Friday, April 25, 2014

What Good Are Prophets, Seers and Revelators Who Don't Prophesy, See or Reveal? Part 2

Part 1 Mission Calls  Part 2 Temples  Part 3 Special Witnesses of Christ  Part 4 Patriarchal Blessings

#2 Temple Dedicatory Prayers - Scriptural Examples -1 Kings 8 Dedication of Solomon’s Temple (Prayer begins in verse 22), D&C 109 Kirtland Ohio Temple Dedication, Current Examples - Modern Temples. We have temples being dedicated all the time now. There over 140 temples currently operating, so this type of revelation has happened more than 140 times, and much of that in recent years. Considering that some of those have been re-dedicated after remodeling, the count is even higher. There are another 30 or so under construction or announced, so more revelation is on it’s way. As a child I went to the Bountiful Temple Dedication (Dedicatory Prayer) and since then I have even had the chance to see and listen to a handful of temple dedications near and far by satellite broadcast. My experiences at temple dedications have been uplifting, edifying and I fully consider the prayers to be a product of revelation. I would have loved to attend the Campinas Temple Dedication (Dedicatory Prayer). While we don’t publish these in the Ensign, they are available and could be added to future canon if needed. Perhaps the reason we don’t focus too much on the past dedicatory prayers is because the most important one may be the next one you have the opportunity to attend. We have the chance to go and listen and hear current revelation and be affected and blessed by it.

#3 Temple Locations - Scriptural Example - D&C 115:7-9 (Far West), D&C 94:1 (Kirtland), Modern Examples - Salt Lake Temple and Provo City Center. I’m sure there are many stories and experiences that could be shared by those who got to be involved with selecting sites for temples over the years. Maybe those accounts are harder to find and haven’t been shared very publicly, but I’m sure they are recorded in journals and elsewhere.

President Young received revelation on the location and design of the Salt Lake Temple. “I scarcely ever say much about revelations, or visions, but suffice it to say, five years ago last July [1847] I was here, and saw in the Spirit the Temple not ten feet from where we have laid the Chief Corner Stone. I have not inquired what kind of a Temple we should build. Why? Because it was represented before me. I have never looked upon that ground, but the vision of it was there. I see it as plainly as if it was in reality before me.”- Brigham Young

The Provo City Center temple is being built out of the ruins of the Provo Tabernacle and has a great story to go along with it. Claim the Blessings of Your Covenants BY LINDA S. REEVES October 2013 General Conference "Almost three years ago a devastating fire gutted the interior of the beloved, historic tabernacle in Provo, Utah. Its loss was deemed a great tragedy by both the community and Church members. Many wondered, 'Why did the Lord let this happen? Surely He could have prevented the fire or stopped its destruction.' Ten months later, during the October 2011 general conference, there was an audible gasp when President Thomas S. Monson announced that the nearly destroyed tabernacle was to become a holy temple—a house of the Lord! Suddenly we could see what the Lord had always known! He didn't cause the fire, but He allowed the fire to strip away the interior. He saw the tabernacle as a magnificent temple—a permanent home for making sacred, eternal covenants. My dear sisters, the Lord allows us to be tried and tested, sometimes to our maximum capacity. We have seen the lives of loved ones—and maybe our own—figuratively burned to the ground and have wondered why a loving and caring Heavenly Father would allow such things to happen. But He does not leave us in the ashes; He stands with open arms, eagerly inviting us to come to Him. He is building our lives into magnificent temples where His Spirit can dwell eternally." -Linda S. Reeves. The blog post by Stephanie Nielson on the topic is very good as well. Sometimes Trials Can Be Blessings

#4 Temple Design - Scriptural Examples -2 Nephi 5:16 (Nephi’s Temple), D&C 115:14 (Far West), D&C 94:2 (Kirtland), Modern Example - Small Temples New Temples to Provide “Crowning Blessings” of the Gospel GORDON B. HINCKLEY April 1998 General Conference “As we were riding to El Paso, I reflected on what we could do to help these people in the Church colonies in Mexico. They've been so very faithful over the years. They've kept the faith. They've gone on missions in large numbers. These stakes have produced very many mission presidents who served faithfully and well. They've been the very epitome of faithfulness. And yet they've had to travel all the way to Mesa, Arizona, to go to a temple. . . . I thought of these things and what could be done. The concept of . . . smaller temples came into my mind. I concluded we didn't need the laundry. We didn't need to rent temple clothing. We didn't need eating facilities. These have been added for the convenience of the people but are not necessary [for the temple ordinances].” President Hinckley noted that a smaller temple could be built more quickly and yet include all the essential facilities needed for temple ordinances. After boarding the airplane, he recalled, “I took a piece of paper” and “sketched out the [floor] plan, and turned it over to the architects to refine it.” He concluded, “The concept is beautiful. It’s a very workable concept.” The Colonia Juárez Temple: A Prophet’s Inspiration

I am grateful that the Lord revealed his desire that a temple be built in Bountiful. It was a memorable part of my youth seeing it announced, helping prepare the grounds and helping at the open house. The Brazil Campinas Temple was under construction while I served there as a missionary. I got the chance to visit the site and I saw what the temple being built meant to the members in that area. We are blessed to have so many temples. I was very touched by revelation that came to President Hinckley to bring the temples to the saints and I know that direction came from the Lord just as it did to Joseph Smith and the early saints. D&C 95:8 “Yea, verily I say unto you, I gave unto you a commandment that you should build a house, in the which house I design to endow those whom I have chosen with power from on high.”

Part 1 Mission Calls  Part 2 Temples  Part 3 Special Witnesses of Christ  Part 4 Patriarchal Blessings

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