The Temple—A House of the Lord

By Elder David B. Haight

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

When Elder Haight was a boy, he had chores to do, just as you do. He chopped wood for the cookstove, raked leaves, and mowed the lawn. He also learned to play the violin and the piano. He has said some important things about the tremendous value of temples:

Temples are the most sacred places of worship on earth where sacred ordinances are performed—ordinances which pertain to salvation and exaltation in the kingdom of God. Each one is literally a house of the Lord—a place where He and His spirit may dwell, where He may come or send others to confer priesthood blessings and to give revelation to His people. …

Temples built especially to the Lord have been erected in all ages. Moses built a tabernacle in the wilderness for the children of Israel. Solomon built a magnificent temple in Jerusalem. The Nephites built sacred temples. Joseph Smith built houses of the Lord in Kirtland and Nauvoo, and succeeding prophets have built temples throughout the world. These have all been … built under the direction and revelation of God. …

The moment we step into the house of the Lord, the atmosphere changes from the worldly to the heavenly. … It is a refuge from the ills of life and a protection from the temptations.
(Ensign, November 1990, pages 59, 61.)

Moses’ Tabernacle in the Wilderness by Jerry Thompson, Herod’s Temple by Edward D. Maryon

Photo of Washington D.C. Temple by Craig Dimond