Area Leadership Message
Gathering All to the Temple
Since President Russell M. Nelson was sustained in April 2018, he has consistently invited us to live in a higher and holier way, and to extend our vision beyond this life’s challenges to eternal opportunities.
In April 2018 he said: “Our message to the world is simple and sincere: we invite all of God’s children on both sides of the veil to come unto their Savior, receive the blessings of the holy temple, have enduring joy, and qualify for eternal life.”1
A year later in general conference he taught: “God’s objective should be our objective. He wants His children to choose to return to Him, prepared, qualified, endowed, sealed, and faithful to covenants made in holy temples.”2
Growing up in Australia, our closest temple was in Hamilton, New Zealand and as a new missionary in January 1976 I received my endowment there. I still remember the tranquility and peace I felt worshipping in a house of the Lord. As I observed the joy of older married couples, I felt that I needed a choice eternal companion to receive the full blessings the temple has to offer.
I realised that blessing in January 1979, when I returned with Maxine Thatcher, a most beautiful and righteous girl from my home ward. We were sealed for time and eternity. We marveled and rejoiced in the covenants we made to each other and the Lord. We felt the responsibility and power of the eternal blessings that were sealed upon our heads. But for us, like so many living in Australasia at that time, those beautiful temple experiences were the only ones we expected to have.
How we rejoiced when the Sydney Australia Temple was dedicated almost six years later in September 1984. We drove 1100 km to attend the temple dedication. From then on, faithful Saints from Melbourne and Brisbane regularly took weekend bus trips (12 hours each way) to the Sydney temple—leaving after work on Friday, spending Saturday in the temple and that night journeying home to arrive in time for Church on Sunday.
In 1988, my family relocated to Perth Australia—I had a new job opportunity. The Sydney temple was then 4000 km from our home. We made a family commitment to drive to the Sydney temple every two years. Once there, we would spend a whole week participating in temple ordinances. Our children still have fond memories of the mostly sacred time we had together driving three and a half days each way across Australia.
The blessings continued in September 2001 when the Perth Australia Temple was dedicated. During a two-year period in Australia, temples were also dedicated in Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.
In his talk, “Spiritual Treasures” during the women’s session of October 2019’s general conference, President Nelson said:
“As the Church grows, more temples will be built so that more families can have access to that greatest of all blessings, that of eternal life. We regard a temple as the most sacred structure in the Church. Whenever plans are announced to construct a new temple, it becomes an important part of our history”.3
In the Pacific Area we are living through an historic period of temple building. This year groundbreaking events marked the beginning of construction for the Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea temples. The Auckland temple is progressing well, with external cladding completed and internal finishing in progress. Design and planning continue for the announced temples in Kiribati, Neiafu Tonga, American Samoa and Wellington, New Zealand. The investment in temples is an ongoing witness of the importance of sacred temple ordinances and temple worship.
In October 2018 President Nelson taught:
“Building and maintaining temples may not change your life, but spending your time in the temple surely will. To those who have long been absent from the temple, I encourage you to prepare and return as soon as possible. Then I invite you to worship in the temple and pray to feel deeply the Savior’s infinite love for you, that each of you may gain your own testimony that He directs this sacred and ageless work.”4
When Maxine and I were married 40 years ago in the New Zealand temple, the hope of regular temple worship in Australia was only a faraway dream. Who would have thought that less than 25 years later, Australia would have five operating temples?
In the Pacific, we can increase our participation in existing temples and prepare for future temple blessings. As we await the completion of announced temples over the next few years, we can take two specific actions:
1. Maintain current temple recommends.
President Nelson gave the whole Church a gift when he shared the current temple recommend questions as part of his closing remarks at the October 2019 conference. These questions can help us to repent and to prepare to have recommend interviews with our branch/ward or stake/mission leaders. We encourage all adult members, including those who have already been to the temple, to renew their temple recommends every two years. Even if you don’t feel that you qualify, meet with your branch president or bishop, who will be delighted to help you to prepare. This is one of his most important and sacred roles as a loving judge in Israel.
President Nelson added:
“I would like to speak to our youth. We encourage you to qualify for limited-use temple recommends. You will be asked only those questions applicable to you in your preparation for the ordinances of proxy baptism and confirmation. We are very grateful for your worthiness and willingness to participate in that sacred temple work.”5
In making youth their first priority, bishoprics and branch presidents will be meeting with all youth and new members to assist them in receiving and maintaining temple recommends.
2. Make time in our schedules for regular temple participation.
Planning temple trips and adding temple appointments to our calendars help us to enjoy regular temple participation. Each time we visit the temple we learn more of Jesus Christ and His central role in assisting our journey back to our Heavenly Father.
3. Family History
President and Sister Nelson continue to set a great example through their personal family history work. President Nelson regularly reminds us of the importance of ministering to our families on both sides of the veil. I know, from personal experience, the joy of finding my ancestors, recording their details, submitting names through FamilySearch, then participating in performing sacred ordinances for them in the temple.
A quote from President Nelson’s closing remarks at the October 2022 general conference reminds us that the temple “is His house. It is filled with His power. Let us never lose sight of what the Lord is doing for us now. He is making His temple more accessible. He is accelerating the pace at which we are building temples. He is increasing our ability to help gather Israel. He is also making it easier for each of us to become spiritually refined. I promise that increased time in the temple will bless your life in ways nothing else can.”6
I pray that in our homes and in our ward and branch families, that we prioritize temple recommends, temple participation and preparing family names for temple ordinances, so that we can qualify for all the blessings that can come through existing and new temples as they are dedicated across the beautiful islands of the Pacific.