Why do Mormons build Temples?

Have you ever wondered why Mormons build temples?  Did you know that we do?  Perhaps you've passed by one and wondered to yourself what is that big, beautiful building...?

If these questions have ever come to mind, please take a few minutes and watch this video explain the WHY behind our temple building across the earth.

When I think of the word temple these words come to mind: peace, sanctuary, refuge, holiness, house of worship, beautiful, happiness, joy, solitude, reverence, faith, gratitude, rejoicing, light, truth, CHRIST.
Temples are holy and sacred edifices built amongst a world that lies in darkness and sin.  For myself, as a Latter-day Saint, I find great peace and comfort going to the temple.  It allows me to ponder and reflect upon the often asked questions; Where did I come from?  Why am I here?  What is the purpose of life?  Where do I go after I die?
It gives me an opportunity to put aside the things of this world; my job, the worldly distractions that abound, temptation and sin, life's stresses, and other temporal pursuits.  I can focus on the things of God, prioritize my life, and recommit to follow the Savior, Jesus Christ more wholly.

As I serve in the temple it helps me to be more selfless and set aside my personal, selfish desires and agenda of the day or week.  I am reminded of scriptures and principles that are taught therein like faith, hope, charity, gratitude, and humility.  Each time I go I feel a little more full of faith, hope, charity, gratitude, and humility.  For this I am very thankful to a loving Heavenly Father who knows better what I need than I fail to recognize at times to progress in this life.  As mortals, we all fall short of the glory of God.  We live in a fallen world where sin and temptation abound.  Gratefully, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to overcome death and sin.

John 3:16 ¶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

He loves each one of us so much, unconditionally, and has laid out a plan of happiness and salvation.  The holy scriptures are our road map for making it safely back to him in an eternal, Heavenly state. 

See how one sister recently accepted Christ into her life and converted to His restored gospel:

The temple is very symbolic and stands as a beacon of light and truth in a darkened world.  The temple points us to Christ and teaches of Him.  Just as the Savior proclaimed that He is the way, the truth, and the life...

• John 14:6

  6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
  
   ...as Latter-day Saints we seek to follow His ways and His teachings so we may return to the Father:
  

• 2 Nephi 25:26

  26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

I am thankful for my testimony and knowledge of these things I have shared with you today.  If you know someone who may be wondering the same questions posed at the top of this post...please share this link with them.  I know that God lives.  I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world.  I know that He Lives and loves each one of us.  I know that He has restored His church back to the earth with the fullness of His gospel.  I know that temples are sacred houses built unto God to help further His work.  And I know these things because I have prayed about them and the Holy Spirit has witnessed unto me that they are true.  In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

~C.J. Poulsen

Because He Lives

Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world...all who have ever lived, are living now, or will live upon the earth in the future will rise from death and live again Because of Him!
I am grateful for the love and sacrifice Jesus was willing to offer in our behalf.  As the only perfect being to walk the earth and submit His will to the will of the Father, He took upon Himself the sins of all mankind.  He then died upon the cross after suffering pain and torment by being scourged and beaten to rise again on the 3rd day.

I have faith in Jesus Christ and know that He LIVES...He LIVES who once was dead.  I am grateful for this knowledge that I have received from the Holy Ghost that bears witness of truth.

John 14:26
 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

We learn about the fruits of the spirit in the book of Galatians in the New Testament.  I have come to a knowledge that my Heavenly Father speaks to me when I have ears to hear and eyes to see.  The fruits are present when the spirit speaks to my soul. . .the promise to each of us is to knock and it shall be opened, ask and ye shall receive. 

Galatians 5:22-23

 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Each of us seek for answers to life's questions...

This coming weekend we can learn and find answers from living prophets and apostles who have been called to testify as special witnesses of Christ to all the world.  I invite you to come and listen, regardless of your religious affiliation.  Their messages are for all people on the earth.  Come and listen to a prophet's voice...you will be glad you did!

WATCH NOW

 

One of my favorite songs, "I will Rise" is below from a great artist, Alex Boye.  

It gives me chills each time I listen but fills my heart with peace and hope!

Enjoy...

 

~ C. J. Poulsen

 

Anxiously Engaged in 2015

Today I had the opportunity to lead our discussion in Elder's Quorum and ring in the New Year!  Happy New Year 2015!

WHAT IS THE BOOK OF MORMON?

As I prepared my thoughts my mind kept being directed to the term "Be Anxiously Engaged" as we discover in the Doctrine and Covenants.  I decided this would be the foundation of our discussion.  The scripture below is powerful and appropriate as we set new individual goals and resolve to change and become better people and priesthood holders.  As priesthood holders and members of the Restored Church of Jesus Christ we have a great responsibility to live life on purpose and not idle away our time here upon the earth.  We have a message to tell the world!  It is one of glad tidings and good news!

Below are some of the thoughts I shared with the Elder's in our quorum at church...

GOALS 2015

 

27 Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; - D.C. 58:27

The first step in selecting a goal is to think about the way we are living and decide how to improve. We can then select personal and family goals to help us improve. If we want to become stronger spiritually, for example, we should examine our spiritual strength and set appropriate goals for improvement. In doing so, we might consider the following questions:

• Do I pray as often as I should?
• Do I know what the prophet says, and do I follow his counsel?
• Do I read/study the scriptures regularly?
• Do I faithfully carry out my priesthood assignments?
• Am I honest in paying tithes and offerings?
• Do I think clean and worthy thoughts at all times?
• Does our family hold family home evening every week?
• Has our family been sealed in the temple and how often do I go? 
• Am I preparing to go to the temple?
• Is our family preparing others to receive the gospel?
 

Application and Examples

Suggestions for planning a day:

1. Set aside a quiet, prayerful time each morning for planning.
2. Focus on what you need to do that day.
3. Write what you need to do on a task list.
4. Prioritize your list.
5. Use your time wisely to accomplish the most important items.

Points to Ponder

ü  What are the top 10 priorities in your life?

ü  In what ways are worthwhile goals important in achieving eternal life?

ü  In what ways can you better manage your time?

ü  What are some less-important activities that consume too much of your time?

ü  Why is the wise use of time an eternal concern? 

“We should all constantly evaluate our progress. To live righteous lives and accomplish the purposes of our creation, we must constantly review the past, determine our present status, and set goals for the future. Without this process there is little chance of reaching one’s objectives”

 – Elder O. Leslie Stone

"Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace." 

                                                                                       -President Benson

None of us are perfect and are all at different places in our spiritual progress and journey here in this life.  The following scripture from The Book of Mormon is reassuring as it teaches us that we learn line upon line and precept upon precept.

 2 Nephi 28:30

30 For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have. 

 HASTENING THE LORD'S WORK ~

In recent years we have been reminded by our leaders that a significant prophecy is being fulfilled in our day. The Lord said: “Behold, I will hasten my work in its time” (D&C 88:73). To hasten is to urge on, to accelerate, to move or act quickly.
Specifically, the Brethren have called upon the Latter-day Saints to hasten the work of (1) reaching out to those who may not now enjoy the blessings of the restored gospel; (2) extending the blessings of that gospel to those who have died without the opportunity to receive its requisite covenants and ordinances; and (3) searching out and caring for the poor and needy among us.

As an opening challenge to the New Year we asked each Elder to take 2 copies of The Book of Mormon and mark the following scriptures which answer 23 Questions that people wonder about.  We also asked them to record their testimony in the front of the book and then to give them out to people who haven't had the chance to read from its pages yet.  It is part of our duty and admonition to Flood the Earth with this 3rd witness or Testament of Jesus Christ, The Book of Mormon.  It is a companion book of scripture to the Holy Bible.

23 QUESTIONS

ANSWERED By THE BOOK OF MORMON
1.           How can a person know that The Book of Mormon is true?

               (Moroni 10:3-5[p. 529].)

2.           What is the purpose of man's existence? (2 Nephi 2:25 [p. 59].)
3.           What happened in America when Jesus was born in Bethlehem?

               (3 Nephi 1:15-21 [p. 408].)

4.           Why was Jesus Christ baptized? (2 Nephi31: 4-9 [p. 113].)

5.            Do little children need repentance and baptism?

                (Moroni 8:1-24 [pp. 525-26].)

6.            What do we witness "Unto the Father" by being baptized?

                 (2 Nephi 31:10-14 [pp. 113-114].)

7.             Just what is the gospel of Jesus Christ? How did the Savior explain what it is?

                (3 Nephi 27:13-21 [p. 459].)

8.            Why was the atonement of Jesus Christ necessary?

                (2 Nephi 9:4-14 [pp. 72-74]; Alma 34:8-17 [pp. 293-94].)

9.            Who were the "other sheep" referred to by Jesus as recorded in John 10:16?

                 (3 Nephi 15:13-24 [pp. 437-38].)

10.           What happened in America when Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem?

                  (3 Nephi 8:5-23 [pp. 422-23].)

11.            How can a desire to believe develop strong faith?

                 (Alma 32 [pp. 288-91].)

12.            To what extent are men accountable for their choices and their actions?

                 (2 Nephi 9:25-27 [p. 75]; 2 Nephi 2:27 [p. 59]; Helaman 14:30-31 [p. 403].)

13.            How can a person turn his personal weaknesses into strengths?

                 (Ether 12:27 [p. 510].)
14.            Why should we not procrastinate our repentance?

                 (Alma 34:30-41 [pp. 295-96].)

15.            What should we pray about? (Alma 34:17-28 [pp. 294-95].)

16.             How did a prophet who lived in 600 B.C. describe our day?

                  (2 Nephi 28:1-32 [pp. 106-109].)

17.             What happens to our spirits at death? (Alma 40:11-14 [p. 308].)

18.              What will our bodies be like in the resurrection?

                  (Alma 40:23 [p. 309].)

19.              How can God be both just and merciful? (Alma 42 [pp. 311-13].)

20.              Are we saved by grace, by works, or both?

                  (2 Nephi 25:23 [pp. 99-100].)

21.              Does the Lord always protect the righteous from the unrighteous?   

                  (Alma 60:12-13 [p. 359].)

22.              In a world with so many conflicting voices, how can a person judge what is good and               what is evil? (Moroni 7:14-19 [p. 522].)

23.              Does the Bible contain all of God’s word? (2 Nephi 29 [pp. 109-111].)

I know that The Book of Mormon is true.  I have had the privilege of reading it many times and studying its pages in unison with The Holy Bible.  The three testaments together strengthen my faith and testimony in our loving Heavenly Father.  The Book of Mormon is an ancient record of a people who journeyed from Jerusalem 600 B.C. to the Americas.  It is a fascinating genealogy of records kept testifying of Jesus Christ and His gospel message to the inhabitants of the earth.  I challenge you to accept your FREE copy and begin reading this New Year!

~ C. J. Poulsen

Flood the Earth - Book of Mormon Week

The Holy Bible is a compilation of scriptures and is separated by individual books from various authors/prophets.  In it we find the Old Testament and New Testament of the Old world.  In the following Old Testament scripture Ezekiel prophesied of The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ (3rd Testament/Witness) that would come at a future date.  It has now been on the earth for 187 years with over 145,000,000 copies published in 107 languages since 1980.

Ezekiel 37:15-17

 15 ¶The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying,

 16 Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions:

 17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.

An Introduction to The Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon flooding the earth was prophesied by the Prophet, Ezra Taft Benson in 1988.  Many Latter-day Saints are taking the challenge and admonition to share this sacred book of scripture with others using the World Wide Web and flooding social media outlets with the knowledge of its message.

TAKE THE CHALLENGE!  I recorded my testimony of The Book of Mormon!  You can too! Let's spread the message of The Restoration and coming forth of Another Testament of Jesus Christ...

Flood the Earth

- C.J. Poulsen

You Never Know

Thanks be to all the wonderful moms out there who are doing so much GOOD for our world.  I want to thank my wife for being such a great mother to our children. #moms #youneverknow #lds

Obedience and Faithfulness ~ The Hope of God's Light

 Today I had the opportunity to instruct our Elder's Quorum lesson.  I chose to discuss a talk given by Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles titled Obedience through our Faithfulness

SEE VIDEO AT BOTTOM ~ 

I began the lesson by sharing one of my favorite scriptures found in The Book of Mormon teaching us about the purpose of this earth life:
 

Alma 34:
32 
For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.

 33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.

 34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.

I also drew this illustration below on the chalkboard showing the Plan of Salvation for each of us as God's children.

We have each been given gifts from our Heavenly Father.  The first of which is the gift of agency which we received prior to coming to this earth to receive a mortal body.  Because each of us chose to follow the Savior, Jesus Christ's plan in the pre-mortal existence, we have progressed spiritually and temporally to receive a mortal, physical body of flesh and bone.  That is our 2nd gift.  The third gift is the gift of the Holy Ghost once we enter in at the strait and narrow gate of baptism by immersion.  We then can receive the gift of endowment and sealing within one of God's Holy temples.  And the final gift, which is the greatest of all, is the gift of eternal life to return back to the presence of our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, to live forever after.

The talk that Elder Perry gave had many great points and takeaways to remind us to exercise faith unto obedience in this life and to listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost.  I will share some excerpts from his talk:

Our third article of faith teaches us about the importance of obedience: “We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.”

The Apostle Paul taught, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Then Paul used the examples of Abel, Enoch, Noah, and Abraham to teach about faith. He dwelled on the story of Abraham, for Abraham is the father of the faithful:

“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

“By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country. …

“Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised” (Hebrews 11:8–9, 11).

We know that through Abraham and Sarah’s son, Isaac, a promise was given to Abraham and Sarah—a promise of posterity “so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable” (see verse 12; see also Genesis 17:15–16). And then Abraham’s faith was tested in a way that many of us would consider unimaginable.

Too often we think of obedience as the passive and thoughtless following of the orders or dictates of a higher authority. Actually, at its best, obedience is an emblem of our faith in the wisdom and power of the highest authority, even God. When Abraham demonstrated his unwavering faithfulness and obedience to God, even when commanded to sacrifice his son, God rescued him. Similarly, when we demonstrate our faithfulness through obedience, God will ultimately rescue us.

We must certainly remain proactive in our Faith and path of progression.  Another favorite scripture of mine and great reminder to never be idle as a disciple of Christ is the following:

D&C 58:27

 27 Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness;  

In closing, here is a powerful true story of a young man whose faith in fasting and prayer changed his "night to day..."   ENJOY this powerful message...

~ C. J. Poulsen 

James Poulsen: A Faithful Dane

 Picture from: James Poulsen: A Faithful Dane

  

 Alma 34:32 Purpose of this Life:

  32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.

As we commemorate 167 years from the time the early Mormon Pioneers crossed the United States to settle in Salt Lake City, Utah and surrounding areas my heart is full as I ponder their dedication, faith, sacrifice, and endurance to reach their final destination.   For the past two weeks I have had the privilege and opportunity of preparing a talk on Pioneer Heritage for our Sacrament Meeting at church today.  This has been a great delight and I have learned so much.

I would like to share a few things I discovered that has helped strengthen my faith and commitment to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

First of all I accepted the Family Search indexing challenge last Sunday and had fun participating in that event.  As 67, 419 volunteers invested their time in a 24 hour period to help index family records, HISTORY was made beating the previous record of just under 50,000.  I helped index several obituary records in Pennsylvania and Texas.  It was very exciting to be of service and feel the Spirit of Elijah in my heart.

As I studied our Pioneer Heritage I found many resources regarding this throughout the Church and its websites including www.lds.org and www.familysearch.com  In particular, I researched and studied my own ancestors and family history.  I found several great connections and stories regarding my progenitors.  

My great, great grandfather, James Poulsen, pictured above, has a fascinating story converting to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after being raised in the Lutheran church in Soro County, Denmark in the mid 1800's.  Missionaries were sent to Denmark and eventually the message of the restored gospel reached my grandfather in a cottage meeting.  He accepted and he and his wife were baptized.  Soon after joining the church he was called to be a missionary in his native land of Denmark for two years.

Soon after that they emigrated to America where James lost his three children and wife to measles and other disease that hit their ship.  All four had to be buried at sea.  My grandfather remarried the woman who nursed him back to health on that voyage once arriving in the States.   They then crossed the United States plains in the Joseph Horne company to arrive in Salt Lake valley.  From there they migrated northward into Cache Valley, Utah.  After a time, they were encouraged to move up further north into Bear Lake and Liberty, Idaho.  They settled this area and started another farm.  After years of raising crops and children my grandfather was called on another mission back home to his native land.  While there he helped over 20 relatives convert and join the church and then come back to America with him.

His life was one of sacrifice, faith, and endurance.  I loved learning about he and several other ancestors of mine who showed the same dedication to the gospel and the sacrifices of moving west to a new promised land.

One of my favorite scriptures is found here: 

2 Nephi 1: 5-6

 

 5 But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord.

 6 Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord.

The above scripture teaches us that nobody is brought unto the land of Liberty, America, unless by the hand of the Lord.

The Book of Mormon's introductory chapters speak on the account of Lehi and his family leaving Jerusalem, heading into the wilderness, facing trials and challenges, but proceeding forward in faith to arrive in the promised land of America.

The two examples of faith and trust in the Lord that I've written about today are powerful stories that help strengthen my testimony and faith in our Heavenly Father's plan for each of us. 

From a recent address given by Elder L. Whitney Clayton:

God will bless those who live today in their challenges as He did the Mormon pioneers in their effort to create an oasis in the desert, a General Authority said in his speech at the annual Days of ’47 Sunrise Service that began the Pioneer Day observance July 24 in Salt Lake City.

“As we move forward in our own lives, with faith in our own footsteps, we too can cross the sun-baked, barren, and treacherous terrain that lies figuratively before us and, with vision and faith, overcome our own overwhelming adversities and subdue and beautify the world around us,” said Elder L. Whitney Clayton of the Presidency of the Seventy.

“There is a promised land for all of us, which, with faith and obedience and hard work we can help create for ourselves in this life, just like the pioneers did 167 years ago,” Elder Clayton declared.

"Surely God expects that there be something more than ease, pleasure, and comfort in our lives. Surely He expects that we also should move forward with faith manifested in our own footsteps, emulating all that we have learned from those early pioneers.” —Elder L. Whitney Clayton of the Presidency of the Seventy

And lastly, the Savior, Jesus Christ is our ultimate exemplar and pioneer to follow.  From our living prophet, Thomas S. Monson:

Inspiring Faith

“We each can learn much from our early pioneer ancestors, whose struggles and heartaches were met with resolute courage and an abiding faith in a living God. … Youth and children were among the thousands who pulled and pushed handcarts or walked along that pioneer trail, just as they are among the Saints today who are pioneering in their own areas throughout the world. I think that there is not a member of this Church today who has not been touched by the accounts of the early pioneers. Those who did so much for the good of all surely had as their objective to inspire faith. They met the goal in a magnificent manner.”²

The Ultimate Pioneer

“Turning the pages of scriptural history from beginning to end, we learn of the ultimate pioneer—even Jesus Christ. His birth was foretold by the prophets of old; His entry upon the stage of life was announced by an angel. His life and His ministry have transformed the world. …

“One sentence from the book of Acts speaks volumes: Jesus ‘went about doing good … for God was with him’ (Acts 10:38). …

“His mission, His ministry among men, His teachings of truth, His acts of mercy, His unwavering love for us prompts our gratitude and warms our hearts. Jesus Christ, Savior of the world—even the Son of God—was and is the ultimate pioneer, for He has gone before, showing all others the way to follow. May we ever follow Him.”⁵

-C.J. Poulsen