Reece

I don't know that the Lord has said he needs a big expensive building. To me, it's the ordinances, not the building hat matters. Ordinances were performed on the top floor of Jospehs Smiths store at one point.

I don't know that the Lord has said he needs a big expensive building. To me, it's the ordinances, not the building hat matters. Ordinances were performed on the top floor of Jospehs Smiths store at one point.

The Lords work, yes. But where has the Lord said he wants big expensive buildings to do his work in? I recall it being done in the top floor of Joseph Smith's store. I could be wrong...I just think it's the ordinances and not the building that is important. Most of my thoughts are related to the unanswered questions about how it all works for the majority of people who don't fall into the nuclear happily ever after family.

Yes....I understand there are other covenants. Those pertain to me and my relationship with God. So I'm referring mostly to he ones that are dependent upon others choices and circumstances in this life. If it is absolutely necessary to be sealed to families while on earth and thus back to God for eternity, obviously it's important for the dead. Still...no one has a clear description of how that will all look in heaven with all the family scenarios and variations here. My adopted daughter struggles with it too...as she yearns for a relationship with her birth parents but is told she will be part of the family she's sealed to. I have answers in my own heart and mind that all center on realizing we probably just can't comprehend how it will look in our mortal state, and that a loving Father will not deprive us of certain blessings due to others choices. It's been insinuated that I don't have enough faith. To me...that IS faith...trusting without the answers! Idk. Sometimes I wish temple work would be stressed more as an earthly ordinance necessary for the celestial kingdom, but maybe not so much about "living with my family forever" if that makes sense.

I do temple work for my ancestors. I feel I am doing my part. I have complete faith that God knows my heart and my abilities and it's not about me feeling like I can't make it. It's about me feeling like...the church teaches (or has no answers for) the people like me and my children who have divorced parents, are sealed to someone they didn't end up living with, etc. I guess the answer is...no one knows. Maybe it's just something we can't fit into our limited belief system or perception in this mortal life.

I do temple work for my ancestors. I feel I am doing my part. I have complete faith that God knows my heart and my abilities and it's not about me feeling like I can't make it. It's about me feeling like...the church teaches (or has no answers for) the people like me and my children who have divorced parents, are sealed to someone they didn't end up living with, etc. I guess the answer is...no one knows. Maybe it's just something we can't fit into our limited belief system or perception in this mortal life.

Mostly I want answers for the living so the importance of it for the dead is understood more.

Oh, I have...and I do. Like I said, I have faith things will work out. But still, no one has concrete answers for families who have less than ideal stories. Divorces, remarriage, kids and parents who don't believe, etc. You either fit into the happily forever after scenario or you don't.

That's just it....we all "suffer" or are blessed because of loved ones decisions. Why would something SO important for OUR eternal happiness and salvation be determined by another's decisions? We are doing our best as well. This doesn't change what my parents do. They are now divorced and will never be sealed. My husband and I have both previously been sealed and now our kids are not sealed to me because my sealing had to be nullified to be sealed to him...or are they? Have they been essentially punished for their parents mistakes? It's these unanswered things that I wonder about.

Thanks for the input. I am well aware. I just think SO much more could be done with the time, and $ dedicated to temple work.

I guess I would expect them to be nice and clean, and well built, but not extravagant or expensive. I see perhaps the importance of having a place different from the world to remind us of the eternal plan, but I think that can be done without the expense. I don't think God needs lush and expensive. But your comment brings me to my other points. Is it God's house, or a house for US on earth to symbolize God and heaven? Just my thoughts....

I don't intend this to be a church criticism post. Let me be clear: I have a testimony of the gospel. However, there are some things I've always wondered, and have never found an answer that feels exactly right. I'd just like some other perspectives. I grew up with inactive LDS parents who are not sealed in the temple. As a child this really bothered me...with all the talk of forever families I wondered what that meant for mine. The only answers I can get are: "It will all work out in the heavens" or "Its about sealing everyone back to Christ; not who you're gonna be with in heaven" or something close to these explanations. So, what I wonder is; well....if it's not about who we will be with, why does it matter? Why the push for a "forever family"? If it's all gonna be worked out in heaven (I won't be denied blessings because my parents aren't sealed) why is it so important? I have absolute faith that it WILL all be fine because I believe in a loving God, but when there is such a HUGE focus on this, why aren't there more clear answers? I can't believe that a righteous, loving family just won't be together in the after life because they didn't go through a ceremony in a specific building. What about those couples who have circumstances we can't put into our neat little boxes? Such as; a couple who are sealed, but the man dies early and the woman remarries someone who can't be sealed to her because she's already sealed but they have children and live 60 years together? Or my grandmother who out-lived all 3 husbands and loved each of them the same. (And there are dozens of other scenarios). Perhaps this is what the mellenium is for, so I keep my faith that God has a plan I just can't understand in my mortal state. But it seems our idea of what SHOULD be is very idealistic and limited. I often also wonder...what could be done with all the time, effort and money that goes into the temples themselves and then the hours spent working and attending them? Could we not do more good by serving those ALIVE? Even if the symbolic ceremonies need to be done on earth, could we not have less extravagant places to do it?

Does anyone know where I can find the music to he O My Father version arranged by Marta Keen??? I heard it once and LOVED it, but have searched and searched online (and tried to contact the people who sang it) and only run into dead ends.