Visiting Teaching Message-July 2009
This month the visiting teaching message discusses the importance of being worthy to attend the temple and then partaking of the blessings of temple worship I love this topic as I don't think there is anywhere else that I can feel the love of God and the peace He can bring to my life quite as strongly as when I am in the temple.
Preparing ourselves to be worthy to enter into the House of the Lord is an awesome responsibility. However, it really is not anymore difficult than keeping the laws and commandments that God has given to us. By keeping His commandments, we are putting into action the faith we have in God and his Son, Jesus Christ. We are saying that we truly believe that Christ can do for us what He says he can. We are willingly putting our hand into His and letting Him lead us back home to our Heavenly Father. We recognize that although we must do our part and do all we can to live worthily, that we are not perfect. We then have the faith to trust in Jesus Christ to make up the difference in our imperfections so that we may enter into the presence of the Lord.
Elder David B. Haight, (1906 - 2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has said, "We who would attend the temple myst be living in a manner which helps us be worthy to enter and fully partake...We examine our worthiness to enter the temple in...interviews with priesthood leaders. Our signature, with theirs, on our temple recommend testifies of out worthiness to enter the temple." ("Come to the House of the Lord," Ensign, May 1992, 15)
When I consider the importance of being worthy to enter the temple and having a current temple recommend, I often think of my grandmother and her example to her family. It was always important to her to have a current temple recommend. Even if she was not able to physically attend the temple, she still wanted to have a current temple recommend that stated that she was worthy to enter the Lord's house. Even on her deathbed, she desired to have a current temple recommend. Her Bishop was a loving and caring priesthood leader and came to her hospital bed and gladly gave her the appropriate interview. I had the privilege of stepping back into the room to assist her in signing her Temple recommend, as she was too weak to hold the paper still and sign her name on her own. With a little assistance, she was able to sign her name on the paper that was so important to her. Her Stake President soon followed and after visiting with her briefly, also signed her Temple recommend. Grandma was able to return to live with her Father in Heaven in peace, because she had a current Temple recommend. She was able to say that she was indeed worthy in the sight of God to attend his Temple.
President Howard W. Hunter (1907 - 1995) said, "Let us hasten to the temple as frequently as time and means and personal circumstances allow. Let us go not only for our kindred dead, but let us also go for the personal blessing of temple worship, for the sanctity and safety which is provided within those hallowed and consecrated walls. The temple is a place of beauty, it is a place of revelation, it is a place of peace" ("The Great Symbol of Our Membership" Tambuli, November 1994, 6; Ensign, October 1994, 5).
I think that as we go through such tumultuous times in the world, that we need to strive to go to the temple as often as we can. There is where we will find peace and be able to feel the love of the Lord for each of us. As many in the world run to and fro; we can find peace in the gospel through the lessons we can learn only in the Temple.
According to President Gordon B. Hinckley (1908 - 2008): "Every man or woman who goes to the temple in a spirit of sincerity and faith leaves the house of the Lord a better man or woman. There is need for constant improvement in all of our lives. There is need occasionally to leave the noise and the tumult of the world and step within the walls of a sacred house of God, there to feel His spirit in an environment of holiness and peace" ("Of Missions, Temples, and Stewardship," Ensign, November 1995, 53).
May we always strive to be continually worthy; so that we can find true peace within the walls of His House, the Temple of the Lord.
Preparing ourselves to be worthy to enter into the House of the Lord is an awesome responsibility. However, it really is not anymore difficult than keeping the laws and commandments that God has given to us. By keeping His commandments, we are putting into action the faith we have in God and his Son, Jesus Christ. We are saying that we truly believe that Christ can do for us what He says he can. We are willingly putting our hand into His and letting Him lead us back home to our Heavenly Father. We recognize that although we must do our part and do all we can to live worthily, that we are not perfect. We then have the faith to trust in Jesus Christ to make up the difference in our imperfections so that we may enter into the presence of the Lord.
Elder David B. Haight, (1906 - 2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has said, "We who would attend the temple myst be living in a manner which helps us be worthy to enter and fully partake...We examine our worthiness to enter the temple in...interviews with priesthood leaders. Our signature, with theirs, on our temple recommend testifies of out worthiness to enter the temple." ("Come to the House of the Lord," Ensign, May 1992, 15)
When I consider the importance of being worthy to enter the temple and having a current temple recommend, I often think of my grandmother and her example to her family. It was always important to her to have a current temple recommend. Even if she was not able to physically attend the temple, she still wanted to have a current temple recommend that stated that she was worthy to enter the Lord's house. Even on her deathbed, she desired to have a current temple recommend. Her Bishop was a loving and caring priesthood leader and came to her hospital bed and gladly gave her the appropriate interview. I had the privilege of stepping back into the room to assist her in signing her Temple recommend, as she was too weak to hold the paper still and sign her name on her own. With a little assistance, she was able to sign her name on the paper that was so important to her. Her Stake President soon followed and after visiting with her briefly, also signed her Temple recommend. Grandma was able to return to live with her Father in Heaven in peace, because she had a current Temple recommend. She was able to say that she was indeed worthy in the sight of God to attend his Temple.
President Howard W. Hunter (1907 - 1995) said, "Let us hasten to the temple as frequently as time and means and personal circumstances allow. Let us go not only for our kindred dead, but let us also go for the personal blessing of temple worship, for the sanctity and safety which is provided within those hallowed and consecrated walls. The temple is a place of beauty, it is a place of revelation, it is a place of peace" ("The Great Symbol of Our Membership" Tambuli, November 1994, 6; Ensign, October 1994, 5).
I think that as we go through such tumultuous times in the world, that we need to strive to go to the temple as often as we can. There is where we will find peace and be able to feel the love of the Lord for each of us. As many in the world run to and fro; we can find peace in the gospel through the lessons we can learn only in the Temple.
According to President Gordon B. Hinckley (1908 - 2008): "Every man or woman who goes to the temple in a spirit of sincerity and faith leaves the house of the Lord a better man or woman. There is need for constant improvement in all of our lives. There is need occasionally to leave the noise and the tumult of the world and step within the walls of a sacred house of God, there to feel His spirit in an environment of holiness and peace" ("Of Missions, Temples, and Stewardship," Ensign, November 1995, 53).
May we always strive to be continually worthy; so that we can find true peace within the walls of His House, the Temple of the Lord.
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