Cold in our feelings toward temple ordinances

The Latter-day Saints who turn their attention to money-making soon become cold in their feelings toward the ordinances of the house of God. They neglect their prayers, become unwilling to pay any donations; the law of tithing gets too great a task for them; and they finally forsake their God, and the providences of heaven seem to be shut from them—all in consequence of this lust after the things of this world, which will certainly perish in handling, and in their use they will fade away and go from us (DBY, 315).

Brigham Young

As if the floor within were gold

When we enter the door of the house of the Lord, we might well remember a theme that was mentioned in the Washington Temple:

Enter this door as if the floor within were gold;
And every wall of jewels all of wealth untold;
As if a choir in robes of fire were singing here;
Nor shout nor rush but hush … for God is here.


(From “Words of Life,” p. 45.)

Spencer W. Kimball, “The Things of Eternity—Stand We in Jeopardy?” Ensign, Jan. 1977

The Lord may be seen in His temple

Temples are the most sacred places of worship on earth where sacred ordinances are performed—ordinances which pertain to salvation and exaltation in the kingdom of God. Each one is literally a house of the Lord—a place where He and His spirit may dwell, where He may come or send others to confer priesthood blessings and to give revelation to His people….

At Kirtland, the Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph:

“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;

“… 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.” (D&C 97:15–16.)

It is true that some have actually seen the Savior, but when one consults the dictionary, he learns that there are many other meanings of the word see, such as coming to know Him, discerning Him, recognizing Him and His work, perceiving His importance, or coming to understand Him.

Such heavenly enlightenment and blessings are available to each of us.

David B. Haight, “Temples and Work Therein,” Ensign, Nov 1990

The Lord may be seen in the temple.

A temple is a house of the Lord; it has been given to him as a place where he may lay his head, as it were; it is his earthly abode. What is more natural, when he visits an area of the earth, than to come to his house in that area? This is his practice; so he said with reference to one of his temples, and it applies in principle to them all:

 15 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;

 16 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.

 17 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)

– Elder Bruce R. McConkie, New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p. 497

A place to know the Father and the Son

The temple is a place to know the Father and the Son. It is a place where we experience the divine presence. The Prophet Joseph Smith made this plea: “I advise all to … search deeper and deeper into the mysteries of Godliness.” And where shall we search? In the house of God.

Let’s become a temple-attending and temple-loving people. I bear testimony that the temple is about families. I also testify that everything in the temple testifies of Jesus Christ. His example of love and service is felt there. The temple is His holy house.

Elder Richard H. Winkel, “The Temple Is about Families,” October 2006 General Conference

Being worthy to go where the Lord goes

 Personal worthiness is essential to enter His holy temples and to ultimately become heirs to “all [the] Father hath.” The Lord has said, “Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God.” When we do this, we can confidently enter the holy temples of God with a knowledge that we are worthy to go where the Lord Himself goes. When we are worthy, we can not only enter the temple, the temple can enter us. The Lord’s promises of salvation and happiness become ours—and our earthly mission becomes His.

Elaine S. Dalton, “Look toward Eternity!” Ensign, Nov. 2006

The Temple as a source of revelation to our problems

  I believe that the busy person on the farm, in the shop, in the office, or in the household, who has his worries and troubles, can solve his problems better and more quickly in the house of the Lord than anywhere else. If he will…do the temple work for himself and for his dead, he will confer a mighty blessing upon those who have gone before, and…a blessing will come to him, for at the most unexpected moments, in or out of the temple will come to him, as a revelation, the solution of the problems that vex his life. That is the gift that comes to those who enter the temple properly.

John A. Widtsoe, “Temple Worship,” The Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, Apr. 1921, pp. 63–64. Quoted by David B. Haight, “Temples and Work Therein,” Ensign, Nov 1990