The Majesty of This Moment

After President Nelson mentioned the enormous project of restoring the Salt Lake Temple and described the recent dedication of nine temples in the past six months along with the planned dedication of five more temples this year, President Nelson announced 17 new temples. He then said this in the most recent general conference: “My dear brothers and sisters, do you see what is happening right before our eyes? I pray that we will not miss the majesty of this moment! The Lord is indeed hastening His work.” He then asked a question we might all be wondering: “Why are we building temples at such an unprecedented pace? Why?” He answered it himself: “Because the Lord has instructed us to do so. The blessings of the temple help to gather Israel on both sides of the veil. These blessings also help to prepare a people who will help prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord!” Indeed, we have to be careful that we don’t miss the majesty of the way the Lord’s work is moving forward by bringing the temples to the people at an unprecedented rate. With each temple we should be reminded that the Second Coming of the Savior is that much closer. But how do temples and the work we do there help us prepare for the return of the Savior?

               Malachi spoke about the coming of the Lord in these words: “But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness” (Malachi 3:2-3). I believe that temples are where the Lord can purify us and purge us as gold and silver just as this ancient prophet described. That is how we prepare to abide the day of His coming—we go to His house to be cleansed and sanctified and anointed. We gain power to overcome the world and our own sin and worldliness. The Prophet Joseph referred to this verse from Malachi when he wrote to the Saints these stirring words: “Behold, the great day of the Lord is at hand; and who can abide the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap; and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; and let us present in his holy temple, when it is finished, a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation” (Doctrine and Covenants 128:24). All the work that we do in the temple goes towards preparing this “book” that we as a people will one day turn over to the Savior. In it will be the record of all those who have received the ordinances of the temple through the work that millions of Latter-day Saints have performed there. It will contain the account of billions of ordinances that have been accomplished by proxy for our ancestors. I don’t know how full that “book” that we will offer to the Lord has to be before He will come, but every time we go to the temple we are adding to it and bringing it one step closer to being ready for the His return. And with so many temples now available to us, the rate at which we will fill up this offering will continue to increase. The Lord is indeed hastening His work, and we should too. I have often heard the idea that we are preparing the world for the Second Coming, and now I see more specifically how we can do that: by worshiping and serving in the House of the Lord.