The Kirland Temple
109 contains the dedicatory prayer which including praying for All of God’s creatures, Church leaders and their families, future unborn members of the Church, Our enemies, The progress and success of the Church, The leaders of the world, the Jews and the descendants of Lehi, His ancestors, suffering members of the Church, former prophets.
It is a different type of temple more like an assembly hall. The first initiatory ordinances were performed. It was built in great tribulation out of their poverty. It took three years to build. They had to defend and build at the same time. In terms of capita, the Kirland temple is the most expensive Temple ever built. The Spirit of God was first sung at the dedication and it has been sung at every Temple dedication ever since. What are the Blessings of the Temple found in the first 44 verses? Presence, Knowledge, Preparation, Protection, Purpose.
109: 5, 12-13 His Presence. A place where we can feel His Spirit. Is where God lives. We can go to the Lord’s house whenever we want. “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having human experience.” You can feel His love. Imagine what would it be like to actually see the Savior and Heavenly Father? What would his voice sound like? What would it feel like if we heard our name?
109: 14-15 We obtain Knowledge. Is a House of learning. This is where we are taught the truth of eternity. We need to be good students. We need to be alert and prepare. Much of what we learn in the Temple is by symbols. For example, the mirrors are a symbol of infinity. They represent generations before us and our posterity. There is a purpose behind the uniqueness of the specifics of the endowment. His instruction is individualized. If baptism is like we are born again, the temple helps us to grow up. We are more mature and ready to roll play for what we will do in the future. Like playing a game called “eternal progress” From pre-mortality, to mortality to eternal life. The celestial room is a place where we can spend meaningful time with our spouse or even ourselves so I can leave the Temple and take on the world. We come to the Temple when we need help in seeking answers to our questions.
109: 22-23, 38-39, 45-46 The temple is a place for Preparation. It prepares us to teach with a greater understanding of the gospel. That is why missionaries go to the Temple before the go on missions. It prepares us against the adversary. It prepares us for the second coming.
109: 25-33 We receive Protection. He symbolically will place His name on our foreheads. We belong to Him. We continue worthy. The questions asked in the recommend interview. If we keep those covenants, we will be protected. There is protection in our worthiness to attend the Temple. All we do in the Church points to the Temple.
109:35-37 We receive Power from on High. The Temple is filled with the power of the Holy Ghost. For every Temple completed, it lessens the power of Satan and increases the power of Godliness. It was in the Kirland Temple that the priesthood keys were restored. Moses restored the keys of the gathering of Israel or missionary work. Elias restores the keys of the Dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham or Eternal Marriage and posterity. Elijah restored the keys of the Dispensation or Temple and Family History.
110: 11-16 The temple provides us with a Purpose. That is why it is call Temple work not just Temple worship.
The five connections or “onesesses” of the temple
Unites Man/ Woman and God
Unites Husband and Wives
Unites Parent and Child
Unites Fellowman with Fellowman
Unites our ancestor and Posterity
The Temple blessings are reserve for people who live a certain way.
Organize. We need to get our spiritual life in order.
Prepare, every needful thing
Worthy, not perfect but striving to be better
Seek, learning by study and by faith
Repent, and return to continually be on the covenant path
Reverence invites the spirit
Worship, as we pay attention
Honorably, hold and respect our Temple recommends
Every activity, every lesson. All we do in the Church points to the Lord and His Holy House.
Do I need to do any of these things, if so What’s my plan to do it?
Organize your spiritual life
Prepare to go to the temple
Be found worthy
Better seek learning in the Temple
Repent and Return to the Temple
Reverence to the Lord and His house
“Worship” in the Temple
Honorable hold a Temple recommend. “No Unclean thing shall be permitted to come to thy house pollute it.” D &C 109:10
Temple Recommend questions
1. Do you have faith in and a testimony of God, the Eternal Father; His Son, Jesus Christ; and the Holy Ghost?
2. Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and of His role as your Savior and Redeemer?
3. Do you have a testimony of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ?
4. Do you sustain the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the prophet, seer, and revelator and as the only person on the earth authorized to exercise all priesthood keys?
Do you sustain the members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators?
Do you sustain the other General Authorities and local leaders of the Church?
5. The Lord has said that all things are to be “done in cleanliness” before Him (Doctrine and Covenants 42:41).
Do you strive for moral cleanliness in your thoughts and behavior?
Do you obey the law of chastity?
6. Do you follow the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ in your private and public behavior with members of your family and others?
7. Do you support or promote any teachings, practices, or doctrine contrary to those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
8. Do you strive to keep the Sabbath day holy, both at home and at church; attend your meetings; prepare for and worthily partake of the sacrament; and live your life in harmony with the laws and commandments of the gospel?
9. Do you strive to be honest in all that you do?
10. Are you a full-tithe payer?
11. Do you understand and obey the Word of Wisdom?
12. Do you have any financial or other obligations to a former spouse or to children?
If yes, are you current in meeting those obligations?
13. Do you keep the covenants that you made in the temple, including wearing the temple garment as instructed in the endowment?
14. Are there serious sins in your life that need to be resolved with priesthood authorities as part of your repentance?
15. Do you consider yourself worthy to enter the Lord’s house and participate in temple ordinances?
Do not leave the same way you came when you go to the Temple.
Compare to what the Saints in Kirland did, what could I do?
The most sacred site for Jews In Jerusalem is The Western Wall. Jews from all over the world would come to pray and express their sadness and grieve that their Temple is gone. They pray and weep and live little pieces of roll up paper with prayers written in them and leave them inside the cracks of the wall. That wall is the only thing left of their beloved Temple destroyed by the Romans. When I was there, I thought, how fortunate we are that we do have a Temple. Not just one but many all around the world.
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