Prophetic Teachings on Temples

President Russell M. Nelson

“Anytime you do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—take a step toward making covenants with God and receiving their essential baptismal and temple ordinances, you are helping to gather Israel. It is as simple as that.”

Hope of Israel, worldwide youth devotional, June 3, 2018

President Thomas S. Monson

“Now, my young friends who are in your teenage years, always have the temple in your sights. Do nothing which will keep you from entering its doors and partaking of the sacred and eternal blessings there. I commend those of you who already go to the temple regularly to perform baptisms for the dead, arising in the very early hours of the morning so you can participate in such baptisms before school begins. I can think of no better way to start a day.”

The Holy Temple—A Beacon to the World, April 2011 general conference

Elder David A. Bednar

“I invite the young people of the Church to learn about and experience the Spirit of Elijah. I encourage you to study, to search out your ancestors, and to prepare yourselves to perform proxy baptisms in the house of the Lord for your kindred dead [see Doctrine and Covenants 124:28–36]. And I urge you to help other people identify their family histories. As you respond in faith to this invitation, your hearts shall turn to the fathers. ... Your testimony of and conversion to the Savior will become deep and abiding. And I promise you will be protected against the intensifying influence of the adversary. As you participate in and love this holy work, you will be safeguarded in your youth and throughout your lives.”

The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn, October 2011 general conference

Elder Quentin L. Cook

“The combination of increased numbers of temples and advanced technology to fulfill our sacred family history responsibilities for our ancestors makes this the most blessed time in all history. I rejoice in the extraordinary faithfulness of our youth in indexing and finding their ancestors and then doing the baptism and confirmation work in the temple. You are literally among the prophesied saviors on Mount Zion.”

See Yourself in the Temple, April 2016 general conference

Elder Gary E. Stevenson

“The First Presidency has invited ‘adult members to have a current temple recommend and visit the temple more often’ where time and circumstance permit and encouraged members ‘to replace some leisure activities with temple service.’ They also encouraged ‘newer members and youth of the Church who are 12 years of age and older to live worthy to assist in this great work by serving as proxies for baptisms and confirmations.’ [First Presidency letter, Mar. 11, 2003.]”

Sacred Homes, Sacred Temples, April 2009 general conference

Elder Richard G. Scott

“Do you young people want a sure way to eliminate the influence of the adversary in your life? Immerse yourself in searching for your ancestors, prepare their names for the sacred vicarious ordinances available in the temple, and then go to the temple to stand as proxy for them to receive the ordinances of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. As you grow older, you will be able to participate in receiving the other ordinances as well. I can think of no greater protection from the influence of the adversary in your life.”

The Joy of Redeeming the Dead, October 2012 general conference

President Russell M. Nelson

“Wearing the temple garment has deep symbolic significance. It represents a continuing commitment. Just as the Savior exemplified the need to endure to the end, we wear the garment faithfully as part of the enduring armor of God. Thus we demonstrate our faith in Him and in His eternal covenants with us.”

Personal Preparation for Temple Blessings, April 2001 general conference

President Russell M. Nelson

“If you would really like to know more about the antiquity of temple clothing, find it out for yourself in the Old Testament. The Old Testament is replete with references to special clothing of the temple.”

Teachings of Russell M. Nelson, 372

President Boyd K. Packer

“In connection with these ordinances, in the temple you will be officially clothed in the garment and promised marvelous blessings in connection with it. It is important that you listen carefully as these ordinances are administered and that you try to remember the blessings promised and the conditions upon which they will be realized.”

Come to the Temple

Sacred Temple Clothing

“Temple robes of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known as the robes of the holy priesthood, are worn only inside Latter-day Saint temples and reserved for the highest sacraments of the faith. White symbolizes purity. There is no insignia or rank. The most senior apostle and the newest member are indistinguishable when dressed in the same way. Men and women wear similar clothing. The simple vestments combine religious symbolism with echoes of antiquity reflected in ancient writings from the book of Exodus."

Sacred Temple Clothing

Sacred Temple Clothing

“Many faithful Latter-day Saints wear a garment under their clothing that has deep religious significance. Similar in design to ordinary modest underclothing, it comes in two pieces and is usually referred to as the ‘temple garment.’ ... Temple garments are worn by adult members of the Church who have made sacred promises of fidelity to God’s commandments and the gospel of Jesus Christ in temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To Church members, the modest temple garment, worn under normal clothing, along with the symbolic vestments worn during temple worship, represent the sacred and personal aspect of their relationship with God and their commitment to live good, honorable lives."

Sacred Temple Clothing

President Gordon B. Hinckley

“[T]here is a goal beyond the Resurrection. That is exaltation in our Father’s kingdom. It will be achieved by obedience to the commandments of God. It will begin with acceptance of him as our Eternal Father and of his son as our living Redeemer. It will involve participation in various ordinances, each one important and necessary. The first of these is baptism by immersion in water, without which, according to the Savior, a man cannot enter into the kingdom of God. There must follow the birth of the Spirit, the gift of the Holy Ghost. Then in succession through the years will come, for men, ordination to the priesthood, followed by the blessings of the temple for both men and women who are worthy to enter therein. These temple blessings include our washings and anointings that we may be clean before the Lord. They include the instruction service in which we are given an endowment of obligations and blessings that motivate us to behavior compatible with the principles of the gospel. They include the sealing ordinances by which that which is bound on earth is bound in heaven, providing for the continuity of the family.”

Temples and Temple Work, Ensign, February 1982

President Spencer W. Kimball

“Joseph Smith bestowed upon the twelve apostles all the keys and authority and power that he himself possessed and that he had received from the Lord. He gave unto them every endowment, every washing and anointing, and administered unto them the sealing ordinances.”

We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet, October 1972 general conference

President Boyd K. Packer

“The ordinances of washing and anointing are referred to often in the temple as initiatory ordinances. It will be sufficient for our purposes to only say the following: Associated with the endowment are washings and anointings—mostly symbolic in nature, but promising definite, immediate blessings as well as future blessings.”

Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple

Elder James E. Talmage

“On the north of the baptistry are spacious and convenient dressing rooms used by the brethren, and on the south are equally appropriate dressing rooms for the sisters. Provision is also made for rooms where certain ordinances of anointing are performed. In these ceremonies only women administer to women, and men to men.”

The House of the Lord [1976], 83

Elder Robert D. Hales

“In the temple, the plan of salvation is explained and sacred covenants are made. These covenants, together with the wearing of sacred temple garments, strengthen and protect the endowed person against the powers of the adversary. After receiving their own endowments, the young man or young woman may attend the temple and perform vicarious ordinances to make priesthood blessings available to those who have died without the opportunity of receiving these blessings during mortality.”

Blessings of the Priesthood, October 1995 general conference

President Russell M. Nelson

“The temple is literally full of truth. Truths of the Father’s plan are laid open to us with clarity and power. Words of truth about our Father, His Son, and Their relationship to us are spoken in the covenants and ordinances of the temple. The temple is a house of revelation where truth distills upon our souls and enlightens our understanding [see Doctrine and Covenants 109:15]. We learn of our eternal identity and purpose and the marvelous promises of the Lord. Those promises are true, for our God is a God of truth and cannot lie [see Ether 3:12]. ... If our brothers and sisters go to the temple seeking strength and understanding, they will be taught by the Lord Himself about truths that matter most to them in their time of need.”

Teachings of Russell M. Nelson, 373

President Ezra Taft Benson

“Celestial laws, embodied in certain ordinances belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ, are complied with by voluntary covenants. The laws are spiritual. Thus, our Father in Heaven has ordained certain holy sanctuaries, called temples, in which these laws may be fully explained. The laws include the law of obedience and sacrifice, the law of the gospel, the law of chastity, and the law of consecration.”

A Vision and a Hope for the Youth of Zion, Brigham Young University devotional, April 12, 1977

President Boyd K. Packer

“There members of the Church who make themselves eligible can participate in the most exalted and sacred of the redeeming ordinances that have been revealed to mankind. There we may be washed and anointed and instructed and endowed and sealed. And when we have received these blessings for ourselves, we may officiate for those who have died without having had the same opportunity.”

Come to the Temple, Ensign, October 2007

Elder Robert D. Hales

"Our desires to return to Heavenly Father increase as we, in addition to taking the sacrament, become worthy to obtain a temple recommend. ... Then, as endowed temple recommend holders, we establish patterns of Christlike living. These include obedience, making sacrifices to keep the commandments, loving one another, being chaste in thought and action, and giving of ourselves to build the kingdom of God. Through the Savior’s Atonement and by following these basic patterns of faithfulness, we receive 'power from on high' to face the challenges of life. We need this divine power today more than ever. It is power we receive only through temple ordinances.”

Coming to Ourselves: The Sacrament, the Temple, and Sacrifice in Service, April 2012 general conference

Elder James E. Talmage

“The temple endowment, as administered in modern temples, comprises instruction relating to the significance and sequence of past dispensations. ... This course of instruction includes a recital of the most prominent events of the creative period, the condition of our first parents in the Garden of Eden, their disobedience and the consequent expulsion from that blissful abode, their condition in the lone and dreary world when doomed to live by labor and sweat, the plan of redemption by which the great transgression may be atoned.”

The House of the Lord [1976], 84

Elder James E. Talmage

“The ordinances of the endowment embody certain obligations on the part of the individual, such as covenant and promise to observe the law of strict virtue and chastity, to be charitable, benevolent, tolerant and pure; to devote both talent and material means to the spread of truth and the uplifting of the [human] race; to maintain devotion to the cause of truth; and to seek in every way to contribute to the great preparation that the earth may be made ready to receive her King—the Lord Jesus Christ. With the taking of each covenant and the assuming of each obligation a promised blessing is pronounced, contingent upon the faithful observance of the conditions.”

The House of the Lord, 100

President Thomas S. Monson

“My brothers and sisters, the great test of this life is obedience. ‘We will prove them herewith,’ said the Lord, ‘to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.' Declared the Savior, ‘For all who will have a blessing at my hands shall abide the law which was appointed for that blessing, and the conditions thereof, as were instituted from before the foundation of the world.' No greater example of obedience exists than that of our Savior. Of Him, Paul observed: 'Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.'”

Obedience Brings Blessings, April 2013 general conference

President Gordon B. Hinckley

“I give you my testimony that the happiness of the Latter-day Saints, the peace of the Latter-day Saints, the progress of the Latter-day Saints, the prosperity of the Latter-day Saints, and the eternal salvation and exaltation of this people lie in walking in obedience to the counsels of the priesthood of God.”

If Ye Be Willing and Obedient, October 1971 general conference

President James E. Faust

“Obedience leads to true freedom. The more we obey revealed truth, the more we become liberated. ... Just as order gave life and beauty to the earth when it was dark and void, so it does to us. Obedience helps us develop the full potential our Heavenly Father desires for us in becoming celestial beings worthy someday to live in His presence.”

Obedience: The Path to Freedom, April 1999 general conference

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

“Obedience is not only the first law of heaven. Obedience is the first law of everything. Everything that I know that matters requires that initial commitment to obey the word and the will of the Lord. It’s the first covenant that we make in the temple.”

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland Visits Philippines, Shares Message on Love, Newsroom.ChurchofJesusChrist.org

Elder L. Tom Perry

“First, we need to be obedient to the laws of the Lord. This is one of the first lessons taught to Adam and Eve: obedience brings faith. It brings forth the blessings of heaven. Disobedience brings forth heartache and despair. Following the law of obedience comes the requirement to give of ourselves in service to our Father in Heaven’s children. Sacrificing what we have to benefit our brothers and sisters is the crowning test of the gospel. One of the purposes of the mortal experience is to see if we will follow the Savior’s counsel to ‘seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you’ [see Matthew 6:33].”

Behold, the Lord Hath Shown unto Me Great and Marvelous Things, October 1992 general conference

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

“We all want you to succeed in this life and to qualify for the greatest of God’s gifts—eternal life in the celestial kingdom. To achieve your goals in this mortal life and prove yourselves worthy of eternal blessings, learn to obey. There is no other way. Obedience brings great strength and power into your lives.”

Live in Obedience, April 1994 general conference

President Russell M. Nelson

“We are still commanded to sacrifice, but not by shedding blood of animals. Our highest sense of sacrifice is achieved as we make ourselves more sacred or holy. This we do by our obedience to the commandments of God. Thus, the laws of obedience and sacrifice are indelibly intertwined. Consider the commandments to obey the Word of Wisdom, to keep the Sabbath day holy, to pay an honest tithe. As we comply with these and other commandments, something wonderful happens to us. We become disciplined! We become disciples! We become more sacred and holy—like our Lord!”

Lessons from Eve, October 1987 general conference

President Harold B. Lee

“Our present welfare plan could well be the 'setting-up' exercises to see how prepared this church is to live this plan, so that, as was the joyous realization of a people on this continent, as recorded in an ancient scripture we call the Book of Mormon, after they were all converted to the Lord, ‘there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all … partakers of the heavenly gift’ and ‘surely there could not be a happier people’ on the face of the earth (4 Ne. 1:3, 16) by living fully the law of sacrifice and consecration.”

Teach the Gospel of Salvation, October 1972 general conference

President M. Russell Ballard

“Usually, the first thing people think of when they hear 'law of Moses' is animal sacrifice. The somewhat gruesome nature of blood sacrifice has led some to ask, ‘How could such an activity have anything to do with the gospel of love?’ We can better understand the answer to that question when we understand the two major purposes for the law of sacrifice. These purposes applied to Adam, Abraham, Moses, and the New Testament Apostles, and they apply to us today as we accept and live the law of sacrifice. Its two major purposes are to test and prove us and to assist us in coming unto Christ.”

The Law of Sacrifice, Liahona, March 2002

Elder L. Tom Perry

“Is it any wonder that the Lord, from the very beginning, wanted to keep his plan firmly fixed in the minds of his children here on earth? Among the laws given to Adam and Eve, the law of sacrifice was instituted to remind them of the great event that would occur in the meridian of time. ... From that time onward until the Savior came to earth, whenever the priesthood was present, man offered sacrifices to remind him of the time when the Son of Man would come to earth to make the supreme sacrifice for all of us.”

Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, April 1996 general conference

Elder Neal A. Maxwell

“[R]eal, personal sacrifice never was placing an animal on the altar. Instead, it is a willingness to put the animal in us upon the altar and letting it be consumed! Such is the ‘sacrifice unto the Lord … of a broken heart and a contrite spirit,’ (Doctrine and Covenants 59:8), a prerequisite to taking up the cross, while giving ‘away all [our] sins’ in order to ‘know God’ (Alma 22:18) for the denial of self precedes the full acceptance of Him.”

Deny Yourselves of All Ungodliness, April 1995 general conference

President Russell M. Nelson

“As individual members of the Church, you and I participate in the Lord’s 'own way.' At least once a month, we fast and pray and contribute generous offerings to funds that enable bishops to disperse aid. This is part of the law of the gospel. Each of us truly can help the poor and the needy, now, and wherever they are. And we, too, will be blessed and protected from apostasy by so doing.”

In the Lord’s Own Way, April 1986 general conference

President Ezra Taft Benson

“We covenant to live the law of the gospel. The law of the gospel embraces all laws, principles, and ordinances necessary for our exaltation. We agree to exercise faith in Jesus Christ and sincere repentance borne out of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. As we comply with the ordinances of baptism and confirmation, and continue in faith and prayer, the power of the Savior's atoning sacrifice covers our sins and we are cleansed from all unrighteousness. ...  The law of the gospel is more than understanding the plan of salvation. It consists of partaking of the ordinances and the sealing powers culminating in a man being sealed up unto eternal life. ‘Being born again,’ said the Prophet Joseph Smith, ‘comes by the spirit of God through ordinances.’"

Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, 337

President John Taylor

“But it became necessary that Adam should obey, observe, and keep the law of the gospel, and it also became necessary that his posterity, who would possess the same exaltation and blessings, should also keep and observe the same law.”

The Gospel Kingdom, 279

President Wilford W. Woodruff

“All who embrace the principles of the gospel of Christ will be saved by them. He that abides a law will be preserved by it. Any man who abides the law of the gospel will be saved and receive exaltation and glory by it.”

The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, 22

Elder Bruce R. McConkie

“In the final analysis, the gospel of God is written, not in the dead letters of scriptural records, but in the lives of the Saints. It is not written with pen and ink on paper of man's making, but with acts and deeds in the book of life of each believing and obedient person. It is engraved in the flesh and bones and sinews of those who live a celestial law, which is the law of the gospel. It is there to be read by others, first, by those who, seeing the good works of the Saints, shall respond by glorifying our Father in heaven (see Matt. 5:16) and finally by the Great Judge to whom every man's life is an open book.”

Our Gospel Came Not Unto You in Word Only…, October 1968 general conference

President Russell M. Nelson

“The Savior’s way of life is good. His way includes chastity before marriage and total fidelity within marriage. The Lord’s way is the only way for us to experience enduring happiness. His way brings sustained comfort to our souls and perennial peace to our homes. And best of all, His way leads us home to Him and our Heavenly Father, to eternal life and exaltation. This is the very essence of God’s work and glory.”

Decisions for Eternity, October 2013 general conference

President Dallin H. Oaks

“The power to create mortal life is the most exalted power God has given to His children. Its use was mandated by God’s first commandment to Adam and Eve (see Genesis 1:28), but other important commandments were given to forbid its misuse (see Exodus 20:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:3). The emphasis we place on the law of chastity is explained by our understanding of the purpose of our procreative powers in the accomplishment of God’s plan. Outside the bonds of marriage between a man and a woman, all uses of our procreative powers are to one degree or another sinful and contrary to God’s plan for the exaltation of His children.”

No Other Gods, October 2013 general conference

Elder David A. Bednar

“I promise that obedience to the law of chastity will increase our happiness in mortality and make possible our progress in eternity. Chastity and virtue are now, always have been, and always will be ‘most dear and precious above all things’ (Moroni 9:9)."

We Believe in Being Chaste, April 2013 general conference

Elder Neil L. Andersen

“There are many single adults in the Church well beyond their early adult years. While finding their present life different than they had anticipated, they keep the law of chastity. It can be a trial of their faith. I express my deep respect and admiration for these disciples of Christ.”

Trial of Your Faith, October 2012 general conference

The Family: A Proclamation to the World

“The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife. We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.”

The Family: A Proclamation to the World

For the Strength of Youth

“When you are sexually pure, you prepare yourself to make and keep sacred covenants in the temple. You prepare yourself to build a strong marriage and to bring children into the world as part of an eternal and loving family. You protect yourself from the spiritual and emotional damage that come from sharing sexual intimacy outside of marriage. You also protect yourself from harmful diseases. Remaining sexually pure helps you to be confident and truly happy and improves your ability to make good decisions now and in the future. The Lord’s standard regarding sexual purity is clear and unchanging. Do not have any sexual relations before marriage, and be completely faithful to your spouse after marriage. ... Do not participate in discussions or any media that arouse sexual feelings. Do not participate in any type of pornography.”

For the Strength of Youth: Sexual Purity

President Ezra Taft Benson

 “We covenant to live the law of consecration. This law is that we consecrate our time, talents, strength, property, and money for the upbuilding of the kingdom of God on this earth and the establishment of Zion. Until one abides by the laws of obedience, sacrifice, the gospel, and chastity, he cannot abide the law of consecration, which is the law pertaining to the celestial kingdom. “For if you will that I give you place in the celestial world, you must prepare yourselves by doing the things which I have commanded you and required of you (D&C 78:7)."

Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, 121

President Spencer W. Kimball

“[W]e consecrate our time, talents and means as called upon by our file leaders and as prompted by the whisperings of the Spirit. In the Church, as in the Welfare system also, we can give expression to every ability, every righteous desire, every thoughtful impulse. Whether a volunteer, father, home teacher, bishop, or neighbor, whether a visiting teacher, mother, homemaker, or friend—there is ample opportunity to give our all. And as we give, we find that ‘sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven!’ (Hymns, no. [27]) And in the end, we learn it was no sacrifice at all.”

Becoming the Pure in Heart, April 1978 general conference

Elder D. Todd Christofferson

“Our life on earth is a stewardship of time and choices granted by our Creator. The word stewardship calls to mind the Lord’s law of consecration (see, for example, Doctrine and Covenants 42:32, 53), which has an economic role but, more than that, is an application of celestial law to life here and now (see Doctrine and Covenants 105:5). To consecrate is to set apart or dedicate something as sacred, devoted to holy purposes. True success in this life comes in consecrating our lives—that is, our time and choices—to God’s purposes (see John 17:1, 4; Doctrine and Covenants 19:19). In so doing, we permit Him to raise us to our highest destiny.”

Reflections on a Consecrated Life, October 2010 general conference

Elder Neal A. Maxwell

“We tend to think of consecration only as yielding up, when divinely directed, our material possessions. But ultimate consecration is the yielding up of oneself to God. Heart, soul, and mind were the encompassing words of Christ in describing the first commandment, which is constantly, not periodically, operative (see Matt. 22:37). If kept, then our performances will, in turn, be fully consecrated for the lasting welfare of our souls (see 2 Ne. 32:9).”

Consecrate thy Performance, April 2002 general conference

President Henry B. Eyring

"Our Heavenly Father hears the prayers of His children across the earth... Those pleas have reached Him since He placed men and women on the earth.

Because the Lord hears their cries and feels your deep compassion for them, He has from the beginning of time provided ways for His disciples to help. He has invited His children to consecrate their time, their means, and themselves to join with Him in serving others. His way of helping has at times been called living the law of consecration."

Opportunities to Do Good, April 2011 general conference

Elder David A. Bednar

“Consecration is related to and builds upon sacrifice.  The word consecrate means to develop and ‘dedicate to a sacred purpose.’  Sacrifice is what we will offer, surrender, yield, or give up.  Consecration, on the other hand, is to fully develop and dedicate to a sacred purpose. … As we live the law of consecration, we are willing not only to offer anything and everything that we possess for the sake of the gospel—but we also promise to develop and devote our best selves—our time, our talents, and our ever increasing capacity—to the building of the kingdom of God on the earth. Our pledge is: I will give me and all that I can become, and I will live for the gospel of Jesus Christ. The principle of sacrifice is a lesser-law preparation for the principle of consecration.  Consecration includes and encompasses sacrifice and much more. … True consecration is motivated by charity and produces an increased desire to serve. In these latter days, more is required of us as children of the covenant than our money, substance, and time. We need to consecrate unto the Lord our whole souls.”

Adapted from a devotional address given at BYU-Idaho, “Your Whole Souls as an Offering Unto Him,” David A. Bednar, January 5, 1999

President Russell M. Nelson

“Brethren and sisters, material possessions and honors of the world do not endure. But your union as wife, husband, and family can. The only duration of family life that satisfies the loftiest longings of the human soul is forever. No sacrifice is too great to have the blessings of an eternal marriage. To qualify, one needs only to deny oneself of ungodliness and honor the ordinances of the temple. By making and keeping sacred temple covenants, we evidence our love for God, for our companion, and our real regard for our posterity—even those yet unborn. Our family is the focus of our greatest work and joy in this life; so will it be throughout all eternity, when we can ‘inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, … powers, dominions, … exaltation and glory.’ These priceless blessings can be ours if we set our houses in order now and faithfully cling to the gospel.”

Set in Order Thy House, October 2001 general conference

President Dallin H. Oaks

“The purpose of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to help all of the children of God understand their potential and achieve their highest destiny. This church exists to provide the sons and daughters of God with the means of entrance into and exaltation in the celestial kingdom. This is a family-centered church in doctrine and practices. Our understanding of the nature and purpose of God the Eternal Father explains our destiny and our relationship in his eternal family. Our theology begins with heavenly parents. Our highest aspiration is to be like them. Under the merciful plan of the Father, all of this is possible through the atonement of the Only Begotten of the Father, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As earthly parents we participate in the gospel plan by providing mortal bodies for the spirit children of God. The fulness of eternal salvation is a family matter.”

Apostasy and Restoration, April 1995 general conference

President Henry B. Eyring

“Everything we do should have celestial marriage as its focus and purpose. That means we must strive to be sealed to an eternal companion in the temple of God. We must also encourage others to make and keep the covenants that bind a husband and wife together, with their family, in this life and in the world to come.”

Eternal Families, April 2016 general conference

President Boyd K. Packer

“The ultimate end of all activity in the Church is to see a husband and his wife and their children happy at home, protected by the principles and laws of the gospel, sealed safely in the covenants of the everlasting priesthood.”

And a Little Child Shall Lead Them, April 2012 general conference

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

“I am grateful that I belong to a church that values marriage and family. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are known throughout the world for having some of the finest marriages and families you can find. I believe this is, in part, due to the precious truth restored by Joseph Smith that marriages and families are meant to be eternal. Families are not just meant to make things run more smoothly here on earth and to be cast off when we get to heaven. Rather, they are the order of heaven. They are an echo of a celestial pattern and an emulation of God’s eternal family.”

In Praise of Those Who Save, April 2016 general conference

"The Family: A Proclamation to the World"

“The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.”

The Family: A Proclamation to the World

President Russell M. Nelson

“Every human being who comes to this earth is the product of generations of parents. We have a natural yearning to connect with our ancestors. This desire dwells in our hearts, regardless of age. Consider the spiritual connections that are formed when a young woman helps her grandmother enter family information into a computer or when a young man sees the name of his great-grandfather on a census record. When our hearts turn to our ancestors, something changes inside us. We feel part of something greater than ourselves. Our inborn yearnings for family connections are fulfilled when we are linked to our ancestors through sacred ordinances of the temple.”

Generations Linked in Love, April 2010 general conference

President Thomas S. Monson

“Why are so many willing to give so much in order to receive the blessings of the temple? Those who understand the eternal blessings which come from the temple know that no sacrifice is too great, no price too heavy, no struggle too difficult in order to receive those blessings. There are never too many miles to travel, too many obstacles to overcome, or too much discomfort to endure. They understand that the saving ordinances received in the temple that permit us to someday return to our Heavenly Father in an eternal family relationship and to be endowed with blessings and power from on high are worth every sacrifice and every effort.”

The Holy Temple—A Beacon to the World, April 2011 general conference

President Gordon B. Hinckley

“I believe that no member of the Church has received the ultimate which this Church has to give until he or she has received his or her temple blessings in the house of the Lord.”

Some Thoughts on Temples, Retention of Converts, and Missionary Service, October 1997 general conference

President Howard W. Hunter

“In that spirit I invite the Latter-day Saints to look to the temple of the Lord as the great symbol of your membership. It is the deepest desire of my heart to have every member of the Church worthy to enter the temple. It would please the Lord if every adult member would be worthy of—and carry—a current temple recommend. The things that we must do and not do to be worthy of a temple recommend are the very things that ensure we will be happy as individuals and as families. Let us be a temple-attending people. Attend the temple as frequently as personal circumstances allow. Keep a picture of a temple in your home that your children may see it. Teach them about the purposes of the house of the Lord. Have them plan from their earliest years to go there and to remain worthy of that blessing.”

Exceeding Great and Precious Promises, October 1994 general conference

Elder David A. Bednar

“The Spirit of Elijah affects people inside and outside of the Church. However, as members of Christ’s restored Church, we have the covenant responsibility to search out our ancestors and provide for them the saving ordinances of the gospel. ‘They without us should not be made perfect’ (Hebrews 11:40; see also Teachings: Joseph Smith, 475). And ‘neither can we without our dead be made perfect’ (Doctrine and Covenants 128:15). For these reasons we do family history research, build temples, and perform vicarious ordinances. For these reasons Elijah was sent to restore the sealing authority that binds on earth and in heaven. We are the Lord’s agents in the work of salvation and exaltation that will prevent ‘the whole earth [from being] smitten with a curse’ (Doctrine and Covenants 110:15) when He returns again. This is our duty and great blessing.”

The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn, October 2011 general conference

Elder Quentin L. Cook

“The doctrine of the family in relation to family history and temple work is clear. The Lord in initial revelatory instructions referred to ‘baptism for your dead.’ Our doctrinal obligation is to our own ancestors. This is because the celestial organization of heaven is based on families. The First Presidency has encouraged members, especially youth and young single adults, to emphasize family history work and ordinances for their own family names or the names of ancestors of their ward and stake members. We need to be connected to both our roots and branches. The thought of being associated in the eternal realm is indeed glorious.”

Roots and Branches, April 2014 general conference

President Boyd K. Packer

“No matter what citizenship or race, whether male or female, no matter what occupation, no matter your education, regardless of the generation in which one lives, life is a homeward journey for all of us, back to the presence of God in his celestial kingdom. Ordinances and covenants become our credentials for admission into His presence. To worthily receive them is the quest of a lifetime; to keep them thereafter is the challenge of mortality. Once we have received them for ourselves and for our families, we are obligated to provide these ordinances vicariously for our kindred dead, indeed for the whole human family.”

Covenants, Ensign, May 1987