Blessings of the Temple

Talk I gave in Spanish Branch  27 May 2012

32 years ago Terry and I were married in the Idaho Falls Temple.

At that point and time our immediate family began as we were sealed together, with any and all children that would be born into our family.

I was raised in an LDS family and from a very young age I learned of the importance of being sealed in the temple, and that was my goal.

Accomplishing that goal was truly a wonderful event.  That very moment I felt the “gladness” that the prophet Joseph Smith talked about when he said that these holy ordinances are a source of “gladness for the living and the dead.” 

That goal of being sealed in the temple to an awesome man was accomplished, but immediately another goal was set.  Together, Terry and I would need to live righteous lives to be worthy of those promises made to us as we covenanted with our Father in Heaven.  

The “gladness” I felt during our temple sealing has continued to grow.  As each of our 9 children were born we could feel of the joy and gladness knowing that they were ours for ever and always if we lived righteously – worthy of those temple blessings bestowed upon us in 1980.  How glorious!

When we started having children our goal included helping them learn the principles of the gospel, believe and have faith in Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father, and do all that was necessary so that they too would set and achieve a goal to be sealed in the temple. 

5 of our 9 children are now married, and that means we have added 5 more daughters to our family.  Each of them are sealed to us because each of those 5 were married and sealed in a holy temple to one of our sons.  We plan on the next 4 children marrying in the temple when the time comes, so that all 9 will have made those correct choices.

As of today, these 5 marriages have brought us 7 grandchildren.  Because those marriages were performed in holy temples we are all sealed / linked together.  So, each time one of our children is sealed and a grandchild is born our joy and gladness increases.   It is wonderful to be an eternal family and I pray that we all live worthy of those sacred temple blessings.

I have spoken of how our family is linked thru the future generations because of the temple covenants that Terry and I made 32 years ago, but the link goes back in history through our ancestors as well as forward to our descendants.

55 years ago Gelene Hill and Ronald Rodeback (my parents) were sealed in the SLC Temple. Their parents were sealed in the temple.  They were a great example to me.  My 3^rd great grandparents were the first in my family that were sealed in the temple in 1868, making me the 6^th generation of members.  

Terry’s parents, Idris Egbert and Keith Auger Hebdon were sealed in the Logan Temple 68 years ago.  Terry’s grandparents were sealed in 1910;  and his great grandparents were the first generation to be sealed - in November 1868, making Terry the 4th generation of members in his family. 

But the link doesn’t begin or end there in 1868.  Family history has been done back to Terry’s 5^th great grandparents, and each of those couples have now been sealed to each other and to their children, making our link continuous to that point.  That is the last of the records we can find, but I know that someday we will be able to find the rest of our line back to our first parents on earth, and have the temple work done for each of them, and it will bring me much joy and gladness when that happens.

Unlike Terry and me, many of you are the first generation of members, and some of you are the first generation of members to be sealed in the temple. Congratulations to you!  You have made a great choice.  Surely you experience the joy and gladness from having made covenants with God in His holy house.  Your children will be blessed as they follow your good example and righteous teachings.  There will be much joy and gladness in your future because of your great choices to be baptized, and then sealed in the temple to your spouse and your children.

When you go to the temple for the first time you receive your own endowment.  It is all about you.  Then you are able to be sealed to your spouse and then your children.  Then every time you go back to the temple you take the name of someone else through the temple so they can receive their endowment if they so choose.  You can also take the names of others to be sealed which creates more blessings for them because of your good choices. You are performing a great service for them. 

Not only is it a great service for those you are going through the temple for, but you and your family will have blessings added upon you. There is such a special feeling inside the temple. Every time you go to the temple you bring a bit of it back to your home.  That Spirit permeates your soul for a time and your family will feel of it.  Therefore, the more often you attend the temple the more often your soul is filled with His Spirit and the easier it is to stay with you, and the more good you will do.

Julie Beck said, “As we participate in temple ordinances and family history work, we are certain to have the spirit to comfort us in our challenges and to guide us in important decisions.”  I have experienced that comfort and guidance.

Russell M. Nelson said, “Temples bring us peace and spiritual strength in this life and enable us to be reunited with our families after death.”

During this last general conference Elder Hales reminded us that We become converted and spiritually self-reliant as we prayerfully live our covenants – thru worthily partaking of the sacrament, being worthy of a temple recommend by steadily and steadfastly obeying commandments, faithfully living the gospel and following the prophets, and sacrificing to serve others, and he promised us that “the sacrifices we make to receive temple ordinances are worth every effort we make.”  I believe that is true.

President Eyring promised that “there is nothing more important than honoring the marriage and family covenants you have made or will make in the temples of God.”

Our Prophet, Pres. Monson, reminds us of the importance of temple work almost every time he speaks. Surely he wants us to realize the joy that comes to faithful members as they attend the temple.  He has encouraged us to do all we can to make our marriage eternal. He has promised us that there is “no more important goal than to be worthy to enter the temple.” He also most always leaves a blessing upon us with words such as, “may righteousness guide your every step”.  That is my prayer too.

The blessings of the temple are many, but those blessings are not often easy to speak of, many are precious and personal, which means we each must experience those blessings ourselves.  I testify that the blessings of the temple are eternal and they seal our families together forever, and those blessings will be worth every effort we put forth.