The Endowment of Power

When the Savior was about to make His ascension into heaven, He said to His disciples, “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Luke recorded again these words of the Savior to His disciples about the power they would receive: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). This power from on high came at the Day of Pentecost, also recorded by Luke, when “suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:2-4). This was an endowment of power of the Holy Ghost which gave them not only the gift of tongues that day but the power to go forth and preach the gospel to all the world the rest of their lives. This highlights I believe two important aspects of the endowment they received then and that we receive in modern temples today: it brings upon us more fully the power of the Holy Ghost and it is meant to help us take the gospel to all the world.

               In our dispensation, many revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants speak with similar themes about being endowed with power in the Lord’s house. The Lord promised the Saints before going to Ohio, “Wherefore, for this cause I gave unto you the commandment that ye should go to the Ohio; and there I will give unto you my law; and there you shall be endowed with power from on high.” Again the purpose was the same: “And from thence, whosoever I will shall go forth among all nations…. men are endowed with power from on high and sent forth” (Doctrine and Covenants 38:32,38). Another revelation similarly connected being endowed with the Holy Ghost and preaching the gospel: “Ye are not sent forth to be taught, but to teach the children of men the things which I have put into your hands by the power of my Spirit; And ye are to be taught from on high. Sanctify yourselves and ye shall be endowed with power, that ye may give even as I have spoken” (Doctrine and Covenants 43:15-16). In Kirtland the Savior continued to encourage the Saints to build a house so they could receive this power: “Yea, verily I say unto you, I gave unto you a commandment that you should build a house, in the which house I design to endow those whom I have chosen with power from on high; For this is the promise of the Father unto you; therefore I command you to tarry, even as mine apostles at Jerusalem” (Doctrine and Covenants 95:8-9). Here He connected their waiting for an endowment of power with that the early apostles and how they had tarried at Jerusalem awaiting the Day of Pentecost before taking the gospel to the world. In our day that time came in 1836 with the dedication of the Kirtland Temple when they were “armed with [His] power” to “go forth from this house” to “bear exceedingly great and glorious tidings, in truth, unto the ends of the earth” (Doctrine and Covenants 109:22-23). Again, the endowment was an experience filled with the Holy Ghost and was given so they could then go forth and take the gospel to all the world. The “endowment” we receive in the temple today may be somewhat different than the specific experience in Kirtland then, but surely the purposes are similar. We are endowed with power from on high and in particular with the power of the Holy Ghost to refine us and guide us back to the Father. And just as before we make sure, whenever possible, that missionaries are endowed before they go forth to preach the gospel. Our endowment should help each of us similarly receive the power of the Holy Ghost and be more able to share the gospel with all of God’s children.