Power in the Temple

Power in the Temple

Knowledge always unlocks doors 
for God’s people. 

I gained some incredible knowledge in the temple last week, which set the stage for an amazing experience to follow.  I want to share this “key” that I discovered which unlocks a beautiful experience just waiting to happen to each of us as we attend the temple. 

I have always understood that as we serve in the temple, we are serving our dead.  We are giving them the opportunity to accept or reject the covenants that we are doing that day.  I always pray for them throughout my temple service.  I pray that they will be receptive to the ordinances done that day.  Elder Richard G Scott encourages us to, 

"Be mindful of the individual for whom you are performing the vicarious ordinance. At times pray that he or she will recognize the vital importance of the ordinances and be worthy or prepare to be worthy to benefit from them." Temple Worship by Richard G Scott

As I have studied more about prayers, I have learned that the spirit can give you the words to pray.  

24 And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his disciples, and behold, they did still continue, without ceasing, to pray unto him; and they did not multiply many words, for it was given unto them what they should pray, and they were filled with desire. ( 3 Nephi 19:24)

So, I had begun to make that my focus during my prayers—to say the words that the spirit directed me to pray. I’m not great at it, but I’m trying. During one particular day in the temple, I found my usual prayer changing. I instead prayed that this particular name would recognize how important these ordinances were to ME, and that she would desire to have them as well.

I knew at that moment that she was a quiet observer that day.  She didn’t know if this was something she wanted to accept, but she was allowed to watch as I took her name through the temple.  I was praying that she would begin to desire it as she watched me and could see the importance I placed upon these ordinances. 

Until then, I didn’t understand how connected we can be with our deceased ancestors during the temple ordinances.   As we take their name upon us in the temple, we allow them to be very, very close to us.  We can gain great insights into the life that they lived and the feelings that they are experiencing there in the temple.

Last week, while in the temple, I began by taking a few family names through the initiatory process.  Richard G Scott has taught that,

"Many more blessings come from providing your own family names in the temple."

I remember one name that really stood out to me.  I felt the spirit very strong and was brought to tears during the washing ceremony.  The temple worker also felt this and as she began, she was choked up.  As we both felt this same strong spirit, I knew that this was someone who was prepared and waiting for their work to be done that day. 

After I completed the initiatory, I spoke with my sister.  She conveyed several specific feelings that she had about the names she had taken through the initiatory ordinance—one was having a hard time forgiving, another had been a victim of abuse, etc….  She stated that she was going to take a specific name through the endowment because of the strong feelings she had felt.  

How amazing!!  

She had gained specific insight into this deceased ancestor’s life!!  

It gave me hope that I could do the same.  I knew that I should also pick the very name that had carried such strong emotions during the initiatory, and take that name through the endowment that day.   

As the temple endowment began, I knew I was about to experience something amazing.  My emotions were especially heightened as I viewed the video.  So many beautiful thoughts coursed through my head.  
                                
                                  I knew that the more I felt.....
                                                                    the more that SHE could feel.


Perhaps that is why we are instructed to be "alert and attentive" throughout the endowment. With that in mind, I tried to pay particularly close attention to the thoughts in my head, to decipher those thoughts brought to me through the power of the Holy Ghost, for “Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost.." (2 Nephi 32:3). 

Although I was working hard on concentrating, at one moment I found my mind wondering slightly, and then I felt a quiet tug on my attention, diverting it back to the ceremony.  “Was this my ancestor re-directing my attention?”  I knew it was.  I felt the Holy Ghost so strong, and I knew it was by that power that I could feel this direction.  I had taken her name upon me during this sacred ordinance, and if I was not alert and attentive, then she would miss something....

and I knew that she did not want to miss anything. 

At one point in the ceremony, I found the words spoken at the veil running through my mind.  I jokingly thought, “It’s not time yet”, and then I immediately felt the anticipation of my ancestor to get to the veil.  I suddenly understood so much in an instant.  She was very familiar with the temple ceremony and had prepared for this day.  She had learned all that she needed to learn, but until this day, she could not participate.  I knew that my experience with her at the veil would be the very moment when she could pass through the gate and finally enter God’s presence, something she had longed for, more than anything else.  I quickly assured her, in my thoughts, that it was soon.  I continued through the endowment, fully participating and trying to concentrate even more fully.  When it was my turn at the veil, I felt butterflies like I never had before!  I was feeling her anticipation  You would have thought I was walking onto a stage with thousands of people watching me....

       but it was just me, 

                             and her, 

                                         and some very loving temple workers.

As the sacred words were spoken, it was my turn to respond.  I was so overcome with the emotions of anticipation, gratitude and pure joy as I tried to choke out those special words.  It was an experience I will never forget.  I knew as I entered the celestial room, that she was enjoying the most wonderful embrace from her Father in Heaven.

"It is necessary to identify those ancestors, qualify them, and come to the house of the Lord to perform the ordinances they are longing to receive. " 
Elder Richard G Scott

Temple work is real.  We can quite easily miss all that is going on behind the scenes,  but the knowledge of how real it is, can help each of us to have these sweet experiences more often.  I’m so grateful to be able to serve and to be privy to these sacred feelings from our deceased ancestors.  

"...provide the sacred ordinances of the temple for your ancestors. If you will do this, you will know the indescribable joy of being a savior on Mount Zion to a waiting ancestor whom you have helped."

Elder David B Haight

I encourage you to ponder on how you can apply this to your temple worship and to seek other ways to improve your temple worship.  We would love to hear keys that you have discovered.

Resources for additional study: 

"Make the exercise of Faith your first priority"  by Elder Richard G Scott

"Temple Worship" by Elder Richard G Scott