On all temples it has the writing "Holiness To The Lord".
Delbert L. Stapley said that "Holiness is religious principles put into action -- it is faith gone to work -- it is love coined into conduct -- devotion helping human suffering, and going up in intercession to the great source of all good." (Improvement Era, Dec. 1968, p. 55 or Conference Report, Oct. 1968, p. 29.)
Now reread that quote while thinking of the work we do inside the temple for not only ourselves but those that can't do it for themselves. Pretty cool. :-)
Friday, July 29, 2011
Holiness To The Lord
What the Sacrament Can Do For Us
Some really thought provoking words from previous prophets and disciples of Christ.
Doctrine and Coventants 20:75
"Remembrance of the Lord Jesus"
...thoughts of Jesus...ought...to be far more frequent and much more constant in all times and season of our lives.
How much of a normal day, a working week, or a fleeting month is devoted to "Jesus, the very thought of thee?"
(Howard W. Hunter, Ensign, May 1993, p.64; or Conference Report, April 1993, p. 79)
"Partake of the bread and wine"
It is just as necessary, for our spiritual body, that we should partake of this sacrament, and by it obtain spiritual food for our souls. If we were given our physical food only on stated occasions and at specified places, we would all be on hand...
...The road to the sacrament table is the path of safety for Latter-Day Saints.
(Melvin J. Ballard, Crusader of Righteousness, p. 134. Italics added)
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Whisperings of the Spirit
Tonight we headed to church for my oldest child's Baptismal Interview with our Bishop. It was special for him bc as our newly appointed bishop (as of Sunday) this was his FIRST baptismal interview that he has performed. He told her that he wouldn't ever forget it and who he gave it to.
I felt prompted to drive next door to the temple to take a picture of KJ in front of the temple bc I wanted to remember tonight. It seemed the last 8 years flew by and...what?! I have a daughter at the age of accountability already?
Something that I saw while we made a quick stop to see the temple grounds and take this picture tonight: I saw someone drive into the parking lot and park next to us. As we climbed intro the car and were buckling in, I looked over and the ...man was leaning up against his steering wheel with his chin...just staring at the temple. Then he closed his eyes and just remained there. I turned to look at the temple and it was just breathtaking with the sunset in the background. Definitely an amazing place to just go, to sit and pray to our Heavenly Father. I pray that man received an answer and peace to whatever was troubling him that made him drive all the way to the temple parking lot and talk to our Father in Heaven.
When I came home, I posted this above story on my FB profile. I then started having a convo with my niece's step mom about the temple. It is refreshing to see, feel, connect and talk about something that is so precious to me with someone else and feel it being reciprocated even though we are of different faiths. As we were talking, I plugged into my piano Pandora station and began studying in my Doctrine and Covenants class for my studying tonight. As I re-read my story, I began to remember more tidbit details about the man. His lips werent' moving but you could tell he was saying a heavy prayer in his heart. He looked tired, drained and so (I know, this word is kind of old but it's what came to mind) forlorn.
What would bring someone to the point to where you sought after the Spirit of the Lord, His peace at the footsteps of His temple? What situation or choices made this man hunger for the companionship of the Comforter? Reminds me of the lady that lady that touched Jesus' robes...if she could just touch his clothes, she knew He could heal her whole. It was as if this man could find the peace and assurance just by being that close to His temple where He dwells here on Earth.
I love the feeling it brings thinking about it. What a humble, strong man that knows exactly who to turn to while in uncertain times. A man humble and strong enough to know when he needs to seek for assistance from someone mightier than he is. A humble and strong man who may not even know he is strengthening the testimony of strangers surrounding him just by his example.
It was just a small moment in time. It all happened within a moment. But when you slow down and start to reflect on things beyond yourself, a funny thing happens; the Spirit begins to whisper to you and your mind can be enlightened with truth. Small things that begin to shine brighter in your mind as your testimony and understanding begin to expand line upon line and precept upon precept. It is like a creeping of the sun in the morning as layers of understanding unfold to you. Thoughts on how it unfolds is like the truth is literally sinking in deeper, you find a little bit of deeper understanding, the truth expands just a little in all directions. It touches your spirit so that you remember all the things about it as you continue to pass it on your daily path.
I had to write these feelings down. As I continue to ponder about that man at the temple parking lot, I see how much God has a hand in our lives. He is gracious, loving and full of compassion as He sends us little miracles and blessings to help lift us up. Through Him all things are possible bc He won't give us anything without giving us the tools to help us along the way to accomplish it. He embraces us with His love whenever we come before him on bended knee.
A thought that has been in my mind as of late is something I heard at an EFY class in my youth. I believe it was by Jon Bytheway where he said "Satan trembles when the weakest Saint is on his knees in prayer." How mind blowing is that? Can you imagine how much of an affect we can have on him if ALL of us were on bended knee? How comforting it is that we can have that amount of power over the Adversary when we are even at our weakest...OUR WEAKEST!
The Lord is good. The Lord is great. May we all be able to be answers to each other's prayers.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Overcoming the Natural Man
In Mosiah 3:19 it tells us the natural man is an enemy to God. We are commanded to repent. So will we be passive repentant (turning from evil) or active repentant (doing that which we ought to do)? Either way, we have to change our nature in order to follow God's commandment. Just by following His commandments we are showing an outward commitment to change our natural ways of carnal, sensual and devilish.
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Sunday, July 3, 2011
Doctrine and Covenants 10:28
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, wo be unto him that lieth to deceive because he supposeth that another lieth to deceive, for such are not exempt from the justice of God."
In other words...
...two wrongs don't make a right!
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