The Fire of the Covenant

Elder Bednar spoke in conference about “the divine purpose of gathering.” What is the reason that we gather - why send missionaries out to gather people to the Church - why gather together in wards and stakes - why gather our friends by sharing our testimonies? We do it so God’s children can receive the highest ordinances of the temple and gain eternal life – in the Temple. Elder Bednar said that the purpose of gathering is to build temples. The determining factor behind where and when a temple is built is the number of Saints that have gathered in that area. I live by the Provo temple, and my recent walks have taken me to it. I love the area around the temple, I love the temple grounds, I love being in the temple. It is beautiful and it seems to me that the feeling of beauty emanates from the temple to the flowers outside it, to the mountains behind it, and to the sky above it.

“Let the fire of the covenant which you made in the House of the Lord, burn in your hearts, like flame unquenchable” (Elder Bednar quoting Brigham Young). Elder Bednar promised us worshipping in the temple will give us a strengthening fire in our hearts.

“There is a difference between church-attending, tithe-paying members who occasionally rush into the temple to go through a session and those members who faithfully and consistently worship in the temple.” I want to be in the second group. I’m not quite sure how deep the difference is between the groups, but I definitely don’t want to be left behind by being a mediocre temple attender.