Hamilton New Zealand Temple
There
are many accounts in the scriptures demonstrating that throughout
history the temple has played an important part in the lives of the
children of our Father in Heaven. In this, the last dispensation, we
know that it is in the temple that we learn of the crowning blessings
and ordinances that can lead us to Life Eternal in the presence of our
Father in Heaven and his Son Jesus Christ.
For example:
Chapters
6 to 8 of First Kings record King Solomon's building of a temple unto
the Lord. Only the finest of materials were used to construct it. The
dedicatory prayer offered by King Solomon asked that "Thine eyes may be
open towards this house night and day ...." and "Hearken thou to the
supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall
pray toward this place ...." indicating the special place that the
temple would occupy in the lives of the people.
On January 1 2000
at the commencement of a new century, the First Presidency and Quorum
of the Twelve Apostles issued a special testimony of the Saviour. In it
they said "His way (emphasis added) is the path that leads to happiness
in this life and eternal life in the world to come". Then in Isaiah 2 we
read "the mountain of the Lord's house shall ... be exalted above the
hills; and all nations shall flow unto it ... and many people shall go
and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the
house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways (emphasis
added), and we will walk in his paths". It is in the temple that our
relationship with the Saviour and a fuller understanding of his
teachings and his ways can be so much enhanced.
Chapter 52 of
Jeremiah records the destruction of the temple and carrying away of the
people out of Jerusalem to Babylon. Many years later under King Darius,
and then King Cyrus, the Israelites were invited to rebuild the temple
in Jerusalem. In Chapter 3 of Ezra, we learn of the joy of the people
when the foundations were laid – "And when the builders laid the
foundation of the temple of the Lord, they set the priests in their
apparel with trumpets ... And they sang together by course in praising
and giving thanks unto the Lord; ... and all the people shouted with a
great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the
house of the Lord was laid." Then when the temple was completed and at
its dedication (Chapter 6 of Ezra), the people offered as a sacrifice
"one hundred bullocks, two hundred rams and four hundred lambs"
indicating their "joy ... in the work of the house of God, the God of
Israel".
Few will be unfamiliar with the wonderful address of King Benjamin
recorded in the early chapters of the book of Mosiah in the Book of
Mormon. King Benjamin invited the people to come to the temple to hear
this important address, but "For the multitude being so great that King
Benjamin could not teach them all within the walls of the temple ...".
So the people "pitched their tents round about the temple, every man
having his tent with the door thereof towards the temple ...". It is not
surprising to me that for this very important event, the people
gathered to the temple.
In the book of Revelation in the New
Testament, in regard to the blessings that come from serving in the
temple we read: "And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What
are these which are arrayed in white robes? ... 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. Therefore are they
before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and
he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger
no more, neither thirst any more. ... For the Lamb which is in the
midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living
fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes".
Oh what incomprehensible joy in the presence of our Saviour we can look
forward to as we strive to live righteously and to the fullest extent
we are individually able, make those sacrifices that will be necessary
to ensure that we feel of the Saviour's love in His temple as often as
we can.
A revelation received by Joseph Smith and recorded in
Section 84 of the Doctrine & Covenants refers to the temple to be
built at Kirtland: "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". Then from Section 109 of the Doctrine & Covenants, the
dedicatory prayer for the Kirtland temple that was given to the prophet
Joseph Smith by revelation, we learn what that "Glory of the Lord" can
mean to those who are leaving the temple after serving therein – "And we
ask thee, Holy Father, that thy servants may go forth from this house
armed with thy power, and that thy name may be upon them, and thy glory
be round about them, and thine angels have charge over them". Given that
this prayer was received through revelation, we can be confident that
these wonderful blessings requested by a prophet of the Lord are being
fulfilled and are available to us each time we leave the temple after
service therein.
And then our current and beloved prophet,
President Thomas S Monson has said: "The all-important and crowning
blessings of membership in the Church are those blessings which we
receive in the temples of God. ... My beloved brothers and sisters, may
we make whatever sacrifices are necessary to attend the temple and to
have the spirit of the temple in our hearts and in our homes. ... If you
have been to the temple for yourselves and if you live within
relatively close proximity to a temple, your sacrifice could be setting
aside the time in your busy lives to visit the temple regularly. ... As
you and I go to the holy houses of God, as we remember the covenants we
make within, we will be more able to bear every trial and to overcome
each temptation. In this sacred sanctuary we will find peace; we will be
renewed and fortified".
To these wonderful witnesses of the
divinity and importance of the House of the Lord, I add my own, which,
over nearly 50 years of regular attendance at the temple, culminating in
having the privilege and blessing of now serving full time for a
period, has progressively filled my soul with an undeniable testimony
that the temple is truly the House of the Lord. My regular attendance at
the temple with my eternal companion allows me to bear a firm witness
that the work undertaken here is real, true and divine. Sister Cuff and I
have seen the joy in those that come to the temple regularly, we have
assisted young couples to prepare for and participate in their temple
marriages, and have subsequently seen many of them regularly return to
further enjoy the wonderful spirit of the House of the Lord, adding to
our knowledge that this work is of eternal significance.
And so
we say to all, "Come to the Temple" and share in the eternal blessings
that are here for all to receive, not only those blessings that come
from performing the essential work for our kindred dead, but also for
our own edification and spiritual upliftment that will continue to arm
us with the blessings we need to assist us in our quest to achieve
eternal life with those that we love.
CONTRIBUTED BY: President Ross J Cuff, First Counsellor, Hamilton New Zealand Temple Presidency
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