When the temple helps, part 3: 20 years of temple work

Posted on February 27, 2015 by Joyce Anderson

This is the third post in an on-going series about how the temple helps and blesses the lives of Latter-day Saints. Millennial Star contributor, Daniel O’s first two installments are here:

When the temple helps
When the temple helps, part 2

We invite readers of The Millennial Star to submit their experiences of how the temple has helped and blessed their lives. Please see the “Submit A Guest Post” tab on the top for more information.

This installment is by Millennial Star regular, Joyce Anderson.

This week I celebrated 20 years as an endowed member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 1995, I entered the temple to receive my endowment as preparation for a full time mission to Bulgaria. I had no idea really of what to expect, other that I would be making sacred and important covenants with my Father in Heaven, and that I was making a very important, and big step in my progress as a Latter-day Saint. I had looked forward to going to the temple for myself for many years, but I had really desired it from the time I was about 19 years old.

Late on a February afternoon, I entered the Mesa Temple with my mom to receive my own endowment. I remember wearing a pink floral dress and that I had chapped lips from being so nervous. The Matron of the temple came out to the recorder’s office and took me back to the women’s area to begin my temple instruction. The Matron introduced me to Sister Crandell, who was going to be with me that day. Years later, Sister Crandell was speaking at a Stake Conference for young single adults. After the meeting I went up to her to introduce myself. She, of course, did not remember me, but I remembered her. I thanked her for taking me that day and helping me as I went thru the temple for the first time. As we spoke there was pure joy in her face. She told me she was to glad I had come up and talked to her, because her time as a temple worker had been her favorite calling in the Church. It was a special moment, provided to both of us because of the temple. Continue reading →

General Women’s Meeting: Covenants, Temples & Living the Gospel More Fully

Posted on October 1, 2014 by Joyce Anderson

Can you stand one more post about General Women’s Meeting? Ok, here we go. I promise I’m not going to re-summarize the meeting; Meg and Rameumptom have already done that. But I wanted to share some thoughts had about the talks and my over all impressions.

First, there was a nice and very welcome international element to the meeting. The opening prayer was given by Sister Dorah Mkhabela from South Africa. Her prayer was heartfelt, sincere and full of love for the women of the Church. The Young Women’s Board, the members of which come from all over the world, were on the stand as well. I cannot wait until the Relief Society and Primary Boards also have international members as well. I was reminded that the Church is worldwide and as such, is working to include and incorporate different people, cultures, and needs into the organization.

I know the inner and outer critics of the Church are quick to jump on the Church because it seemingly does not respond to needs of its members in a timely manner, or that is seen as a North American church, which only caters to the needs of Wasatch Front Utah. But a thought occurred to me, this Lord’s Church – and it is an international Church. We have to get it right. When policies and changes are being made, there is a very careful process that occurs, which checks and double checks that things turn out right, or as right as possible. It has to be this way, we’re God’s children and He does not want us to make mistakes with His children. Perhaps we need to be more patient with the people and the process.

The second thing which impressed me was the principle of covenants, which are made individually, point us to the temple, which, in turn, points us to Christ. That is where our power is. To endow means to freely give, and when we go to the temple and participate there, we are endowed with God’s power. The Lord, our Father in Heaven, FREELY gives us His power. Think about that for a minute. I hope we each take some time to reflect on our endowment a bit more, and what it really is. Continue reading →

The Temple: A place of guidance and revelation

Posted on September 19, 2010 by Brian Duffin

Some years ago, my wife and I were in Salt Lake City and decided to attend an endowment session at the Salt Lake Temple. Not being familiar with the layout of temple, we found ourselves lost inside of the temple annex.

Looking around for someone to assist us, I noticed a brother dressed in a white suit wearing a name tag. I looked at his name tag and noted he was an emeritus member of the Seventy, whose name I have since forgotten.

He came over to my wife and me and asked how he could help us. I mentioned that we were from out of town and needed directions to the locker rooms.

Continue reading →

Bringin’ Down the (Lord’s) House

Posted on July 17, 2010 by Ben Pratt

I wipe the sweat from my brow on the sleeve of the white jumpsuit. The red smear left behind on the sleeve is unexpected. Leaving the hammer drill on the partially-tiled floor, I stand up to look in the large mirror on a nearby wall. Sure enough, there’s a tiny nick on my forehead. I step around another brother dressed in white to reach the box of tissues concealed beneath a cover of white yarn on a matrix of plastic. Satisfied that the bleeding has stopped, I adjust my earplugs, grab the Hilti, and continue tearing up the tiles of the baptistry.

The evening hasn’t gone quite as I anticipated.

Continue reading →