Sunday, November 18, 2012

Thank you to Janiece Burgess for reminding us that today was the re-dedication of the newly remodeled Boise Temple. I looked up in the Church Almanac to see when it was first dedicated. I remembered it was in May 1984, one year after the Burley Idaho Stake was divided and our Burley Idaho West Stake was formed.
 Our dear Boise Idaho Temple has had 4 "dedications" now:
 Dedication: May 25-30, 1984 by President Gordon B. Hinckley
 Dedication of remodeled facilities by Elder James E. Faust, Feb. 14, 1987.
 Dedication of new baptistry by Elder Faust May 29, 1987.
 Dedication of newly remodeled temple by ________________      Nov. 18, 2012
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 Mormon temples are unique buildings that are not used for normal Sunday worship services. While chapels, where services are held, are open to the public, the temples require special permission to attend, and are for people who have been members of the Church for at least one year and have achieved a high level of obedience to God’s commandments. Only adults may enter the temple except for a limited number of situations. Following are some thoughts and stories from Thomas S. Monson, the Mormon prophet, on these sacred buildings.

 The Temple as Service,
quote by our Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson:
 "Now, my brothers and sisters, we have built temples throughout the world and will continue to do so. To you who are worthy and able to attend the temple, I would admonish you to go often. The temple is a place where we can find peace. There we receive a renewed dedication to the gospel and a strengthened resolve to keep the commandments. What a privilege it is to be able to go to the temple, where we may experience the sanctifying influence of the Spirit of the Lord. Great service is given when we perform vicarious ordinances for those who have gone beyond the veil. In many cases we do not know those for whom we perform the work. We expect no thanks, nor do we have the assurance that they will accept that which we offer. However, we serve, and in that process we attain that which comes of no other effort: we literally become saviors on Mount Zion. As our Savior gave His life as a vicarious sacrifice for us, so we, in some small measure, do the same when we perform proxy work in the temple for those who have no means of moving forward unless something is done for them by those of us here on the earth."
-- Thomas S. Monson, “Until We Meet Again,” Ensign, May 2009, 112–14

Also today, Sunday, November 18, 2012
Walt and I spoke at the El Salvador Layco Stake Conference about temples.
The photo is Walt with the Stake President, President Francisco Rodríguez.

After I took the photo above, a sweet Sister offered to take a photo of all three of us together.