I think the Family Proclamation to the World and temple ordinances go hand in hand. If we want to teach our children the importance of temple ordinances, they must also truly understand the role of families in Heavenly Father's plan. The Family Proclamation states, "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." Temples make this possible. We have a responsibility to teach our children why the temple ordinances are so important in the plan of salvation, for without them, we would be lost.
President Benson also stated blessings that we can have if we attend the temple regularly.
• You will receive the spirit of Elijah, which will turn your hearts to your spouse, to your children, and to your forebears.
• You will love your family with a deeper love than you have loved before.
• Your hearts will be turned to your fathers and theirs to you.
• You will be endowed with power from on high as the Lord has promised.
• You will receive the key of the knowledge of God. (See D&C 84:19.) You will learn how you can be like Him. Even the power of godliness will be manifest to you. (See D&C 84:20.)
• You will be doing a great service to those who have passed to the other side of the veil in order that they might be “judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.” (D&C 138:34.)
This gives me so much hope and peace. It also makes me want to go to the temple more so I can have these blessings more abundantly in my life. A few years ago I was homeschooling my children because we had moved to place with inner city schools that were not doing well academically. I began feeling overwhelmed and frustrated a lot of the time. I started attending the temple every Thursday night because I noticed if I went to the temple every week, it recharged my batteries. I was better able to handle the demands of motherhood and homeschooling. I was also blessed with greater patience and compassion for my children. I saw the power of regular temple attendance within my own life because it helped me become a better mother.
In the First Presidency Message, President Benson quoted the Prophet Joseph, who said: “If a man gets a fullness of the priesthood of God he has to get it in the same way that Jesus Christ obtained it, and that was by keeping all the commandments and obeying all the ordinances of the house of the Lord.” (Teachings, p. 308.) I loved this quote. We have a blue print for obtaining eternal life in the account of Christ's ministry found in the New Testament. Line upon line, trying to be a littler bit better every day.
To obtain a fullness of the priesthood, we begin by being baptized and confirmed, then endowments and sealing to spouse, for males, obtaining the priesthood is also part of this. I want to focus on being sealed to your spouse. When we enter into the temple marriage covenant, we are promising to give 100 percent to our spouse and the marriage.
Elder Hafen gave a talk entitled, "Covenant Marriage." In his talk he said, "When troubles come, the parties to a contractual marriage seek happiness by walking away. They marry to obtain benefits and will stay only as long as they’re receiving what they bargained for. But when troubles come to a covenant marriage, the husband and wife work them through. They marry to give and to grow, bound by covenants to each other, to the community, and to God. Contract companions each give 50 percent; covenant companions each give 100 percent." When troubles arise, we covenant to work through them and persevere, growing together as husband and wife, towards Godhood.
Elder Bednar gave a talk entitled “Marriage is Essential to His Eternal Plan.” In his address, he asked a question of how we can gage ourselves if we are being contactual or covenant companions. "Am I striving to become a better [spouse] or preparing to be a [spouse], by understanding and applying these basic principles?" The basic principles he is talking about is eternal marriage. Marriage is essential to God's plan. Marriage between one man and one woman is essential in bringing children to this earth and raising them in a home filled with love and unity. In this type of home, a child's physical and spiritual needs are met. Elder Bednar discussed the triangle with Christ at the top and husband and wife on the bottom two corners. As they draw nearer to Christ, they naturally grow closer to one another.
We could make a long list of things we could do to be a better spouse, but I think lists can be overwhelming. So choose one thing you can do a little better today to draw closer to God and your spouse. Maybe that's choosing to not get angry, putting your phone down, getting up with the baby so your spouse can sleep, or praying for your spouse. Those are only a few ideas of things you could do. Do what is most beneficial for your marriage. As you work towards this, you will be creating your happily ever after.
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