Temple attendance

[justaname]

Im heading to a session tonight with the wife. Its been a while and we dont go as often as we should. We probably only make it out 3-4 times a year.

How often are you all able to get out? (Weddings dont count!)

[Hemidakota]

None...

[Honor]

Used to go monthly. Went twice in '09 and once so far this year. One session scheduled for next week and aiming to go at least once a month until the end of the year if not more.

[lizzy12]

usually 1 every 40 days. Its just down the street so i should go more.

GOAL-go to temple more.

[Guest]

Goal - go to temple more.

I'm ashamed to say I haven't been there in a while. School and work and motherhood... shouldn't be an excuse.

[marshac]

I've never been

[lizzy12]

I've never been

i would encourage you to make yourself worthy to go and then do so.

[Maureen]

usually 1 every 40 days. Its just down the street so i should go more.

GOAL-go to temple more.

lizzy, your profile says your 16; so I'm guessing you go for baptisms?

M.

[Maureen]

None...

I'm curious Hemi, how come?

M.

[lizzy12]

lizzy, your profile says your 16; so I'm guessing you go for baptisms?

M.

Yes, for baptisms. I can't wait to be able to go for sealings and endowments though.

I love going to the Temple. I go to the Palmyra one and its so pretty, I want to go right now!!

[lizzy12]

Everyone, just wanted to say, it was a bit rude of me to assume that marshac wasnt worthy and thats why hes never gone. hes actually a convert who hasnt had the chance yet.

[annamaureen]

Probably once every two months.

[kimiko]

I'm a recently endowed member, and I'm hoping to go once a month since the temple is only an hour from where I live. I wanted to go today, but I haven't received some clothing from the Distribution Center yet. =/

[Mute]

I've gone a total of 3 times past the visitor center. Once for our family being sealed and twice for baptisms for the dead.

[lizzy12]

I love the temple.

[ehkape]

used to go once or twice a year and stay there for a week. I lived in a different part of the country and the temple was about a 6 hour ride away. (via the "autobahn" where we have no speed limits most of the time)

Now I live a lot closer to it ... and haven't been for over a year.

[Hemidakota]

In Sacrament this morning, something interesting was stated, which I don't entirely agree with. A Stake High Councilman mentioned, that we should attend often so we can receive answers for prayers. Or we can obtain answers while in the temple.

Where I don't agree with is the purpose for going to the temple. We go to the temple to help and aid those who departed this world when we have done our own works first. What I can agree with here, but a positive sideliner, in helping our dead, we can use the Celestial room to meditate; for the less focus minds, they can receive with greater clarity an answer if they have the necessary faith in receiving such. The end results of going to the temple again, is just that...doing our work and then do the work of our dead so they also can receive the same blessings.

We can receive answers anywhere at anytime if needed. There are no provisions where the Lord stated, "I will only talk and give you answers in the temple." This simply not the case. We are required to always have a prayerful spirit, meaning, we are in a constant communication with GOD at all times.

For those are less receipted to the Spirit or the Lord in hearing answers, I would commend you to attend the temple in aiding the dead and then through the conduits of the Celestial room, seek an answer that has been troubling you or the desire to be answered.

[lizzy12]

I'm not endowed yet, but I can't wait to mediate in the celestial room

I've never recieved awnsers while doing baptisms, but I feel soooo good.

[pam]

Did you mean meditate Lizzy because I'm not sure there is a need for mediating in the celestial room.

[lizzy12]

haha, yes, sorry.

[ehkape]

very good point hemidakota,

God can answer our prayers outside of the temple as well.

But I think one might be more receptive to the Spirits promptings if you focus on it: The temple is such a place where you are focused very much on spiritual things. Prophets often got revelations when they were seperated from the world, Moses on the mount, Joseph in the grove of trees.

While I still belive the temple is a very good place to "commune with Jehova", our prayers at home could (and should) be as meaningful.

[martybess]

I go weekly, every Wednesday. It's easy for me, I walk just a few blocks. I always wanted to live next to the temple and the Oquirrh Temple was built right down the street from me last year. I love it.

[Hemidakota]

What I failed to add and it will come soon for the safety of the Saints, it will be a place of refuge from the wicked world. A place of safe haven and place to commune and receive direct revelation from the Lord or those who are assigned. Where today, our focus is quite different. More-or-less, we may return back to functional temples (Kirtland Temple) soon I suspect.

D&C 101 taught this very thing;

D&C 101:64 build them up unto my name. Other scriptures speak of building "an house unto the name of the Lord" (1 Kgs. 5:3; D&C 124:22) and building "cities unto my name" (D&C 125:2-3). When we build up a temple or a city or a people unto the name of God, we do it according to his will, for his purposes, and for his glory.

upon holy places. One of the Lord's names is "the Holy One of Israel" (Isa. 47:4; 54:5; 2 Ne. 9:41), and the place where he dwells is "holy" (Isa. 57:15; see also Moses 6:57). Thus we see that holiness is one of the attributes of God. When we gather unto holy places, we come to places that are dedicated to God and that are blessed by the presence of God (Ex. 3:5). In the coming days of trial, holy places can be a safe haven for the Saints (D&C 45:32). President Ezra Taft Benson wrote, "Holy men and women stand in holy places, and these holy places consist of our temples, our chapels, our homes, and the stakes of Zion."

for the time of harvest is come. A farmer harvests his crop when it is sufficiently ripe and ready to be eaten or stored. Likewise, the Lord "harvests" his people when the world is ripe in sin and the Zion of his Saints is fully ripe in righteousness.

D&C 101:65 according to the parable of the wheat and the tares. Jesus taught his disciples the parable of the wheat and the tares, in which a man sowed good seed in his field, but an enemy sowed tares in the same field. In time, the man harvested both the wheat and the tares. He stored the wheat in his barn, but he bound the tares in bundles to be burned. This parable is given and explained in Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43, and D&C 86:1-7.

secured in the garners. A garner is a storehouse or granary. The righteous (the wheat) will be securely gathered into the safety provided by God in his love and his power, where they will be crowned with eternal life. The garner into which the Lord brings us may be the temple, the ultimate gathering place of the Saints. ('Understanding the Signs of the Times' by Jay A. Parry, Donald W. Parry, p.77-78)

Edited June 29, 2010 by Hemidakota

[martybess]

What I failed to add and it will come soon for the safety of the Saints, it will be a place of refuge from the wicked world. A place of safe haven and place to commune and receive direct revelation from the Lord or those who assigned. Where today, our focus is quite different. More-or-less, we may return back to functional temples (Kirtland Temple) soon I suspect.

D&C 101 taught this very thing;

D&C 101:64 build them up unto my name. Other scriptures speak of building "an house unto the name of the Lord" (1 Kgs. 5:3; D&C 124:22) and building "cities unto my name" (D&C 125:2-3). When we build up a temple or a city or a people unto the name of God, we do it according to his will, for his purposes, and for his glory.

upon holy places. One of the Lord's names is "the Holy One of Israel" (Isa. 47:4; 54:5; 2 Ne. 9:41), and the place where he dwells is "holy" (Isa. 57:15; see also Moses 6:57). Thus we see that holiness is one of the attributes of God. When we gather unto holy places, we come to places that are dedicated to God and that are blessed by the presence of God (Ex. 3:5). In the coming days of trial, holy places can be a safe haven for the Saints (D&C 45:32). President Ezra Taft Benson wrote, "Holy men and women stand in holy places, and these holy places consist of our temples, our chapels, our homes, and the stakes of Zion."

for the time of harvest is come. A farmer harvests his crop when it is sufficiently ripe and ready to be eaten or stored. Likewise, the Lord "harvests" his people when the world is ripe in sin and the Zion of his Saints is fully ripe in righteousness.

D&C 101:65 according to the parable of the wheat and the tares. Jesus taught his disciples the parable of the wheat and the tares, in which a man sowed good seed in his field, but an enemy sowed tares in the same field. In time, the man harvested both the wheat and the tares. He stored the wheat in his barn, but he bound the tares in bundles to be burned. This parable is given and explained in Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43, and D&C 86:1-7.

secured in the garners. A garner is a storehouse or granary. The righteous (the wheat) will be securely gathered into the safety provided by God in his love and his power, where they will be crowned with eternal life. The garner into which the Lord brings us may be the temple, the ultimate gathering place of the Saints. ('Understanding the Signs of the Times' by Jay A. Parry, Donald W. Parry, p.77-78)

Oh they are most definitely a place of refuse! When I was under an extreme trial I found great peace and strength and went even more the once a week. Also I come to learn it takes a while (over a year for me) of going there on a persistent basis before one comes to tap into a strength and power that comes from the temple. It took me much effort but now sometimes just thinking about the temple brings that peace and strength. Much more there than just going "through" the temple, it has to go "through" us.

[ehkape]

More-or-less, we may return back to functional temples (Kirtland Temple) soon I suspect.

Just curious, what makes you believe that? The scriptures you gave didn't help me understand it.

Why did we change from the functional temple in Kirtland to the ones we have today if we might switch back again. Its a bit confusing to me.