Covenants & Symbols 22: The Blessings of Higher Covenants скачать в хорошем качестве

Covenants & Symbols 22: The Blessings of Higher Covenants

Here is the second episode (#22 overall) in the second part of this series: Covenants and Symbols. In this episode, I continue to address the “Why?” of making higher covenants by looking at the blessing the Lord grants to those who obey higher covenants. I apologize that I got caught up after quoting temple dedication #2 and forgot to go back and read from the dedication of the Salt Lake temple. Here is what I wanted to share, note the same promise given in the other two dedicatory prayers: “Our Father, may peace abide in all the homes of Thy Saints; may holy angels guard them; may they be encompassed by Thine arms of love; may prosperity shine upon them, and may the tempter and the destroyer be removed far from them...Heavenly Father, when Thy people...are oppressed and in trouble, surrounded by difficultles or assailed by temptation and shall turn their faces towards this Thy holy house and ask Thee for deliverance, for help, for Thy power to be extended in their behalf, we beseech Thee, to look down from Thy holy habitation in mercy and tender compassion upon them, and listen to their cries” (Wilford Woodruff, Dedication of the Salt Lake Temple, Contributor, 14:292, 300; or N. B. Lundwall, Temples of the Most High, 124, 127). The goal of this series, as admonished by President Nelson, is “to seek—prayerfully and consistently—to understand temple covenants and ordinances.” He then gave the following promise to those who seek better understanding: “Spiritual doors will open. You will learn how to part the veil between heaven and earth, how to ask for God’s angels to attend you, and how better to receive direction from heaven. Your diligent efforts to do so will reinforce and strengthen your spiritual foundation” (The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation, Oct. 2021). These videos are my attempt to follow apostolic direction to "to sweep the earth with messages filled with righteousness and truth--messages that are authentic, edifying, and praiseworthy" (“To Sweep the Earth as with a Flood,” David A. Bednar, BYU Educational Week Devotional, 2014). Disclaimer: This video is NOT a production of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints nor of the Church Educational System nor of the Seminaries and Institutes Department. The opinions expressed in this video are Bryce Dunford’s only. Please visit the official church website: www.ChurchofJesusChrist.org to clarify any doctrinal questions or to verify the Church’s stance on a symbol. ———————————————————————————————————————————————— I am diligently trying to follow Elder David A. Bendar’s counsel about speaking of the temple. He stated: Many Church members are unsure about what appropriately can and cannot be said regarding the temple experience outside of the temple… Two basic guidelines can help us achieve the proper understanding emphasized by President Benson. Guideline #1. Because we love the Lord, we always should speak about His holy house with reverence. We should not disclose or describe the special symbols associated with the covenants we receive in sacred temple ceremonies. Neither should we discuss the holy information that we specifically promise in the temple not to reveal. Guideline #2. The temple is the house of the Lord. Everything in the temple points us to our Savior, Jesus Christ. We may discuss the basic purposes of and the doctrine and principles associated with temple ordinances and covenants. President Howard W. Hunter counseled: “Let us share with our children the spiritual feelings we have in the temple. And let us teach them more earnestly and more comfortably the things we can appropriately say about the purposes of the house of the Lord.” Across the generations, from the Prophet Joseph Smith to President Russell M. Nelson, the doctrinal purposes of temple ordinances and covenants have been taught extensively by Church leaders. A rich reservoir of resources exists in print, audio, video, and other formats to help us learn about initiatory ordinances, endowments, marriages, and other sealing ordinances. Information also is available about following the Savior by receiving and honoring covenants to keep the law of obedience, the law of sacrifice, the law of the gospel, the law of chastity, and the law of consecration. All Church members should become familiar with the excellent materials available at temples.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. (Prepared to Obtain Every Needful Thing, April 2019). If you feel that I have violated either of these guidelines, please let me know.