Provo City Temple Open House

Temples are the greatest university of learning known to man, giving us knowledge and wisdom about the creation of the world. Washings and anointing tell us who we are. Endowment instructions give guidance as to how we should conduct our lives here in mortality.

--Robert D. Hales, BYU Devotional Address, November 2005

This past week I took advantage of the couple of days the kids had off from school and took them to tour the new Provo City Temple Open House. I love these opportunities they've had to visit so many in our little Mormon-saturated part of the world.

Draper

Oquirrh Mountain

Payson

And now Provo City.

As I was attempting to find parking, I kept looking for the temple. It's not so visible as some temples since it occupies part of downtown Provo and isn't really on a hill. But soon the Angel Moroni was spotted and I knew we were in the right vicinity. It reminded me of the trip to Seoul, Korea with Tyler when we were also trying to find the temple there and it was the angel that led us to it.

Keep your eyes on the temple and you will always be on the right path.

Kiersten invited her friend Trenton to come along. He is not a member and has been somewhat interested in things. In December she took him to Temple Square to see the lights since he'd never been. They toured and he asked questions and that's when she suggested he come with us to see the inside of one. A seed has been planted; only time will tell what comes of it.

As we watched the short introductory video before the tour, the part that got me and that gets me every time is when Elder Holland says that heaven just wouldn't be heaven without his wife and children. Amen to that. The single life just does not appeal to me.

I'm going to share a little doctrinal insight that President Rose gave at a seminary morningside a couple of weeks ago about the temple.

Doctrine and Covenants 84:19-20

19 And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.

20 Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.

Reworded:

19 And this MELCHEZEDEK PRIESTHOOD administereth the gospel and holdeth the key of the TEMPLE ORDINANCES, even the key of the knowledge of God.

20 Therefore, in the ordinances thereof, the CAPABILITY OR CAPACITY of godliness is manifest.

Temple covenants and ordinances give man the capability to become like God.

If we go to the temple to learn who God is and to become like him, wouldn't the same kind of learning take place in the hereafter?

Aren't there probably temple ceremonies in the after life but without the physical signs and tokens being made (because obviously they don't have a physical body)?

Isn't that why temple work is so important, enabling each person without a physical body the opportunity to progress toward Godhood if they choose? 

Just some thoughts I've been stewing about for several days.