When we were walking through, there was a tent near the exit that had some posters and information with a big sign saying that this temple was the 200th temple! What!?! We had no idea. We were so excited about this. I kept pondering this miraculous event and ended up doing some research and including this experience in a Stake Speaking Assignment that I had (except here - full talk below).
When I was born there were 41 temples (the most recent temple was the Frankfurt Germany Temple). 18 of those were dedicated by then Elder Gordon B Hinkley who would become the prophet when I was 8 years old and go on to dedicate another 67 temples by 2008. I remember when the 100th temple was dedicated, the Boston Massachusets Temple in October of 2000. I was 13 years old and my family and my ward celebrated this incredible milestone. We felt like we were witnessing something amazing- like we were a part of something magnificent. In my first 13 years of life there had been 59 temples dedicated, and now there were more than 100 temples in the world! It was impactful and exciting.
This past week my family and I were able to attend the open house for the Deseret Peaks Temple in Tooele. We were excited to learn that this temple will be the 200th temple dedicated in these latter days. 200 temples! Only 24 years after that 100 temple milestone there have been 100 additional temples constructed and another 167 announced.
President Nelson said, “My dear brothers and sisters, do you see what is happening right before our eyes? I pray that we will not miss the majesty of this moment! The Lord is indeed hastening His work.”
October 20, 2024 – PL 3 Ward + TM2 Ward
Purpose: Purpose:
● Tell the stake how your studies from Come Follow Me and the words of
President Nelson have changed you, and brought you closer to Christ.
● Invite YSAs from the wards to participate in the YSA choir for the adult session
of Stake Conference.
Good morning Brothers and Sisters,
I am so glad to be here with you today. It is such a special opportunity for me to be here in this ward, and to be able to share my testimony with you as the Stake Primary President.
Previous to the last session of this October General Conference, my family started discussing what we thought President Nelson would speak about. Each of us made guesses about how many temples would be announced and the topics we thought he would cover. Gathering of Israel, Temples, Peace. My daughter Lydia was so excited when her guesses were both correct: 17 temples and a talk that focused on the second coming!
It was so powerful to hear our prophet teach us about the importance of preparing for the second coming during the same week that we were reading in Come, Follow Me about the coming of Christ to the people of the Book of Mormon.
The Come Follow Me Manual expressed this beautiful thought:
With these words, “Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world” (3 Nephi 11:10), the resurrected Savior introduced Himself, fulfilling over 600 years of Book of Mormon prophecies. “That appearance and that declaration,” Elder Jeffrey R. Holland wrote, “constituted the focal point, the supreme moment, in the entire history of the Book of Mormon. It was the manifestation and the decree that had informed and inspired every Nephite prophet. … Everyone had talked of him, sung of him, dreamed of him, and prayed for his appearance—but here he actually was. The day of days! The God who turns every dark night into morning light had arrived” (Christ and the New Covenant [1997], 250–51).
Those words mirrors these that our prophet shared at the close of his message to us:
My dear brothers and sisters, in a coming day, Jesus Christ will return to the earth as the millennial Messiah. So today I call upon you to rededicate your lives to Jesus Christ. I call upon you to help gather scattered Israel and to prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord. I call upon you to talk of Christ, testify of Christ, have faith in Christ, and rejoice in Christ!
As I have considered the experiences that the people of the Book of Mormon had in preparing for the coming of the Savior in their day and the way he appeared to them and ministered to them, I have been strengthened in my own efforts to be faithful to him and do what He needs me to do to prepare for His coming.
This has led me to reflect on what things I can do now and also to look at the patterns I have seen in my life.
When I was born there were 41 temples (the most recent temple was the Frankfurt Germany Temple). 18 of those were dedicated by then Elder Gordon B Hinkley who would become the prophet when I was 8 years old and go on to dedicate another 67 temples by 2008. I remember when the 100th temple was dedicated, the Boston Massachusets Temple in October of 2000. I was 13 years old and my family and my ward celebrated this incredible milestone. We felt like we were witnessing something amazing- like we were a part of something magnificent. In my first 13 years of life there had been 59 temples dedicated, and now there were more than 100 temples in the world! It was impactful and exciting.
This past week my family and I were able to attend the open house for the Deseret Peaks Temple in Tooele. We were excited to learn that this temple will be the 200th temple dedicated in these latter days. 200 temples! Only 24 years after that 100 temple milestone there have been 100 additional temples constructed and another 167 announced.
President Nelson said, “My dear brothers and sisters, do you see what is happening right before our eyes? I pray that we will not miss the majesty of this moment! The Lord is indeed hastening His work.”
It is easy to take for granted the temples that are being built at this unprecedented rate. I grew up in small town Ephrain, Utah and frequently drove by the Manti Temple. Each time my family would pass the temple, my mom would start singing “I love to see the Temple”. My love for the temple started early and went deep. As a 12 year old, the only thing I wanted for my birthday was for my parents to take me to do baptisms for the dead that very day.
Later, I was able to participate in the Manti Pageant and had many faith-building experiences, but one of the most profound was the year that we had been suffering a dry and hot summer and our whole valley had been praying for rain. There is a scene in the Manti Pageant where there is mass chaos and confusion, people running and yelling, with fire shooting from the scenery and lights flashing. At the cue “Thunderings and quaking of the earth” we all ran to hide in the shadows of the rocks, or hunkered down on the grass in groups. There was darkness and stillness for many moments, until the music began to play and light gradually shone upon a man, standing near the wall of the temple, dressed in white. As he began to beckon the people to come to him, rain started to fall in answer to many, many prayers. In that moment, what I saw and felt was not an actor dressed up to play a sacred part - but it was the Savior of the World, bringing with him the answer to sincere prayer. I felt such love and power from God, and the act of standing up from my place of fear and shadow and walking toward him and the light and peace that surrounded him was etched into my heart forever.
President Nelson said, “Brothers and sisters, now is the time for you and for me to prepare for the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Now is the time for us to make our discipleship our highest priority.”
Each of us gets to decide what this looks like in our life but as I reflect on my experiences - I can see the blessings that have come from following the Prophet and his counsel.
In 2018 President Nelson concluded his talk by saying “My dear brothers and sisters, construction of these temples may not change your life, but your time in the temple surely will.”
He followed with several specific blessings:
“In that spirit, I bless you to identify those things you can set aside so you can spend more time in the temple. I bless you with greater harmony and love in your homes and a deeper desire to care for your eternal family relationships. I bless you with increased faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and a greater ability to follow Him as His true disciples.” That promise and blessing was so impactful to me that I printed it out and it hangs by my bathroom mirror.
As a mom of young children, serving in the temple regularly is a little tricky. However, this promise from President Nelson sank deep into my heart. I have found that making time for myself to be able to attend the temple, feed my spirit, and connect with my true purpose has been more impactful to my happiness in motherhood than anything else and has been my greatest form of self-care, spiritual or otherwise.
In 2019 President Nelson urged members of the Church to study the Spiritual Treasures that are found in the temple and also to better understand God’s Power that flows from priesthood covenants. He said that if we truly understood that truth in our hearts, it would change our lives. Following his counsel led me to seek and to study this topic and it did change me. I better understand my role, my access to the Saviors power, and how much the Lord loves his children.
In 2020, amid the upsetting and life-altering COVID-19 Pandemic President Nelson encouraged: “Despite the world’s commotion,2 the Lord would have us look forward to the future “with joyful anticipation.”3” Following his counsel given during that conference enabled me and my family to testify that “there is hope and joy to be found now and in the future because of our Savior Jesus, Christ.”
Year after year, following the counsel of the prophet has helped my family endure difficult family situations with peace, uncertainty surrounding medical diagnoses with hope, and excruciating loss with joy.
The increased ability to cope with all of these things comes from Jesus Christ. As President Nelson said in 2023, “The Answer is always Jesus Christ.”
Brothers and Sisters, I feel the power and truth of the words that NOW is the time to prepare for the Second Coming of the Savior. Now is the time for us to make our discipleship our highest priority. “It is neither too early nor too late for you to become a devout disciple of Jesus Christ.”
No matter what “dizzying distractions” we have, if our focus is on the Savior - even small efforts will continue to bring us closer to him.
I share my testimony of the power of holding an active temple recommend, even when you have different struggles in your life or are navigating difficult questions in your faith journey. In the house of the Lord, we focus on Jesus Christ. We learn of Him. We make covenants to follow Him. We come to know Him.
If now is the time to prepare ourselves, Brothers and Sisters, let us prepare. Let us rededicate our lives to Jesus Chrsit. Let us follow the call of our prophet to help gather scattered Israel and prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Savior. Let us talk of Christ, testify of Christ, have faith in Christ, and rejoice in Christ! By so doing, he will continue to bless us and not only will we witness the majesty of this time we live in, but we will be an active part of it.
He loves us, he will be with us. He will bring us peace in turmoil, strength in weakness, and joy in sorrow.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
