I listened to Doctrine and Covenants 109 and 110 as I drove towards the Kirtland Temple. It was a chilly, cloudy morning in March. I scanned the road ahead for a first glimpse of the temple. Finally, overlooking a river valley, I saw the Kirtland Temple!
I recalled how President Russell M. Nelson reiterated the importance of Section 109 in being a tutorial for being spiritually empowered.
Joseph Smith’s dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple is a tutorial about how the temple spiritually empowers you and me to meet the challenges of life in these last days. I encourage you to study that prayer, recorded in Doctrine and Covenants section 109. That dedicatory prayer, which was received by revelation, teaches that the temple is “a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.”
This list of attributes is much more than a description of a temple. It is a promise about what will happen to those who serve and worship in the house of the Lord. They can expect to receive answers to prayer, personal revelation, greater faith, strength, comfort, increased knowledge, and increased power.
President Nelson related the miraculous manifestation of Moses, Elias, and Elias, as recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 110, and testified that
The significance of these keys being returned to the earth by three heavenly messengers under the direction of the Lord cannot be overstated. Priesthood keys constitute the authority and power of presidency. Priesthood keys govern how the priesthood of God may be used to bring about the Lord’s purposes and bless all who accept the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. …
These keys authorized Joseph Smith—and all succeeding Presidents of the Lord’s Church—to gather Israel on both sides of the veil, to bless all covenant children with the blessings of Abraham, to place a ratifying seal on priesthood ordinances and covenants, and to seal families eternally. The power of these priesthood keys is infinite and breathtaking. …
Priesthood keys restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith make it possible for every covenant-keeping man and woman to enjoy incredible personal spiritual privileges. Here again, there is much we can learn from the sacred history of the Kirtland Temple.
I wanted to stand in the space where these things happened. I’ve had an inner yearning to be in every known space where the Father and/or Son appeared. And so I drove to Kirtland, Ohio, with intentionality.
I feel so tender in sacred spaces, and I felt my eyelids struggling to stand as floodgates for my persistent emotions. Deity manifested here. My ancestors worked on and sacrificed for and experienced the miracles of this temple. In my mind, Kirtland represents the joy that accepting the restored gospel of Jesus Christ gave those ancestors, juxtaposed with the beginning of their trials for standing steadfast and immovable in their worship of Jesus Christ and following His prophet.
Touring the Kirtland Temple
At the Visitor’s Center, I asked to join a tour. A senior missionary couple joined me and said I was their only patron! I had them and the temple to myself. I took my time as we wandered the floors. I asked my questions. I touched most of the original things.
As we ended our wanderings, they had me sit in one of the pews. I sat in the first pew across from the Melchizedek pulpits.
The senior missionary couple read from Doctrine and Covenants 109 and 110 and related some of the manifestations that occurred at the temple’s dedication and the miraculous visitations of those ancient prophets. They told how a thousand people crowded into that small space, all eagerly anticipating the temple’s dedication.
The Lord commanded the Saints to build a temple in Kirtland so that He could “endow [the people] with power from on high.” At the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, thousands experienced outpourings of the Spirit collectively.
Joseph Smith said that he “gave them instructions in relation to the spirit of prophecy, and called upon the congregation to speak. … George A. Smith arose and began to prophesy, when a noise was heard like the sound of a rushing mighty wind, which filled the Temple, and all the congregation simultaneously arose, being moved upon by an invisible power; many began to speak in tongues and prophesy; others saw glorious visions; and I beheld the Temple was filled with angels, which fact I declared to the congregation. The people of the neighborhood came running together (hearing an unusual sound within, and seeing a bright light like a pillar of fire resting upon the Temple), and were astonished at what was taking place.”
Again, I felt the veil thinning as I saw my ancestors in my mind’s eye joining that triumphant throng. You belong here. You are one of us whispered across 190 years.
The missionaries pointed to the pulpit where our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph and Oliver.
The was taken from our minds, and the of our were opened.
We the Lord upon the breastwork of the pulpit, before us; and under his feet was a paved work of pure , in color like amber.
His were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his shone above the brightness of the sun; and his was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of , saying:
I am the and the last; I am he who , I am he who was slain; I am your with the Father. . . .
I felt the temple passing through me, just as President Nelson promised. What they experienced is real, the Holy Ghost affirmed. Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten of the Father. Joseph Smith saw what he said he saw.
It is true. I believe it.
“The Spirit of God”
As we closed our time there, the sister missionary asked if I’d like to sing “The Spirit of God.” At first, I felt self-conscious about singing a cappella, and then I realized how silly that was. Of COURSE I’d like to sing “The Spirit of God” in that space. Who cares how it would sound!? So we sang the first four verses together. And I loved it!
1. The Spirit of God like a fire is burning!
The latter-day glory begins to come forth;
The visions and blessings of old are returning,
And angels are coming to visit the earth.
We’ll sing and we’ll shout with the armies of heaven,Hosanna, hosanna to God and the Lamb!
Let glory to them in the highest be given,
Henceforth and forever, Amen and amen!
2. The Lord is extending the Saints’ understanding,Restoring their judges and all as at first.
The knowledge and power of God are expanding;
The veil o’er the earth is beginning to burst.
We’ll sing and we’ll shout with the armies of heaven,Hosanna, hosanna to God and the Lamb!
Let glory to them in the highest be given,
Henceforth and forever, Amen and amen!
3. We’ll call in our solemn assemblies in spirit,To spread forth the kingdom of heaven abroad,
That we through our faith may begin to inherit
The visions and blessings and glories of God.
We’ll sing and we’ll shout with the armies of heaven,Hosanna, hosanna to God and the Lamb!
Let glory to them in the highest be given,
Henceforth and forever, Amen and amen!
4. How blessed the day when the lamb and the lionShall lie down together without any ire,
And Ephraim be crowned with his blessing in Zion,
As Jesus descends with his chariot of fire!
We’ll sing and we’ll shout with the armies of heaven,
Hosanna, hosanna to God and the Lamb!
Let glory to them in the highest be given,
Henceforth and forever, Amen and amen!
Prophetic Promises Applied in 1836 Still Apply Today!
This story of one of my great-grandfathers came to mind as I sat in my pew.
Wilford Woodruff recorded his experience of 7 April 1837 with my 3rd great-grandfather Joseph Bates Noble, and two other friends in the Kirtland Temple.
“I spent the day in writing my journal and when the shades of evening began to appear I repaired to the house of the Lord in company with Elders Milton Holmes and Joseph B. Noble for the purpose of worshipping God.
We entered one of the stands within the veils and fell upon our knees and Satan appeared also but not to worship God but to deprive us of the privilege. Satan strove against us with great power by tempting us and otherwise. He at one time drove me from my stand while I was striving with my brethren to enter into the visions of heaven.
Nothwithstanding his apparent victory good grew out of it for by going into the outer court I there found Elder Freeman Nickerson, an aged father in Israel who was faithful and prayed to God always. I solicited him to join us in prayer that we might gain a victory over Satan and get a blessing at the hand of God. He joyfully accepted the invitation and we again entered into the stand being four of us in number of one accord in one place.
We had great cause to be united in heart, we all had traveled together about 1,000 miles in the spring of 1834 for the redemption of Zion. We at that time offered to lay down our lives and our offering was accepted as was Abram’s. We felt, considering those circumstances, that we could kneel down and unitedly get a blessing by faith through Jesus Christ. We fell upon our knees and began to cry unto God.
Satan departed, temptation found no place in our hearts. The power of God rested upon us and we were baptized with the Holy Ghost and the Spirit of God was like fire shut up in our bones. We were immersed in the liberty of the sons of God. Many great things were shown unto us. The power of God and the spirit of prophecy and revelation rested upon us. I arose and proclaimed many glorious things upon the heads of my beloved brethren that were present which were dictated in my heart by the Holy Spirit in prophecy and revelation. Our hearts were made glad and we went our way rejoicing.” (Dean C. Jessee, “The Kirtland Diary of Wilford Woodruff,” BYUS, vol. 12, no. 4 (Summer 1972), 392-93.)
As their experience passed through my mind, I thought of President Nelson’s promises.
It is a promise about what will happen to those who serve and worship in the house of the Lord. They can expect to receive answers to prayer, personal revelation, greater faith, strength, comfort, increased knowledge, and increased power.
I saw those promises fulfilled in my great-grandfather’s experience and felt my faith deepen that they have and will continue to be blessings I can claim, too.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In