The Symbol of Our Membership

In the Presidents of the Church series, each book has a little symbol that is on the cover and used throughout the book.  It represents something that is significant in the ministry of the prophet.  For example, President Benson’s picture is a Book of Mormon, showing the great emphasis that he placed upon flooding the earth with the Book of Mormon.  In the new book for 2016 with the teachings of President Hunter, the picture is one of a temple, and he was known for the emphasis that he placed upon family history and the temple.  When he became the prophet he gave this invitation: “I also invite the members of the Church to establish the temple of the Lord as the great symbol of their membership and the supernal setting for their most sacred covenants….  Let us be a temple-attending and a temple-loving people. Let us hasten to the temple as frequently as time and means and personal circumstances allow” (see here).  

                It seems that the spirit of the message about the temple from President Hunter can be summarized by these words of encouragement from the Prophet Joseph: “Let the work of my temple, and all the works which I have appointed unto you, be continued on and not cease; and let your diligence, and your perseverance, and patience, and your works be redoubled, and you shall in nowise lose your reward, saith the Lord of Hosts” (D&C 127:4).  President Hunter’s time as President of the Church was very short—less than a year—and yet what he was able to accomplish in that short time showed his complete devotion to the temple and its work.  He certainly lived this counsel during his months as the prophet, giving great diligence to the work of the temple.  He was set apart as the Prophet in June 1994, and in October 1994 he dedicated the Orlando Florida temple.  This was followed only a few months later by the dedication of the Bountiful Utah temple.  I was impressed by this description of the dedication: “He presided over six dedicatory sessions before becoming so fatigued that he was admitted to a hospital. After he was released a few days later, the Church issued a statement saying that he had prostate cancer that had spread to his bones. President Hunter did not make another public appearance during the final six weeks of his life.”  He literally gave everything he had into the dedication of the Bountiful temple, and after it he had nothing left, dying a few weeks later.  I think that’s an example for us about how we have to live: with our devotion to the temple and the covenants of the temple at the center.  Joseph also told the Saints that we should “waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness” (D&C 123:13).  He was of course speaking about the events surrounding the expulsion of the Saints from Missouri, but I think we can apply it to the temple as well: certainly it is a place where we bring to light “hidden things” of darkness.  In the temple we receive light and are given understanding of those things which are not revealed to the world.  As we “partake more fully of the blessings of the temple” we will find, as President Hunter promised, “the personal blessing of temple worship,…  the sanctity and safety which is provided within those hallowed and consecrated walls.”