Week 8 Focus - Temple Worship

We live in a wonderful time when temples are beginning to dot the earth. What must the ancient Saints think as they view this dispensation! In ancient Israel only one man, the high priest, a descendant of Aaron, could pass through the veil of the temple into its most holy place and only on one day a year. We have the opportunity and blessing of being in the Celestial room of the temple as often as we desire. Every nationality, men and women, can pass through the veil and enter this most holy place. What wonder must the ancients feel as they see thousands of women daily entering into the temples and sitting in its most hallowed places? How blessed we are, not only to have a temple in our midst but to be able to partake of all of the ordinances of the Holy Priesthood and to be the recipients of the blessings that follow participation in those ordinances. As we enter the temple filled with gratitude for this great blessing it will enhance our temple experience and leave us open to the teachings of the Holy Ghost.
D&C 58:9
The Lord revealed to Joseph Smith that He would prepare a feast of the finest things, “Ye a supper of the house of the Lord, well prepared, unto which all nations shall be invited.”

During his earthly ministry, Jesus spoke of this feast in a parable:
Luke 14:14 - 23
Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.
And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him,” I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused”. (Too busy)
And another said,” I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.” (Work to do)
And another said,” I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.” (Family responsibilities)
So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, “Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt (the lame) and the blind”.
And the servant said, “Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room”.
And the Lord said unto the servant, “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel (urge) them to come in, that my house may be filled”.

Sometimes our lives become so busy that we realize it’s been quite some time since we’ve been to the temple. We know the feast is waiting, and we sense our need for its spiritual nourishment, but there is ground to see and oxen to prove, family responsibilities, and we ask to be excused. Yet the parable testifies that the Lord truly desires that his house be "filled."

Here are some questions we might ask ourselves as we attend to temple worship:
When you go to the Temple what do you want to have happen?
What can we do to better prepare ourselves to receive the feast that is available for us in the temple?
Prayer is an important part of our preparation.
Mosiah 18:12
‘O Lord, pour out thy spirit upon thy servant, that he may do this work with holiness of heart. And when he had said these words the spirit of the Lord was upon him’.

Anciently sacrifices were taken to the temple. With the death of Jesus the law was fulfilled and blood sacrifice was no longer required but Christ said that there was still a sacrifice that we needed to make.
Do you remember what it was? What is our sacrifice today?
A broken heart and a contrite spirit.
3 Nephi 9:19 - 20
And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood; yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away, for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt offerings.
And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.

What does it mean to have a broken heart and a contrite spirit?
Remorse for sin and in a spirit of repentance.
How would taking a broken heart and a contrite spirit to the temple enhance our temple worship?
D&C 136:33
For my Spirit is sent forth into the world to enlighten the humble and contrite...

According to the dictionary enlighten means:

1. to give information or understanding to; instruct; edify.
2. to free from ignorance, prejudice, or superstition.
3. to give spiritual or religious revelation to.
4. Poetic, to shed light on, illuminate.
5. Impart skills or knowledge to.
6. To make clear and more comprehensible.
7. Clarify mysteries.

In the temple the Lord opens the windows of heaven, not only to pour out blessings upon us but to let us look in.
There are many ways to prepare our minds to receive the Lord’s teaching, but I think the best of all is to go to the temple hungering after insight and knowledge.

How do we get the most out of the Temple ceremony?
We must be alert, and attentive,(devoted) and reverent.
Reverence isn’t just about being quiet. The dictionary uses words like, respect, awe, meek, humble, adoring, submissive, and solemn.
If these words reflect our attitude, we are prepared to receive.

Perhaps we could ask ourselves these questions as we ponder the covenants:

What can I do to better keep this covenant in my life?
What are some things I need to change?
Do I have feelings or attitudes in regards to this covenant that are not in harmony with God?
I think as we ponder we will realize that there is always room for change. As we ponder and ask the Father to make known our weaknesses and enlighten our minds, the spirit will speak to us, we will know what we need to do to better keep the covenants we are making, by so doing we will improve and our lives will be blessed.
The Lord tells us that his house is a house of learning. He desires that as we leave we be filled with knowledge. Because we are taught through symbols in the temple, it is sometimes hard to understand and receive all the truth the Lord desires we obtain. We must learn how to learn through symbols. Much of our ability to receive the power of the temple depends on what we do when we are outside its walls. Christ suggested a formula for temple worship that can help us. We find this formula in 3 Nephi 17.
Jesus had spent the day teaching the Nephites and Lamanites at the temple. It had been a full day, and at its conclusion he said, "I perceive that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my words which I am commanded of the Father to speak unto you at this time" (3 Nephi 17:2).
As you leave the temple are you ever accompanied by that feeling? You just don’t understand all you’ve experienced and been taught.
The Savior understands our weakness and teaches us what to do. We are not to be discouraged, doubtful, or apathetic.
The Savior tells us to do five things: "Therefore, [1] go ye unto your homes, and [2] ponder upon the things which I have said, and [3] ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and [4] prepare your minds for the morrow, and [5] I come unto you again" (3 Nephi 17:3).
Many times we only do the first of the Savior’s suggestions—we simply go home. Yet, if we desire that our next incoming to the temple be more powerful, we must ponder upon our temple experience. (Which means to deeply reflect.) We must show the Lord our desire to receive the full benefits of his teaching by sincerely asking him to help us understand.
D&C 43:34
Hearken ye to these words. Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. Treasure these things up in your hearts, and let the solemnities of eternity rest upon your minds.

We can study the scriptures with the temple in mind. The scriptures bear testimony of the temple. As you do this what seemed to be simple scriptures like:
3 Nephi 14:9-10 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. -will have added meaning to you.

Why is it of utmost importance that we return to the Temple as often as we can?

“The process of purifying and sanctifying is accelerated in the temple.” Joseph B Wirthlin

What are the blessings associated with this wonderful feast?
D&C 97:12-16
Behold, this is the tithing and the sacrifice which I, the Lord, require at their hands, that there may be a house built unto me for the salvation of Zion—
For a place of thanksgiving for all saints, and for a place of instruction for all those who are called to the work of the ministry in all their several callings and offices;
That they may be perfected in the understanding of their ministry, in theory, in principle, and in doctrine, in all things pertaining to the kingdom of God on the earth, the keys of which kingdom have been conferred upon you.
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;
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.

Isaiah speaks of the protective powers of the Temple.
2 Nephi 14:6
"And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge (a fortress), and a covert from storm and from rain"
And if that isn’t enough our church leaders have told us that our loved ones would be protected from evil influences.
Can we afford to go just every month or two?

One of the greatest desires of my heart is to have a home where my children can come and be refreshed and find peace and comfort.
I LOVE IT when they come home. I spend hours planning food & menus. It’s a feast every day. We love to sit around and eat and visit and enjoy each other.

When the forces of the world bear down on us like a hot summer day and we feel we cannot bear it any longer, the Lord seems to say,
Come home. Sit in the shade of my house. Feel the breezes of my Spirit. Be refreshed. Drink from my fountain of truth.
Come home. Retreat into the safety of my house of refuge, swim in my healing river. And then when you leave it will be with greater strength and you can face the heat of the day.
When the forces of life beat upon us like a mighty storm, when the flood waters of trial or the pelting hail of day-to-day irritations leave us cold, discouraged, and looking for shelter, the Lord seems to whisper,
Come home. No hail penetrates the shingles of my house. The flood waters cannot sweep away its foundations. No worldly wind can chill your spirit here.
Come home, sit by my hearth and listen to my truths. Feast at my table.
Be warmed by the love of your Eternal Father.

Let's not just go through the temple but let the temple go through us. If we can do this we will come away endowed with love and inner peace, secure in our covenants, enlightened by revelation and eternal perspective, trusting in promised protection, and feeling assured of the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and their great plan of happiness.

Our focus this week is to attend the temple.