Conference Talk of the Week

Overview

Elder Gerrit W. Gong teaches three doctrines about the temple and then gives five ways to build a personal temple culture. The doctrines are these: Heavenly Father's plan is for families to return to Him together and forever. Moral agency means God will not require anyone to be sealed in a relationship they do not choose. Ordinances and covenants become binding in eternity when the Holy Spirit of Promise confirms them, and He does that as we honor them. On that foundation, Elder Gong asks members to value the spiritual blessings of temples even more than the buildings, and to show the spirit of temple sacrifice now that temples are closer by attending and serving more often. He reminds them that everything in every temple testifies of Jesus Christ, asks them to speak of every temple with gratitude and never call one big or small, and encourages them to own and care for their own temple clothes. He opens and closes with a joke about why temple workers cross the road. His answer is that they cross to bless people on both sides of the veil.

Three Key Takeaways

• 1Agency stays in place in eternity. God will not require a man or woman to be sealed or to live in an eternal relationship they do not choose, and ordinances we do not honor or desire are not expected to bind us.
• 2Doing temple work for family members we had hard relationships with can soften hearts on both sides of the veil. Through Jesus Christ, members describe forgiving, being freed from anger, and feeling peace, and some even come to want to be sealed to those family members.
• 3The Holy Spirit of Promise makes ordinances and covenants binding in time and eternity. He witnesses to the Father that they were performed properly and have been kept, which is why honoring covenants matters as much as receiving them.

Reflection Questions

• Is there a family member, living or deceased, with whom my relationship has been difficult, and how might temple or family history work for them invite the Savior to help me forgive and find peace?
• Now that the temple is closer to me than it was for earlier generations, what does temple sacrifice look like in my current season of life?
• Elder Gong says the Holy Spirit of Promise confirms covenants we honor in faith and action. Which of my covenants am I honoring well right now, and which one needs more attention?