RS Lesson June 2009

Honorably Hold a Name and Standing by Elder David A. Bednar, taught by Alison Jaehne

---When we renew our baptismal covenants by taking the sacrament, we do not witness that we take upon us the name of Jesus Christ, rather, we witness that we are willing to do so.
---The fact that we only witness to our willingness suggests that something else must happen before we actually take that sacred name upon us. The baptismal covenant clearly contemplates future events and looks forward to the temple.
---The process of taking upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, which is commenced in the waters of baptism, is continued and enlarged in the temple.
---Dedicatory prayer in Kirtland temple: “We ask thee, Holy Father, to establish the people that shall worship, and honorably hold a name and standing in this thy holy house, to all generations…that no weapon formed against them shall prosper; that he who diggeth a pit for them shall fall into the same himself; that no combination of wickedness shall have power to rise up and prevail over thy people upon whom thy name shall be put in this house…” There is protection in holding a name and standing in the temple.
---"When a man and woman have received their endowments and sealings and then had children born [or sealed] to them afterwards, those children are legal heirs to the kingdom and to all its blessings and promises, and they are the only ones that are, on this earth." Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 11:18.

Divine Purpose of Gathering
---Purpose of gathering the saints- to build temples for celestial ordinances
---Relationship of gathering and building temples is highlighted in Alma 26:5 …behold your sheaves, they shall be gathered into garners that they not be beaten down by the storm at the last day, but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them.
Sheaves- the quantity of a plant material bound together
Garner- to bring together in one place, to gather into storage, to acquire by effort
---The sheaves in this analogy represent newly baptized members of the Church. The garners are the holy temples. Elder Neal A. Maxwell explained: “Clearly, when we baptize, our eyes should gaze beyond the baptismal font to the holy temple. The great garner into which the sheaves should be gathered is the holy temple”

In Temple Worship we find Purity, Power, Promises, Protection and Personal Strength and Personal Revelation
---An investigator on my mission complained about the noise level in our Sacrament Meetings and said he preferred the quiet serene atmosphere in his Catholic church to worship in. We were able to explain how our church services were for all, even children, and the temple is where we can worship in the serene quiet atmosphere. In the temple we find greater purity.
---Elder Bednar asked many former General Authorites who later became temple presidents what they learned. Their answers had a consistent theme which focused upon the protecting power of the ordinances and covenants available in the temple: “I have come to understand better the protection available through our temple covenants and what it means to make an acceptable offering of temple worship. There is a difference between [those] who occasionally rush into the temple to go through a session and those who faithfully and consistently worship in the temple.”
---Elder Richard G. Scott talked in conference, about worshipping in the temple and told some personal stories of receiving strength when two of his children died as babies and when his wife died. He said,"What I am trying to teach is that when we keep the temple covenants we have made and when we live righteously in order to maintain the blessings promised by those ordinances, then come what may, we have no reason to worry or feel despondent."

The Voice of the Shepherd is Calling Us to the Temple
---Elder Bednar asked his temple worker friend who had been a stake president how to be a better stake president. His friend wished he had been a temple worker first because it expanded his vision. He said, “I would do a better job of shepherding the saints to the house of the Lord.”
---Elder F. Michael Watson’s talk was called, “His Servants, the Prophets.” He reminded us of past prophets and what they taught us and he quoted from the D&C 1:37-38, “…whether by my voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.”
---Elder L.Tom Perry told a story of seeing a lost sheep in Provo Canyon that caused a traffic jam. He quoted Alma 5:59-60, “And now I say unto you that the good shepherd doth call after you; and if you will hearken unto his voice he will bring you into his fold, and ye are his sheep…”

Conclusion
The good shepherd is gently calling after us and gathering His sheep into the fold. The temple is the gathering place, or the garner, with the purity, power and protection from the storm in the last days. My temple recommend is one of my most prized possessions. Something or anything could happen to every other possession I have to take them away from me. My temple recommend is the one thing that I have complete control over and no one can take it away from me. I feel so blessed to have it. The Spirit has witnessed to me of the great advantage and power that the sealing ordinance gives to children born in the covenant. Other children in the world don't have the spiritual advantage and powers that children who are "legal heirs to the kingdom and all its blessings and promises" do. I don't know how exactly, I just know there is great power and blessings in the sealing for them and in being sealed to the family of God. Lorenzo Snow said in the Deseret Weekly News 54:481, March 13, 1897, "When two Latter-day Saints are united together in marriage, promises are made to them concerning their offspring that reach from eternity to eternity." What a wonderful gift we give to our children through our temple attendance.
May we listen to the voice of the shepherd calling us to the temple. We can improve our attendance and or our worship there. In the special Temple issue of the Ensign, a couple told of how they were able to help their wayward children and receive specific help many times by fasting before going to the temple, praying for that child at the appropriate times, and consecrating their service by praying together afterwards in their car in the parking lot. May we turn to the temple for strength. I know that we will find peace and reverence in the temple and answers to our problems to help us in our lives. I have, many times. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.