On Saturday we attended the cultural celebration at Hugh's stadium, which is at CSU. There were 4000 youth participating from the temple district. It was so cool! I am completely baffled as to how this was all coordinated, but it was exceptionally done. President Uchtdorf and Elder Renlund attended and President Uchtdorf was so complimentary to the youth and the examples and light they radiated. Our kids really enjoyed watching the dance numbers and they even had a huge model of the temple they put together, which was amazing. We felt so blessed to have been able to go and to have felt the wonderful spirit. There were also videos of youth whose lives have been blessed when they turned to the Lord and the scriptures. It was neat to see such a huge group of youth and adults united in their love of the gospel and of the temple.
Sunday morning I attended the 9am dedicatory session, which also had the cornerstone ceremony. President Uchtdorf is truly wonderful and full of love. He and all the leaders love their wives and it shows in how they are part of everything they do. He invited some children to come help with the cornerstone and was funny as he told them to pose since their parents would want to take pictures. Then he got the group of leaders to pose with them as well since he knew that's what parents want. He was a little messy in putting in the cement and told his wife not to clean it up, but she did. He then said "these wonderful sisters do a better job, and then are always cleaning up after us."
After that they went back inside for the talks and prayer. I felt such a powerful spirit in all the counsel that was given. Sister Garrett, temple matron, talked about a woman who read a book and didn't think it was that special and didn't care for it. But then she went on a date with a young man and realized they had many common interests and thoroughly enjoyed being with him. She then found out he was an author and had written the book she'd read. She decided to read it again. This time she found she truly enjoyed it. Why? Because she was not acquainted with the author and the book took on new meaning. Coming to know the author of the ordinances and covenants in the temple will change our temple experience. The more understanding of Him, the more we live consecrated lives to Him. The more we understand His loving kindness. In the temple, loving kindness is two ways. We show it to our ancestors and in return, God's love is retuned to us. She quoted President Hunter "mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again."
President Garrett, temple president, spoke of how as a missionary he saw a God of miracles help another elder learn to memorize, when he was having much difficultly But when he awoke for a back at 2 am and saw this elder dressed in his white shirt and tie praying and studying, and then the next day having it learned, he recognized God's help when we seek it. When he was sealed to his wife he learned that God is the author of of eternal blessings, eternal promises, and eternal hope. He told of a horse that was blind, but instead of putting him down, the farmer had another horse with a bell around his neck. This horse was particularly attentive to the blind horse and lead him. The farmer is our Heavenly Father and chooses to not put us down even though we are weak. The horse with the bell is our Savior, who pays particularly close attention to us and leads us.
President Waddell, presiding bishop, talked about how our labor in the temple covers us as shield of protection and power to be able to overcome the challenges of life. Life is a homeward journey for all of us. And our ordinances and covenants are our credentials to go home. And our challenge to keep them is what this mortal journey is about. The basis of every covenant and ordinance is the atonement of Jesus Christ. He also challenged us to find out what does it mean for us to go to the temple oft. What is oft for us? What does the Lord feel is an appropriate sacrifice from us? The temple is a great symbol of our membership so let us be a temple attending people.
Elder Soares of the presidency of the seventy talked about how these covenants enable us beyond our own power and capabilities. Each temple is an expression of testimony that God lives. Temples are literally the House of the Lord. The Lord himself visits the temples. Temples are places of learning and everything in the temple directs us to God's words to Moses that "this is my work and my glory, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." It is a place of revelation and inspiration. When entering our heart should be completely turned to the Lord about what we can do to change our lives. We get help with life decisions. We receive comfort and peace from our heavy burdens or the stresses of challenges we face. Come to the temple in a spirit of prayer. He also talked about the importance of being prepared to enter the temple. No unclean thing can enter. Ask ourselves, is my heart pure? Are my hands clean? Am I a worthy servant of the Lord? The recommend signifies that we are living the law of chastity, the word of wisdom, that we are paying our tithing, that we are treating our family and neighbors with kindness.
President Uchtdorf was the final speaker. He mentioned several times about how wonderful the celebration was last night and how it was truly a testimony of faith. He encouraged all of us, especially the youth, to document these events and our feelings in our journals to reflect on in the future. The temple is a fortress of faith. It is not closed, but inviting us to come in and seek. It is a symbol of mankind's desire to reach out to the heavens. A place of connection: time to all of eternity, us to our ancestors, and our relationship with God. To connect our earthly existence to our eternal future. God commands us to build temples so that all of his children can return home. It is our duty to share this plan. When crossing the border from Germany to Switzerland to be sealed to his family, he thinks of the symbolism of crossing political boundaries. But the temple erases borders and boundaries and brings blessings to all the inhabitants of the earth. We learn of our spiritual potential and helps us to get our true physical and spiritual bearings. It shows not only does God loves His children, but He offers His eternal life to all, regardless of race, language, or nationality. The blessings of the endowment only can come to their fulfillment by faithfulness. The temples is place to bring salvation to our deceased ancestors. Bring our friends and family to the temple grounds and teach them what the temple is about.
Your example to your youth is more powerful than words you can say. Go to the temple often, grow in the gospel by study and by faith and let your youth see how you live close to the Lord. Learn to love the temple and its ordinances even more. Do everything in your power to live worthily and have a temple recommend. It shows that you are committing yourself to the values of the temple. Respond to the questions as if the Lord is asking them. You will know that God accepts you and your sacrifices and will sanctify you. When you come with strength of a pure heart and power of clean hands, you will be given even more peace and strength. He said he hopes and prays that he and his wife's lives will always be a testimony to their children of their commitment to love the gospel.
The dedicatory prayer was wonderful and during the hosanna shout I felt such joy in having a temple here. My testimony is sure that this is the Lord's church. These are His inspired leaders. This is His house that has been dedicated for the soul purpose of bringing us closer to Him. My heart is so full of gratitude for not only this gospel, but for my testimony of it. I'm grateful for the gift of eternal families, eternal covenants, and for the connection between heaven and earth that is made in the temple. I marveled at all these leaders are asked to do. From coordinating the open house, cultural celebration, dedication, music, and the list goes on. These are ordinary people who were called on to do big things. But the Lord is helping those he calls. He allows us to reach to Him to stretch and learn and grown and something beautiful is created. The priesthood is real and is a power used constantly in the Lord's church.
What a wonderful and memorable occasion this was and I'm so grateful to live here for those momentous occasion.
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