This is the first time that I attended the temple at night on a personal basis (although I have been multiple times with friends or church groups). Usually, I attend in the morning before the day gets too crazy, but I usually end up being too tired to focus well; besides, I still have the rest of the day ahead of me, so what I do gain, I usually lose a good chunk because I am simply distracted. However, tonight was different, as I had nothing significant after the session in the temple, so I could easily reflect on what I pondered there, and I will retain a good bit of what I gained as I will go to sleep with it fresh in my mind.
As a result of attending in the evening, I had a lot to think about that I am usually too tired to dwell on in the morning. Tonight was one of the most significant trips I have ever had to this holy place. The temple is a powerful bridge to Heaven; revelation and insights from my Father in Heaven easily come in a way unlike any other environment. I was able to think of many of the big things in my life.
In the temple, we learn of the Creation of the Earth, develop our relationship with God and make covenants with Him. Considering that we rely on faith and spiritual feelings to draw close to Him and not sight or any physical sensation, I am always eager to feel His presence; His presence is not on demand in the same way that, say, your best friend is. Granted, we can feel Him through prayer and other spiritual channels, but with everything that goes on in our lives, sometimes the Spirit is blurred along the way.
I really got to enjoy contemplating what it means to be God's son. What is my place? What has God done for me? What is the point of all this? I am enthralled by the Plan of Salvation that Heavenly Father has prepared for us and the enormous future ahead of us! "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has
prepared for those who love him. But God has revealed them unto us by his
Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God" (1 Cor. 2:9-10). I struggle to comprehend this on a regular basis, but in the temple I always get a glimpse of those things which God has prepared for me. Especially so tonight.
In the temple, you may end up in what is called the "Celestial Room". It is a room of utmost peace, tranquility, and contemplation. It is the closest to Heaven I have ever been. It is mostly white, and beautiful chandeliers hang from the ceiling. There are also two very large mirrors reflecting each other in there, representing eternity. It is a most stunning sight. In this room, I sat and just smiled. I read from a copy of the Bible they had in there, and God shared with me many things He wanted me to know personally. But, there was another odd sensation, one I hadn't ever felt: I greatly anticipated sitting in that very room of divine holiness with my bride-to-be.
I do not normally like to dwell on the romantic portion of my life; first, there isn't much, and second, I feel it is a silly thing to do if I am not in a relationship to daydream about what it'll be like. But tonight was a little different. A few moments ago, I thought of my own future, but now I thought on my future with my wife. I haven't dated much; I've been on one date since I've been home from my mission, and it was with a very fine young woman, but from that date I determined, to my disappointment, I'm not quite ready for a serious relationship yet, much less marriage, so why bother? I guess that's why I was caught off-guard; I was thinking about something I felt I shouldn't deal with yet. It was a beautiful feeling, nonetheless. My two greatest desires in the world, bar none, is to be a husband and a father; many daydreams have gone on before. I cannot wait for the time that I, with my wife, can start my own family. Families are eternal in the Lord's plan, and nothing compares in significance.
Additionally, in the temple, as you make promises with God, you can also help those that have passed on to make these same promises if they were not able to in their lifetime. It is a wonderful thought; if one is not baptized because he lived in Asia in a time where Christianity was not permitted, for instance, is he damned? No; God is merciful. In a later post, I will describe in more detail exactly how we help them. At any rate, after the session, I had the feeling that somebody was waiting for me to help them. It was past 8 p.m. at that point, but I knew I should work more at the temple. I did for another 45 minutes or so, and while I did not identify who it was that wanted me specifically, I suppose all of them benefited nonetheless. It was sobering and wonderful. God really does love each of His children, definitely including the ones that no longer live on this Earth. He has a way prepared, no matter the circumstances.
The temple is the House of the Lord. While the most sacred experiences I cannot share, I will begin to regularly write at least some of what I feel each time I attend. The temple is the link God has given us between Heaven and Earth. It is a powerful place of instruction, a sanctuary of peace, a place to build and enlarge family relationships; those we love most. What a blessing God has given to us. I apologize if this post seemed scatter-brained, but I really gained so much from tonight's visit, I was not sure exactly how to sort it. But I hope you saw a glimpse of the joy and enlightenment I felt tonight.
God bless y'all!
Patrick
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