During my scripture study the other evening I turned to a cross reference I'd made earlier.  I turned to Genesis and read about Abraham and Lot parting ways.  Abraham gave Lot his choice of the best place to dwell, and the scripture says, "Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom."  (Genesis 13:12).

What an unfortunate choice!  How short-sighted!  How stupid!  How fatal that choice was for most of this righteous man's family.  How fatal for our posterity when we choose to pitch our own tents toward Sodom.

The cross reference I followed to Genesis was written in the margin beside Mosiah 2:6.  King Benjamin had there called all of his people together to the temple to hear the words he would speak to them.  The scripture says, "And they pitched their tents round about the temple, every man having his tent with the door thereof towards the temple, that thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them."

What a magnificent, profound thought!  What a difference it would make if our homes were oriented toward the temple.  If our homes had temple-worthy, temple recommend holding, temple-attending adults in them; if the children therein were being taught to likewise be temple worthy and to prepare for temple marriage; and if all the inhabitants of all our homes were making, thinking about, and keeping sacred covenants, how different our world would be.

The temple's influence in our lives is huge, and becomes even greater when properly used.

For instance:

Once upon a time life became very unsweet for me.  At the time I was the father of eight, serving as bishop of my ward, running my farm, and working a job in town.  When the phone rang, I would cringe and say inwardly, "Please don't let it be for me"

I thought I was hiding my stresses very well until I overheard one of my small children say to another, "Let's go over to the barn and get away from grouchy old Daddy."

I knew something had to change.  I had no idea what.  So the next day I went alone to the temple.  I got a name and went through an endowment session.  Then I sat in the celestial room and prayed.

(Side note:  My objective in going to the temple was to gain admittance to the celestial room so that I could pray.  You can't get into the celestial room without first serving others.  The celestial kingdom is like that.)

No answers came, so I returned to the new name booth and obtained a second mane and went through another endowment session.  I again sat in the celestial room and prayed.  This time a scripture came into my mind.  It was something this same king Benjamin had told his people at their temple.  He said, "It is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength."  (Mosiah 4:27).  (In other words, it's not required—it's not even smart.)

As those words came into my mind, I knew immediately what had to be done, that I had received God's counsel, and that I'd be blessed if I followed it.

I went back and obtained a third name and went through another endowment session as my way of giving thanks for the guidance, went home, quit my town job, and life became sweet again.

Having our tents pitched with the door facing the temple makes all the difference.

 

—15 July 2009