Armed With Thy Power

I had the long-awaited opportunity with my family this Sunday to attend the dedication of the Layton Utah Temple in our local meetinghouse. It is the 22^nd operating temple in Utah and we are so grateful to have it close to us where we live. In his remarks, Elder Bednar spoke of his youth growing up in the 60s in California with so tumult and vice and frightening world events. He told us his own fears about the future at that time amid the threat of nuclear war between Russia and the United States. He highlighted the blessing that the Oakland Temple was for him and credited its influence on helping him survive those difficult years. He encouraged the youth to relate his story with theirs, and to me his message was the temple will be our place of safety and sanctuary. He gave us one assignment in the session to memorize this scripture:  “And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory” (1 Nephi 14:14). I have thought much about this scripture from Nephi’s vision of the last days over the years, though I don’t think I have always associated it with the temple specifically. But where else does the power of the Lamb of God descend upon His Saints and His covenant people as clearly as in the temple? It the temple we make covenants and are promised to have His power to protect us from the sins and dangers of the world. The words of Nephi are similar to these words from the dedication of the Kirtland Temple: “And we ask thee, Holy Father, that thy servants may go forth from this house armed with thy power, and that thy name may be upon them, and thy glory be round about them, and thine angels have charge over them” (Doctrine and Covenants 109:22). Power is what are we promised in the temple, not the worldly power to control earthly things but the spiritual power to overcome all obstacles in this life and return prepared to our Father in Heaven. How we need that power from the Savior’s house to help us and our families in this life!

               The dedicatory prayer of the Layton Temple also focused on the power of the Lord available in His house. Elder Bednar read these words as he dedicated this new house of God: “May the power of godliness that is made manifest in the ordinances of the holy priesthood draw all of Thy covenant children to this holy house. We ask Thee to help each of us to appreciate more fully and strengthen our covenant connection with Thee and Thy Beloved Son. We especially ask Thee to bless the children and youth of the rising generation. May they strive diligently to grow up in Thee, to cherish the gift of the Holy Ghost, to be armed with Thy power and protection, and to be prepared to obtain every needful spiritual blessing and gift. Please guide and inspire parents and leaders as they help children and youth to learn for themselves, understand, live and love the doctrine of Thy Son’s gospel. We ask Thee to safeguard and bless the patrons and leaders who will worship and serve in this house of the Lord. May all people who shall enter upon the threshold of this temple feel thy power — and feel constrained to acknowledge that Thou has sanctified this house as a place of holiness. May the spiritual lessons learned in this sacred place bless and transform individuals, families, homes and communities.” We go to the temple to feel the power of the Lord and to gain the power of godliness to become like Him.

               The Layton Temple was announced in April 2018 in President Nelson’s first general conference as the president of the Church. In that same conference he also announced a temple in Salta, Argentina, and it was also dedicated this past Sunday. Elder Christofferson said this in the dedicatory prayer: “We dedicate all the elements and furnishings of the temple for their intended purpose to endow Thy covenant people with power from on high and to open the way to salvation and exaltation for both the living and the dead…. We pray, Holy Father, that Thou wilt bless this nation and all its people. As the seed of Abraham, we aspire to extend Thy blessings to all the kindreds of the earth. Help and empower us so to do.” Ultimately our experience in the temple should empower us to not only face our own challenges but also take the gospel to all the world and fulfil the great Abrahamic covenant: “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them that curse thee; and in thee (that is, in thy Priesthood) and in thy seed (that is, thy Priesthood), for I give unto thee a promise that this right shall continue in thee, and in thy seed after thee (that is to say, the literal seed, or the seed of the body) shall all the families of the earth be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal” (Abraham 2:11). Through the power of the priesthood, we have the opportunity to make covenants with the Savior in His holy house and offer those to all the children of the earth who choose to follow Him. One by one, through the covenants of His house, the power of the Lamb of God is descending upon the covenant people of the Lord and arming them with righteousness and the power of God in great glory.