My wife and I were finally able to see the new temple endowment film Friday night. I was really floored by it. I cried through most of the film and as I looked around the endowment room it appeared most other people were wiping away some tears.
The introduction of the Savior was done in a way that really touched me. But the key moment was when Eve meets Adam. The look of joy on her face was so radiant that it made me see them as real human beings rather than actors just reading lines. It really brought home for me the marvelous plan of man and woman joining together in eternal marriage and how we can be part of this plan.
I really enjoyed Eve’s process of arriving at the conclusion that she must eat the fruit. There is no other way for her to have children. The tears she sheds are real, and you can see that she — and eventually Adam — must also sacrifice and go through sorrow.
The film has many meaningful pauses that help drive home doctrinal points in new ways. I will not get into all of those things now, but I will say that this temple film is like a whole new story filled with new meanings and layers of information to help us understand our purpose on Earth.
I found myself wondering how the film was made. The usual process would be for a GA or group of GAs to be involved with the filming. I am sure this film had to be approved by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve. Did the Brethren weep also as they viewed this film?
Another thought: Lucifer is a weasel, and this movie showed this best of all. But there were also significant moments when the other actors clearly viewed him with pity and compassion. And this seems right to me.
Last note: the temple experience is sacred, and talking about it in general terms is appropriate, but there are some things that should not be discussed in a public forum. Please show some discretion.