Time to get right with God Mormons!!!!
Ever been invited to a wedding and you have to RSVP. Before you know it the wedding date is here and you forgot. You figure I’ll just go and surely, they’ll let me in. After all, I was invited. So, you clean yourself up and put on your best clothes. You look in the mirror and think, I look so good, there’s no way I’m not getting in. The wedding is at a beautiful gated private estate. You can’t wait to see what’s on the inside. This is going to be a special night and it costs you nothing. Then, there’s a problem. At the gate, they ask your name and tell you that you’re not on the list. You tell them, but I was invited. No matter how much you argue, they send you away, telling you that it was your responsibility to accept the invitation.

Aria Lexington, I understand the appeal of your wedding invitation analogy, and yes, the message that we should not delay turning to God is absolutely something Latter-day Saints can agree with. But the problem begins when the analogy is used to imply things about the LDS Church that are not actually what we believe. Let’s clear up the misconception, shall we?

Latter-day Saints do "NOT" believe that we/everyone can "clean ourselves up" and somehow earn our way into Heaven, that's not how it works. So yes, we believe in Jesus Christ, His Atonement, His grace, our faith and repentance, and even our covenant relationship with Him. In fact, the Book of Mormon teaches that -

“It is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.” - 2 Nephi 25:23

That does not mean, "Save yourself, and Jesus will help you a little." It means Christ is the source of salvation, while our response to His grace is to exercise faith, repent, make covenants, and follow Him. So the argument that Latter-day Saints supposedly believe, "I look good, I obey enough rules, therefore God owes me Heaven," is a straw-man argument. You're arguing against a version of LDS belief that Latter-day Saints themselves do not teach. And there's another important point: the wedding garment in Matthew 22 is not simply about saying, "I accept the invitation," and then doing nothing afterward. Even the parable itself includes a person who was present at the wedding but was still confronted because he was not wearing a wedding garment as their custom (Matthew 22:11–14).

So even Jesus Christ's own parable contains more than merely "I was invited, therefore I'm automatically in". Christ never said that.

For Latter-day Saints, the invitation of the Gospel is not merely something we verbally accept. It is a covenant path centered on Christ. Faith leads to repentance. Repentance leads us back to Christ. Baptism and other covenants are not attempts to replace grace-they are our response to His grace.

That’s Heaven. God wants you there. He sent you the invitation. All you have to do is accept it. Not after you clean yourself up. Not when you “look” presentable, the way you think you’re expected to look. No, you have to accept before it’s too late. Otherwise, you’re not getting in. Don’t wait until it’s too late to respond.

And yes, we believe salvation is possible only because of Jesus Christ. Not because of being Mormon. Not because of good works. Not because we belong to a particular organization. But here's where I would appeal to you, Aria: If the purpose of the post is really to encourage people to “get right with God,” why make the message about mocking or condemning Mormons? You can preach Christ without misrepresenting your neighbor. You can invite people to repentance without assuming what another Christian believes. You can disagree with LDS doctrine without creating an argument against a doctrine that LDS people don't actually hold.

Copied and reposted...let's make this go viral

What for? Let’s discuss the real differences instead of the caricatures. Ask us or a Latter-day Saints what we actually believe about grace; you'll be surprised and learn that you haven't even done the biblical part. Ask us about faith and works, about repentance, baptism, the covenants, the Atonement, or the eternal life. Then engage the actual answer. That would make a much more meaningful discussion than simply saying, "Time to get right with God, Mormons!" Because ultimately, the invitation to come unto Christ is for all of us-including me, you, and every Christian.

And if we're going to talk about Christianity or about Christ, let's do it in a way that invites people to Him rather than using Him as a reason to hate or mock one another with your own ideology that I don't even think Christ Centered. Come unto Christ. Absolutely. But let's represent one another honestly while we do it.
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All Who Have Endured Valiantly - David A. Bednar

All Who Have d Valiantly
( and s 121:29)
By Elder David A. Bednar
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

The scriptural phrase “ to the end” is a repeated reminder of the mighty spiritual change in our hearts that should be ongoing throughout our lives.

I have participated in competitive athletics since I was a young boy, and running has been an essential element of my physical conditioning. Over the years, I developed a lifelong -hate relationship with running. I the physical benefits and mental exhilaration provided by regular workouts. But I hate the sore muscles, aching lungs, and exhaustion. As I have come to the end of many of my long-distance runs, I have exhorted myself to push on, hang on, and to the end.

In relation to physical exercise, the word suggests maintaining intense physical and mental effort over an extended period of time. Many of us also may associate the word with the unpleasant drudgery of routine work and responsibilities. But in a spiritual context, Enduring is far more than merely persevering tenaciously to complete demanding duties or challenges.

The scriptures highlight instructive uses of the word . For example, the Lord declared to the Nephites, “Look unto me, and to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that th to the end will I give eternal life.”

And the Savior revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith that “if you keep my commandments and to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.”

I pray for the assistance of the Holy Ghost as we consider a higher and holier understanding of what it means to to the end as lifelong disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Becoming New Creatures in Christ

The Savior’s restored invites us to be spiritually transformed—not merely to improve our behavior. As we align our character, s, actions, and what we truly more closely with God’s will, the Savior can bring about a comprehensive and complete change in us.

As we strive to put off the natural man and become Saints through the Savior’s Atonement, we are to “come unto [Him],” be “born again,” bind ourselves to the Father and the Son through sacred s and s, pledge our willingness to take upon us the Savior’s name, “receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost,” experience a “mighty change [of] heart,” and serve the Lord with all our “heart, might, mind and strength.” We are to become new creatures in Christ.

This mighty spiritual change is possible only “through the merits, … mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah.” As mortal beings, we are in absolute and never-ending need of Heavenly Father’s and the Savior’s help to realize our eternal destiny.


The Role and Importance of Spiritual Gifts

Spiritual gifts are blessings and capacities given by God to His children through the power of the Holy Ghost. All individuals who receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by proper and the laying on of hands are eligible to receive spiritual gifts intended “to bless and benefit those who the Lord and seek to keep His commandments.” Spiritual gifts are prerequisites for and essential to our coming unto the Savior, being blessed with His attributes, and ultimately becoming more like Him.

The very name “spiritual gifts” teaches a vital lesson. All such gifts are given by God according to His will and timing; they are not results we earn solely through focused effort and personal .

The Spiritual Gift of and Enduring to the End

Mormon testified that “ is the pure of Christ” and “the greatest of all” spiritual gifts. Significantly, the word is used in the scriptures to define and describe .

For example, “ … th forever,” “suffereth long, … seeketh not her own, … beareth all things, … th all things.” And, as you sisters know well, “ never faileth.”

Mormon also taught that “whoso is found possessed of [the spiritual gift of ] at the last day, it shall be well with him.” Note the double meaning of the word of in this verse. We can possess , but ultimately should possess us.

As we are blessed to receive this supernal gift, a transformation occurs in our spiritual nature and character. Being “possessed” of the spiritual gift of refers in part to the spiritual development and progress that are the overarching purposes of the Savior’s .


Higher and Holier

For disciples of the Savior, encompasses both what we do and what we can become as this spiritual gift ultimately possesses us. At a fundamental level, certainly includes acts of , kindness, and generosity directed toward others. But at a higher and even holier level, is the very essence of the “end” toward which we are Enduring—becoming new creatures in Christ.

Please consider how these two overarching dimensions of are described in the thirteenth article of . The first half of the statement emphasizes charitable and gracious acts: “We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men.”

The second half of the statement emphasizes the ongoing nature of our spiritual transformation: “We believe all things, we hope all things, we have d many things, and hope to be able to all things. If there is anything virtuous, ly, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”

This concluding article of is an admonition for us to do good, to be good, and to to the end in coming unto and following the Savior and receiving the heavenly gift to as He s.

The Savior’s divine nature and sublime character were the wellsprings of perfect during His mortal ministry. The Redeemer of the world turned outward in and when He faced spiritual adversity or physical pain—in contrast to the natural man in each of us that turns inward in self-interest, self-centeredness, and selfishness. As we live as He invites us to live and with His help, our nature and character over time increasingly become more like His.

As we follow, , and serve the Savior, we gradually focus less on our own s and interests and more on understanding and addressing the needs of others. We do not merely perform benevolent deeds; rather, our state of being is changed and becomes increasingly . , then, ultimately possesses us.

“Wherefore, … pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this , … that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”Grace for Grace

The prospect of being blessed in mortality with even a small portion of the character and attributes of Jesus may seem utterly impossible to us. But the Redeemer “marked the path and led the way.” The power of His , s and s, and example can bless us in every aspect of our lives.

The pattern of spiritual development evident in the Savior’s mortal life also applies to each of us. Jesus Christ was “in the beginning with the Father.” So were we.

He “came and dwelt in the flesh,” and “he received not of the fulness at first, but [received and] continued … grace to grace, until he received a fulness.” As children of God, we also can receive of His fulness “in due time,” following the same “grace for grace” pattern as did the Savior.


Scriptural Examples

I am now going to read three scriptures that contain the phrase “ to the end.” I will insert the phrase “is possessed of the pure of Christ” in each verse so we can learn a vital and eternal lesson.

The Savior taught His ancient Apostles: “He that th to the end [or is possessed of the pure of Christ] shall be saved.”

Nephi testified: “I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words of my Bed are true and ful. He that th to the end [or is possessed of the pure of Christ], the same shall be saved.”

Alma declared: “He that findeth mercy and th to the end [or is possessed of the pure of Christ] the same shall be saved.”

Enduring to the end is linked inextricably to the spiritual gift of . Enduring to the end is not merely a relentless determination to grit our teeth, hold on to the limits of our physical strength and mental capacity, and push through the challenges and adversities of mortal life; it is so much more than that.

Enduring to the end is the joyous quest of a lifetime—a pressing forward with in Jesus Christ in a gradual process of trusting in and receiving help from our Savior to become more like Him. As our for Him grows ever stronger and deeper, we can be blessed to receive spiritual perspective, the Lord’s empowering grace, and exceedingly great and indescribable joy.


Promise and Testimony

The scriptural phrase “come unto me” is the Savior’s introductory invitation to learn and act in His and begin a process of spiritual rebirth.

The scriptural phrase “ to the end” is a repeated reminder of the mighty spiritual change in our hearts that should be ongoing throughout our lives; it also is His promise of what we may become if we truly are possessed of the pure of Christ.

The Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith, “All thrones and dominions, principalities and powers, shall be revealed and set forth upon all who have d valiantly for the of Jesus Christ.”

I joyfully witness that each of us, with the Lord’s grace and mercy, can believe all things, hope all things, and valiantly all things. I so testify in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.
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Come Home - Clark G. Gilbert

Come Home
By Elder Clark G. Gilbert
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

The Savior loves all of us and is tenderly calling for you and for me to come home.

In Elder Patrick Kearon’s remarks of the inadequacies we feel in a new calling, perhaps it was significant that he made reference to a “small Clark.”

As Christine and I have felt the overwhelming weight of this calling, we have been grateful to know that Christ’s grace makes up the difference in our lives. We have been grateful for the prayers and sustaining support of so many. We have also been strengthened by President Dallin H. Oaks’s first message as an Apostle, given nearly 42 years ago. In 1984 he declared, “I will devote my whole heart, might, mind, and strength to the great trusts placed in me, especially to the responsibilities of a special witness of the name of Jesus Christ in all the world.”

Today I echo that same declaration. I pledge my life to be a witness to the name of Jesus Christ. Today, I will specifically witness to the names of Redeemer and Repairer, as I focus on Christ’s invitation for all of us to come home.

William Shakespeare’s famous words pronounce that missed opportunities can bind our future:

William ShakespeareThere is a tide in the affairs of men
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.

Choices do have s, but we know in the gospel of Jesus Christ that when we lose our way spiritually, the Savior still allows us to change. As President Russell M. Nelson taught:

Russell M. Nelson“Because of our with God, He will never tire in His efforts to help us, and we will never exhaust His merciful with us.”
And “should [we] stray, He will help [us] find [our] way back.”
God Is Calling Us Home

After our first son was born, Christine and I struggled to have more children. We found hope in Minerva Teichert’s painting of a pioneer mother entering the valley with her little family, beckoning others to follow behind her. Like that young mother, we were pleading for our future children to gather with our family. Eventually they did come, but our years of hoping and praying, for us, were difficult.

In my weekend assignments as a General Authority, I have repeatedly witnessed people finding their way home. It may not always have come quickly, but it happened—over and over again. Let me take you on just a few of those ministering visits.

I will first speak to those who feel they don’t belong.

Sister Anglesey had left her home and her faith 30 years earlier. She had long known something was missing in her life but felt overwhelmed just to walk back into church. She eventually mustered the courage to attend a temple open house. As beautiful as that visit was, Tammy later confided to me, “All I could see was an experience I would never have. No sealing, and no [endowment].” Still, prompted by that visit, she dressed for church one Sunday, only to park her car and watch others walk into the building. Overcome with anxiety, she simply drove home, changed her clothes, and wept alone. An inspired bishop later sent her a note inviting her back to church. I met Tammy on a ministering visit just after her temple endowment. She had been away from the Church for 30 years! She had spent Sundays sitting alone in a church parking lot. But the Lord brought her home and restored her to His light, love, and joy.

Next, I speak to those who feel they don’t measure up.

On a ministering visit in San Antonio, Texas, I went to the San Antonio Temple, where we met with the missionaries and the Vargas family. Andrea was then serving as a Primary president in the Church. Her husband, Luis, though not a member, did attend church. The mission president had called me and shared with me that Brother Vargas felt like he wasn’t good enough to be baptized—that he couldn’t measure up to the other people he saw at church. On the steps of the San Antonio Temple, I said, “Brother Vargas, you don’t have to be perfect to be in this Church. You just have to do your best, and Christ will make up the difference.” At the end of the tour, Brother Vargas turned to his wife and said, “Honey, I think it’s time I join this Church so I can become a better father and a better husband.” He was baptized a month later, and their beautiful family was eventually sealed in that same temple.

To those who .

Justin and Kenna Valdez moved away from family so it would be easier for them to walk away from their faith. But the hero of this story was their eight-year-old son, who still wanted to be baptized. Sensing an opening door, a wise stake president scheduled a ministering visit for us to go to their home. I still remember Kenna’s squinty look as she stared at me as I walked into the room. But she eventually confided she still had faith in the Savior and even a testimony of the Book of Mormon. But she faced a few triggering issues that kept her from coming back to church. We promised them that as they anchored in the things they did believe, the Lord would help with the things they didn’t. Overcoming their concerns was not an issue of resolving every faith question but of helping them recognize the Holy Ghost. As President Oaks recently taught, Dallin H. Oaks“You live in a season in which the has become so effective at disguising truth that if you don’t have the Holy Ghost, you will be deceived.” Justin and Kenna began to make the changes necessary to come back. Six months after our visit, Kenna texted me, “Hi Elder Gilbert! We are ready to be sealed as a family.” This is a photo from the day that they were sealed in the Pocatello Idaho Temple.

I speak next to those who are trapped in s.

When I met John Raass, he was not yet a member of the Church. His wife, Kailani, had catered a dinner for the stake presidency, and we invited them to join us. John appeared wary of entering a spiritual discussion, but I assured him we would become fast friends. You see, John was a former BYU football star, and I grew up cheering for him. We eventually asked John why he had never joined the Church. He cited the need to honor the faith s of his now deceased parents. We helped him realize that they now understood the Church and they would honor his decision. John then chose to meet with the missionaries. Two months later he was baptized. And a year later his family was sealed in the temple.

Conclusion

Feeling we don’t belong, struggling with s, or being limited by s are just a few of the reasons we don’t immediately answer the call to come home. But even as societal pressures pull people away from their faith, life’s deeper questions do not go away. As President Nelson taught, “The truth is that it is much more exhausting to seek happiness where you can never find it!” President Oaks declared that the journey home starts by reanchoring on the Savior. Only Jesus Christ can fully restore that light and joy into your life. We all struggle. We need , service, and love from others. To those who are trying to help those they love, hold on to the truth. Keep your s. Helping others requires you to stay in your s. To those who are struggling to come home, know that it is your Savior who’s the one calling you back. In the end, everyone must make their own choices to come home.

In President Dallin H. Oaks’s recent historic address at BYU, the Marriott Center initially looked completely full. But if you looked closely, there were still hundreds of unfilled seats, and the ushers struggled to find space for those who still wanted to join the devotional. Then something remarkable happened. Students who had already found their seats began to turn their phone flashlights on to signal to the late-arriving students that there was still space. It was as if they were holding up a light to say, “Please come sit with me; we saved a seat just for you.”

I conclude with a hymn that to me feels like the very voice of the Lord calling us home:

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling—
Calling for you and for me.
Patiently Jesus is waiting and watching—
Watching for you and for me!

Come home! Come home! Ye who are weary, come home!
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling—
Calling, O sinner, come home!

I witness that Christ is our Redeemer. When we fall short, He repairs the breaches in our lives. The Savior loves all of us and is tenderly calling for you and for me to come home. Come home. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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Ministering—“That Ye Love One Another; as I Have Loved You” - Kristin M. Yee

—“That Ye One Another; as I Have d You”
By Sister Kristin M. Yee
Second Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency

is truly loving and caring for others as the Savior would. It is a way of being; it is the way of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

In my first general conference message, I briefly shared how the transformative power of the Savior’s ment changed my father.

Today I would like to tell you a little more about how that change began. My father hit a very low point in his life when two brothers began to visit him. One of them invited my father to come with him and his wife to the . He accepted the invitation. Each week they picked him up and drove to the next city to worship and serve in the house of the Lord. This continued for three years. Then my dad decided to become a worker.

I remember seeing changes in my father during that time. He became aware and attentive to the needs of others. He took better care of his health. He began to care about His relationship with God and subsequently all the relationships in his life. The change was real. He now had the Spirit with him, and I felt it.

Bless this couple for helping my dad. They didn’t judge him for where he was in his life. They walked with him and helped him to develop his relationship with God. They are still my father’s closest and dearest friends.

Because these humble and devoted disciples of the Savior quietly ed to a seemingly lost and dejected man, my and I have been eternally blessed.

When we choose to in our inspired assignments and our daily interactions, we are helping to bless someone’s father, someone’s sister, someone’s son. When we , we are helping to answer each other’s prayers. We are the Savior’s hands. Oh, how I am grateful for all those who have blessed families like mine by with .

I know the Lord is aware of you and your struggles as you strive to keep your s and to others. He has promised blessings and divine help for you and your as you exercise your to serve Him.

We may not be able to fix difficult or heartbreaking circumstances as we hope; some changes are not ours to make. But we can choose to and as the Savior would.

by the Spirit invites the Savior’s healing into our lives and the lives of those we to. I often find peace, clarity, healing, and purpose when I . I find the Savior when I . This is by divine design.

is truly loving and caring for others as the Savior would. It is a way of being; it is the way of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is not a program or a checklist; is the essence of who God is and who we can become as we follow Him.

We are not called to or released from . It is part of fulfilling the s we made at and in the . We ed to take upon us the Savior’s name—becoming as He is as we and consecrate our lives to Him. When we as He would, we begin to think, feel, and as He would.

Our Father in Heaven carries out His eternal work by to the individual needs of His children one by one. The Savior showed us this pattern often during His mortal ministry as He ately blessed, healed, and cared for “the one.” He invites us to do likewise—to in individual and personal ways, ways that help us to feel the of God. When we feel d and seen by Him, it changes everything. And when we bless the one, we bless the whole.

The Savior shows us the ultimate individuality of God’s through His atoning and the divine capacity He has to heal and to you and me on an intimate level.

Jesus Christ chose to suffer for our sins and to in indescribable agony that we might be saved and receive divine succor. All this He did without the assurance that we would Him in return. “But God commendeth his toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

This is the kind of He has for you and me. And this is the kind of He desires us to have for each other: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye one another; as I have d you.” We can demonstrate our for Him by keeping His commandments and to others while they and we are yet imperfect.

We’ve been sent here to learn to God and each other as the Savior did—to in sacrificial and transformational ways, ways that will bring our greatest happiness. Through the Savior’s ment we can come to in ways that may feel impossible. Elder Quentin L. Cook taught, Quentin L. Cook“Our of God and our fellow man is the ultimate test of the condition of our spirit.”

Choosing to isn’t always convenient or comfortable. It requires , , vulnerability, and trusting things will work out as we let God prevail. When we pause and choose to care for someone over something, His Spirit and can enter in and we can receive the peace and perspective that we really need.

A young sister shared that she often feels nervous about because she doesn’t know how others will respond. I asked how she works through that. She smiled and said, “I go—and it usually turns out much better than I thought.” She exercises , and the Lord helps her.

As we in , we do not go alone. The Lord will be with us. He will “provide [the] means whereby [we] can accomplish the thing which he has commanded”—including the blessing of God’s priesthood power as we keep our s and His priesthood authority to represent Him through our assignment. The Lord knows the hearts of those we to. He s them and He s you. He will help you to bless them in the ways they need.

Think of the significance of our assignments. Relief Society and elders quorum presidencies receive revelation from the Lord to extend inspired assignments to you and me—assignments to represent Him and labor with Him in caring for God’s children. As President Jeffrey R. Holland taught, we are invited to give “the God and Father of us all a helping hand with His staggering task of answering prayers, … drying tears, and strengthening feeble knees.”

If you want to feel grounded, gain a sense of divine belonging, and make a real difference in the world, I invite you to follow the Savior and in His name. Never was the need greater than now for souls to be lifted, strengthened, and healed through the ment of Jesus Christ. “So many of us desperately need to feel of His .” As His disciples, you and I have the blessing and responsibility to bring the Savior’s and relief to all of God’s children. When we offer His and belonging to others, we will find it ourselves. The Savior promised, “Whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”

The Savior did not limit His to His and close associations. He ed to all and invites us to do the same. We receive assignments to grow our capacity to others and to ensure no one is . We pray for them, care for their needs, and strengthen their in Jesus Christ.

I believe our Father in Heaven wants you to be happy. He s you. His work, including , is designed to bring you and me the greatest joy we can experience.

I testify that not only “brings forth the blessings of heaven,” it is the way of heaven. I testify that Jesus Christ lives. As we emulate His by loving and as He would, we will be blessed to find our own joy, healing, and relief in Him. We will become even as He is. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
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About His Business - Patrick Kearon

About His Business By Elder Patrick Kearon Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Life is better—everything is better—when we are about His business.

I was baptised into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in my mid-20s in London, joining a host of new young single adult friends in my newfound . During the first sacrament meeting following my baptism, I was asked to come to the front of the chapel, and the congregation was invited to raise their hands as a sign of welcome to the ward and to the Church.

This was an unfamiliar practice to me. But I looked into those smiling faces, and I felt as if they were cheering me on, genuinely thrilled that I had discovered in Jesus Christ and a desire to follow Him. Many of my new friends had recently experienced this same welcome and transition into a life of .

A week later, I was invited to meet with the bishop. He had taken time to get to know me when I was being taught by the missionaries. He rocked back in his chair, thwacking a ruler into his palm, and told me that we were meeting because he had a for me. He had prayed—about me—and he told me the would be of benefit to me and my future service to the Lord in His Church. He extended the of assistant ward clerk. The reaction in my mind was, “Assistant ward clerk? Well, that is not me!” Fortunately, a little grace intervened, and I responded with a “thank you” and that I would endeavour to learn what was involved. I did not have a clue.

At church the next Sunday, I was asked to stand as my was announced. My ward family was invited to raise their hands if they agreed to me. Comfortingly, I saw those same raised hands and smiling faces surrounding me in the congregation, reassuring me that these new friends would me with their goodwill, , and .

The ward clerk I was to be “assisting” came straight to me at the end of the meeting and said, “Come on, Patrick. I’ll show you how this works.” Over the coming months, he did show me how everything worked, sitting side by side, often for hours—in the small clerk’s office. (To be clear, that’s a small office for clerks, not an office for small clerks.)

Other s followed. My bishop kept a loving eye on me and eventually shared that he had felt prompted by the Lord to extend s which would be stretching for me but, he trusted, not overwhelming. I came to see purpose and power in each I received, and with hindsight, the bishop’s
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Old Testament: Isaiah 14

Chapter 14 Isaiah 14
Israel will be gathered and enjoy millennial rest—Lucifer was cast out of heaven for rebellion—Israel will triumph over Babylon (the world)—Compare 2 Nephi 24.

1 For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.

2 And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the Lord for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.

3 And it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve,

4 ¶ That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!

5 The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.

6 He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.

7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.

8 Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.

9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

10 All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?

11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.

12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?

18 All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.

19 But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.

20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned.

21 Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.

22 For I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the Lord.

23 I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the Lord of hosts.

24 ¶ The Lord of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:

25 That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.

26 This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.

27 For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

28 In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden.

29 ¶ Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent’s root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.

30 And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall slay thy remnant.

31 Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved: for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times.

32 What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it.
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Old Testament: Isaiah 13

The destruction of Babylon is a type of the destruction at the Second Coming—It will be a day of wrath and vengeance—Babylon (the world) will fall forever—Compare 2 Nephi 23.

1 The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.
2 Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.
3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.
4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.
5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.
6 ¶ Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt:
8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
9 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
14 And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every one into his own land.
15 Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.
16 Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.
17 Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.
18 Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eye shall not spare children.
19 ¶ And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.
21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there.
22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged.
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Temple Quotes

And I, Nephi, did build a ; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon…and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine.
2 Nephi 5:16
My brothers and sisters, s are more than stone and mortar. They are filled with faith and fasting. They are built of trials and testimonies. They are sanctified by sacrifice and service.
Thomas S. Monson
I urge all who have not yet received these greatest of all blessings within the walls of the to do whatever may be necessary to qualify to receive them.
James E. Faust
[Building this House] may be called a temporal work, but it pertains to the salvation of ourselves as well as our friends who have passed behind the veil, and also to the generations that are to come after us.
Brigham Young
To those who have received these blessings, I invite you to prepare yourselves to savor again the experience of being within the sacred premises of the holy s of God and have the visions of life eternal open again to your hearts, minds, and souls.
James E. Faust
And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
Exodus 28:36
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
Malachi 4:5–6
There exists a righteous unity between the and the home. Understanding the eternal nature of the will draw you to your family; understanding the eternal nature of the family will draw you to the .
Gary E. Stevenson
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
My dear brothers and sisters, construction of these s may not change your life, but your time in the surely will. In that spirit, I bless you to identify those things you can set aside so you can spend more time in the .
Russell M. Nelson
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his , even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 3:1
I want to see the built in a manner that it will endure through the Millennium. This is not the only we shall build; there will be hundreds of them built and dedicated to the Lord.
Brigham Young
And ye are to be taught from on high. Sanctify yourselves and ye shall be endowed with power, that ye may give even as I have spoken.
Doctrine & Covenants 43:16
Each holy stands as a symbol of our membership in the Church, as a sign of our faith in life after death, and as a sacred step toward eternal glory for us and our families.
Russell M. Nelson
What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? …And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Revelation 7:13–14
I have the conviction that the Lord will bless us as we attend to the sacred ordinance work of the s. Blessings there will not be limited to our service. We will be blessed in all of our affairs. We will be eligible to have the Lord take an interest in our affairs both spiritual and temporal.
Boyd K. Packer
It is plain that a is more than chapel or church…; it is a structure erected as the House of the Lord, sacred to the closest communion between the Lord Himself and the Holy Priesthood, and devoted to the highest and most sacred ordinances characteristic of the age or dispensation to which the particular belongs.
James E. Talmage
. One other word is equal in importance to a Latter-day Saint. Home. Put the words holy and home together, and you have described the house of the Lord!
Boyd K. Packer
[The ] is where we climb high above the smoke and the fog of these earthly things and we learn to read by God's eternal stars a course that will lead us safely back home.
Harold B. Lee
Within the sound of my voice are individuals who have received the ordinances of the and for various reasons have not returned to the house of the Lord in quite some time. Please repent, prepare, and do whatever needs to be done so you can again worship in the and more fully remember and honor your sacred covenants.
David A. Bednar
Each of our s is an expression of our testimony that life beyond the grave is as real and as certain as is our life here on earth. I so testify.
Thomas S. Monson
[T]he spirits of the dead gathered around me, wanting to know why we did not redeem them. Said they, '…We laid the foundation of the government you now enjoy, and we never apostatized from it, but we remained true to it and were faithful to God.' These were the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Wilford Woodruff
And early in the morning [Jesus] came again into the , and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
John 8:2
In order that this work may be done, we must have s in which to do it; and what I wish to say to you, my brethren and sisters, is that the God of heaven requires us to rise up and build them, that the work of redemption may be hastened. Our reward will meet us when we go behind the veil.
Wilford Woodruff
We know that Elijah did return "at least twice" after Malachi's promise.…At the Kirtland , April 3, 1836, Elijah appeared to the Prophet and Oliver Cowdery and said, 'The keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands.'
Russell M. Nelson
In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his , and my cry did enter into his ears.
2 Samuel 22:7
Thus Israel gathers for the purpose of building s in which the ordinances of salvation and exaltation are performed for the living and the dead.
Bruce R. McConkie
I promise you that, with increased attendance in the s of our God, you shall receive increased personal revelation to bless your life as you bless those who have died.
Ezra Taft Benson
Yea, and my presence shall be there, for I will come into it, and all the pure in heart that shall come into it shall see God.
Doctrine & Covenants 97:16
In the we face the sunlight of truth. The light of the , that understanding, shines upon us as does the light of the sun. And the shadows of sin and ignorance and error, of disappointment and failure, fall behind us. Nowhere quite equals the .
Boyd K. Packer
And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
Isaiah 2:2
The was a place of learning for the Savior when He was on the earth; it was very much a part of His life. blessings are available once again in our day.
James E. Faust
For thou knowest that we have done this work through great tribulation; and out of our poverty we have given of our substance to build a house to thy name, that the Son of Man might have a place to manifest himself to his people.
Doctrine & Covenants 109:5
As we come unto Christ and journey to higher ground, we will desire to spend more time in His s, because the s represent higher ground, sacred ground.
Joseph B. Wirthlin
Firmly resolve now that you will do everything you can do to aid work and the genealogical work that supports it and to assist every living soul and every soul beyond the veil in every way you can with every resource at your disposal. Come to the !
Boyd K. Packer
The time will come when there will be s established over every portion of the land, and we will go into these s and work for our kindred dead night and day.
Lorenzo Snow
What a glorious thing it is for us to have the privilege of going to the for our own blessings. Then after going to the for our own blessings, what a glorious privilege to do the work for those who have gone on before us.
Howard W. Hunter
Bible prophecies indicate that in the last dispensation of the gospel, there would be a restoration of all of the principles and practices of former dispensations, which includes -building and the performing of ordinances therein.
David B. Haight
But the Lord is in his holy : let all the earth keep silence before him.
Habakkuk 2:20
To you who are worthy and able to attend the , I would admonish you to go often. The is a place where we can find peace. There we receive a renewed dedication to the gospel and a strengthened resolve to keep the commandments.
Thomas S. Monson
The is the house of the Lord. The basis for every ordinance and covenant…is the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Every activity, every lesson, all we do in the Church, point to the Lord and His holy house.
Russell M. Nelson
We should expect that the adversary will try to interfere with us as…we seek to participate in this sacred and inspired work. The interference can vary from the terrible persecutions of the earlier days to apathy toward the work. The latter is perhaps the most dangerous and debilitating.
Boyd K. Packer
If any man defile the of God, him shall God destroy; for the of God is holy, which ye are.
1 Corinthians 3:17
-
Because Jesus Christ is at the center of everything we do in the , as you think more about the , you will be thinking more about Him.
Russell M. Nelson
Everything that occurs in the is uplifting and ennobling. It speaks of life here and life beyond the grave. It speaks of the importance of the individual as a child of God. It speaks of the importance of the family and the eternity of the marriage relationship.
Gordon B. Hinckley
The Lord is in his holy , the Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
Psalms 11:4
I urge our people everywhere, with all of the persuasiveness of which I am capable, to live worthy to hold a recommend, to secure one and regard it as a precious asset, and to make a greater effort to go to the House of the Lord and partake of the spirit and the blessings to be had therein.
Gordon B. Hinckley
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.
Revelation 14:6
Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house.
1 Chronicles 29:3
Verily I say unto you, that it is my will that a house should be built unto me in the land of Zion, like unto the pattern which I have given you. Yea, let it be built speedily, by the tithing of my people.
Doctrine & Covenants 97:10–11
A is a place in which those whom He has chosen are endowed with power from on high "a power which enables us to use our gifts and capabilities" to bring to pass our Heavenly Father's purposes in our own lives and the lives of those we love.
David B. Haight
I should not like to contemplate an existence, especially one that is going to continue forever, if I could not enjoy that existence with those whom I love. And so we build s in the name of the Lord.
Hugh B. Brown
And what agreement hath the of God with idols? for ye are the of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2 Corinthians 6:16
For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house.
Doctrine & Covenants 110:7
For verily this generation shall not all pass away until an house shall be built unto the Lord, and a cloud shall rest upon it, which cloud shall be even the glory of the Lord, which shall fill the house.
Doctrine & Covenants 84:5
I personally regard all of the houses of the Lord as the work of Jehovah, initiated by him, built by him, designed by him, and dedicated to him and his program.
Spencer W. Kimball
Prepare now for the , the mountain of the Lord. Never allow the goal of the to be out of your sight. Walk into His presence in purity and virtue, and receive His blessings "even 'all that he hath.'"
Elaine S. Dalton
As we touch the and love the , our lives will reflect our faith. As we go to the holy house, as we remember the covenants we make therein, we will be able to bear every trial and overcome each temptation.
Thomas S. Monson
The is concerned with things of immortality. It is a bridge between this life and the next. All of the ordinances that take place in the house of the Lord are expressions of our belief in the immortality of the human soul.
Gordon B. Hinckley
To accomplish this work there will have to be not only one but thousands of them, and thousands and tens of thousands of men and women will go into those s and officiate for people who have lived as far back as the Lord shall reveal.
Brigham Young
Each [] stands as a beacon to the world, an expression of our testimony that God, our Eternal Father, lives, that He desires to bless us and, indeed, to bless His sons and daughters of all generations.
Thomas S. Monson
I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
I Kings 9:3
It is in the ordinances of the that we are placed under covenant to Him….[If] we will enter into our covenants without reservation or apology, the Lord will protect us. We will receive inspiration sufficient for the challenges of life.
Boyd K. Packer
I have a suggestion: When a is conveniently nearby, small things may interrupt your plans to go to the . Set specific goals, considering your circumstances, of when you can and will participate in ordinances. Then do not allow anything to interfere with that plan.
Richard G. Scott
One thing have I desired of the Lord…that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his .
Psalms 27:4
Regular attendance is one of the simplest ways you can bless those who are waiting in the spirit world. If you live near a , partake of the opportunity to go often and regularly.
David B. Haight
And they pitched their tents round about the , every man having his tent with the door thereof towards the , that thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them.
Mosiah 2:6
If you don’t yet love to attend the , go more often not less. Let the Lord, through His Spirit, teach and inspire you there. I promise you that over time, the will become a place of safety, solace and revelation.
Russell M. Nelson
s are places of personal revelation. When I have been weighed down by a problem or a difficulty, I have gone to the House of the Lord with a prayer in my heart for answers. The answers have come in clear and unmistakable ways.
Ezra Taft Benson
Just as our Redeemer gave His life as a vicarious sacrifice for all men, and in so doing became our Savior, even so we, in a small measure, when we engage in proxy work in the , become as saviors to those on the other side.
Gordon B. Hinckley
Your endowment is, to receive all those ordinances in the house of the Lord, which are necessary for you, after you have departed this life, to enable you to walk back to the presence of the Father.
Brigham Young
Hundreds of thousands of faithful members participate in the unselfish service we call ' work,' which has no motive other than love and service for our fellowmen, living and dead.
Dallin H. Oaks
I am deeply interested in this work. I am anxious to encourage the people to press on in securing their genealogies and after doing so in laboring in our s.
Heber J. Grant
And Jesus went into the of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the , and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves.
Matthew 21:12
And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the , sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.
Luke 2:46
You are never lost when you can see the . The will provide direction for you and your family in a world filled with chaos. It is an eternal guidepost which will help you from getting lost in the 'mist of darkness.'
Gary E. Stevenson
We do not come to the to hide from or escape the evils of the world. Rather, we come to the to conquer the world of evil.
David A. Bednar
I would advise all the Saints to go to with their might and gather together all their living relatives to this place, that they may be sealed and saved, that they may be prepared against the day that the destroying angel goes forth.
Joseph Smith
There are more s across the earth than there have ever been. More people in all the world have felt the Spirit of Elijah move them to record the identities and facts of their ancestors' lives.
Henry B. Eyring
No jot, iota, or tittle of the rites is otherwise than uplifting and sanctifying. In every detail the endowment ceremony contributes to covenants of morality of life, consecration of person to high ideals, devotion to truth, patriotism to nation, and allegiance to God.
James E. Talmage
Finally it may be said that the endowment is not secret. All who meet the requirements for entrance to the may enjoy it.
John A. Widtsoe
Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.
Doctrine & Covenants 88:119
s are the greatest university of learning known to man, giving us knowledge and wisdom about the Creation of the world. Endowment instructions give guidance as to how we should conduct our lives here in mortality.
Robert D. Hales
I will worship toward thy holy , and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
Psalms 138:2
The earliest [s] stand as monuments to the faith and vision of our beloved pioneers. Each constructed by them resulted from their great personal sacrifice and effort. Each one stands as a stunning jewel in the crown of pioneer achievement.
Russell M. Nelson
Let us truly be a -attending and a -loving people….Let us make the , with worship and covenants and marriage, our ultimate earthly goal and the supreme mortal experience.
Howard W. Hunter
Within the sound of my voice are many young women, young men, and children. I plead with you to be worthy, to be steadfast, and to look forward with great anticipation to the day you will receive the ordinances and blessings of the .
David A. Bednar
The Lord is directing us to build these s to help us think celestial. God lives. Jesus is the Christ. His Church has been restored to bless all of God’s children.
Russell M. Nelson
The is a place of holiness. It is the most sacred and holy place on earth and should be treated with the greatest degree of reverence and respect.
L. Lionel Kendrick
There is a difference in just attending the and having a rich spiritual experience. The real blessings of the come as we enhance our experience. To do so, we must feel a spirit of reverence for the and a spirit of worship.
L. Lionel Kendrick
Go, stand and speak in the to the people all the words of this life. And when they heard that, they entered into the early in the morning, and taught.
Acts 5:20–21
Just as the Salt Lake took 40 years to build, stone by stone, you are building a virtuous life, step by step.
Mary N. Cook
And daily in the , and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
Acts 5:42
The endowment was given by revelation. Thus, it is best understood by revelation, prayerfully sought with a sincere heart.
Russell M. Nelson
As a result of the sacred ordinances performed in the holy house of God, no light need be permanently extinguished, no voice permanently stilled, no place in our heart permanently left vacant.
Thomas S. Monson
The is a point of intersection between heaven and earth. In this sacred place, holy work will be performed through selfless service and love. The reminds me of all that is good and beautiful in the world.
David A. Bednar
But let us…recite the crowning reason for gathering to Zion or to her stakes. It is to receive the blessings found in the s of the Lord.
Bruce R. McConkie
When you come to the you will love your family with a deeper love than you have ever felt before. The is about families.
Richard H. Winkel
Within the sound of my voice are many young women, young men, and children. I plead with you to be worthy, to be steadfast, and to look forward with great anticipation to the day you will receive the ordinances and blessings of the .
David A. Bednar
The crowning blessings of the gospel are received in s, in holy sanctuaries apart from the world, in the places where only the faithful assemble.
Bruce R. McConkie
Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?
1 Corinthians 15:29
And [there were] other choice spirits who were reserved to come forth in the fulness of times to take part in laying the foundations of the great latter-day work, including the building of the s and the performance of ordinances therein.
Doctrine & Covenants 138:53–54
We must build more s, and we must build them more quickly. This is the season to build s. They are needed, and we have the means to do so. The Lord will hold us accountable if we do not work with greater accomplishment than we are now doing.
Gordon B. Hinckley
In addition to s, surely another holy place on earth ought to be our homes. The feelings of holiness in my home prepared me for feelings of holiness in the .
James E. Faust
What I am trying to teach is that when we keep the covenants we have made and when we live righteously in order to maintain the blessings promised by those ordinances, then come what may, we have no reason to worry or to feel despondent.
Richard G. Scott
For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas….Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy .
Jonah 2:3–4
And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water. And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him.
Exodus 40:12–13
Every foundation stone that is laid for a , and every completed according to the order the Lord has revealed for his holy Priesthood, lessens the power of Satan on the earth, and increases the power of God and Godliness.
George Q. Cannon
We continue to build s. We desire that as many members as possible have an opportunity to attend the without having to travel inordinate distances.
Thomas S. Monson
Therefore let the Saints be diligent in building the , and all houses which they have been, or shall hereafter be, commanded of God to build; and wait their time with patience in all meekness, faith, perseverance unto the end.
Joseph Smith
It is in s "whether they be the portable tabernacle of testimony used by Moses, or the magnificent wonder of the world built by Solomon, or the s of the latter days" that the saints receive the mysteries of godliness."
Bruce R. McConkie
It is in these holy houses that faithful couples enter into the ordinance of celestial marriage through which they become parties to the Abrahamic covenant.
Bruce R. McConkie

We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy .
Psalms 48:9
At the the dust of distraction seems to settle out, the fog and the haze seem to lift, and we can 'see' things that we were not able to see before and find a way through our troubles that we had not previously known.
Boyd K. Packer
We love and cherish our dedicated s and the essential, exalting ordinances that are performed there. We thank heaven and the presiding Brethren that more and more of them are being built, giving more and more of us greater access to them.
Jeffrey R. Holland
Whenever any kind of upheaval occurs in your life, the safest place to be spiritually is living inside your covenants.
Russell M. Nelson
If we can literally be 'caught up' in any work in the church, it is this work relating to genealogical research and to the s. This, because there is the spirit of Elijah. The prophets have spoken of it. The Saints have felt it; and following the inspiration of it they have come to the to do the sacred work for both the living and the dead.
Boyd K. Packer
There, in the house of the Lord, you can learn what you need to know to be truly free. There, tucked away from turmoil and strife, is the chance to be totally unselfish a rarity in today's world.
Robert L. Simpson
Each building is an inspiration, magnificent and beautiful in every way, but the building alone does not bless. The endowed blessings and divine functions "come through obedience and faithfulness to priesthood authority and covenants made.
James E. Faust
We can carry this forward with our labor, without any burden to ourselves if our hearts are in the work, and we will be blessed abundantly in doing so. We will be better off in our temporal affairs when it is completed than when we commenced.
Brigham Young
Clearly, when we baptize, our eyes should gaze beyond the baptismal font to the holy . The great garner into which the sheaves should be gathered is the holy .
Neal A. Maxwell
Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this , and in three days I will raise it up.
John 2:19
Into this house, when it is completed, we expect to enter to enjoy the blessings of the priesthood, and receive our washings, our anointings, our endowments, and our sealings; and the brethren will be sealed to brethren to connect the links and make perfect the chain from ourselves to Father Adam.
Brigham Young
Though I live with it, this matter of construction is a thing of awesome wonder to me. We are trying to build in such a way and in such places across the world that these houses of the Lord may stand and serve through the Millennium.
Gordon B. Hinckley
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The Book of Mormon: 1 Nephi 2:1-24

Chapter 2
1 Nephi 2 Lehi takes his family into the wilderness by the Red Sea—They leave their property—Lehi offers a sacrifice to the Lord and teaches his sons to keep the commandments—Laman and Lemuel murmur against their father—Nephi is obedient and prays in faith; the Lord speaks to him, and he is chosen to rule over his brethren. About 600 B.C.
1 For behold, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto my father, yea, even in a dream, and said unto him: Blessed art thou Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done; and because thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things which I commanded thee, behold, they seek to take away thy life.
2 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in a dream, that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness.
3 And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.
4 And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness.
5 And he came down by the borders near the shore of the Red Sea; and he traveled in the wilderness in the borders which are nearer the Red Sea; and he did travel in the wilderness with his family, which consisted of my mother, Sariah, and my elder brothers, who were Laman, Lemuel, and Sam.
6 And it came to pass that when he had traveled three days in the wilderness, he pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a river of water.
7 And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God.
8 And it came to pass that he called the name of the river, Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the borders near the mouth thereof.
9 And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea, he spake unto Laman, saying: O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness!
10 And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!
11 Now this he spake because of the stiffneckedness of Laman and Lemuel; for behold they did murmur in many things against their father, because he was a visionary man, and had led them out of the land of Jerusalem, to leave the land of their inheritance, and their gold, and their silver, and their precious things, to perish in the wilderness. And this they said he had done because of the foolish imaginations of his heart.
12 And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.
13 Neither did they believe that Jerusalem, that great city, could be destroyed according to the words of the prophets. And they were like unto the Jews who were at Jerusalem, who sought to take away the life of my father.
14 And it came to pass that my father did speak unto them in the valley of Lemuel, with power, being filled with the Spirit, until their frames did shake before him. And he did confound them, that they durst not utter against him; wherefore, they did as he commanded them.
15 And my father dwelt in a tent.
16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.
17 And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which the Lord had manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit. And it came to pass that he believed in my words.
18 But, behold, Laman and Lemuel would not hearken unto my words; and being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts I cried unto the Lord for them.
19 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy , for thou hast sought me ly, with lowliness of heart.
20 And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands.
21 And inasmuch as thy brethren shall rebel against thee, they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.
22 And inasmuch as thou shalt keep my commandments, thou shalt be made a ruler and a teacher over thy brethren.
23 For behold, in that day that they shall rebel against me, I will curse them even with a sore curse, and they shall have no power over thy seed except they shall rebel against me also.
24 And if it so be that they rebel against me, they shall be a scourge unto thy seed, to stir them up in the ways of remembrance.
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