POWER TO SEAL ON EARTH AND IN HEAVEN 2

Before expressing my personal insights, feelings and experiences while serving as a sealer in the Newport Beach California Temple, I want to begin this Thought with some excerpts from Russell M. Nelson, the present holder of all the keys of the Priesthood available on the earth today including the power to seal on earth and in heaven.

Russell M. Nelson – Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles – General Conference, April 2009

Personal Preparation for Temple Blessings

Those who enter the temple are also to bear the attribute of holiness. … We can acquire holiness only by enduring and persistent personal effort.

Under President Gordon B. Hinckley’s inspired direction, temples are now more accessible than ever. Inscribed on each temple are the words “Holiness to the Lord.”1 That statement designates both the temple and its purposes as holy. Those who enter the temple are also to bear the attribute of holiness… We can acquire holiness only by enduring and persistent personal effort.

The Temple

President Hinckley said that “these unique and wonderful buildings, and the ordinances administered therein, represent the ultimate in our worship. These ordinances become the most profound expressions of our theology.”

The Endowment

In the temple we receive an endowment, which is, literally speaking, a gift. In receiving this gift, we should understand its significance and the importance of keeping sacred covenants. Each temple ordinance “is not just a ritual to go through, it is an act of solemn promising.”

The temple endowment was given by revelation. Thus, it is best understood by revelation, prayerfully sought with a sincere heart. President Brigham Young said, “Your endowment is, to receive all those ordinances in the house of the Lord, which are necessary for you, after you have departed this life, to enable you to walk back to the presence of the Father, … and gain your eternal exaltation.”

Sealing Authority

In preparing to receive the endowment and other ordinances of the temple, we should understand the sealing authority of the priesthood. Jesus referred to this authority long ago when He taught His Apostles, “Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven.” That same authority has been restored in these latter days. Just as priesthood is eternal—without beginning or end—so is the effect of priesthood ordinances that bind families together forever.

Temple ordinances, covenants, endowments, and sealings enable individuals to be reconciled with the Lord and families to be sealed beyond the veil of death. Obedience to temple covenants qualifies us for eternal life, the greatest gift of God to man. Eternal life is more than immortality. Eternal life is exaltation in the highest heaven—the kind of life that God lives.

Spiritual Preparation for the Temple

Because the ordinances and covenants of the temple are sacred, we are under solemn obligation not to speak outside the temple of that which occurs in the temple. There are, however, some principles we can discuss.

Each temple is a house of learning. There we are taught in the Master’s way. His way differs from modes of others. His way is ancient and rich with symbolism. We can learn much by pondering the reality for which each symbol stands. Teachings of the temple are beautifully simple and simply beautiful. They are understood by the humble, yet they can excite the intellect of the brightest minds.

With each ordinance is a covenant—a promise. A covenant made with God is not restrictive, but protective. Such a concept is not new. For example, if our water supply is not clean, we filter the water to screen out harmful ingredients. Divine covenants help us to filter out of our minds impurities that could harm us. When we choose to deny ourselves of all ungodliness, we lose nothing of value and gain the glory of eternal life. Covenants do not hold us down; they elevate us beyond the limits of our own power and perspective.

Eternal Perspective

President Hinckley has explained that lofty perspective: “There is a goal beyond the Resurrection,” he said. “That is exaltation in our Father’s kingdom. … It will begin with acceptance of him as our Eternal Father and of his son as our living Redeemer. It will involve participation in various ordinances, each one important and necessary. The first of these is baptism by immersion in water, without which, according to the Savior, a man cannot enter into the kingdom of God. There must follow the birth of the Spirit, the gift of the Holy Ghost. Then in succession through the years will come, for men, ordination to the priesthood, followed by the blessings of the temple for both men and women who are worthy to enter therein. These temple blessings include our washings and anointings that we may be clean before the Lord. They include the … endowment of obligations and blessings that motivate us to behavior compatible with the principles of the gospel. They include the sealing ordinances by which that which is bound on earth is bound in heaven, providing for the continuity of the family.”

Ordinances of the temple relate to personal progress and to the redemption of departed ancestors as well. “For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, … they without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect.” Service in their behalf provides repeated opportunities for temple worship. And that service deserves commitment to a planned schedule. By doing for others what they cannot do for themselves, we emulate the pattern of the Savior, who wrought the Atonement to bless the lives of other people.

I am confident that pondering these remarks by President Nelson would amply supply us all with sufficient thoughts to enrich our Sabbath day. Never the less, I would like to add some of my personal thoughts garnered from remembering my days as an active sealer in the House of the Lord.

The writers of scripture have used countless ways to express the Plan of our Heavenly Father which outlines the process by which His Work and Glory are brought to pass. As I served in the temple there were three whose meaning was an endowment to my mind; The Plan of Happiness, The Plan of Redemption and Salvation and The Plan of Exaltation.

Each of these plans have in common the principle of oneness.

The Plan of Happiness relates to the state which can be enjoyed by any one who is striving to live the principles of the gospel while in mortality. As it is recorded in The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ concerning those who lived lives of righteousness, ‘There never were a happier people’.

The Plan of Redemption and Salvation not only requires living the principles required in the Plan of Happiness, but also makes it clear that the First Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel; Faith in the Lord Jesus the Christ and His Atoning Sacrifice, Baptism by immersion by one having authority and receiving the Holy Spirit by the ordinance of laying on of hands by one having authority are essential to receive the blessing of redemption and salvation.

The Plan of Exaltation requires living the principles in the Plan of Happiness, and The Plan of Redemption and Salvation, and teaches us that the sealing ordinances done in the Houses of the Lord are essential (wherein, wives are sealed to husbands, husbands are sealed to wives, children are sealed to parents and parents are sealed children) extending from Adam and Eve until the work is finished for all the children of our Heavenly Parents who have or will abide on this beautiful world.

As we ponder and study these plans it becomes apparent that in all of these plans no one stands alone. No one will ever achieve total Happiness alone. No one will ever achieve total happiness without surrounding themselves with people who are striving to be good and honorable. In fact, the more we can expand our circle of those who are living the tenets of the Plan of Happiness the greater degree of Happiness we will enjoy.

When the Savior, while in mortality, called and taught special witnesses He never intended His disciples to be limited to a very select group, but gave instructions for those special witnesses to go forth and teach and gather all the world unto Him and His gospel. The Plan of Redemption and Salvation increases in blessings for all as the number of adherents increases. The very essence of this plan is based on ministering through inclusiveness.

The Plan of Exaltation is the most inclusive of all. As was stated in last week’s Thought it includes all the children in all generations and dispensations. When properly understood our definition of family becomes magnificently magnified.
Just one last thought about the oneness required to bring to pass happiness, redemption, salvation and exaltation of all of Heavenly Father’s children who are willing to answer His call to come unto Him.

In the garden Eve was brought unto Adam to become his help meet or as the phrase is expressed in Hebrew עזר כנגדו (ezer kenegedo). The ‘wisdom of men’ have over the centuries distorted the meaning of this word so badly that women have been considered almost like personal servants to their husbands to do his every bidding, which even today continues to bring animosity between men and women who were intended to become one. In fact this sad misunderstanding could not be further from the truth. There are many words which have been used to portray the true meaning of help meet, but the one I personally prefer is ‘the other half of ones self’. Each female was to bring her talents, attributes and strengths and they were to be added to the talents, attributes and strengths of the male making of the two a stronger one. The combining of the uniqueness of each is what made them complete.

We can easily see that when the principle of oneness (help meet) is applied to the Plan of Happiness, the unique talents, attributes and strengths of each individual living the principles of the gospel cause a synergistic increase of happiness to the whole.

Likewise, we can understand that as the Plan of Redemption and Salvation includes multitudes rather than the few, the promises inherent in this plan multiply and become universally shared blessings.

It is wonderful to contemplate the totality of oneness which will be enjoyed when the entire worthy offspring of our Heavenly Parents are sealed as one Eternal Family.

I will forever count it as a blessing and great privilege to have participated in the sealing of countless brothers and sisters who are our Heavenly Parents children on both sides of the veil.


THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY

❣️THINK + PLAN + PREPARE + DO ➡️ GENTLENESS + KINDNESS + CARING + GENEROSITY ➡️ HUGS + PEACE + JOY + LOVE ➡️ INTEGRITY + FAITH + HOPE + CHARITY❣️ = 💞THE GOOD LIFE💞