In the LDS Church, there are regular meetinghouses where typical Sunday services are held, among other activities. But then there are also buildings called temples, and these buildings are far more sacred. In fact, once the building has been dedicated, you must pass a worthiness examination to enter in (although before they are dedicated, there is an "open house" period where the temple is open to the general public). Just a few reasons why the temple is so special is that in there we draw closer to our Father in Heaven as we learn of His plan and make special promises or covenants with Him, and in there we also fulfill the prophecy of Malachi at the end of the Old Testament to "turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers" (Mal. 4: 6) by helping in the salvation of those that have passed on. Temples are prepared in such a way as to receive the high honor of being the House of the Lord in a way no other building is. It is the ultimate symbol of heaven and purity for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There are over 130 temples in operation currently.
One such temple is the Mount Timpanogos Temple in American Fork, Utah. This is the one I attend. Recently, road work is being done around the temple, and complications in the road work and some faulty construction in the temple has necessitated some remodeling of the temple. Needless to say, the construction project has detracted from the beauty of the structure, and many people dislike it. But it is something that must be done.
One night, as I was driving home, my sins weighed heavily on my mind. I felt impure before God, and I did not feel deserving of His love and mercy. I wondered how far Christ's sacrifice actually applied in my life.
As I drove, I went past the temple. I observed the construction and sighed; I was not a big fan of the sight myself. But as I did so, the Holy Spirit recognized a teaching opportunity and whispered to me, "Patrick, you are much like this temple. The temple is beautiful. It is something God loves and adores. The temple, however, is flawed, and it requires construction. But once the construction is finished, how glorious it will be!
"Patrick, you are loved and adored by God, and you have great potential. However, you are not perfect; you are also under construction. But, after you allow Christ to mold you into what He wills, you too will be glorious and worthy in the presence of God."
I was especially touched by that experience, and I continued to think about it for days after. It's been almost a week, and I feel good as I write. I like to think that I, however, am not alone in this analogy; I feel that we are all like this temple; we are all children of God, sons and daughters with a divine heritage and potential. However, we are not yet whom God desires; in order to reach our potential, we must allow the Great Architect's hands in our lives. Then, we can all enjoy the fullest blessings God has in store for us.
And Christ will help us every step of the way.
God bless y'all!
Patrick
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| The Mount Timpanogos, Utah Temple |
