The second speaker at the women’s session of general conference was Sister Sylvia H. Allred, the first counselor in the presidency. Her topic was “Holy Temples, Sacred Covenants,” which tied in to Sister Beck’s comment of the importance of temple worship.
Sister Allred shared with us her love for the temples, saying they are the most sacred places on earth. There, we receive the greatest blessings possible while also making those blessings available to our beloved ancestors who have gone on ahead.
Some members of the Church live near a temple, while others must make tremendous sacrifices to attend. Sister Allred related the story of a special temple excursion taken in 1976, when she and her husband were living in Costa Rica. The nearest temple at that time was located in Mesa, Arizona, and in order to reach the temple, the Saints rode in buses for five days each direction, crossing six borders. This trip was so expensive that many of the travelers sold their personal belongings in order to go. Some were so poor after paying for their transportation that they lived on crackers and margarine throughout the trip, being unable to afford anything more expensive.
And yet, they did this willingly. They understood that the blessings of attending the temple were far greater than the blessings of possessions. They spent three days attending the temple repeatedly, being sealed to their families forever. Twenty-four years later, a temple was built in Costa Rica, and now those faithful Saints can attend with greater ease.
The Lord has always asked us to raise temples in His name. He commanded Moses to build one, a portable temple that came with the Israelites as they traveled. King Solomon was commanded to build one as well. When Christ was on earth, He showed great reverence for the temple. And of course the early Saints were told to build a temple in Kirtland, the first of this dispensation.
Why is the temple so important?
President Brigham Young said, “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…and to gain your eternal exaltation.”
In addition, families can be sealed together forever.
We are encouraged to attend the temple as often as our circumstances allow. For some, this might be as often as weekly or monthly. For others, who might live many miles away from a temple, this opportunity might arise only once or twice in their whole lifetimes. Either way, it’s a blessing for us to attend and we should hold these visits sacred, as they truly are.
The next speaker at the conference was Sister Barbara Thompson. Her address will be summarized for you later this afternoon.
Related Blogs:
General Women’s Conference: Sister Beck’s Address
Take Time to Attend the Temple
The Temple is Not the End of the Road
Tristi Pinkston is a full-time blogger at Families.com. Click here to read her other articles.