The Majesty of This Moment

In the most recent general conference, Elder Bednar invited us specifically to study the book of Helaman and see its relevance for us today: “As we follow President Benson’s counsel and ask ourselves why the Lord inspired Mormon to include in his abridgment of the book of Helaman the accounts, admonitions, and warnings that he did, I promise we will discern the applicability of these teachings to the specific conditions of our individual lives and families today. As we study and ponder this inspired record, we will be blessed with eyes to see, ears to hear, minds to comprehend, and hearts to understand the lessons we should learn to ‘beware of pride, lest [we should] enter into temptation.’” Because of his invitation, over the past several weeks I have tried to study the book of Helaman and write about the lessons I see in each chapter that are important for us today. I am now on Helaman 16, and paraphrasing Elder Bednar (who was quoting King Benjamin), one of the important messages of this last chapter is that we need to have eyes to see and hearts to understand the miracles of today happening in the work of the Lord. Mormon recorded, “But it came to pass in the ninetieth year of the reign of the judges, there were great signs given unto the people, and wonders; and the words of the prophets began to be fulfilled. And angels did appear unto men, wise men, and did declare unto them glad tidings of great joy; thus in this year the scriptures began to be fulfilled” (v13-14). Incredible signs of the imminent coming of the Savior were being given to the people, and yet most of them could not see or accept what was happening. The account continues, “Nevertheless, the people began to harden their hearts, all save it were the most believing part of them, both of the Nephites and also of the Lamanites, and began to depend upon their own strength and upon their own wisdom, saying: Some things they may have guessed right, among so many; but behold, we know that all these great and marvelous works cannot come to pass, of which has been spoken” (v15-16). We must not let unbelief stop us from seeing the Lord’s hand in our lives personally and in the world generally.

                President Nelson recently encouraged us along these same lines, trying to get us to see with spiritual eyes one specific miracle taking place right now. After describing the recent dedication of nine temples and the plans to dedicate five more in the last three months of 2024, the prophet announced 17 more temples. With those, that makes 367 temples dedicated or planned. Now today there are 202 dedicated temples (193 in operation with 9 under renovation) with 52 under construction and 113 others in the planning phase. The numbers are staggering, especially when we consider that we dedicated the 100^th temple in the year 2000 (the Boston Massachusetts Temple), only 25 years ago. If we start the clock from the time the Saints arrived in the Salt Lake Valley with no operating temples (considering the Nauvoo and Kirtland temples lost), it took over 150 years to get the first 100 temples. And then it took less than 25 years more to get the next 100. After announcing these new temples, President Nelson said this: “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. Why are we building temples at such an unprecedented pace? Why? 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!”  His words remind us of this account in Helaman 16, for we too are at risk for missing this “great sign” and “wonder” occurring before our eyes. The building of these temples has been prophesied when it would have seemed completely unbelievable. For example, we can now consider one prophecy of John Taylor fulfilled. One manual relates, “President Taylor knew that the number of temples and those who administered in them would continue to grow as God’s plan was carried out. While showing the Salt Lake Temple construction site to a visitor from another country, President Taylor prophesied of the great increase in the number of temples in the world: ‘We expect to build hundreds of them yet, and to administer in them in carrying out the work of God.’”  With over 200 dedicated temples, we can now officially say that we have hundreds of temples. And we are starting to see the possibility of the fulfillment of President Brigham Young’s even more audacious prophecy about the building of temples: “To accomplish this work there will have to be not only one temple but thousands of them, and thousands and tens of thousands of men and women will go into those temples and officiate for people who have lived as far back as the Lord shall reveal.” We certainly now see that there are “thousands and tens of thousands of men and women” who are going to the houses of the Lord every week to officiate in them. And with the incredible pace of temples being built now, we can sense that in time the Lord will indeed have thousands of them. And so, we must not miss the miracle before our eyes and understand that, like for the people written about in Helaman 16, it is a powerful sign of the imminent coming of the Son of Man to the earth.