Temples are important to Mormons because therein, we can receive saving ordinances, including the sealing of families together. Through temple marriages, husbands and wives are sealed to each other beyond death, not just “’til death do us part.” Children are bound to parents, and generations are linked to each other. Mormon focus on family history work ties closely to our belief in the blessings of temple work for in addition to receiving ordinances for ourselves, Mormons also perform vicarious ordinances for those who have died, who hadn’t received them in mortality. We believe that people can then choose whether or not to accept those ordinances. The doctrine of work for the dead is a testimony of our belief that God is no respecter of persons and provides all of His children the opportunity to receive the ordinances of salvation.

Temples to Mormons are Houses of the Lord. The temple is a place where Mormons go to come closer to God and to keep an eternal perspective in life. The temple becomes a symbol of our faith in life after death, in God’s plan of salvation, and a testimony of the importance of families in that plan, of the reality of resurrection, and in our faith in Jesus Christ.

Before a temple is dedicated, it is open to the public to enter and see what a temple looks like inside. To see some photos of the interior of an LDS temple, see the following:

Inside Mormon Temples

Inside the LDS (Mormon) Twin Falls [Idaho, USA] Temple [this temple is now dedicated but there are many photos of the inside of the temple in this informational video that was created for the open house for this temple]

Inside a Mormon Temple

Mormon Temple Virtual Tour

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Seeing the prophet’s jet heading towards the Safford airport caused great excitement! It’s the little white line at the top of the mountain. We had made signs to welcome the prophet and got construction barricades for the signs to be put on. We heard the news that the prophet would be landing around 2:00 so we decided to wait at the end of my in-laws drive way so we could wave to him as he drove by. We had no idea that we were in for the treat of a lifetime!

Here comes his slew of cars….

The prophet instructed his driver to pull over. It almost caused the cars behind his to rear end each other.

You can imagine our AWE when the cars pulled over. I had been told to take lots of good pictures so I ran closer thinking they might get out and wave to us then get back in their cars.

Imagine my excitement seeing the prophet walking towards us. He was telling us to stay there and he would come to us, he didn’t want us in the road.

By great chance I happened to be the first person to greet President Monson. I shook his hand and gave him a gentle hug. I told him how happy we were to meet him. He said, “It’s good to be here and this looks like a good looking group!”

As he walked away from me towards the group of friends and family it was an amazing moment for me. I got the chills…the good kind, and I started to get emotional while trying to take in what was happening. I have always had a testimony that President Monson is a true prophet of God. But what a testimony building experience it was to have the Spirit testify to me while shaking the prophet’s hand that This Is The Lord’s Prophet On The Earth Today! I felt the Spirit so strong as I watched him walk towards the children and crowd. I am not normally a emotional person, but I got choked up and had tears of joy. I will forever be grateful for this experience.

The prophet took K’s hat and tried it on.

I have tried several times to help my kids understand what a rare and amazing opportunity they had to meet the prophet, Thomas S. Monson, and two apostles, President Henry B. Eyring [also currently a member of the First Presidency] and Elder Jeffery R. Holland. They also got to see a member of the Seventy, Elder William R. Walker. They not only had the chance to shake their hands they spoke like we were old friends. They asked the kids questions and listen to their responses.

In this picture the prophet took K by the face and told him and all the other kids right there to watch his ears. He proceeded to wiggle his ears! It was the cutest thing! The kids got quite a kick out of that. I was glad my children got to be right there to see that. It was amazing to personally witness his profound love for the children. The prophet and General Authorities were all so genuine and personable.

All the boys giving the prophet a hug.

This would be L hugging or better yet attached to the prophets leg. He told the prophet, “I Love You!” I was afraid L was going to knock the prophet over.

L, being four, was oh so confused about the prophet getting here. He asked, “Mom the prophet came here in a airplane right from heaven?” He then asked me, “Did he bring Jesus with him?”

The prophet shaking K’s hand. And yes that is L attached to the prophets leg.

All my kids individually had opportunities to hug, shake hands, smile, laugh and enjoy the presence of the prophet.

Here are the children talking to Elder Jeffery R. Holland.

I love L looking up to him. I have to say Elder Holland and Elder Eyring would be at the top of my most favored apostles, even before this experience I mean, and of course now after getting to meet them.

Henry B. Eyring is my absolute favorite church speaker. I have never heard a talk of his that didn’t touch me, regardless of the topic. He is so genuine and sincere.

What an experience to not just meet but actually visit with an apostle of Jesus Christ.

I just couldn’t take enough pictures to capture the intense feeling of joy, excitement and love that we felt.

The prophet laughing and sharing.

The prophet has a instantly great sense of humor. He is so quick witted!

I can’t fully express the experience to do it justice. To say it was a treat, a thrill, a treasure, exciting , amazing…would be a huge understatement.

As President Monson was leaving the crowd we sang, “We Thank Thee Oh God for a Prophet.” The prophet joined in with the singing. I got the chills again while our group, probably 40 people or so, were singing with the prophet.

We got to follow up this treasured experience by attending the GilaValley Temple Cultural Celebration.

A Day To Remember… Forever!

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Simply put, a temple dedication is where “leaders of the Church offer…a special prayer asking the Lord to accept and bless the temple and all the people who would come into it.”

Temple dedications have always been important to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At the first latter-day temple dedication in Kirtland, Ohio,

“[h]undreds of Saints came to Kirtland for the dedicatory services; some traveled long distances to attend. There were nearly a thousand seats inside the temple, but many more people wanted to attend the dedication. The Prophet told the people who could not get seats in the temple to hold a separate meeting in the schoolhouse nearby, and the next Thursday the dedication service was repeated so these people could hear it…. [This illustrates the reason that twelve different dedicatory sessions were held this weekend, thus allowing many people the opportunity to participate in the sacred event.]

Some may wonder what the dedicatory service is actually like. While the Kirtland temple dedication was more extensive than dedicatory services held today (it lasted over seven hours!), reading about it can give an idea of what happens each time a temple is dedicated:

The Prophet Joseph Smith read the dedicatory prayer, which had been given to him in a revelation. This prayer is recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 109. In the prayer the Prophet thanked Heavenly Father for the blessings he had given the members of the Church. Joseph prayed that the temple would be a place of prayer, fasting, faith, learning, glory, and order (see D&C 109:8, 16) and that those who came to the temple would grow in faith and wisdom (see D&C 109:14–15). He asked the Lord to accept the temple and make it a holy place (see D&C 109:4, 12–13). After the prayer the choir sang “The Spirit of God” (Hymns, no. 2), which had been written by William W. Phelps for the dedication of the temple. The congregation then…ended the service by giving the sacred Hosanna Shout: they raised their hands above their heads and shouted three times, “Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna to God and the Lamb, amen, amen, and amen.”

Temples are dedicated today following the pattern of the Kirtland Temple dedication. The prophet (or someone he chooses) gives the dedicatory prayer, “The Spirit of God” is sung, and the entire congregation gives the Hosanna Shout.

(All quotes above were taken from this lesson.)

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