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The House of the Lord—Recent Messages from Prophets, Apostles, and Other Church Leaders
See what Church leaders have taught recently on social media about the temple.
President Russell M. Nelson recently encouraged us to “focus on the temple in ways you never have before.”1 He has also counseled: “Please make time for the Lord in His holy house. Nothing will strengthen your spiritual foundation like temple service and temple worship.”2
President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency, has further explained, “God desires all of us to strive for His highest possible blessings by keeping His highest commandments, covenants, and ordinances, all of which culminate in His holy temples being built throughout the world.”3
Why is the temple so central to our discipleship? As President Nelson taught: “The temple lies at the center of strengthening our faith and spiritual fortitude because the Savior and His doctrine are the very heart of the temple. Everything taught in the temple, through instruction and through the Spirit, increases our understanding of Jesus Christ. His essential ordinances bind us to Him through sacred priesthood covenants. Then, as we keep our covenants, He endows us with His healing, strengthening power [see Doctrine and Covenants 109:15, 22]. And oh, how we will need His power in the days ahead.”4
In addition to general conference talks about the temple, Church leaders have also shared messages about these topics on social media, including the following:
Change Your Lives and Bless Your Families
“Each temple stands as a symbol of our membership in the Church, as a sign of our faith in life after death, and as a sacred step toward eternal glory for us and our families.
“I promise that if you will make time to be in the temple regularly, it will change your lives. It will bless your families, strengthen your faith and open the windows of heaven for you.”
President Russell M. Nelson, Facebook, Aug. 14, 2022, facebook.com/russell.m.nelson.
Connect Us Directly to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ
“Our temples are the holiest places on earth. They not only unite us as families but connect us directly to our Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.”
President Russell M. Nelson, Facebook, Mar. 15, 2021, facebook.com/russell.m.nelson.
Strengthen the Young People
“I think the temple is going to have a tremendous influence on the faith growing among the youth. Young people are going to set their goals on being married in the temple.
“And if you get sealed as families, then the future gets brighter and brighter. I think it’s a hard time ahead, so I would think that that anchor of faith in Jesus Christ and the temple being His house and everything that happens in that temple really points toward Jesus Christ. I would think the temple is going to have that effect, and that will strengthen the young people. In the storm, get yourself rooted on the rock of the Savior. That will get you through the storm.”
President Henry B. Eyring, Facebook, Aug. 17, 2022, facebook.com/henry.b.eyring.
Be Sealed as Families for Eternity
“No other buildings on earth—even the most magnificent buildings—have what temples have.
“My wife, Barbara, passed away almost four years ago. But because we entered the house of the Lord and were sealed as husband and wife by the power of the priesthood, we are bound together with our seven children, 43 grandchildren, and as of June 5, 2022, 103 great-grandchildren, for all eternity. What a wonderful thing the temple is! Joy fills my heart because my family will be together forever. And your family can be too.
“When you get to be my age, you won’t be so interested in having lots of money or driving a fancy car. The most precious thing in your life will be your family—not only the family you have here but also your family in the eternities.”
President M. Russell Ballard, Facebook, July 6, 2022, facebook.com/mrussell.ballard.
Receive the Power of Godliness
“More than ever, we are in need of the power and strength that comes through our covenant connection to the Lord Jesus Christ.
“We do not come to the temple to hide from or escape the evils of the world. Rather, we come to the temple to receive the power of godliness through priesthood ordinances that enables us to confront and conquer the world of evil.”
Elder David A. Bednar, Facebook, May 23, 2022, facebook.com/davida.bednar.
Become New Creatures in Christ
“Our hearts are changed by the truths we learn in the temple about God and Jesus Christ—and by the promises we make to love and serve. We focus less on what we want and more on aligning our will with God’s. … The primary function of the house of the Lord is for us to be transformed and become new creatures in Christ.
“Often in the world, change is attempted from the outside in. Many believe that changing a person’s circumstances is the best means of changing a person.
“God, however, typically works from the inside out. If we let Him, God can change our hearts—and then we are blessed with capacity and strength to change our circumstances.
“In the holy temples, what we learn and promise to do changes us from the inside out, enabling us to become more devoted disciples of Jesus Christ.”
Elder David A. Bednar, Facebook, Apr. 19, 2022, facebook.com/davida.bednar.
Prepare to Meet God
“The primary blessings of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are the ordinances of exaltation. Attending the temple prepares us to meet God.
“The temple is also a place of refuge. Throughout my life, it has been a place of tranquility and peace in a world that is literally in commotion. It is wonderful to leave the cares of the world behind in this sacred setting.
“The feelings of equality and unity permeate the temple. Everyone is dressed in white clothing. There is no evidence of wealth, rank, or educational attainment; we are all brothers and sisters humbling ourselves before God.
“Having a temple of the Lord … is truly a supernal blessing. As one of the Savior’s Apostles, I testify of the divinity of the Savior and that under the Father’s direction He guides this celestial work of salvation and exaltation.”
Elder Quentin L. Cook, Facebook, Nov. 20, 2022, facebook.com/quentin.lcook.
Obtain All the Divine Possibilities God Can Give
“If we are faithful to the covenants we make in temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we can obtain all the divine possibilities God can give.”
Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Facebook, Aug. 15, 2022, facebook.com/dtodd.christofferson.
Seek Rest and Renewal
“I recently shared some thoughts with students … about how a commitment to work, a truly vital gospel principle, can turn negative if not balanced with rest and renewal or if carried to an extreme in which it becomes a kind of religion.
“It is self-evident that we need rest for physical renewal, but enough leisure for rest and meditation is also essential for spiritual renewal. Indeed, without spiritual renewal, the spirit can become slave to the body.
“We can find spiritual renewal in the Sabbath and also in the temple, the house of the Lord. As we step into the temple, we step out of the world. We eat the nourishing bread and drink the pure water of spiritual peace. We sometimes speak of temple work, but we could also speak of temple rest.
“I encourage each of you to seek rest and renewal each week in Sabbath worship and at the temple.”
Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Facebook, July 7, 2021, facebook.com/dtodd.christofferson.
Let “the House of the Lord” Sink into Your Soul
“What a glorious and joyful experience it was to dedicate the Praia Cape Verde Temple. Doubt, discouragement, uncertainty, and challenges may meet the many citizens of Cape Verde, but this temple will be a blessing and a beacon to everyone in the country whether someone is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ or not.
“The temple is literally the house of the Lord. Let those words sink gently into your soul. It is His house.
“Temples link heaven and earth. They are holy places, sacred spaces, and an intersection between earth and eternity.
“Of course, there are challenges in mortality. But with our faith in Jesus Christ, we can anticipate with joy our eternal lives. This holy house becomes a place of receiving revelation and a refuge of peace. I know that the Lord will abide in this newly dedicated temple in the months, years, and decades ahead.
Elder Neil L. Andersen, Facebook, June 20, 2022, facebook.com/neill.andersen.
Experience Magnificent Blessings
“No matter our age, temples can bless our lives in magnificent ways.”
Elder Gary E. Stevenson, July 24, 2022, facebook.com/stevenson.gary.e.
Reflect on the Peace That Comes
“The architecture, art, color palette, and other design elements [of temples] are carefully planned with the local community in mind.
“Beauty and attention are paid to every detail to create a house of the Lord. These details are important in the same way the beauty of Solomon’s temple was important, yet they are only the jewelry box—not the jewels.
“The ‘pearl of great price’ is the ordinances, covenants, promises, and instruction received there. It is the happiness and joy felt by those on both sides of the veil as they receive the blessings of the temple and come unto Christ.
“I invite you to reflect on the peace that comes from temple worship and service.”
Elder Gary E. Stevenson, Sept. 14, 2021, facebook.com/stevenson.gary.e.
Draw Closer to God and Each Other
“Through the sacred covenants we make in the house of the Lord, our Savior can help draw us closer to God and to each other as we knit our hearts together with Christlike, Christ-given compassion, forgiveness, and mercy.”
Elder Gerrit W. Gong, Facebook, Dec. 5, 2022, facebook.com/gerritw.gong.
Leave the Lone and Dreary World
“Spend more time with the Lord in His temples. Temples are literally houses of the Lord. And when we are there, we can feel a distinct impression that we have left the lone and dreary world behind.”
Elder Ulisses Soares, Facebook, Dec. 8, 2022, facebook.com/soares.u.
Prepare Children for the House of the Lord
“Tyrone is an 11-year-old in Harare, Zimbabwe, who is a new member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A temple is currently under construction in Harare, and the members are preparing for the blessings that come from the temple. After one lesson about temples in the Old Testament and seeing [the July 2022] Friend to Friend event about the blessings of the temple, the children were asked to create models of the temple using things they could find. Scavenged broken bricks and stones, the tips of sugarcane stalks, and a piece of pipe have never been treated more reverently and creatively.
“Tyrone created a wonderful temple to share. He showed his beautiful model to everyone at church, displaying the rooms, windows, and even the special wording above the door.
“I love seeing children learn about the eternal blessings that are available in the house of the Lord. We can prepare them by teaching them about the covenants they will make there. They can begin now to prepare to be baptized for their own family members, receive the endowment, and be sealed for time and all eternity. We can teach them that as they enter and serve in the temple, they will feel the power of the Savior more fully in their lives.”
President Susan H. Porter, Facebook, Dec. 19, 2022, facebook.com/PrimaryPresident.