Lessons on the Temple
Lesson No. Three

Council to Our Grandchildren

There are two kinds of marriages: Celestial marriage and every other kind – Every other kind includes church weddings, civil weddings, those performed on top of mountains or in beautiful gardens.  Some members of the Church do not choose a temple marriage because they want a traditional wedding with all of its trappings, or they or their fiancé don’t want to invest the effort to prepare for a temple marriage.  They are willing to forfeit the greatest of all blessings, even eternal life, because they do not understand or believe the doctrine of eternal marriage, and they are unable to see with the eye of faith.

“Celestial marriage makes all the difference” – President Russell M. Nelson instructed young adults in the Church as follows:  “If it were possible for me to speak one-on-one with every young adult, I would plead with you to seek a companion with whom you can be sealed in the temple.  You may wonder what difference this will make in your life.  I promise it will make all the difference!  As you marry in the temple and return repeatedly, you will be strengthened and guided in your decisions” (The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation, Liahona, November 2021).

Exaltation is made possible through celestial marriage – Abraham was promised an eternal posterity as numerous as the stars in the heavens or the sands upon the seashore. (See D&C 132:30)  In the marriage ordinance we are also given this promise.     

The Lord further explains:  “and by this law (the law of celestial marriage) is the continuation of the works of my Father wherein he glorifieth himself.  Go ye, therefore, and do the works of Abraham; enter ye into my law and ye shall be saved” (Vs 31-32).

President Ezra Taft Benson explained this doctrine:  “When our children obey the Lord and go to the temple to receive their blessings and enter into the marriage covenant, they enter into the same order of the priesthood that God instituted in the very beginning with father Adam.  This order entitles them to the same blessings of Abraham, of whom the Lord said that he “hath entered into his exaltation and sitteth upon his throne” (D&C 132:29). Then He significantly added: “This promise is yours also, because ye are of Abraham (D&C 132:31)” (What I Hope You Will Teach Your Children about the Temple, Ensign, August 1985).

Seeing with the eye of faith - One of the most important of all gifts is the gift to be able to see into the future with the eye of faith.  To our grandchildren we ask – can you see with the eye of faith that the time will come when it will be time for you to marry, and therefore it is important for you to prepare now for this most important life event.  You do not yet know who you will marry, but each one of you can decide right now, once and for all, that the only way you will be married is in a temple for time and eternity.

If that decision becomes the guiding choice of your life then every other choice that relates to it is clear.  Your choice to live the word of wisdom, to be morally clean, and to keep all the commandments becomes much easier because you know that you must qualify for a temple recommend in order to be sealed in celestial marriage.  You will choose to date only those who are themselves preparing for temple marriage.

Conclusion – Celestial marriage and the sealing of children to parents for both the living and the dead is one of the great evidences of the truthfulness of the gospel.  It is evidence of the goodness and justice of our Father in Heaven who loves all his children.  Either in this life, or in the next life, everyone who has or will live, will have the opportunity to be taught the gospel, enter into the gospel covenants and receive the promised blessings.

Testimony – Even though other churches don’t teach it, the belief that families are eternal is part of most people’s spiritual DNA. Their concept of heaven does not accommodate the idea that they would not have their family. We have the answer to this most fundamental desire, and we invite all people to come and prepare for this marvelous blessing.