Digital Only: Church Leaders’ Teachings from Social Media
Blessings of the Temple
See what living prophets and other Church leaders have taught on social media about the importance of temples.
In times of chaos and confusion, we can seek peace and refuge in the temple to help us see clearly. President Russell M. Nelson said: “Time in the temple will help you to think celestial and to catch a vision of who you really are, who you can become, and the kind of life you can have forever. Regular temple worship will enhance the way you see yourself and how you fit into God’s magnificent plan. I promise you that.”
Church leaders have spoken in general conference about temples and covenants. They have shared messages about these topics on social media, including the following:
There Is Nothing More Important Than Honoring Your Temple Covenants
“The first day I walked into the Salt Lake Temple when I was a young man, I had the feeling that I had been there before. In an instant, the thought came to me that what I recognized was a sense of peace beyond anything I felt before in this life, but that I seemed to recognize and almost remember from before I was born.
“We knew our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son before we came to Earth. As we attend the temple, we can feel the peace of our associations with Them in the life before, and we can be reminded of the eternal nature of our spirits and our ultimate desire to return to our heavenly home.
“Make and keep sacred covenants with God. There is nothing more important than honoring your temple covenants.”
President Henry B. Eyring, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, Facebook, May 31, 2024, facebook.com/henry.b.eyring.
Temples Draw Us Closer to Jesus Christ
“After Christ parted from His disciples and was ‘carried up into heaven’ (Luke 24:51), the disciples returned to Jerusalem ‘with great joy’ (Luke 24:52) and ‘were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God’ (Luke 24:53).
“Today, God blesses faithful members of the restored Church of Jesus Christ worldwide by the divine direction through His prophet to build temples. Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are sacred spaces where one can feel especially close to heaven and rejoice in the influence of the Holy Ghost.
“On our recent travels across the world, Harriet and I visited temples in various stages of completion. Every visit blessed us with feelings of peace and joy—whether we entered the house of the Lord or spent time on the surrounding grounds. When we visited with government or religious leaders in these countries, there was always a feeling of respect, awe, and gratitude for our doctrine of uniting families through the blessing of temples.
“Building temples around the globe helps us to draw closer to Jesus Christ. He is in the center of every temple. Jesus Christ will be our guide and the chief architect to rebuild, restore, and renovate our own lives according to God’s plan of happiness.
“Covenants made and principles taught in the holy temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are the practical application of God’s love for each and every one of His children. Embracing this love in our daily lives—even in small daily steps—will lead us to a place of refuge and belonging in challenging times.”
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Facebook, June 15, 2023, facebook.com/dieterf.uchtdorf.
A Link between Heaven and Earth
“The temple is a link between heaven and earth. It is designed by our Heavenly Father to teach and assist us in our journey back to His presence. If we are faithful in mortality, by entering into and keeping the gospel covenant, we will have eternal life.
“This temple—and all latter-day temples—constitute our visible, tangible testimony of the living reality of the Redeemer since without His Atonement and Resurrection, the temple would serve no purpose.
“The Lord uses His temples to bestow upon us and our generations—past, present, and future—blessings that can only be granted in a house He has ordained for that purpose.”
Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Facebook, Jan. 21, 2024, facebook.com/dtodd.christofferson.
Our Time in the Temple Refines Us
“As we enter the temple, we temporarily step out of the world. We lay our problems and challenges down at the door and focus our minds on the things of God, on the ordinances and covenants of salvation and exaltation. We reorient our thoughts and desires to the divine perspective.
“We feel more keenly the peace and love emanating from our Heavenly Father and our Savior through the Holy Spirit. We sense that same love for our mothers and fathers of generations past and long to be bound with them eternally. We are renewed in an appreciation of our own infinite worth and in our determination to act accordingly.
“As we leave the temple, we find that the problems and challenges we laid down at the entry are still there. We are obliged to shoulder them again. They haven’t changed, but gratefully, our time in the temple has changed us. Our perspective is surer and more accurate. We now see that what had seemed overwhelming and impossible can, with the Lord’s help, find resolution, and we are more certain of His help.
“On the other hand, some small things that had seemed unimportant, we realize need attention now so that they do not become serious matters with detrimental consequences for us or others in time to come. In short, with our time in the temple we have been refined, even if only in a small degree, and heaven is that much closer.”
Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Facebook, Jan. 15, 2023, facebook.com/dtodd.christofferson.
The Temple Unites Families on Both Sides of the Veil
“Last month, I was grateful to participate in the priesthood ordination of three of my grandsons from the same family on the same day—John as a priest, David as a teacher, and Will as a deacon. The following week, we attended the temple together. John was able to baptize his brothers, along with his older brother, Jason, who is preparing for a mission. Will was in the temple for the first time. What a blessing to have the priesthood in our families! What a blessing to have the temple for our grandchildren! These two family moments are precious memories I will always remember.
“Performing temple work and living up to sacred priesthood duties will unite families on both sides of the veil—just as these two events did for my family. In the temple, we feel power from on high to face challenges in our personal lives and within our families. Our love for one another and for the Savior grows as we focus on the eternal nature of our relationships.”
Elder Neil L. Andersen, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Facebook, Feb. 2, 2023, facebook.com/neill.andersen.
Come to the Temple
“The Lord’s house is a sacred place between heaven and earth where we better come to know our Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ.
“I was reminded of this today as I had the special privilege of being assigned by President Russell M. Nelson to dedicate the Brasilia Brazil Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“What a blessing for those who visit this temple who will continue to grow in their relationships with Deity and with one another. This is especially meaningful given the world of commotion and confusion in which we live.
“I invite all of us to come to the temple when you are troubled with challenges in your family. Come when decisions confront you. When the world seems burdensome and you seek peace. When you seem defeated and you need added power.
“Come when you are happy and all seems well. Come without being asked. Come when you are not in a hurry. Come having forgiven those who have offended you. Come believing.
“As we do, the Lord’s Spirit will be with us and the beauties of the eternities will be ours.”
Elder Neil L. Andersen, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Facebook, Sept. 17, 2023, facebook.com/neill.andersen.
Temples Help Us Fulfill Our Divine Potential
“Temples help us fulfill our divine potential. …
“Yes, we honor the Lord by building a beautiful structure, as did Solomon in the Old Testament, but we honor Him more by performing the sacred ordinances that only take place in a dedicated house of the Lord.
“We invite all to come to Jesus Christ and make sacred promises in His temples. The invitation from Jesus Christ is universal:
“‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. … For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’”
Elder Gary E. Stevenson, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Facebook, June 18, 2023, facebook.com/stevenson.gary.e.
Become a Welding Link in Generations
Post: “Through our faith in Jesus Christ, may we become a welding link in our generations. May we connect with our ancestors and bless our current and future families—the families we have and the families we want.”
Video: “Dear friends, dear brothers and sisters, we and our family are meant to be happy and forever. Our most important and precious relationships are not intended to be until death do you part. God, our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, have prepared a divine plan of happiness, including sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples that make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally. Sacred temple ordinances and covenants connect in heaven what we treasure on earth.”
Elder Gerrit W. Gong, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Facebook, Mar. 21, 2023, facebook.com/gerritw.gong.
Peace Can Be Found in the House of the Lord
“In our busy world where we often find ourselves asking where we can turn for peace, I testify this peace can be found in the house of the Lord. Within God’s temples, we learn about who we are and who we can become thanks to Jesus Christ and His infinite Atonement and our Heavenly Father’s plan of love for us.”
Elder Ulisses Soares, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Facebook, Aug. 13, 2023, facebook.com/soares.u.
Be Bound to the Savior through Covenant
Post: “Our Heavenly Father loves us and wants to have a deeper, more meaningful connection with us. Through our temple attendance, we can come closer to Him and our Savior, Jesus Christ.”
Reel: “Hi, friends. We’re back studying the Primary songs again today, and we are on page 95 of the Children’s Songbook. It’s ‘I Love to See the Temple.’ This is a really tender one to me because this is one of the few Primary songs that I remember, from my early years of membership after I got baptized, being quite drawn to.
“I want to share a part of verse two to you. It says: ‘I love to see the temple. I’ll go inside someday. I’ll cov’nant with my Father; I’ll promise to obey. For the temple is a holy place.’
“And I feel that every time I seek to make that commitment to enter the house of the Lord and to be in a holy place with my Savior, with Heavenly Father. I feel that I am doing something that brings me closer to both of them and allows me to learn and grow in ways that are important to them.
“I’ve been considering this verse in Doctrine and Covenants 124. It’s verse 40, and it reads, ‘And verily I say unto you, let this house be built unto my name, that I may reveal [my] ordinances therein unto my people.’
“And I’ve really been thinking about how the temple is the house of the Lord. And He invites all His children to His house, and He invites us to have a relationship through these ordinances that are only found there. I ask you to consider to accept the Savior’s invitation to come to His house and to be bound to Him through covenant and to learn what he needs you to learn to grow with Him. I’ll see you there! Bye for now, friends!”
Sister Tracy Y. Browning, Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency, Facebook, Jan. 11, 2024, facebook.com/Primary2ndCounselor