How Can I Gain a Testimony of Temple Ordinances?

Wilford did not know that the next day, July 17, 1840, Sarah Emma would pass away. He didn’t find out about her death until October 22. However, his testimony in the covenants he had made with God remained firm and gave him peace.

Understanding Comes First

Gaining a testimony of temple ordinances begins with understanding what an ordinance is: “An ordinance is a sacred religious ceremony performed in accordance with God’s law and by authority of the priesthood. . . . The commitments we make when we receive an ordinance are called covenants.”^[3] Temple ordinances include the washing and anointing, endowment, and sealing. To become a covenant people, ordinances need to be performed to make the covenants necessary for exaltation.

The temple is the house of the Lord. In it, we can participate in sacred ordinances that will bring us, and those we serve as proxies for, closer to our Savior and Heavenly Father. Elder Kent F. Richards of the Seventy said, “The real power of the temple is in the ordinances. . . . Everything we do in the Church—every meeting, activity, lesson, and service—is to prepare each of us to come to the temple and kneel at the altar to receive all the Father’s promised blessings for eternity.”^[4]

GAIN a testimony of Temples

Wilford Woodruff rejoiced in temple ordinances and the power to redeem the dead. In a June 1892 discourse he said, “There is no principle on earth that I rejoice more in than in the power that we hold as Latter-day Saints to build these temples, to go into them, and to redeem our dead.”^[5]

But how can we gain a testimony of the temple ordinances? Here are three things we can do:

1. 1. Understand the history of temple ordinances.
   2. Attend the temple regularly.
   3. Reflect on what we experience and learn in the temple.

Understand the History

The first thing we can do to gain a testimony of temple ordinances is understand the history of temple ordinances. Before the 1877 dedication of the St. George Utah Temple, the ceremonies were taught verbally and not written down. Several men, including Wilford Woodruff, were asked by Brigham Young to make a written record of the temple ordinances,^[6] which had never been undertaken before. The ordinances were then written through revelations given to these men. Brigham Young declared that the work was completed on March 21, 1877.^[7] Because of the work of Wilford Woodruff and others, temple ordinances are administered consistently no matter what temple you attend.

Attend the Temple Regularly

The second thing we can do to gain a testimony of temple ordinances is attend the temple regularly. In the April 2024 general conference, Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles issued this invitation: “My beloved friends, if we are able and have not already increased our attendance at the temple, let us regularly find more time to worship in the house of the Lord.”^[8] By attending the temple more often, we can gain a testimony of the ordinances as we experience them. Through repeated experiences in the temple, our testimonies can be strengthened and our understanding can increase. President Gordon B. Hinckley said that “repetition is a law of learning.”^[9] As we repeatedly participate in making covenants during temple sessions, we gain new insights that will strengthen our testimonies.

Reflect on What We Experience and Learn

The last thing we can do is reflect on what we experience and learn in the temple. According to Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin (1917–2008), “Pondering, which means to weigh mentally, to deliberate, to meditate, can achieve the opening of the spiritual eyes of one’s understanding.”^[10] We need to reflect and ponder on the experiences we have in the temple to understand them more fully.

We should also journal these experiences so we can remember the details of our spiritual experiences and rely on them later in life, and so others can learn from what we have experienced too. President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) said, “Every person should keep a journal and every person can keep a journal. It should be an enlightening one and should bring great blessings and happiness to the families.”^[11]

Why do I need a Testimony of Temple Ordinances

Some may ask why we need a testimony of the temple ordinances. Imagine you are rappelling, and you have taken the first step off the cliff. Do you have faith that the rope will hold you? How? Those who rappel realize that knowing the capacity of their rope, how much weight it will hold, its age, and its condition gives them calm when they take the initial step off the cliff.

It’s the same with temple ordinances. Life is scary, and the experiences we have can leave us uncertain. When we want to believe that we can be together with our loved ones forever, surety comes through having a testimony of the ordinances that make that eternal family possible. We can go through trials in our lives if we have a testimony in the ordinances that will bring us eternal peace.

Wilford Woodruff lost five children, suffered many near-fatal accidents, and helped Phebe through her illnesses. Despite these trials, he never lost his testimony of the blessings that would be his if he was faithful to his covenants made through the ordinances of the gospel. Once, after giving Phebe a priesthood blessing, Wilford said, “Praised be the name of God for we will ever keep his commandments and trust in him. Praise the Lord O my soul for all of his wonderful acts.”^[3]

Ordinances are how we enter Covenants with God

Ordinances are how we make covenants with our Father in Heaven. These covenants bring us peace. To gain a testimony of the temple ordinances, we need to learn about them, experience them, and ponder them.