“You’ve Received Your Endowment. Now What?,” Liahona, Dec. 2023.
You’ve Received Your Endowment. Now What?
What comes next after being endowed in the house of the Lord?
Photograph of Oakland California Temple by Mason Coberly
Congratulations! You’ve taken a big step on the “covenant path back home to our Heavenly Parents and … those we love.”1 Heavenly Father has so much in store for you.
Return to the Temple as Often as You Can
Now that you’ve received your own endowment, go back as often as you can! Perhaps you’re still developing your testimony of the temple, and that’s OK. It isn’t required for you to understand all things now. Your understanding and covenant relationship with God will grow as you return to the temple.
If you live near a temple, be careful not to let “the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it” (1 Nephi 17:41) hinder you from returning often. Elder Richard G. Scott (1928–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught: “I have seen that many times individuals have made great sacrifices to go to a distant temple. . . . When a temple is conveniently nearby, small things may interrupt your plans to go to the temple. Set specific goals, considering your circumstances, of when you can and will participate in temple ordinances. Then do not allow anything to interfere with that plan.”2
Treasure Your Recommend
How often we can worship in the temple may vary, but each of us can treasure our temple recommend. Your recommend is not just a permission slip. It reflects the Lord’s confidence in you as He invites you to His house on earth. Worthily holding a temple recommend indicates your desire to return one day to His home in heaven, too. Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles encouraged us to daily live “recommended to the Lord”:
“Your temple recommend reflects a deep, spiritual intent that you are striving to live the laws of the Lord and love what He loves: humility, meekness, steadfastness, charity, courage, compassion, forgiveness, and obedience. And you commit yourself to those standards when you sign your name to that sacred document. …
“To be ‘recommended to the Lord’ is to be reminded of what is expected of a covenant-keeping Latter-day Saint.”3
Cherish Your Temple Garments
As expressed by the First Presidency, the sacred privilege of faithfully wearing the temple garment is “an outward expression of an inner commitment to follow the Savior Jesus Christ.”4
Properly wearing the temple garments may be joyously considered “the Lord’s way of letting us take part of the temple with us when we leave. … And though we cannot always be in the temple, a part of it can always be with us to bless our lives.”5
Heavenly Father has given you a great gift (that’s what endowment means). Respectfully wearing and speaking of your temple garments are simple ways you can show your gratitude for this gift.
Be Faithful
Faithfulness doesn’t mean we are always overflowing with the Spirit of the Lord. It does mean we endure in faith even when we are unsure. The Lord has assured great blessings to those who choose Him.
“Ye are little children, and ye have not as yet understood how great blessings the Father hath in his own hands and prepared for you;
“. . . nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours and the blessings thereof are yours, and the riches of eternity are yours” (Doctrine and Covenants 78:17–18).
President Russell M. Nelson has added to these promises:
“I promise you that over time, the temple will become a place of safety, solace, and revelation.”6
“I promise that as you increase your time in temple and family history work, you will increase and improve your ability to hear Him.”7
“Cherish and honor your covenants above all other commitments. As you let God prevail in your life, I promise you greater peace, confidence, joy, and yes, rest.”8
Each of these blessings will be yours as you strive to continue developing your covenant relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ—the most important relationship of your life.