Our lesson today was on 2 Nephi 12:2-3. We talked about the temple and how Isaiah says it is the Mountain of the Lords house. We talked about how the Lord walks the halls of the temple. I bore my testimony to them of how I know the Lord does in fact walk the halls of the temple. Have I seen him? No but I have felt Him and know that He is there - in His house! I bore testimony of the incredible revelations I have received in the temple. One of those I draw back on monthly, sometimes even daily, and it speaks peace to my soul over and over and over again. We talked about how everything you need to know to make it back into God's presence you learn in the temple.
I told them the story of the day that all 3 of my children and their eternal companions were in the temple together. With tears streaming down my face I relived that day and was grateful all over again that my children are worthy to be in the temple with me. I am grateful for my temple marriage, for my eternal companion who walks this life with me and keeps me grounded. We will celebrate our 28th anniversary next week. Oh how I love him, how I treasure the day that we were sealed in the Idaho Falls temple, how I treasure the times we return together to the temple. I LOVE THE TEMPLE!!!!
Elder Bruce R. McConkie said: "We expect to see the day when temples will dot the earth, each one a house of the Lord; each one a sacred sanctuary to which Israel and the Gentiles shall gather to receive the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Perhaps they will number in the hundreds, or even in the thousands, before the Lord returns."
President Brigham Young said, "To accomplish this work there will have to be not only one temple but thousands of them..."
Now some temple trivia for you...
*83% of all members of the church live within 200 miles of a temple
*130 temples in operation
*21 announced and in some stage of development or construction
*For 101 years there were only 17 operating temples ~ (from the dedication of the St. George temple in 1877 until I graduated from high school in 1978)
*There were 26 temples dedicated in the 80's
*25 in the 90's
*62 in the past 9 years ~ from 2000 to present
Now some questions to see if you know the answer to:
1. In what year was the greatest number of temples dedicated?
2. How many?
3. Which temple is the 100th and when was it dedicated?
4. Which number was the Nauvoo temple? (on it's second dedication)
5. When was it dedicated?
6. The very first temple was?
7. Which was the 1st temple dedicated? (not counting Kirtland and Nauvoo)
8. Which one was the Salt Lake Temple?
9. Which is the 130th?
10. Which is the first one dedicated by President Monson?
Do you want the answers? Okay, guess I'll give them to you!
1. 2000
2. 34
3. Boston Massachusetts ~ October 1, 2000
4. 113
5. June 27, 2002 (April 30, 1846 the first time)
6. Kirtland
7. St. George ~ April 6, 1977
8. 4th ~ dedicated May 21, 1888
9. Oquirrh Mountain Utah ~ August 21, 2009
10. Rexburg Idaho ~ February 10, 2008 ~ which was the 125th temple. Therefore he has dedicated 5 in the 18 months he has been the prophet!
Then my challenge to my kids ~ if you don't have a recommend (limited use for baptisms) ~ get worthy ~ see your bishop ~ get one ~ carry it with you ~ and use it whenever you visit a temple!!!!
