Preparing for Our Phoenix Temple

Dear Sisters,


Thank you Kiana Shipley for teaching a great lesson on preparing ourselves for our Phoenix Temple.  


Phoenix Temple is set to be finished sometime in 2013, that only gives us 2 years to prepare. The time to prepare is now.

Nauvoo Temple


There are currently 152 temples throughout the world.  That number includes temples in operation, under construction, or announced.

Here is a brief summary of the lesson:

Preparing for Our Temple 

“As temples are prepared for the people, the people need to prepare themselves for the temple.” – Elder Russell M Nelson

-One of the brothers who spoke at the temple ground breaking I can’t remember if it was Elder Walker or Elder Pickerd but he talked about those who sacrificed so much for temples in the past, he posed the question, what are we sacrificing?

I really thought about this questions, what can we sacrifice? We all live pretty close to a temple we don’t have to sell all we have to travel hundreds of miles to go to the temple. In the last general conference President Monson spoke on this very subject. I want to take the next few minutes to discuss his council about sacrifice and the temple.

Q1

“My brothers and sisters, temples are more than stone and mortar. They are filled with faith and fasting. They are built of trials and testimonies. They are sanctified by sacrifice and service.

Q2

“Some degree of sacrifice has ever been associated with temple building and with temple attendance. Countless are those who have labored and struggled in order to obtain for themselves and for their families the blessings which are found in the temples of God.

Why are so many willing to give so much in order to receive the blessings of the temple?

Those who understand the eternal blessings which come from the temple know that no sacrifice is too great, no price too heavy, no struggle too difficult in order to receive those blessings. There are never too many miles to travel, too many obstacles to overcome, or too much discomfort to endure. They understand that the saving ordinances received in the temple that permit us to someday return to our Heavenly Father in an eternal family relationship and to be endowed with blessings and power from on high are worth every sacrifice and every effort.” – President Thomas S. Monson

President Monson promises us that our efforts are worth, I want to add my testimony to that. The blessings I have received in attending the temple are countless, small and large and I know that these blessings come from the Lord.

Q3

“If you have been to the temple for yourselves and if you live within relatively close proximity to a temple, your sacrifice could be setting aside the time in your busy lives to visit the temple regularly. 

Prepare ourselves

-prayer, scripture study, go to the Mesa temple, get names ready, if we don’t have a recommend live worthy to get one, personal worthiness,

Prepare our neighbors

-prayer, think about who you could invite, talk to your children about it, family history work, youth cultural celebration

Prepare our homes

-FHE, turn our homes toward the temple, house of order, what are we allowing into our temple homes?

Temple Announcement

When President Thomas S. Monson announced that a fifth temple for Arizona would be built in Phoenix, he stated: "The blessings of the temple are eternal. Those who come to this holy house will feel of God's love for His children and come to a greater understanding of their own divine origin and potential as His sons and daughters."

President Henry B. Eyring, First Counselor in the First Presidency, said, “Think of the Savior when you meet Him. . . . He has trusted you by letting you hear the gospel in your lifetime, giving you the chance to accept the obligation to offer it to those of your ancestors who did not have your priceless opportunity. Think of the gratitude He has for those who pay the price in work and faith to find the names of their ancestors and who love them and Him enough to offer them eternal life in families, the greatest of all the gifts of God. He offered them an infinite sacrifice. He will love and appreciate those who paid whatever price they could to allow their ancestors to choose His offer of eternal life.”