While visiting Utah at a family reunion this past summer, we all decided to spend one of the days on the Salt Lake City temple grounds. I’m always in awe of the peaceful spirit that dwells at the temple. It’s the perfect example of being in the world but not being of the world. I just want to soak myself in the spirit so that it never leaves me. I absolutely love it.
After walking the temple grounds, touring the conference center, and spending time in awe of the statue of Christ, we headed home. As I walked into my sister’s house I felt the same spirit that was present at the temple grounds. It was a testimony of the reality of making our homes a temple–a sacred place where the spirit dwells; a refuge from the storm; a place to prayerfully seek answers to our questions and concerns.
“We are blessed to live in a temple-building dispensation in which 146 temples have been dedicated or announced. Under the definition of “Temple” in the Bible Dictionary, we read the following: “It is the most holy of any place of worship on the earth,” followed by this insightful statement: “Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness.” For me this suggests a sacred relationship between the temple and the home. Not only can we turn the doors of our homes to the temple, or the house of the Lord; we can make our homes a “house of the Lord.”
Sacred Homes, Sacred Temples
Elder Gary E. Stevenson 2009
It’s all connected to help us be near to Heavenly Father at all times. This all starts with our own personal selves. We must treat our bodies like temples as well, so that we have the Holy Ghost who will direct us to the things we need to do to make our home a temple, then we can have that peaceful retreat at all times.
Paul taught that our physical bodies are “temples” that house our spirits and, therefore, are to be treated as holy: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16; see also 1 Corinthians 6:19).
Our spirits lived with Heavenly Father before this life, and they are familiar and comfortable with the Holy Ghost. We have a tendency to feel like our bodies are who we are…but they are actually just a case, a glove, a temporal cover! We are actually spirits…we lived as spirits previously, we were taught by Heavenly Father, and agreed to mortality. Through our spiritual connection it is not a matter of convincing ourselves or anyone else about who we divinely are…it is merely something that we must remember. As we live so that we are worthy of the Holy Ghost, our memory will be clear and the Holy Ghost will be ale to testify to our spirits who we are.
“You don’t have a soul, you are a soul, you have a body. “ -C.S. Lewis
Our body is our proof that we passed the first estate. Satan and all who followed him will never have a body. The spirit and body work together in perfect union and allow us to have experience and accomplish things that aren’t possible with out a body. All those who followed Satan work endlessly to destroy our precious sacred bodies. They want us to abuse them through addictions and worldly styles and fads. It’s the jealous nature that runs wild amongst that group. We need to do everything possible to protect our personal temples…we know we will be involved in fierce storms and battles.
Today temptation finds you! Please remember that! Satan desires to have you, and “sin lieth at the door.” How will you resist his aggressive tactics? Put on the whole armor of God.
-Robert D Hales
The weapons of eternal worth reflecting the whole armor of God are truth, righteousness, faith, prayer, and the word of God (see Eph. 6:13–18). These weapons are wielded in our minds, mouths, and movements. Every righteous thought, word, and deed is a victory for the Lord.
-Robert c. Oaks 2005
The scriptures tell us to take upon us the “whole armor” of God that we “may be able to withstand the evil day.” They promise that the “breastplate of righteousness” and “the shield of faith” will “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (D&C 27:15–17). I urge you to obey those teachings and lay claim on those blessings. They include the personal spiritual conversion–the “mighty change … in our hearts” (Mosiah 5:2)–that helps us become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.
-Dallin H oaks
2002
We must first put on our own armor of God, so that we can assist our children with theirs. Then they will be able to withstand the fiery darts of the adversary? Just like the oxygen masks on an airplane.
“To truly choose the Lord’s way, they must know His way. And to truly know His way, we must teach and lead them to act, to participate, to do.”
-Robert D Hales 2010
To help our children and ourselves with the strength to endure any storm, we must build a foundation. This foundation starts at home, through the time we spend teaching and loving. The Lord has given us ample tools to accomplish the firmest foundation: Family Home Evening, “Come Follow Me”, family prayer and scripture study, and personal prayer and scripture study. As we do these things, we and our children will be able to resist Satan and his devils.
Using the temple as a metaphor, tonight I will speak about foundations. With the design and construction of every temple, significant work is expended on what cannot easily be seen when the project is finished–the foundation. For example, an artist’s rendering shows the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple, which is currently under construction. When completed, this extraordinary edifice will be 82 feet tall at its roofline and rise 195 feet to the top of the angel Moroni. As you can see, it will be magnificent! However, as imposing and stately as this structure will be, it will still be subject to destructive winds and invasive groundwater. These harsh conditions, if left unchecked, could significantly damage and even destroy this noble edifice.
Knowing these forces would relentlessly attack the temple, the engineers designed and the contractor excavated a hole 32 feet deep under the entire footprint of the structure. The hole was dug into native Pennsylvania granite to provide an immovable foundation upon which to build. The concrete footings and foundations were then tied to the granite bedrock with rock anchors to resist even torrential wind and powerful groundwater. The anchors were drilled 50 to 175 feet into the granite and tensioned at 250,000 pounds per square inch. The anchors are spaced 15 feet apart in both directions.
(How Firm a Foundation)
Elder Donald L. Hallstrom
2014 Devotional
It is crucial that we make a temple of our homes. We must have a spiritual foundation of great strength, so when those evil spirits approach us in a spiritual battle…we will win.
We need the Holy Ghost to be present 100% of the time. To create the environment that invites the Holy Ghost to dwell we need to be prayerful, asking the Lord what we need to do to better our home environment… some things that might help us are…
Have more patience
I witness of God’s enduring love and patience for all of His children and of His desire that we love one another as He loves us (see John 15:9, 12). As we do so, we will break through the darkness of this world into the glory and majesty of His kingdom in heaven. We will be free. -Elder Kevin R. Duncan
Control our tempers
We must learn to control our temper and convey our feelings with patience and gentle persuasion. This is most important within our homes and within our relationships with our eternal companions. -Elder Ulisses Soares
No contention
3 Nephi 11:29 For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another
No home or heart exists that cannot be hurt through contention. It is sad when children are raised in a contentious home. -Marvin J. Ashton
Daily prayer and scriptures
I’m sure you can identify the fundamental principles that center your home on the Savior. The prophetic counsel to have daily personal and family prayer, daily personal and family scripture study, and weekly family home evening are the essential, weight-bearing beams in the construction of a Christ-centered home. Without these regular practices it will be difficult to find the desired and much-needed peace and refuge from the world. -Richard G. Scott
Happiness and Joy
As you create a home, don’t get distracted with a lot ofthings that have no meaning for you or your family. Don’t dwell on your failures, but think of your successes.
Have joy in your home.
Have joy in your children.
Have joy in your husband.
Be grateful for your journey.
– Marjorie P. Hinckley
You don’t find the happy life, you make it.
-Thomas S Monson
Clean language, music, movies, and books
I know that the Lord is pleased when we use clean and virtuous language, for He has set an example for us. His revelations are couched in words that are affirmative, that are uplifting, that encourage us to do what is right and to go forward in truth and goodness. -Gordon B. Hinckley
Because of his premortal choices, Satan can neither return nor receive. The only thing left for him is to oppose the Father’s plan by using every possible enticement and temptation to bring us down and make us miserable like unto himself. Satan’s plan to accomplish his diabolical goal applies to every individual, generation, culture, and society. He uses loud voices–voices that seek to drown out the small and still voice of the Holy Spirit that can show us “all things” we should do to return and receive.
These voices belong to those who disregard gospel truth and who use the internet, social and print media, radio, television, and movies to present in an enticing way immorality, violence, ugly language, filth, and sleaze in a way that distracts us from our goals and the plans we have for eternity. -Elder M. Russell Ballard
Limited social media and computer time
Handheld devices, such as smartphones, are a blessing, but they can also distract us from hearing the “still, small voice.” They need to be our servants, not our masters. For example, if later tonight you share inspiring thoughts from this devotional on social media, your smartphone is a servant. If you randomly surf the Internet, your smartphone is a master. -Elder M. Russell Ballard
Modesty in appearance
Don’t lose that moral force even before you have it in full measure. Take particular care that your language is clean, not coarse; that your dress reflects modesty, not vanity; and that your conduct manifests purity, not promiscuity. You cannot lift others to virtue on the one hand if you are entertaining vice on the other. -Elder D. Todd Christofferson
Healthy diet and balanced exercise schedule
If we see healthy eating and exercise as something only our doctor expects of us, we will likely fail. If we see these choices as who we are and who we want to become, we have a greater chance of staying the course and succeeding. – President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Strong marriage relationship
strong marriage and family relationships do not happen just because we are members of the Church. They require constant, intentional work. The doctrine of eternal families must inspire us to dedicate our best efforts to saving and enriching our marriages and families. I admire and applaud those who have preserved and nourished these critical, eternal relationships. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Love
They need more than Church upbringing–they need a loving home life.
Where better can we teach our young people a love for the right than in a happy home situation? Our young people will not want a “people substitute” if we provide a home atmosphere with loving personal relationships, where a mother, father, sisters, and brothers really care. – Marvin J. Ashton
Service
The atoning sacrifice of Christ was the supreme example of unselfish love. While Jesus was our only brother who could make such a sacrifice for us, each of us can and should make Christlike sacrifices daily for one another through unselfish actions and willing service. It is in the home that we experience many opportunities to do this. -Rex D. Pinegar
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Parents, the days are long past when regular, active participation in Church meetings and programs, though essential, can fulfill your sacred responsibility to teach your children to live moral, righteous lives and walk uprightly before the Lord…it is essential that this be faithfully accomplished in homes which are places of refuge where kindness, forgiveness, truth, and righteousness prevail. Parents must have the courage to filter or monitor Internet access, television, movies, and music. Parents must have the courage to say no, defend truth, and bear powerful testimony. Your children need to know that you have faith in the Savior, love your Heavenly Father, and sustain the leaders of the Church. Spiritual maturity must flourish in our homes. My hope is that no one will leave this conference without understanding that the moral issues of our day must be addressed in the family. -Elder Quentin L. Cook
A sweet story: A darling young woman in our ward came to our home recently. Knowing her brother had just returned from his mission, I asked her what it was like to have him back home. She said it was great, but he would occasionally ask if the music could be turned down. She said, “And it wasn’t even bad music!” It may be worthwhile for us to check ourselves now and then to make sure our homes are places we are prepared to feel the Spirit. As we prepare our homes to be places where the Spirit is welcome, we will be prepared to feel more “at home” when we enter the house of the Lord. -Linda K. Burton
-Sherri Jorgensen
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