Just to introduce my husband and I a bit, I grew up in Bountiful and have 1 sister and 4 brothers, and am the youngest, and Landon in West Jordan with 2 sisters and 3 brothers, also the youngest. We met 3 years ago in October on a blind date. I worked with his cousin who set us up. We dated for close to a year before we were engaged, and married just 3 months later on November 15 2008. We have now been married for about a 1 year and a half. 2 weeks ago Landon and I were able to go through the temple, and take out our endowments, and be sealed to each other for time and all eternity. Today I was asked to speak a little on our experience of preparing to go through the temple.
Last November Landon and I had our 1 year anniversary. It fell on a Sunday, and as we were sitting in Sacrament, we both were realizing that it had been 1 year, and we had not gone through the temple yet. We than started talking about what we needed to do to ensure another year didn’t go by that we were not sealed. Just after Sacrament Bishop Player stopped us, and said he would like to meet with us after church. While meeting with him, there was one question that Bishop Player asked us which was I was wondering where you guys are spirtually, and where you guys would like to be. I know it isn’t a coincidence that he was prompted to ask us that question. It let me know that our heavenly Father knows Landon and I personally and knows the desires of our heart. It also let me know that what were we striving for, Eternal Marriage, was the right choice.
Shortly after the meeting with the Bishop, we started taking the Temple prep courses. Studying about principles that have been taught to us since we were little, and also how to be worthy to enter, by doing things such as paying our tithing, following the word of wisdom, keeping the sabbath day holy. We also talked about how Temple work has been around since ancient times, the blessings that come from attending the temple on a regular basis. We went over covenants and ordinances. Also while doing the Temple prep courses, we started trying to get in the habbit of scripture study, and family prayer. We still are not perfect, but it helped to be reading the scriptures together, and not just reading, but talking about what we were reading as well. I found that I was getting excited to be able to read the scriptures with my husband, and it also helped keep that excitement about going to the temple with me.
We received our recommends, and than set a date. We set a date about a month away, and made sure to keep preparing. 1 week before we were to get sealed, Landon and I had an experience that woke us up in the middle of the night, and knew right away it was Satan, trying to scare us, and make us change our minds. As Landon and I laid in bed after we had said a family prayer, we both realized we needed a blessing. We called my Father in law, who was willing to give us both a blessing, even though it was 3:30 in the morning. The peace that we felt was immediate. It is funny that Satan would think that would scare us and make us choose differently when in reality, it only made us want it more. I am thankful for the Priesthood and the peace that it brings into my life. I am thankful to have a husband who honors it and is worthy to hold it. I am thankful for a Father who raised me to feel comfortable to ask him for a blessing whenever I felt the need. I am thankful for a Father in law who did the same thing with his son, and we didn’t have to hesitate being able to ask him. When we had our blessing, it was just another testimony builder for me, that what we were doing was right, that Satan wanted to change our course so badly.
The day finally came, and I was a little nervous, but having our family and friends there to help and support us brought me peace. The peace that comes from going to the temple is such a great feeling. I know that getting sealed is what we were supposed to do and because of that, I will be able to have a forever family.
This last week we tried to make a session with my in laws, we got mixed up on the times, and missed the last session, however we were able to do initiatories. When you are really paying attention to what is going on, and the spirit you feel, it just tells you that much more that the church is true! It is such a great experience to be able to do work for the dead, and feel their spirit, and know that they are truly happy because it is finally getting done!
It has been said many times how easy it is to let things come in the way of going to the Temple. Especially for us when it is so close. We need to strive to be worthy of the temple Recommend that we hold or are preparing for. President Gordan B Hinckley gave a great example in the Ensign article “Keeping the Temple holy” May 1990. He says “I hold before you two credit cards. Most of you are familiar with cards such as these.
The first is a bank credit card. It permits me to secure merchandise on credit and then pay for my purchases at one time. It is a valuable thing and something to be safeguarded. If stolen and dishonestly used, it could cause me great loss and perhaps considerable embarrassment. In accepting it from my bank, I enter into a contract and become bound by obligations and agreements. In accepting the card, I agree to meet the conditions under which it was issued.
It is issued for one year only and must be reissued each year if I am to enjoy the privileges afforded by it. It is not really mine. The bank retains ownership. If I fail in my required performance, then the bank may shut off the credit and repossess the card.
The other card which I have is what we call a temple recommend. It represents a credit card with the Lord, making available to me many of His greatest gifts. The bank card is concerned with things of the world, the recommend with things of God.
To secure a temple recommend, the receiver must also have demonstrated his eligibility, and that eligibility is based on personal worthiness. Once granted, it is not in place forever, but must be reissued each year. Furthermore, it is subject to forfeiture if the holder does anything which would disqualify him for its privileges.
Eligibility for a temple recommend is not based on financial worth. That has nothing whatever to do with it. It is based on consistent personal behavior, on the goodness of one’s life. It is not concerned with money matters, but rather with things of eternity.
The bank card opens the door to financial credit. The temple recommend opens the door to the House of the Lord. It is concerned with entry into holy precincts to do sacred and divine work.”
I know that when we are worthy of the Temple Recommend, our minds are opened, and we are able to have the spirit with us, and learn the things we are supposed to. I hope that we can all take adavantage of the Temples that are close by to us, and really remember the covenants that we made, and renew. I am thankful to live so close to the temples, and to have been raised of knowing the peace that comes from the temple. I am thankful that I can receive the blessings of an eternal marriage and family. I am thankful for a living prophet today, and for his love and council that helps us be better prepared for the Temple.
