Temples Are Important (week 4)


President Ezra Taft Benson, one of the prophets for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints explained that because we make sacred covenants in the temple not to reveal what we have learned in the temple we are often afraid to share anything about the temple to those who may have questions.  In his First Presidency message printed in the April 1986 Liahona magazine he gives suggestions about what he hopes all parents would teach their children about the temple.
When we moved to the Tri-Cities in the southeast corner of Washington there was no temple and we had to travel four hours one way to go to the Seattle Temple.  (I know there are many world-wide who have farther to go than this, so I am not complaining.)  When Gordon B. Hinckley announced they were going to build a temple here we were literally jumping up and down and clapping in the chapel.  I was determined to help my children learn how important this temple was to our family.  As soon as the location was announced our family took a picnic dinner over to the temple grounds and walked over the empty field as we talked about what was going to be built soon.  As the temple was being built, we went over nearly every week to watch the progress.  We even had the opportunity to write our names on temple rocks and they became part of the foundation of the temple. When the Angel Moroni was going to be lifted to the pinnacle of the temple, I invited my children to miss school for the day so we could watch this event.  My oldest son was attending BYU in Provo, but we flew him home so he could come to the open house, and then we flew him home again the next week-end to attend the dedication.  This temple was an important edifice for our community. 


Our children knew that the temple was important based on these actions, but did we go to the temple every month?  No!  If the temple was so important and so close why didn’t we go often?  When our youngest son turned 12, the sister right above him invited him to go to the temple with her each week.  He took up the invitation.  His dad and I took the invitation as well.  This sister has since gone on a mission and is now married.  My son is now 16 and the only times he has missed a week is when the temple was closed or if he was gone to scout camp.  Even when we go on a vacation he won’t allow us to miss our weekly trip to the temple.  He loves doing baptisms and even more so now that he is a priest he can help with the baptizing.  Sometimes when he goes on a Saturday morning he is the only young man there amongst a group of young ladies and he spends a lot of time in the font.  The temple workers know my son by name.
However, when asked about what was in the temple by our kids and now our youngest, we often skirt the topic and speak in vague terms.  It is a place where we go to make sacred covenants and learn more about the Plan of Salvation and seal families together for time and all eternity.  President Benson in his First Presidency message gives great detail using scriptures and words of other prophets sharing more about the restoration of the temple in this dispensation and why we go to the temple.  This message and others I need to share with my son.  He knows the temple is important to his mom and dad, but he may not know why it is important or about the sacred covenants and blessings that come with going to the temple. 

For more information about the importance of temples:
The Purpose of Temples – David O. McKay. https://www.lds.org/ensign/1972/01/the-purpose-of-temples?lang=eng&_r=1
About the Temple Endowment  https://www.lds.org/temples/what-is-temple-endowment?lang=eng
The Importance of the Temple for Living Members – Dean L. Larsen.  https://www.lds.org/ensign/1993/04/the-importance-of-the-temple-for-living-members?lang=eng&_r=1
What Temples Are For – W. Grant Bangerter.  https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1982/04/what-temples-are-for?lang=eng
What Do We Do in the Temple? https://www.lds.org/new-era/2018/07/what-do-we-do-in-the-temple?lang=eng&_r=1
What Happens Inside Temples? https://www.lds.org/youth/learn/temple-preparation/inside?lang=eng
Symbolism and Temple Preparation  https://www.lds.org/youth/article/symbolism-and-temple-preparation?lang=eng

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