In January of 2018, I was struggling. I was fighting trials and temptations, trying to be better but ultimately not succeeding. I had a pretty good idea of what needed to be done to be better, but in my stubbornness, I was unwilling to make the changes I needed to in order to become who I should be. I’m the kind of guy who will take five times longer to do a job than it would take two guys to do that same job. I was gonna figure out how to overcome my trials, but on my schedule. My perspective changed when my dear wife told me she was struggling. This, I could not abide. I was willing to do things the hard way, but for my wife, there was no way I would let her struggle as I had. The previous Fall, she had been called as Relief Society President and Satan was letting her know every way she was failing at everything she was doing. This wasn’t the truth of course, but Satan was doing his best to convince her it was. I promised her she was doing great but she needed to come to that conclusion with the guiding hand of the Holy Ghost.
Anyway, I immediately called my parents, lined them up to babysit the following day. Then I called my boss to let him know I wouldn’t be in to work, and informed my wife that we’d be going to the temple the next day. That was a year ago. Since then, we’ve committed to going monthly. We live a two-hour drive from the temple and with 4 children and a full time job and three callings between us, once a month was an ambitious goal. Here are a few things we have learned in that time.
1. Satan Does Not Want You in the TempleI wish I could say that we went to the temple that first day and it was glorious. But it wasn’t. Half the drive we thought about all we could be doing if we had stayed home. It was a stressful drive there and back and as our mindset was where it needed to be, we got little out of the visit. We got home and were just as stressed as when we left. The following month, we went again and it was a little better. It wasn’t until the third or fourth visit that we really started to appreciate the impact the temple was having on our lives. “I know your lives are busy, I know that you have much to do. But I make you a promise that if you will go to the house of the Lord, you will be blessed; life will be better for you.” (Gordon B. Hinckley)
Satan will work on you to avoid going; he’ll plant seeds. Seeds of doubt about worthiness, about questions you have about the temple, about priorities. He’ll have friends and co-workers and maybe even family question your efforts. Don’t give place for those seeds to grow and carry on. Pray for strength.
Satan won’t make it easy for you, so why would you make it easy for him? Go to the temple.
2. Don’t Expect to Know Everything
The temple can be confusing, but only if we go without trying to understand what is going on. Ask questions. There is alot that is sacred about the temple which we have covenanted not to disclose, but there is alot that we can talk about. Here is a short youtube video released by the Church outlining what the temple endowment is.
Going to the temple has taught me that while Adam & Eve lived through some major hardships, Heavenly Father was in control and knew exactly what He was doing. It tells me that I don’t have to know everything, I just need to have faith in Jesus Christ, and do my part and things will work out. I have learned that I need to go to the temple, and you can too, so go to the temple.
3. Stay on the Covenant Path
There is a lot going on the world, in the gospel, and in the temple. It’s as simple and as complicated as we make it. The world is a place where we can be tested and tried, but it’s also a place full of distractions. The real test for most won’t be between good and evil, it will be between good and better. Staying on the covenant path will help to keep us focused on what is important.
We make several covenants in the temple, but those who have studied the scriptures will not be surprised by any of them. The scriptures teach us all we need to stay on the covenant path, such as obedience to the commandments, sacrifice, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, chastity, and consecration. The temple reinforces the scriptures and the scriptures reinforce the temple. These are things that help us grow closer to our Heavenly Father and avoid being distracted. If you need a reminder of the importance of these covenants, go to the temple.
4. Give Ourselves a Time-Out
My friend described going to the temple like hitting the Pause button on life. I liked that analogy. I often said going re-calibrates our soul and grounds us, but I’m an Electrician, so that makes sense to me. But the best description I heard was it’s like taking a time-out.
“The assaults of the adversary are increasing in intensity and in variety. I plead with you to take a prayerful look at how you spend your time. If you have access to a temple, make a regular appointment to spend time with the Saviour in the house of the Lord.” (Russel M. Nelson)It’s during these Time-Outs that we will gain an eternal perspective. It reminds us of who we are and where we are going. We are reminded that Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and Satan are real. We are reminded of the effort put forth for us to even be here. We learn that Satan can be friendly, charming and very convincing, but that it is his ultimate goal to take us off the covenant path. If you feel like that is happening, take a time-out, hit the pause button, go to the temple and re-calibrate your soul.
5. Temple Work is Missionary Work
I learned something. I knew it, but I didn’t. The work we are doing in the temple is for those who are dead. We believe in eternity. We believe we lived before this Earth and that we will live after death. We also believe we need some of soul-saving ordinances like Baptism and the Temple Endowment in order to progress in life. The problem with that is the church was restored in 1830. What happens if you died in 1829? Are you out of luck? The Lord has provided a method for all to have a chance to accept the Gospel. The only problem is those who have passed on cannot be baptized. This is why Genealogy is so important to members of the Church of Jesus Christ. We do these ordinances in the temple in case these people do accept the Gospel on the other side. They still have their agency and the veil is still placed upon them. They will still have their earthly knowledge and experiences. They hold onto their belief systems and their decision will be much harder than those same decisions would be in life, so it’s not like they are making their decision after-the-fact. Here’s another youtube video that better explains the process.
Anyway, one day while waiting for a session to start, I was contemplating the mysteries of the universe and said a prayer. I found myself praying for the individual for whom I was doing the work that day. I prayed for the missionaries who were teaching him, and that he would accept the Gospel. A light bulb went off in my head that this man is every bit as much loved and cared for as I was. God cares about him and wants him to progress and grow too. We can pray for those on the other side, and I’m certain there are many who have accepted the Gospel but are waiting for their work to be done. I bet they are begging us to find them and are eagerly awaiting the day their work can be done. Ever since that day, I try to think about who exactly I am doing the work for each time I go.
To make it even more meaningful, contact your local Family History Consultant and they can teach you how to find a relative who hasn’t received the blessings of the temple. You can be the one who helps them. Do your Family History and go to the temple.
6. Expect to Receive Personal Revelation
The temple is a sacred place. There are no cell phones anywhere. Most everyone is whispering. It’s a very quiet place. When you are clean, in your Sunday best, and have sacrificed time and energy to get to the temple, and sit in this absolutely quiet place, you are likely to have original thoughts. Oftentimes, these original thoughts will even result in an epiphany. From my experience, these epiphanies are the Holy Ghost trying to teach me something. Take note of these moments. The temple is a place of learning, and the best learning we can ever experience is through the Holy Ghost and if you prepare yourself, you will learn, the Lord will teach you.
Prayer, sacrifice, service, and love for one another, these are things you practice as you go. These things invite the Spirit in any circumstance, but to practice them while in such a peaceful setting is a recipe for growth and learning. Prepare yourself to learn and go to the temple.
7. I Love My WifeMy wife is a rock. She’s the mother of my children and makes every one of us better. I take her for granted far too often. I always joked that I married out of my league and my wife proves it far too often. Going to the temple has reminded me of the covenants we have made with each other and our love has grown because of it. She recently shared an analogy that I’ve long since forgotten. Think of our marriage as a triangle with each of us at the bottom two points and the Savior at the top. The closer each of us come to our Savior, the closer we also get to each other.
I’m grateful for a spouse who loves me, our children and my family. I’m grateful she loves the Lord and magnifies her calling. I’m grateful for the care and attention she puts into many of the details of our lives. I’m grateful she puts up with me, but most of all, I’m grateful that she’s my best friend and we grow together instead of individually. If you want to love your spouse more, go to the temple.
Conclusion
If you are struggling with anything, talk to your bishop and go to the temple. Even if you cannot go inside, spend time near the temple, or in the foyer. Go help the youth with Baptisms and Confirmations. Prepare to go. Be clean. Listen to inspirational music. Pray before, during, and after. If you want to feel inspired, or loved, or valued, or if you want to get back on track with life, go to the temple, and go often.
“Spending your time in the temple will change your life.” (Russell M. Nelson)
That is a promise from the prophet of the Lord.
~Todd Bruce
@elkvalleylatterdaysaint
@elkvalleylatterdaysaint
This left me in tears. Your testimonies and passion for the temple have absolutely dug deep into my heart, and pulls at my mind every second of everyday. I must be one who takes the hard road as well. 🙂 I love this post…and hope to duplicate it’s affects in my life as well as in my families. Thank you Todd!!
Thanks Sherri, appreciate the feedback.
Todd-
This was a beautiful post and testimony of the life-changing power of temples. Surely, each of us can be better in some aspect of our temple attendance. I love it that you and I posted about temples today!! Thank you for encouraging, teaching, and impressing on us the love and blessings Heavenly Father is waiting to pour out on our heads as we visit Him in His Holy House!!
~Emily
Thanks Emily, I appreciated your temple post as well. It really is a blessing eh?
WOW!!! THAT WAS FANTASTIC!
Glad you liked it! It was an important lesson for me, so I’m glad others are learning from it too!
Thanks Julie