponsored by the Church; rather, it is a vital part of the work of salvation and exaltation. You have been prepared for this day and to build up the kingdom of God. You are here upon the earth now to assist in this glorious work. I testify Elijah returned to the earth and restored the sacred sealing authority. I witness that what is bound on earth can be bound in heaven.”

- Elder David A. Bednar, The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn, Gen. Conf., October 2011. 

Family History Blesses the Living

“As you respond in faith to this invitation, your hearts shall turn to the fathers. The promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be implanted in your hearts. Your patriarchal blessing, with its declaration of lineage, will link you to these fathers and be more meaningful to you. Your love and gratitude for your ancestors will increase. Your testimony of and conversion to the Savior will become deep and abiding. And I promise you will be protected against the intensifying influence of the adversary. As you participate in and love this holy work, you will be safeguarded in your youth and throughout your lives.” 

– Elder David A. Bednar, "The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn," October 2011, General Conference.

You Have Been Prepared For This Day

“My beloved young brothers and sisters, family history is not simply an interesting program or activity sponsored by the Church; rather, it is a vital part of the work of salvation and exaltation. You have been prepared for this day and to build up the kingdom of God. You are here upon the earth now to assist in this glorious work. I testify Elijah returned to the earth and restored the sacred sealing authority. I witness that what is bound on earth can be bound in heaven. And I know the youth of the rising generation have a key role to play in this great endeavor. I so testify in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.” 

- Elder David A. Bednar, The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn, General Conference, October 2011.

Tender Mercies of the Lord

Photo from LDS Media Library

My father passed away on the evening of Monday, August 10, 2015. Though distraught, I was immediately blessed by tender mercies from Heaven. And like Elder David A. Bednar, "A loving Savior was sending me a most personal and timely message of comfort and reassurance." (The Tender Mercies of the Lord)

What is a Tender Mercy?

Elder David A. Bednar defined the tender mercies of the Lord as “the very personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ.” Further, he taught that “the tender mercies of the Lord are real and that they do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Often, the Lord’s timing of His tender mercies helps us to both discern and acknowledge them.” (“Tender Mercies” - What is a Tender Mercy?)

I want to share the tender mercies I have discerned and acknowledged this past week.

1. Moses 1:39 - "For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."

On Tuesday as we were traveling to be with my mother and siblings I had this scripture pop into my head. And then the Holy Ghost taught me this: You cannot obtain immortality without leaving mortality and you cannot obtain eternal life without leaving earth life. And like the Savior, my father has "marked the path and led the way."

2. President Thomas S. Monson's Facebook post 
Within a few hours of arriving to be with my family on Tuesday evening, my friend shared with me this message immediately upon being posted to President Monson's page:

Thomas S. Monson Official Facebook Page

The living prophet's personal message to me: "through the heartache and loneliness of losing loved ones, there is assurance that life is everlasting."

3. President Russell M. Nelson's Facebook post
While we were holding my father's viewing on Thursday evening, this was posted to President Nelson's page:

Russell M. Nelson Official Facebook Page

My oldest nephew was having a really hard time at the viewing and this message comforted him that night. President Nelson's message to our family this evening: "we live to die and we die to live - in another realm. If we are well prepared, death brings no terror. From an eternal perspective, death is premature only for those who are not prepared to meet God." My father was prepared!

4. Mormon Tabernacle Choir Facebook Post
On Wednesday morning we all (mom, children, grandchildren) walked a few miles to our neighbor's farm so that my mom could ask our neighbor to sing at my father's funeral. My brother and sister and I followed our neighbor to get his attention, as he drove his tractor into the hay stacks. He came out and visited with my family and my mother asked him to sing, "Be Still My Soul". He was honored. He mentioned that my mom should really listen to a special performance of this hymn that David Archuleta performed for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir a few years ago.

On Friday afternoon, after the funeral, this was posted to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Facebook page:

Mormon Tabernacle Choir Official Facebook Page

No need to go look up this performance, it was delivered to our very fingertips.

5. How Great the Wisdom and the Love
On Saturday morning we went to the horseshoe courts for the Junior Cup tournament. My father had encouraged all the youth participants via an email on Monday to come and participate. All the family came to support the youth at the tournament. Before the tournament, I had the words to a hymn going through my mind, "he marked the path and led the way". I had been thinking again about Moses 1:39 and wondered to myself what hymn was this line coming from. I went online and looked up the words and was overcome with emotion when I realized it was this hymn:

LDS Hymnal

My father loved this hymn ... particularly the first verse: "How great the wisdom and the love That filled the courts on high ..." He believed that there are horseshoe courts in heaven and that his father was always pitching horseshoes on those courts. When I read the words to the hymn that morning and knew we would be at the horseshoe courts soon, I knew that there was love filling the courts both in Heaven as well as on Earth.

6. Jayson's Mission Call
My oldest nephew was expecting his mission call this past week. When the "traditional" day of Wednesday came and left and there wasn't a call, family members kept saying that perhaps it will come on Saturday. A nearby neighbor commented that his call arrived on a Saturday. Though not "traditional" maybe it really would come on Saturday. It would be better if it came on Saturday after the family had all arrived, the viewing, the funeral, and the horseshoe tournament were all over. Thursday came and went and no call. Friday came and went and no call. Saturday came and after the horseshoe tournament ended his call was received! With all the family present we learned that Jayson would be serving in the California Santa Rosa Mission.

7. Mom's Temple Calling
My mother and father were in the third year of their two year temple calling when my father passed away. All week my mother was trying to decide if she should continue serving and the logistics of early morning travel from Cedar City to St. George or if now was the time to be released. Family members and temple workers encouraged her and plead with her to return to serving. She pondered to herself what she should do and hadn't shared her thoughts yet with us. She asked my brother, the oldest son and now new family patriarch what he thought about her continuing her calling. He shared with her his thoughts; they were exactly what she had been pondering. He discerned her thoughts! She knew upon hearing his words that it was time for a release and to spend time serving as a patron. When the Cedar City Temple is complete in a few years she may once again serve as an ordinance worker.

8. Let It Go
My mother has been thinking a lot of "should have", "could have", "why didn't I" thoughts all week. She has been praying for forgiveness for all of the shortcomings in her relationship with my father. Then she heard my daughter as she was playing outside with her new music box that was just purchased the day before. As the tune of "Let It Go" rang throughout the yard and house she knew that it was an answer to her prayers to just let it go, to forgive, to move on, and to just love each other more. She pulled us all together Sunday evening and shared this powerful testimony with us.

I am so grateful for the tender mercies the Lord has blessed my family with this week. I want to ensure that I continue to discern and acknowledge the Lord's hand in my life daily. For this reason and many others I have chosen to share these precious moments here on this blog. I hope my experiences with the Spirit will touch others.


*Updated 8.19.15 at 9:40 pm
9. Peaches
When we left to go be with my family our peach tree was starting to drop it's fruit. As we drove away from our home I knew that we would lose our entire peach crop while we were gone. I asked my friend Rebecca to give them away to others so they wouldn't go bad. We arrived home tonight and just a few minutes ago my cousin's son showed up at our door. He just lives around the corner from us. Unknown to me, my brother had asked him to help us. Chad had his scouts come to our home and take bags of peaches to another neighbor who canned them for us. Tonight I was presented with 12 quarts of my own peaches.

#ShareGoodness       #dailymiracles