All Things in Cleanliness

In the most recent general conference President Nelson announced changes to some of the temple recommend interview questions.  There are fifteen questions, and the wording of 11 of the questions changed.  The four questions that did not change are these:

·        1. Do you have faith in and a testimony of God, the Eternal Father; His Son, Jesus Christ; and the Holy Ghost?

·        10. Are you a full-tithe payer?

·        12. Do you have any financial or other obligations to a former spouse or to children? If yes, are you current in meeting those obligations?

·        15. Do you consider yourself worthy to enter the Lord’s house and participate in temple ordinances?

These questions changed in what I would consider a minor way:

·        2. Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and of His role as your Savior and Redeemer?  The key difference is the addition of the word “your” which emphasizes the personal nature of the Savior’s atonement. 

·        3. Do you have a testimony of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ?  Previously this referred to the “gospel in these the latter days” so emphasis was added on Jesus Christ with no more mention of the latter days.  

·        4. Do you sustain the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the prophet, seer, and revelator and as the only person on the earth authorized to exercise all priesthood keys? Do you sustain the members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators? Do you sustain the other General Authorities and local leaders of the Church?  Previously it was “possesses and is authorized to exercise all priesthood keys” and it referred to local “authorities,” but in essence nothing changed. 

·        7. Do you support or promote any teachings, practices, or doctrine contrary to those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?  Previously this question referred to “any group or individual” but overall the message is the same.  

·        9. Do you strive to be honest in all that you do?  Previously the question was this: “Are you honest in your dealings with your fellowmen?” So the emphasis has been added to striving to be honest but to do that in everything, not just in regards to other people. 

·        10. Do you understand and obey the Word of Wisdom?  Previously this was put this way: “Do your keep the Word of Wisdom?” Now the question involves understanding the Word of Wisdom. 

·        13. Do you keep the covenants that you made in the temple, including wearing the temple garment as instructed in the endowment? Previously this question was a little more verbose.

·        14. Are there serious sins in your life that need to be resolved with priesthood authorities as part of your repentance? Previously this spoke of “sins or misdeeds” but in essence was the same.

These questions changed in the most significant way:

·        5. The Lord has said that all things are to be “done in cleanliness” before Him (Doctrine and Covenants 42:41).  Do you strive for moral cleanliness in your thoughts and behavior? Do you obey the law of chastity?  Previously the question was simply “Do you live the law of chastity?” Now the questions is not just about actions but about thoughts.  To enter the temple we need not only refrain from serious moral sins, but we must be pure in our thoughts and all behavior. 

·        6. Do you follow the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ in your private and public behavior with members of your family and others?  Previously this question was only about “conduct relating to members of your family” so the application has expanded to living the teachings of the church in private and public with family and others.        

·        8. Do you strive to keep the Sabbath day holy, both at home and at church; attend your meetings; prepare for and worthily partake of the sacrament; and live your life in harmony with the laws and commandments of the gospel?  The last phrase is the same, but previously keeping the Sabbath Day holy was not specifically mentioned; rather, the question referred only to attending “your sacrament and other meetings.”  Now specific mention is made to “preparing” for the Sacrament and keeping the Sabbath at home and at church.  This is certainly consistent with recent emphasis on the Sabbath Day, the Sacrament, and the doing the Come, Follow Me program at home.

Overall the temple recommend questions have only changed in minor ways, and the fact that President Nelson gave us all our own temple recommend interview shows their importance and the need we all have to consider them carefully and more often than every two years.  It is instructive that now there is a single verse of scripture referenced, one that we should use to evaluate ourselves: “And let all things be done in cleanliness before me” (Doctrine and Covenants 42:41).  Given the context of that actual verse, coming right after the Lord spoke of garments being plain and their “beauty the beauty of the work of thine own hands,” one could argue that the Lord was speaking of physical cleanliness.  But clearly the emphasis the prophet put on it for us is that of moral cleanliness and we should strive for purity in our thoughts and actions.  Being worthy to enter the house of the Lord should be on our minds in everything we do.