Stake Temple Week, Day 6

Dear Young Women,

Have you ever wondered why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints encourages temple marriage? This article is directed at the youth and explains it wonderfully. No matter which stage your testimony is at in regards to wanting a temple marriage, I hope this will encourage you a bit more to strive to be married in the temple at the right time to a worthy young man.

The Doctrine of the Family

We use the term doctrine to help define many things in the Church. For example, the Guide to the Scriptures defines doctrine of Christ as “the principles and teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” So what do we mean when we talk about the doctrine of the family or the doctrine of eternal marriage?

“The Family: A Proclamation to the World” states, “Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and … the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.” In other words, when we talk about why we are here on the earth and what we are meant to accomplish and become, it’s all tied to the idea that we are part of a family and can marry and establish new families.

The family proclamation also states: “The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.”

But what happens to our families when we die? If you are married by the law of your state or country, will that law have any authority over you when you die? No, because those laws are made by man and have authority only as long as you live under that authority. For marriage relationships to continue after you die, those marriages must be sealed together in the right place with authority that lasts through the eternities. That place is the temple, and that authority is the priesthood (see D&C 132:7, 15–19). By choosing a temple marriage and keeping those covenants, you choose to be able to live forever with your spouse.

The Reason We Care

Maybe you already know that doctrine, and yet you still wonder, “But why else does it matter so much?” Maybe it’s not a matter of understanding the doctrine. Maybe it’s more a simple question of what marriage and family mean in your heart. The simple answer is that the greatest happiness and joy available to us come through living the gospel and gaining and maintaining a temple marriage.

“Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and … the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World”).

In the April 2013 general conference, Elder L. Whitney Clayton of the Presidency of the Seventy explained it this way: “No other relationship of any kind can bring as much joy, generate as much good, or produce as much personal refinement.”

We also know that “happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

If you think about it, you’ll spend a large part of your life preparing for big changes that come along. There’s baptism, graduating from Primary into Young Men or Young Women, attending the temple, and participating in family history research and temple ordinances for your ancestors. For young men, there’s receiving the priesthood and advancing in priesthood offices. For young women, there’s advancing in Young Women classes. There’s high school graduation or its equivalent. And now missionaries can leave at age 18 or 19. There’s a lot to prepare for and look forward to.

But the most important covenant we prepare for is being sealed in the temple. When individuals in families live according to the plan of happiness and keep their temple covenants, they experience true joy.

The gospel is what life is all about. It’s the whole reason we are here. When we follow the gospel path, it leads to joy. And that path leads to a temple marriage, either in this life or in the life to come. No blessings will be withheld from the Father’s faithful children.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles counseled, “The most important single thing that any Latter-day Saint ever does in this world is to marry the right person, in the right place, by the right authority.”

Joys of Marriage

Some of the joys of marriage include:

Confidence and Support. When you get married, you have someone who will cheer you on and encourage you in doing what is right, who will lift you up each day, who will share in all your joys and sorrows.

Children. It brings great joy to be trusted with the care and keeping of Heavenly Father’s children.

Sharing. It is such a great blessing to share in the life of another person and someday in the life of children as well. Your and your spouse’s successes become successes for the family. Making memories together adds deeper meaning to life.

Counsel. A spouse can give you good, honest advice, and you can trust it because you know it’s coming from someone who has only your best interests at heart.

Strength. Two are stronger than one. You can strengthen and help each other to live the gospel more completely.

Laughter. When you know someone this well and when you really trust each other, you’ll enjoy life with laughter and humor.

Love. Being told each day that you are loved is marvelously renewing and refreshing.

Service. There is great joy in serving one another and much more so when you do it for someone you love.

Friendship. You’ll have someone there with you through the good times and bad.

Trust. It is comforting to know that you are with someone who always wants what’s best for you and that you can confide in him or her without fear.

Physical and Emotional Intimacy. Marriage is a unique relationship in which the Lord binds two people in an eternal relationship whose goals include oneness, togetherness, and joy.

To read this article, and others on Temple Marriage, click here.

Last year I posted on temple marriage, to read that, click this link: Temple Marriage. I completed that post after our temple marriage mutual activities. Remember the wedding dresses and wedding time capsules? Those were a blast!

Let's do that again soon!
Sunday, I taught on strengthening our personal testimonies. I hope that you will apply some of the principles we discussed and begin to strengthen your testimony of a temple marriage. I have a testimony that the temple is the only place where we can be married and have that relationship continue beyond this life. I also know that when we are married in the temple we have the Lord as a third partner in our marriage.
One day (many years from now!) I look forward to receiving temple wedding announcements from you wonderful young women.

Love, Sister Chambers

On My Mind Recently...

Good Evening! I just wanted to share a few things that have been on my mind recently...

This last week at work I had an interesting experience. I was in my unit cleaning a patient's teeth and I overheard a conversation between two dental assistants that went something like this:

J: So last night my son asked me if Satan was a beast.

M: That is so funny! What did you tell him?

J: Well, I told him that he was kind of a beast. That would be one name for him. Then my son wanted to know where Satan came from.

M: What did you tell him?

J: Well, I didn't really know what to tell him. He was confused and so was I. He asked if God had made Satan and I told him yes God made everyone. Then he wanted to know why God had made Satan a beast.

M: That is a good question.

J: I told him I wasn't quite sure why God had made Satan that way. I also told him that one time his grandma had told me a story about how Satan use to be a beautiful angel and then he got kicked out of heaven.

M: You know, that is a hard question to answer. I don't know the answer to that question either. That's a hard one...

As I sat in my operatory listening to this conversation a lot of things started entering my mind.

First of all- I have never wondered where Satan has come from at all. I have been taught since I was a little girl who Satan is, why he doesn't live in heaven, why he doesn't have a body, and why he tempts us. I am grateful for the restoration of the gospel and that I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and have the fulness of the gospel. I am grateful to parents who taught me basic principles of the gospel so I would not be confused. I had never considered that others might wonder about Satan and be curious about his identity and his "background."

 Second of all- If they had asked me that question, I wondered how I would have responded. So in my mind I began forming a very short, 1 1/2-2 minute response that could help answer their question. Hopefully my response would make sense, but also help them have the desire to learn more. I am sure that my answer would make much more sense to J and to her son than what she knew (which was pretty much nothing). 

I thought back to Sister Dutton's lesson a few weeks ago when she talked about missionary work and studying Preach My Gospel. Those who are not members of the church have so many questions and it is important that we be able to answer them with a direct but short response. When faced with a gospel question we shouldn't always have to respond with, "Well come to my house and meet with the missionaries because talking about Satan could take an hour because you have to get into the pre-existence and choosing between Jesus' plan or Satan's plan and then 1/3 of the hosts of heaven leaving and how angry he is because he doesn't have a body so he tries to get us to misuse ours..." Most of the time when someone asks you a question they want a simple short response. And then if that leads to more questions that might be a good time to get the missionaries involved. Be grateful a friend feels comfortable asking you questions about the gospel. And if you don't know the answer it's ok to say you don't know but that you will find out and get back to them. 

 I planned on telling J and M what I knew about Satan, but after I finished with my patient they were busy and then a time when the three of us could be together just never happened. Maybe soon enough I can resolve their confusion. 

There are opportunities all around us to share what we know to be true. I know that if you will pray and ask Heavenly Father to help you be aware of those situations he will help you to recognize them. And if you will ask him to help you to know what to say, he will also help you. Those who seek to do the Lord's will and serve others will always have his assistance.

 This last week my dad has been visiting for my little sister's college graduation. She graduated from ISU with a Master's degree in Counseling. I am so proud of her. 

When my dad visits it can sometimes be difficult. He has some different ideas about how people should live their lives. He is a member of the church but doesn't believe some of the things that church teaches in regards to the family. 

My dad has always taught me and my sisters that an education should be the number 1 priority in your life. And if you need to put anything else in your life on the "back burner" than you should.

 I know that my dad wishes I was at a different place in my life right now.

I have chosen a family over career and large amounts of money. My dad believes I am "doing it all wrong." But I disagree. I feel peace that I am doing an important work in my family.

My dad thinks he knows what brings happiness. But I am more than happy. I feel joy in my family.

 This life is about families. Before we came to earth we started out as a family. We are part of our Heavenly Father's family, we are his spirit children. We came to this earth and joined families. Families can bring us so much joy in this life. Families are a great way for us to learn about the principles of the gospel. Being a member of a family helps us to develop Christ-like attributes and be more like our Heavenly Father. In the family unit is the greatest place to learn all that we need to in this life. Many of our families are different. Growing up I felt like my family was so different because my parents were divorced and I hated that. No matter your family circumstance today or what they may even be like in the future, remember that you are always a part of Heavenly Father's family and remember that you are his daughter....

When considering your future families THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO DO is to seek the Lord's guidance. He has a different plan for each of us. There are things he needs each of us to do to build the kingdom of God. Always seek his will and be willing to follow through. He will never lead you astray but will always lead you to true happiness. 

I love each of you and know that your futures look bright if you will stay close to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Love, Sister Chambers 

Temple Marriage

What a SUPER fun night we had Tuesday. Sister Dutton put so much hard work into mutual. I am grateful for her dedication to the activity. It was so exciting to see you girls dressed in wedding dresses. You all looked so beautiful. It was fun to see your excitement for marriage.

I remember, just like you, being excited to get married. It was so fun to think about what my wedding colors would be, what I wanted my dress to look like, what my ring would look like, how my reception would be decorated... I think I probably planned dozens of weddings in my mind. 

When I did become engaged it was a lot of fun to plan my wedding and reception. I remember wanting it to be so memorable and beautiful. The things I thought I would remember about my wedding and reception, I don't however. Those things now are not as important to me. 

 Almost 5 years later, my greatest memory of my wedding day is being in the temple with my husband. Before we went into the sealing room, my husband and I sat in the Celestial room together for a long time. I was so nervous at first, but the longer we sat in there together, on this pretty yellow/gold couch, the more comfortable and at peace I felt and I even began drifting off to sleep on his shoulder. It is my greatest memory from that day because sitting in the temple with him I recognized how much joy I felt. It was so wonderful to sit next to the man that I loved in the Lord's house and know that we could be together for eternity.

 I can promise you that the experiences that you and your eternal companion have in the temple will be some of your most cherished memories. 

Marriage may only be a few years away for some of you, others it will be many more years away... No matter how far into the future it may be, I hope that you will always be excited for marriage. But not just any marriage, a TEMPLE MARRIAGE. There is no greater blessing on this earth than being sealed to the right person, at the right time in your life, in the right place. I am sure that no fame or fortune even compares.

Please hold on to your handouts from Tuesday nights activity and follow Sister Dutton's direction for writing a letter to your future husband. We will soon finish our marriage time capsules! What a wonderful gift to open when you become engaged!

Love, Sister Chambers