The Joy of the Temple

[Avatar4321]

8 hours ago, Tacenda said:

From the perspective of someone who has let their TR lapse I hope it's okay that I chime in...

I miss some things in the temple...I miss the sweet temple worker ladies that were so patient with me at the veil. I miss seeing their smiling faces and it seemed like they knew and loved me. 

I remember going with all of my in laws twice a year and sitting at the back of the chapel waiting for one another to be there before we all went to the front. I remember sitting there thinking of the person I was there for and what they must be like and how they were waiting for me to do their work. 

I remember feeling safe at the temple and feeling like my children were safe because I was there. I remember putting many of my family members on the temple prayer list. 

I remember going to Nauvoo with my husband a few years ago and feeling a little sad that I couldn't go into the renovated Nauvoo temple with a lapsed TR and thinking that a just few years before that I had tried to plan a trip with my family and how we could all do work in the temple, such as baptisms for the dead etc. and then to have my faith crushed. 

I'm happy that so many of you have that ability still, I totally took it for granted. 

 

 

You can always go back. Just get that recommend!

[Avatar4321]

7 hours ago, Hamba Tuhan said:

A quick addition to my post above that better captures the topic of this thread.

My trip to the temple this past weekend was a last-minute thing, and consequently I felt ill-prepared for it, but I was happy to be in the House of the Lord Saturday morning. I hadn't arrived with any questions, worries, or pressing issues, so instead of praying, as I often do throughout the session, I just sat back and enjoyed the beauty of the experience. I did know in the back of my mind that when I finally got home later that day, I would need to prepare a talk for sacrament meeting, but I wasn't too worried about that. Since my bishop had assigned me, I'd thought long and hard about what to say, and I had a rough outline and some good content already in my head.

And then something happened. I don't actually know how to describe it, but as I sat in the endowment room, a sermon started to 'scroll' through my mind. It came in bits and pieces at first -- 'line upon line' -- until it was complete, but from that point it just looped over and over again, including throughout the next endowment session. By the time I'd finished both sessions, I had the words and ideas pretty much memorised. It was not the talk I'd partially outlined in my previous thoughts at all, and in fact it was incredibly bold, I thought. At one point I actually said, in my mind, I can't say those things; people will be offended. Then a quiet answer: Hamba, be bold.

I didn't know quite why this 'intervention' happened. I hadn't been seeking help in any way, but it left me feeling empowered and at peace.

In the end, I had no chance of preparing the talk I'd had partially planned, and I suspect the Lord was at least partially motivated by His foreknowledge of that fact. Whilst I was in the temple, somebody smashed through the back door of our house and proceeded to ransack the bedrooms, taking a number of valuable items. I got home from the temple a little before 8pm, and it was nearly 3am before everything was sorted, and I was able to lie down to sleep. In the few seconds before I was unconscious, I found myself thinking how glad I was that a ready-made talk had already been 'handed' to me. (No doubt the Spirit could have guided my preparation to give the talk the Lord wanted, but there literally wasn't any time for that process to occur.)

I got up four hours later and was able to speak for 30 minutes without a single written note. I merely gave the sermon that had been thoroughly impressed upon me in the temple.

How grateful I am to have access to both revelation and a place where the revelation flows!

Would have loved to hear that talk

[BlueDreams]

On 10/15/2017 at 3:50 AM, Hamba Tuhan said:

Just a quick update for those who've encouraged me: I was set apart yesterday as an ordinance worker.

Yea!!! 

I'm so excited for you!!!

with luv,

BD

[Tacenda]

On 9/8/2017 at 11:58 PM, Hamba Tuhan said:

Where to begin?

I remember entering the temple for the very first time, filled with anticipation, and immediately feeling like I'd 'gone home' despite the seeming newness of everything. I did two endowments that morning, the first one, of course, for myself, and then another one for a complete stranger who, I knew, also happened to be a brother. I never wanted to leave. I remember approaching the front doors of the temple and looking out into the world and trying to come up with a plan that would allow me to stay inside ... forever.

Then there's the revelation that comes in and because of the temple. Nearly two years ago, I went with the most unsolvable of burdens and prayed with earnestness throughout the session. In answer to which, I heard distinctly and clearly, 'Hamba, prepare yourself for what I have planned'. Immediately I was filled with peace and the almost 'pulsing' assurance that God had this one figured out. That peace stayed with me throughout  the end of 2015 and well into 2016, but by the end of February, I started worrying again. Where was this plan that God had said he had? Had He really spoken to me? I was five weeks away from complete disaster.

Off to the temple I went with my ward. Again, I prayed like mad. Nothing. Silence. The next day, I was travelling home by myself and took the opportunity to vent. 'Where art Thou?' I asked with a mix of desperation and rising resentment. I prayed for more than an hour as I travelled. 'Where wast Thou when I was in Thy house last night?'

And then the voice again, this time returning question with question: 'Hamba, do you really have faith in Me?'

'Thou knowest I do!' I asserted angrily, trembling with indignation. Then immediately came into my mind all of my fears and worries and doubts. So I spoke aloud again, this time with a different attitude: 'Lord, I believe ... help Thou mine unbelief'. And again perfect peace. I still had no clue what was planned, but I spent the next few weeks consciously forcing myself not to fear, not to worry, not to shrink.

My Bishop's wife asked me what I was going to do. I told her, 'Nothing'. 'So you've given up then?' 'No'. 'So what are you going to do?' "I've done all I can; now I'm going to be still and wait for the arm of the Lord to be revealed'.

And then the miracle. Miracles upon miracles. Literally 36 hours before disaster, all was resolved. Looking back, it had all been perfectly planned. A half-dozen threads all came together at the very last moment and in the only possible way.

And then there's the peace. Nowhere else in the entire world feels so luxuriantly undisturbed. I revel in it. Going back to the temple after last year's miracle was an opportunity to exult in it ... and to offer up sincere gratitude.

And then there's the joy. I've already written in this forum about spending last weekend in the temple with an elderly couple whom I've worked with for nearly three years. She came back to church, and he was baptised last year, and now they are sealed to each other and to their deceased parents. I visited them last Sunday to take them the sacrament, and the joy was flashing in their eyes and radiating throughout their small home.

Oh, it's good. So very, very good.

I'm replying even if it's a year or so later because you linked it to the recent changes in the temple thread. I think it's a fitting topic for the recent changes. Thanks again Hamba, I appreciate this post a lot. I don't know that I've come to the point of speaking like this with HF, I've been very lax. I worry that I have lost belief of Him. I sure hope not. 

[Avatar4321]

On 9/9/2017 at 12:58 AM, Hamba Tuhan said:

Where to begin?

I remember entering the temple for the very first time, filled with anticipation, and immediately feeling like I'd 'gone home' despite the seeming newness of everything. I did two endowments that morning, the first one, of course, for myself, and then another one for a complete stranger who, I knew, also happened to be a brother. I never wanted to leave. I remember approaching the front doors of the temple and looking out into the world and trying to come up with a plan that would allow me to stay inside ... forever.

Then there's the revelation that comes in and because of the temple. Nearly two years ago, I went with the most unsolvable of burdens and prayed with earnestness throughout the session. In answer to which, I heard distinctly and clearly, 'Hamba, prepare yourself for what I have planned'. Immediately I was filled with peace and the almost 'pulsing' assurance that God had this one figured out. That peace stayed with me throughout  the end of 2015 and well into 2016, but by the end of February, I started worrying again. Where was this plan that God had said he had? Had He really spoken to me? I was five weeks away from complete disaster.

Off to the temple I went with my ward. Again, I prayed like mad. Nothing. Silence. The next day, I was travelling home by myself and took the opportunity to vent. 'Where art Thou?' I asked with a mix of desperation and rising resentment. I prayed for more than an hour as I travelled. 'Where wast Thou when I was in Thy house last night?'

And then the voice again, this time returning question with question: 'Hamba, do you really have faith in Me?'

'Thou knowest I do!' I asserted angrily, trembling with indignation. Then immediately came into my mind all of my fears and worries and doubts. So I spoke aloud again, this time with a different attitude: 'Lord, I believe ... help Thou mine unbelief'. And again perfect peace. I still had no clue what was planned, but I spent the next few weeks consciously forcing myself not to fear, not to worry, not to shrink.

My Bishop's wife asked me what I was going to do. I told her, 'Nothing'. 'So you've given up then?' 'No'. 'So what are you going to do?' "I've done all I can; now I'm going to be still and wait for the arm of the Lord to be revealed'.

And then the miracle. Miracles upon miracles. Literally 36 hours before disaster, all was resolved. Looking back, it had all been perfectly planned. A half-dozen threads all came together at the very last moment and in the only possible way.

And then there's the peace. Nowhere else in the entire world feels so luxuriantly undisturbed. I revel in it. Going back to the temple after last year's miracle was an opportunity to exult in it ... and to offer up sincere gratitude.

And then there's the joy. I've already written in this forum about spending last weekend in the temple with an elderly couple whom I've worked with for nearly three years. She came back to church, and he was baptised last year, and now they are sealed to each other and to their deceased parents. I visited them last Sunday to take them the sacrament, and the joy was flashing in their eyes and radiating throughout their small home.

Oh, it's good. So very, very good.

Much better than my first day in the temple. It was agony. Not because of the temple itself but because I was under the weather and forgot my inhaler and couldn’t breath through most of it.

when I went back the next time it was a lot better

[Avatar4321]

1 hour ago, Tacenda said:

I'm replying even if it's a year or so later because you linked it to the recent changes in the temple thread. I think it's a fitting topic for the recent changes. Thanks again Hamba, I appreciate this post a lot. I don't know that I've come to the point of speaking like this with HF, I've been very lax. I worry that I have lost belief of Him. I sure hope not. 

Thank you for resurrecting this thread. It’s good.

you mention speaking to Heavenly Father and I felt like I should share an experience I had recently. 

I was reading 3 Nephi a week or so ago and the Savior commanded the people to kneel and pray and it struck me that I don’t kneel much anymore. When I was diagnosed with arthritis I pretty much stopped kneeling because it was too painful.

anyway, I decided that I would start kneeling again and ever since then when I kneel and pray the Spirit has been coming so much faster and stronger.

i know He heard my prayers and answered them before but it’s amazing how little things bring His Spirit more. Do the little things that may not seem significant. You never know, it might change everything 

[Bernard Gui]

Speaking of simchas - Joy...

One of my favorite pieces to hear and to play for violin and piano...

“Baal Shem Suite: Three Pictures of Hassidic” Life by Ernest Bloch

A superb discussion of the piece and the Hassidic music traditions it portrays...and a powerfully moving performance by the maestro Isaac Stern.

https://www.milkenarchive.org/music/volumes/view/symphonic-visions/work/baal-shem-for-violin-solo-and-orchestra/

1. Vidui (Contrition)
2. Nigun (Improvisation)
3. Simchas Torah (Rejoicing)

 

 

Edited January 6, 2019 by Bernard Gui

[Hamba Tuhan]

4 hours ago, Tacenda said:

Thanks again Hamba, I appreciate this post a lot.

Thanks! 

Quote

I don't know that I've come to the point of speaking like this with HF, I've been very lax. I worry that I have lost belief of Him. I sure hope not. 

I hope you'll choose to renew your faith! Have a chat with Him about it; He'll have some advice/guidance, I'm reasonably certain. 

Edited January 6, 2019 by Hamba Tuhan

[The Nehor]

21 hours ago, Tacenda said:

I'm replying even if it's a year or so later because you linked it to the recent changes in the temple thread. I think it's a fitting topic for the recent changes. Thanks again Hamba, I appreciate this post a lot. I don't know that I've come to the point of speaking like this with HF, I've been very lax. I worry that I have lost belief of Him. I sure hope not. 

If all you can do is yell at God that is better then nothing in my experience.  

[Hamba Tuhan]

7 hours ago, The Nehor said:

If all you can do is yell at God that is better then nothing in my experience.  

Same!

Though I've also had pretty good success with walking into the wilderness, sitting down under a juniper tree and requesting to die.

Edited January 7, 2019 by Hamba Tuhan

[Kenngo1969]

On 1/6/2019 at 11:36 AM, Tacenda said:

I'm replying even if it's a year or so later because you linked it to the recent changes in the temple thread. I think it's a fitting topic for the recent changes. Thanks again Hamba, I appreciate this post a lot. I don't know that I've come to the point of speaking like this with HF, I've been very lax. I worry that I have lost belief of Him. I sure hope not. 

Well, it's one thing to say that you've lost faith in Him.  It's another thing entirely to state, flatly, that He doesn't exist.  So acknowledging His existence is a good start!

Why am I reminded of the conversation between John Nash and the non-existent Department of Defense employee William Parcher from A Beautiful Mind?

Nash (vehemently): "You're not real!"

Parcher (with equal vehemence): "You're still talking to me, Soldier!"

In your case, perhaps the analogous conversation would be, "Are you real?"  Whereupon, He might respond (even if not in so many words), "You're still talking, if not to, then at least about, me, aren't you?"

[Tacenda]

10 hours ago, Kenngo1969 said:

Well, it's one thing to say that you've lost faith in Him.  It's another thing entirely to state, flatly, that He doesn't exist.  So acknowledging His existence is a good start!

Why am I reminded of the conversation between John Nash and the non-existent Department of Defense employee William Parcher from A Beautiful Mind?

Nash (vehemently): "You're not real!"

Parcher (with equal vehemence): "You're still talking to me, Soldier!"

In your case, perhaps the analogous conversation would be, "Are you real?"  Whereupon, He might respond (even if not in so many words), "You're still talking, if not to, then at least about, me, aren't you?"

Watched Beautiful MInd twice now, just the other day, and caught a lot more than the first time. Maybe it takes a determined mind to believe he's there.  I guess it's all about faith. 😣

[Hamba Tuhan]

8 hours ago, Tacenda said:

Maybe it takes a determined mind to believe he's there.  I guess it's all about faith. 😣

That's certainly where it starts. Then it becomes all about experience married to faith (loyalty). Then it becomes knowledge.