Asking Big Questions
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Wilford and Phebe Woodruff’s first child, Sarah Emma, was born on July 14, 1838. Just over a year later, Wilford left his family to serve a mission in England. In his journal on July 14, 1840, he wrote, “Sarah Emma is two years old this day. May the Lord preserve my wife and children from sickness and death until my return. O Lord, I commit them into thy hands. Feed, clothe, and comfort them, and thine shall be the glory.”[1]
Wilford Woodruff’s Testimony of Covenants
Wilford had a strong testimony of the power of covenants to unite his family for eternity. In a letter to Phebe on July 16, 1840, he said:
I look forward with great anticipation and happiness when I can once more embrace my dear wife and children in my arms . . . [My] joy is heightened to a greater degree when I think of reigning with Phebe and the children which God will give us . . .
where our love and affection will be increased to a much greater degree than any thing known in this life,
as our light and glory will be above what we now enjoy, and then to fully perfect the happiness of my soul to enjoy an eternity in the celestial kingdom of God with my wife and children to part no more forever, and not only to fully bask in the greatness of the glory of God but to enjoy every sentiment of the fulness of affection and love.” [2]
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:
- Understand the history of temple ordinances.
- Attend the temple regularly.
- 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.
Michelle graduated from Utah State University–Eastern in 1995 with an associate degree in Graphic Design. After serving in the Guatemala, Guatemala North Mission from 1996 to 1998, she continued her education at Utah Valley University, graduating in 1999 with an associate degree in Paralegal Studies and in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in Technology Management and an emphasis in Graphic Design. She worked as a paralegal for two years before having her children and becoming a full-time stay-at-home mom. Her two children are now in college. Not wanting to let her children suffer through college alone, Michelle went back to school and is now attending Utah Tech University, working on her master’s in Technical Writing and Digital Rhetoric. Michelle loves the gospel, family history, and the temple. She and her husband enjoy camping, hiking, and spending time together. She is excited to be a volunteer with the Wilford Woodruff Papers.
Endnotes
[1] Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, July 14, 1840, p. 151, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/journal/1840-07-14. Spelling, punctuation, and capitalization standardized.
[2] Letter to Phebe Whittemore Carter Woodruff, July 16, 1840, p. 2, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/letter/1840-07-16. Spelling, punctuation, and capitalization standardized.
[3] “Why Ordinances and Covenants Matter,” ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
[4] Kent F. Richards, “The Power of Godliness,” April 2016 general conference, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
[5] Discourse by Wilford Woodruff, June 12, 1892, p. 1, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/discourse/1892-06-12.
[6] Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, January 14, 1877, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/journal/1877-01-14.
[7] Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, March 21, 1877, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/journal/1877-03-21.
[8] Neil L. Andersen, “Temples, Houses of the Lord Dotting the Earth,” April 2024 general conference, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
[9] Gordon B. Hinckley, “Great Shall Be the Peace of Thy Children,” October 2000 general conference, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
[10] Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Pondering Strengthens the Spiritual Life,” April 1982 general conference, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
[11] Spencer W. Kimball, “Let Us Move Forward and Upward,” April 1979 general conference, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
[12] Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, December 4, 1838, p. 74, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/journal/1848-12-04. Punctuation standardized.
The Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation’s mission is to digitally preserve and publish Wilford Woodruff’s eyewitness account of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ from 1833 to 1898. It seeks to make Wilford Woodruff’s records universally accessible to inspire all people, especially the rising generation, to study and to increase their faith in Jesus Christ. For more information, visit wilfordwoodruffpapers.org.