Lesson 6: Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple

Lesson 6: Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple

Lesson 6: Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple

“And inasmuch as my people build a house unto me in the name of the Lord, and do not suffer any unclean thing to come into it, that it be not defiled, my glory shall rest upon it; Yea, and my presence shall be there, for I will come into it, and all the pure in heart that shall come into it shall see God. But if it be defiled I will not come into it, and my glory shall not be there; for I will not come into unholy temples” (D&C 97:15-17).

1.      How have you prepared yourself to enter the temple?
How can you continue to prepare?
Why is important that we are prepared and meet the standard of worthiness?
Have you seen a shift in your attitudes and behavior as you are preparing to go to the temple?

 “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God” (D&C 88:119)

2.      Why is it important for us to be humble as we prepare and when we go to the temple?

 “Let him that is ignorant learn wisdom by humbling himself and calling upon the Lord his God, that his eyes may be opened that he may see, and his ears opened that he may hear; For my Spirit is sent forth into the world to enlighten the humble and contrite, and to the condemnation of the ungodly” (D&C 136:32-33).

3.      Receiving temple ordinances and covenants is essential to receiving the Gift of Eternal Life.

President Harold B. Lee said: “The temple ceremonies are designed by a wise Heavenly Father who has revealed them to us in these last days as a guide and a protection throughout our lives, that you and I might not fail to merit exaltation in the celestial kingdom where God and Christ dwell.”

President Joseph Fielding Smith said: “These blessings insure to us, through our faithfulness, the pearl of great price the Lord has offered us, for these are the greatest blessings we can receive in this life. It is a wonderful thing to come into the Church, but you cannot receive an exaltation until you have made covenants in the house of the Lord and received the keys and authorities that are there bestowed and which cannot be given in any other place on the earth today.”

4.      Wearing the temple garment is important; you will promise to do so.

It is a great blessing and privilege to wear the temple garment.

In a statement to the Church, the First Presidency said:

“Church members who have been clothed with the garment in the temple have made a covenant to wear it throughout their lives. This has been interpreted to mean that it is worn as underclothing both day and night. …

“The fundamental principle ought to be to wear the garment and not to find occasions to remove it. … When the garment must be removed, … it should be restored as soon as possible.

“The principles of modesty and keeping the body appropriately covered are implicit in the covenant and should govern the nature of all clothing worn. Endowed members of the Church wear the garment as a reminder of the sacred covenants they have made with the Lord and also as a protection against temptation and evil. How it is worn is an outward expression of an inward commitment to follow the Savior.”

5.      You should prepare yourself for personal and sacred worship.

Temple worship provides us with opportunities to meditate and to draw closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We can pray for direction, peace, and comfort. We will feel our Heavenly Father’s and Jesus’s love for us.  The temple is a place of peace and joy.

President Ezra Taft Benson said: “Temples are places of personal revelation. When I have been weighed down by a problem or a difficulty, I have gone to the House of the Lord with a prayer in my heart for answers. These answers have come in clear and unmistakable ways.”

Also, we can submit names to the prayer roll of those we love and are concerned about: ourselves, our family and friends. Many faithful saints will pray together for those people.

What do you need to do before you go?

·        Obtain a temple recommend: Have an interview with the Bishop and the Stake President.

·        Plan when you will go and schedule an appointment: You will need to call the temple to schedule that, and they will let you know what time you need to be there. (For this first visit, you will need to be there earlier.) They will let you know the particulars and what you need to take with (such as: your recommend and a pair of garments).

·        Dress: You will need to have garments with to change into at the temple. (You might want to buy two or three pair before you go, so you can try them out, before you purchase how many you will need.) You will also need temple clothing.

·        You can choose an escort to be with you on your first visit.

·        Remember when you are going back for others, there are family history specialists in our ward who can help you preparing your own family names for temple work.