1993
Sharing Time: Temples and Ordinances
March 1993

“Sharing Time: Temples and Ordinances,” Friend, Mar. 1993, 12

Sharing Time:

Temples and Ordinances

By Judy Edwards

Let this house be built unto my name, that I may reveal mine ordinances therein unto my people (D&C 124:40).

What is an ordinance? The word has special meaning when we use it in the Church. An ordinance is a sacred ceremony that has a spiritual meaning. When we participate in an ordinance, we often make covenants or promises to obey Heavenly Father’s commandments.

Instructions

Look at the pictures illustrated and see if you can identify the ordinances. Write the name of each ordinance beneath its picture, using the list below. Then read the descriptions of some of the types of ordinances we have in the Church and color the frames of the pictures as indicated. Some frames may be more than one color.

Ordinances

Illustrated by Julie F. Young

Sacrament
Baptism
Blessing a baby
Celestial Marriage
Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost
Baptism for the dead
Sealing

  1. Some ordinances are called saving ordinances. These ordinances are necessary for salvation. Jesus described two saving ordinances when He said, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Being born of water means being baptized, and being born of the Spirit means receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. Other ordinances of salvation and exaltation are sealings and celestial marriage. (See D&C 131:1–2.)

    Color the frames around the saving ordinances red.

  2. Some ordinances are performed only in holy temples. Some of these ordinances include baptism for the dead, celestial marriage, and sealings.

    Color the frames around the temple ordinances blue.

  3. There are many other ordinances performed in the Church, such as partaking of the sacrament and the blessing of babies.

    Color remaining frames yellow.

    How grateful we should be for all the ordinances we have. We are particularly blessed to live in a time when we have holy temples upon the face of the earth and are able to receive the blessings of temples ordinances. Without temples those ordinances would not be available for us or for our loved ones who have died. Because of temples, all people who have lived upon this earth can have ordinances of salvation and exaltation performed in their behalf.

Sharing Time Ideas

1. Explain that when an ordinance is performed, we make a covenant, or promise, with Heavenly Father. (See “Covenant” in the 1993 Children’s Sacrament Meeting Presentation Glossary and in the Bible Dictionary.) Generally discuss some of the covenants that the children may one day be blessed to make in the temple: morality, obeying the commandments, sharing with others, sacrificing, and being like Jesus.

2. Ordinances always include covenants. Have children pair each ordinance with covenants that are made when the ordinance is performed.

Ordinance

Sacrament (See Moro. 4; Moro. 5; D&C 20:77–79.)

Covenant

Always remember Jesus
Take His name upon you
Keep His commandments

Ordinance

Baptism (See Mosiah 18:8–10.)

Covenant

Serve the Lord
Keep His commandments
Take His name upon you
Bear one another’s burdens
Mourn with those who mourn
Comfort those in need
Stand as a witness of God

3. Invite children to tell where they were baptized. Indicate that children living in different areas of the world may be baptized in a variety of settings: baptismal fonts, rivers, lakes, oceans, etc. (See “Our Prophets’ Outdoor Baptisms,” Friend, March 1988, pages 30–31.) Explain that when we perform baptisms for the dead, it is done only in temples. (See D&C 124:29–39.) Show a picture of a temple baptismal font and explain that the design came from the Temple of Solomon and that the twelve oxen represent the twelve tribes of Israel. (See 1 Kgs. 7:23–26.)

4. Invite an older child who has performed baptisms for the dead to speak to the Primary children about his or her experience.

5. Sing “Truth from Elijah” (Children’s Songbook, page 90) and discuss family history research and how names are submitted to the temples for sealings and other temple ordinance work.

6. Invite a faithful married couple to express their feelings to the children concerning temple ordinances.