Genealogy and the Temple

My favorite primary song when I was little was “I Love to See the Temple.” I remember sitting in the little plastic chairs in primary and putting my whole heart into singing the words: “I love to see the temple. I’m going there someday, to feel the Holy Spirit, to listen and to pray. For the temple is a house of God, a place of love and beauty. I’ll prepare myself while I am young; this is my sacred duty.” Whenever I would see pictures of the temple or drive past it, the words of this song would play in my mind, and I had no doubt that’s where I wanted to be. As a little girl, I knew I would do whatever it would take to be prepared to enter that holy place.

Now as a young woman, I have entered behind those temple doors to do baptisms for those on the other side. I have felt the Spirit testify to me that the work being done there was right. I know that each person I help is progressing, but I can see that I’m also moving forward, learning, and feeling the wonderful joy that comes with service.

This summer, I had the opportunity to do the work for my family members. I felt something drawing me to the family history center, and I knew that my family on the other side was waiting for me and wanting me to help them progress. I felt a connection with them, and I knew I couldn’t feel right about myself until I did everything in my ability to help them. I prayed for guidance and help to know what to do and how to go about getting their work ready. Then everything just fell into place. I was blessed with people at the family history center who knew how to help me. I learned how to use programs to help me find important information. I was given direction to the right places and people I needed to finish the work. I was given the health and strength to be able to finish searching and get the names temple-ready. After each trip to the family history center, I would come home completely drained of energy and starting to hurt. But even so, I was full of life and incomprehensible joy. I came home with a sense of accomplishment, and the knowledge that I was doing the right thing. My prayers were filled with gratitude for the peace and knowledge I was gaining. It felt so wonderful!

When I had the temple-ready cards prepared, the Spirit filled my heart with joy. Finally I would be able to help those relatives on the other side who so desperately wanted to move on! In the temple, while we were performing the work, I felt their gratitude. I imagined their faces filled with excitement and happiness – exactly how I had felt at the time of my baptism and confirmation – and it was then that I realized how important the temple is. It is the one essential key that binds earth and heaven. It is so vital for our salvation! It brings us closer to God. I realized that day that I need the temple in my life; it is like water – I cannot live without it. This experience has made me recognize how imperative it is for me to be prepared to go to the temple, and to go often. And, just like my primary days, I can stand and declare boldly, “The temple is a house of God. A place of love and beauty. I’ll still prepare myself while I am young; it truly is my sacred duty.”