Dedication and Heavenly Choirs

This morning and afternoon (21 Sep, 2014), members throughout the northern Utah region had the opportunity to meet and participate in the re-dedication of the Ogden temple. I'd like to share a few thoughts from the dedication:

1.  Towards the end of the dedicatory prayer, President Monson paid tribute to the Father and the Son and asked that they accept this offering, I felt the spirit pour into my heart. Describing it the way I felt, "that this might be an abode for the Father, the Son, and their angels". Although there are places that are or can be like unto a temple (our homes, the mountains, etc.), there is still something sacred and beautiful about a dedicated building to the Lord.

I've had a love for temples since going through for the first time in 1994. I've spent many, many hours in the temple through the years. There have been many special and sacred experiences in the temple, for which I am eternally grateful.

Since my posterity are the primary readers of this content, I hope they will make worshiping in the temple a priority in their lives. Despite changes to the endowment over the years, the message is still powerful and the veil can get thin in the temple if our hearts are pure and we seek the Lord. If we portray ourselves as Adam and Eve, we'll see the path that we need to walk and how to converse with the Lord through the veil AFTER WE HAVE BEEN PREPARED IN ALL THINGS. That preparation will come when we're ready, the Lord will prepare each one of us.

As President Monson presented the house to the Father and our Lord, I felt a deep appreciation to them for their love and patience with me and many others on this earth.

2. The second lesson is that there is a great deal of turmoil and confusion in this world. There's never been a time when it's more important to stay close to the Lord. I appreciate all those who share their witness, not only vocally, but through their actions. I appreciated Elder Bednar's words today, they rang true to me by the voice of the spirit.

3. I believe many angels are allowed to participate in these dedications. In 1996, I participated in the Mt. Timpanogos temple dedication the same day I returned home from my mission. Even though there were only 100 - 200 people in the room, I remember hearing concourses of heavenly voices singing. There were thousands of beautiful voices that joined us that day and I felt there were many there with us today as well.

I love the Lord and I'm keenly aware of the many ways in which I fall short. I hope that our children will grow up in the gospel and learn for themselves the truths of eternity that will carry them through the challenges they will see in their lifetime. I have a firm conviction that burns deeply of the power of worshiping in temples, that they can stand as a beacon in a storm and provide us with personal direction and guidance!