MY FAMILY CAN BE MY FAMILY CAN BE TOGETHER FOREVER TOGETHER FOREVER

THROUGH THE THROUGH THE ORDINANCES OF THE ORDINANCES OF THE

TEMPLE.TEMPLE.

What is an Ordinance? What is an Ordinance?

- An ordinance is a sacred ceremony An ordinance is a sacred ceremony that has a spiritual meaning. When that has a spiritual meaning. When we participate in an ordinance, we we participate in an ordinance, we often make covenants or promises to often make covenants or promises to obey Heavenly Father’s obey Heavenly Father’s commandments.commandments.

- Some ordinances are called saving Some ordinances are called saving ordinances. These ordinances are ordinances. These ordinances are necessary for salvation. necessary for salvation.

Can you think of an ordinance Can you think of an ordinance we do every Sunday? we do every Sunday?

• The SacramentThe Sacrament– What do we covenant or promise to do What do we covenant or promise to do

when we take the sacrament? when we take the sacrament?

• Always remember JesusAlways remember Jesus• Take His name upon youTake His name upon you• Keep His commandmentsKeep His commandments

What ordinance can we do at What ordinance can we do at age 8? age 8?

• Baptism See Mosiah 18:8-10Baptism See Mosiah 18:8-10– What covenants (promises) do we make What covenants (promises) do we make

at Baptism?at Baptism?

• Serve the LordServe the Lord• Keep His commandments Keep His commandments • Take His name upon you Take His name upon you • Bear one another’s burdensBear one another’s burdens• Stand as a witness of God Stand as a witness of God

John 3:5 John 3:5 • “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit,

he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” •

Being born of water means being baptized, and being born of the Spirit means receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Testimony of Baptisms for the Testimony of Baptisms for the DeadDead

• How did they feel?How did they feel?

• What was it like? What was it like?

Other ordinances of salvation Other ordinances of salvation and exaltation are sealings and and exaltation are sealings and

celestial marriage.celestial marriage. • Read: D&C 131:1–2Read: D&C 131:1–2

– 1 In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees;

– 2 And in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage.

Testimony of Testimony of Couples Couples being married or being married or sealedsealed• What was your experience? What was your experience?

Derek at the Temple Derek at the Temple • The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to

the ordinances of the house of God the ordinances of the house of God (D&C 138:58).(D&C 138:58). Last Monday night at family home evening, Dad said he wanted Last Monday night at family home evening, Dad said he wanted

to take the family to visit the new temple on Saturday. It had to take the family to visit the new temple on Saturday. It had just been built, and we could all go inside. “Is that all right just been built, and we could all go inside. “Is that all right with everyone?”with everyone?”

““I don’t want to go,” I said.I don’t want to go,” I said.Dad put his hand on my shoulder. “Why not, Derek?”Dad put his hand on my shoulder. “Why not, Derek?”““I’m afraid of the dead people.”I’m afraid of the dead people.”““The dead people? There aren’t any dead people at the temple. The dead people? There aren’t any dead people at the temple.

Whatever gave you that idea?”Whatever gave you that idea?”““Yesterday Sister Bergman, my CTR teacher, told us that people Yesterday Sister Bergman, my CTR teacher, told us that people

do work for the dead at the temple—like baptizing them.”do work for the dead at the temple—like baptizing them.”I watched Dad’s eyes get big and his mouth go funny like it I watched Dad’s eyes get big and his mouth go funny like it

does when he’s trying not to laugh. “Derek, if I promise that does when he’s trying not to laugh. “Derek, if I promise that there won’t be any dead people, will you go with us?”there won’t be any dead people, will you go with us?”

““Yes,” I said, wondering how Dad was going to keep his Yes,” I said, wondering how Dad was going to keep his promise.promise.

On Saturday we drove to the temple. I looked at the sharp On Saturday we drove to the temple. I looked at the sharp points on the top of it as we stood in a long line. Near the points on the top of it as we stood in a long line. Near the door a man shook my hand and said, “Welcome.” I was door a man shook my hand and said, “Welcome.” I was relieved that the first person we met wasn’t dead.relieved that the first person we met wasn’t dead.

I asked Mom, “Can anyone come in here?”I asked Mom, “Can anyone come in here?”

““Now they can,” she said, “but next week the prophet will come and say a Now they can,” she said, “but next week the prophet will come and say a special prayer in the temple to dedicate it. After that, only members of special prayer in the temple to dedicate it. After that, only members of the Church with special permission can come in.”the Church with special permission can come in.”

I went on in and walked on a thick blue carpet. It gave me a warm feeling I went on in and walked on a thick blue carpet. It gave me a warm feeling all over.all over.

Our family stopped to look at some pictures hanging on the walls. Mom told Our family stopped to look at some pictures hanging on the walls. Mom told us a story about one of the paintings of Jesus holding little children.us a story about one of the paintings of Jesus holding little children.

I saw one room with an organ and benches. Another room had lots of I saw one room with an organ and benches. Another room had lots of mirrors on all the walls. As I stood with mirrors in front of and behind mirrors on all the walls. As I stood with mirrors in front of and behind me, I saw hundreds of my reflections getting smaller and smaller, going me, I saw hundreds of my reflections getting smaller and smaller, going on forever. In the middle of the room was a table with soft cushions on on forever. In the middle of the room was a table with soft cushions on top of it, and a padded step all around the bottom. “What’s that?” I top of it, and a padded step all around the bottom. “What’s that?” I asked.asked.

““It’s called an altar,” Mom said.It’s called an altar,” Mom said.Dad said that people knelt at the altar when they were married. Then he Dad said that people knelt at the altar when they were married. Then he

said something about ceilings for the dead.said something about ceilings for the dead.I quickly looked up. The top of the room looked ordinary to me. I asked, I quickly looked up. The top of the room looked ordinary to me. I asked,

“Dad, why is it called a ceiling for dead people?”“Dad, why is it called a ceiling for dead people?”Dad bent down and quietly explained that a temple sealing was a special Dad bent down and quietly explained that a temple sealing was a special

kind of ordinance. It was spelled kind of ordinance. It was spelled s-e-a-l-i-n-g, s-e-a-l-i-n-g, and didn’t have anything and didn’t have anything to do with the top of the room. He said that when a man and a woman to do with the top of the room. He said that when a man and a woman are married in the temple, it is called being sealed, and when they are are married in the temple, it is called being sealed, and when they are sealed to each other, or when their children are sealed to them, it sealed to each other, or when their children are sealed to them, it means that if they live righteously, they can be a family forever.means that if they live righteously, they can be a family forever.

I felt a lot better, but I still had to ask, “Do they bring the dead people here I felt a lot better, but I still had to ask, “Do they bring the dead people here to seal them?”to seal them?”

““No, Derek,” Dad replied. “People who are alive, like your mother and me, No, Derek,” Dad replied. “People who are alive, like your mother and me, are sealed in behalf of people who are no longer living. They died before are sealed in behalf of people who are no longer living. They died before they could be married or sealed in a temple, so we do it for them.”they could be married or sealed in a temple, so we do it for them.”

““Where are they?” I asked.Where are they?” I asked.““Their bodies are in their graves, and their spirits are in the spirit Their bodies are in their graves, and their spirits are in the spirit

world.”world.”““How do you know they want you to do this for them?”How do you know they want you to do this for them?”““We don’t. We just do the work, and if they want to, they can accept We don’t. We just do the work, and if they want to, they can accept

it. But they don’t have to. It’s like sending someone a package. it. But they don’t have to. It’s like sending someone a package. That person gets to choose whether he or she wants to accept it. That person gets to choose whether he or she wants to accept it. For that person the important choice is the accepting. Heavenly For that person the important choice is the accepting. Heavenly Father says that for us, though, it’s the sending.”Father says that for us, though, it’s the sending.”

We left the room with the mirrors and walked down a hall and into We left the room with the mirrors and walked down a hall and into other rooms. Dad said that some of these rooms were like special other rooms. Dad said that some of these rooms were like special schoolrooms and that people who came to the temple learned schoolrooms and that people who came to the temple learned important lessons and received blessings there. I learned that living important lessons and received blessings there. I learned that living people could receive the lessons and blessings for people who had people could receive the lessons and blessings for people who had died.died.

I saw a large room with private little places for women to dress, and I saw a large room with private little places for women to dress, and another one just like it for men. Mom explained that people change another one just like it for men. Mom explained that people change into white temple clothes in these rooms. She said that everyone into white temple clothes in these rooms. She said that everyone would wear white in the temple after it was dedicated.would wear white in the temple after it was dedicated.

Finally, we came to a room with a bare floor. It was rock-hard, and as Finally, we came to a room with a bare floor. It was rock-hard, and as we entered, I heard our shoes make loud sounds on it. In the we entered, I heard our shoes make loud sounds on it. In the middle of the room was a giant bowl of water sitting on top of middle of the room was a giant bowl of water sitting on top of twelve oxen that were standing on a floor below the level of the twelve oxen that were standing on a floor below the level of the floor where we were.floor where we were.

Dad took my hand, and we walked over a small bridge and stood by Dad took my hand, and we walked over a small bridge and stood by the water. As I leaned over it, I could see my reflection. “This is the water. As I leaned over it, I could see my reflection. “This is where they do baptisms for the dead,” he said.where they do baptisms for the dead,” he said.

““How do they do that?”How do they do that?”

““Living people are baptized in place of the dead,” Dad said. Living people are baptized in place of the dead,” Dad said. “In fact, young people are often baptized for them.”“In fact, young people are often baptized for them.”

““You mean You mean II could be baptized for someone who has died?” could be baptized for someone who has died?”

““Yes—when you’re twelve, you can come to the temple and Yes—when you’re twelve, you can come to the temple and be baptized for the dead if you’re worthy. You might even be baptized for the dead if you’re worthy. You might even be baptized for people who have been waiting hundreds of be baptized for people who have been waiting hundreds of years for it to be done for them.”years for it to be done for them.”

As we left the parking lot, I said, “I hope when I’m twelve I can As we left the parking lot, I said, “I hope when I’m twelve I can get permission to come here and get baptized for some of get permission to come here and get baptized for some of Heavenly Father’s children. I’m really anxious to do it.”Heavenly Father’s children. I’m really anxious to do it.”

““They’re anxious for you to do it, too,” Dad said.They’re anxious for you to do it, too,” Dad said.

I Love to See the TempleI Love to See the Temple

• I love to see the I love to see the temple.temple.I’m going there I’m going there someday someday

• To feel the Holy Spirit,To feel the Holy Spirit,To listen and to pray.To listen and to pray.

• For the temple is a For the temple is a house of God,house of God,A place of love and A place of love and beauty.beauty.

• I’ll prepare myself I’ll prepare myself while I am young;while I am young;This is my sacred duty.This is my sacred duty.

• I love to see the I love to see the temple.temple.I’ll go inside someday.I’ll go inside someday.

• I’ll covenant with my I’ll covenant with my Father;Father;I’ll promise to obey.I’ll promise to obey.

• For the temple is a For the temple is a holy placeholy placeWhere we are sealed Where we are sealed together.together.

• As a child of God, I’ve As a child of God, I’ve learned this truth:learned this truth:A family is forever. A family is forever.