Sealing clearance vs Cancellation

[mordorbund]

Now, on the subject of sealings. Many of us in the church misunderstand what the sealing is all about. It is NOT spiritually chaining or handcuffing family members together to form one big giant chain of people. This is the image that I've seen so many have and I myself conjured up this image in my mind when I was a youth and into my early adulthood even. Then I received some great counsel from a Bishop once and had this confirmed by a sealer in the temple; and that is this:

The "sealing" is just an ordinance... like baptism or confirmation or Priesthood conferrence. When you are sealed in the temple, you are not actually "sealed together", but rather are "sealed" with great promises based on your agreement with the terms of the ordinance and your faithfulness to temple covenants. The whole wording is quite individualistic if you listen closely the next time you perform proxy work.

When you are "sealed" in the temple, think of it as one more "checkmark" on your list of saving ordinances that you need personally to receive exaltation.

Now, when this life is over, we will have the choice to remain with our spouse who also received that sealing ordinance right along with us and covenanted to be married for time and for all eternity. If you both spent a life together building, loving, working, sweating, crying, bleeding and serving together and grew closer together, then clearly when presented with the decision to remain a forever couple, you're probably going to say "yep! sign us up!".

If, however, in this life your marriage was filled with strife, trouble, abuse, distance, or any number of other negative factors, then you might say at that day to the Lord, "nope... no thanks, I think I'll look around for another option". The Lord is not going to say, "Well, you're stuck in this marriage forever because, by golly, you were sealed in the temple... you gave up your agency when you did that, so buck up little campers."

I've seen similar thoughts on this forum and don't know where it's coming from. If the sealing ordinance is something other than marriage (where I refer to sealings, I'm specifically talking about husband/wife, not child/parents), why is there not a separate ordinance? Baptism is not complete until you are confirmed, but it is still two separate ordinances. Are the sealing blessings outside the marriage covenant? If so, why aren't people arbitrarily sealed so they can receive those blessings? especially if it's all gonna get sorted out later. It's very clear that the Endowment is not solely for missions or marriage, because at some point an individual will receive an Endowment without serving a mission or ever being engaged. Why is the sealing different?

[rubondfan2]

I've seen similar thoughts on this forum and don't know where it's coming from. If the sealing ordinance is something other than marriage (where I refer to sealings, I'm specifically talking about husband/wife, not child/parents), why is there not a separate ordinance? Baptism is not complete until you are confirmed, but it is still two separate ordinances. Are the sealing blessings outside the marriage covenant? If so, why aren't people arbitrarily sealed so they can receive those blessings? especially if it's all gonna get sorted out later. It's very clear that the Endowment is not solely for missions or marriage, because at some point an individual will receive an Endowment without serving a mission or ever being engaged. Why is the sealing different?

A great question, and one that is difficult (at least for me in my mind) to answer here on the forum due to the sacred nature of the language used. I suggest that the next time you visit the temple to perform work, that you opt for sealings and listen super, duper closely to the words spoken. Listen for 4 separate "sealing" promises that are given. If you are fortunate like I was, you will have a sealer who will take some time and stop periodically to explain the wording and the doctrine associated therewith. I had the privilege of sitting in for about 1 1/2 hours worth of sealings with the former Temple President in the Columbus, Ohio temple and former member of the Seventy, D. Lee Tobler. He stopped several times during our session and gave us direct teaching regarding the sealing ordinance and it was very powerful and enlightening.

In short, the sealing blessings can only come to children who have been "sealed" to parents as though they had been born into the new and everlasting covenant, or to individuals who are getting married. I don't think I can say much more than that... you'll just have to make a trip to the temple yourself. (We could all use a little extra excuse to go, eh? :) )

Edited October 27, 2010 by rubondfan2

[martybess]

A great question, and one that is difficult (at least for me in my mind) to answer here on the forum due to the sacred nature of the language used. I suggest that the next time you visit the temple to perform work, that you opt for sealings and listen super, duper closely to the words spoken. Listen for 4 separate "sealing" promises that are given. If you are fortunate like I was, you will have a sealer who will take some time and stop periodically to explain the wording and the doctrine associated therewith. I had the privilege of sitting in for about 1 1/2 hours worth of sealings with the former Temple President in the Columbus, Ohio temple and former member of the Seventy, D. Lee Tobler. He stopped several times during our session and gave us direct teaching regarding the sealing ordinance and it was very powerful and enlightening.

In short, the sealing blessings can only come to children who have been "sealed" to parents as though they had been born into the new and everlasting covenant, or to individuals who are getting married. I don't think I can say much more than that... you'll just have to make a trip to the temple yourself. (We could all use a little extra excuse to go, eh? :) )

Are you referring to the second washing/anointing (the name used early on in the restored church), or possibly another name is “the Fulness of the Priesthood”? That is when your are sealed. Please see the link as well as the comments at the bottom of the page.

The Culminating Sealing Ordinance of the Temple

Edited October 27, 2010 by martybess

[jayanna]

I've always been taught, and by my bishop, that men have the priesthood because they need it. Women do not need it in order to be equal to their husbands. My husband uses his priesthood to serve me, and certainly not as an excuse to expect me to serve him.

In the garden HF doled out consequences to Adam and Eve for the Fall. Adam's was to eat by the sweat of his brow, Eve's was to have childbirth. It is not the church that defined the roles of husband and wife, it was given in the beginning before the church was even formed.

Here is a wonderful, insightful talk by M. Russell Ballard: LDS.org - Ensign Article - Daughters of God

Also in the Proclamation on the Familiy it says that husband and wife are equal partners LDS.org - Family Chapter Detail - “The Family: A Proclamation to the Worldâ€

[ryanh]

This is a current topic that has been really upsetting one of my fellow Young Women, Kate.

She is very distraught that men can be sealed to a women once his wife died but a women cannot be resealed and married in the temple once the husband dies.

1) is this true?

2) Any conference talks about this?

3) How can I help Kate?

She's very lost and I see her very upset over this issue...she was crying during young women about it.

Something tells me that there is more going on in Kate's life than a question about sealing clearance vs cancellation applying differently to the genders. I think it would be wise to presume this issue is a red herring, and that there are root issues that are yet to be uncovered. You might 'resolve' the question of cancellation/sealing, but if the deeper issue isn't discovered and addressed, it will simply manifest itself in other ways.

[rubondfan2]

Are you referring to the second washing/anointing (the name used early on in the restored church), or possibly another name is “the Fulness of the Priesthood”? That is when your are sealed. Please see the link as well as the comments at the bottom of the page.

The Culminating Sealing Ordinance of the Temple

No, I'm not referring to what that website you provided the link for speculates upon. Interesting ideas on that site, though... No, I'm referring only to the sealing ordinance itself, for which the language is readily accessible... able to be heard and understood by tens of thousands of temple goers throughout the world.

[Wingnut]

I've always been taught, and by my bishop, that men have the priesthood because they need it. Women do not need it in order to be equal to their husbands.

That's a popular belief among LDS. I've never heard it from a General Authority. I think it's a load of bull, another chief anecdote among the vast annals of Mormon Mythology.

Men have the priesthood and women don't because that's God's design.

[MarginOfError]

That's a popular belief among LDS. I've never heard it from a General Authority. I think it's a load of bull, another chief anecdote among the vast annals of Mormon Mythology.

Men have the priesthood and women don't because that's God's design.

While assigning it to the annals of Mormon Mythology, I might also suggest that we recognize the emerging of such ideas can be attributed to our discomfort with saying the words, "I don't know."

[pam]

She's upset because she sees the church as this men vs women thing. She really dislikes that women don't have the priesthood and are supposed to 'stay home and make babies"

Lizzy here is another talk by President Faust that he actually addressed to his own granddaughters. He talks about some of these same concerns.

LDS.org - Ensign Article - A Message to My Granddaughters: Becoming “Great Women”

[pam]

For me, the whole "waah, women don't hold the priesthood" bit is basically telling God, "You're all wrong about how Your church is organized, and you need to get with fashionable human philosophies!"

There's a lot we don't yet know about how the eternities function, but we do know that mortality is preparing us for that, and if you honestly believe this is God's true church and that He is actively involved in leading it via chosen leadership, then I consider it way out of line to tell God He's wrong about how His church works because it doesn't agree with our mortal whims.

I don't see this from a young woman as telling God he's all wrong. I see a young woman who is still learning what our eternal roles are and the importance that each of them play.

There have been numerous talks especially in the last session of General Conference that each of us have a responsibility to our youth to help them and guide them and to teach them. It's not easy on our youth of today.

The fact that one of our own youth came to the site asking advice of us "adults" in how to help her friend that is lost is admirable. It shows compassion and caring for one of her fellow young women.

I get rather tired of the "coddle the precious little special snowflake and never ever tell a kid he/she is wrong" mentality. This is NOT honest or preparation for real adult life.

May we as adults learn some compassion from Lizzy in how to help our fellow brothers and sisters who are struggling with the gospel and with understanding of the principles.

[applepansy]

No, I'm referring only to the sealing ordinance itself, for which the language is readily accessible... able to be heard and understood by tens of thousands of temple goers throughout the world.

I agree. The sealing ordinance itself is separate from the endowment and the wording is enlightening. I've only heard a portion of the wording repeated once outside the temple, never the whole thing.