Thank you for your help everyone! You might even
recognize some of your own words in my talk.
As a child I have a distinct memory of walking home from school one day with my brother and sisters. When we left the school the sky was full of storm clouds but it hadn't started raining. We took our time walking home. Those kind of days don't happen that often in Phoenix and it just felt cool. After a while it started getting pretty windy and when we had more than half way to go, the heavens opened up and a wall of rain came pouring onto us. Without a word to one another, we began to run as fast as we could. We weren't dressed for the rain so we got soaked to the skin. It seemed to take forever to get home and by the time we got there we were freezing and tired. The thing I remember most is opening the door to our house where it was warm and dry and thinking, "I'm home." My mom was there to wrap a towel around us and give us a hug. She had made us hot chocolate and popcorn. It felt really good to be home.
The sentence "I'm home" has a lot of meaning to it. It's what my kids shout when they walk in the door after a long day at school. It's what I feel when I get home from a long trip. It's what my husband says when he walks in the door, he's done with work and meetings and doesn't have to leave any more for the rest of the night.
It's the feeling of finally making it to the temple after planning the right time, finding a babysitter, fighting traffic, looking for a parking space, going through the temple doors and the attendant checking your recommend says, "Welcome to the temple." I'm home!
The book "True to the "Faith compare the temple and the home. It says, "Temples are literally houses of the Lord. They are holy places of worship where the Lord may visit. Only the home can compare with temples in sacredness." I have never made that connection before, "only the home can compare with temples in sacredness." Recently, I have thought so much about that statement. Does our home compare with the temple in sacredness? Whether in your home you have a spouse, children, parents, roommate, or live alone you can make your home a temple by following its example.
In the temple we feel peace, comfort and protection. That is how I want my kids to feel when they come home. That is how I want to feel when I come home. If we look to the temple as an example it is neat and orderly. Everything in the temple points you to the savior and heavenly things. We can do this by being very careful of the things that we allow into our homes. Most importantly we can add good things to our homes to remind us of who we really are, children of God. My mom always taught me that when you decorate a room people who don't know you should be able to tell as soon as they step into your house who you love and what you believe just by looking around them.
In the temple we serve our ancestors by performing sacred ordinances on their behalf. In our homes we can serve each other by working together. We can teach our children the importance of serving in the church by doing it willingly, without complaint. When my husband was called to be the bishop of our ward I was really afraid that our kids would grow up without their dad because he would be gone so much. But what we have found is that even though his calling does take him away from the family a lot, if we spend the time that we do have together doing quality things like playing volleyball, basketball, reading books or going on a bike ride then they aren't missing anything.
In the temple we learn sacred truths about how to return to our Father in Heaven. In our homes we can strengthen our testimonies of the gospel through personal and family scripture study, family home evenings and family prayer. Those aren't easy things to do but the more we do them the easier they get.
David A.
Bednar said
"Each family prayer, each episode of family scripture study, and each family home evening is a brushstroke on the canvas of our souls. No one event may appear to be very impressive or memorable. But just as the yellow and gold and brown stokes of paint complement each other and produce an impressive masterpiece, so our consistency in doing seemingly small things can lead to significant spiritual results. 'Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things
proceedeth that which is great.'"
I have heard the temple described as being a masterpiece. It holds the very best of what the craftsmen building it are capable of. Our homes and families we build can be our masterpiece if we strive to do our best. Sometimes we make mistakes, we are human, but we can't give up.
Then every once in a while every thing just comes together. You know the feeling, when everyone gets along; no one it too tired or cranky, everyone helps each other and encourages each other. At that moment everything is perfect and we catch a glimpse of eternity.
It is my testimony that the more we strive to bring the sacredness of the temple into our homes, the more often it will be there. David O. McKay said, "pure hearts in a pure home are always whispering distance of heaven." I believe that with all my heart.
