It is an awesome thing to be married. Or at least it can be. It is even better to be married in the temple of the Lord.
Temples are mentioned in the Bible. of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Gordon B. Hinckley, has said (click here for the full text):
“Was there ever a man or a woman who, in a time of quiet introspection, has not pondered the solemn mysteries of life?
“Has he or she not asked, ‘Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? What is my relationship to my Maker? Will death rob me of the treasured associations of life? What of my family? Will there be another existence after this, and, if so, will we know one another there?'”
President Hinckley then goes on to explain that the answer to these questions are held by God and that He has revealed them through His word. The temples are “sacred structures in which these and other eternal questions are answered. Each is dedicated as a house of the Lord, a place of holiness and peace shut apart from the world” (Ibid.)
I remember my wedding day, begun in one such building. My husband and I were married in the Oakland Temple, in Oakland, California. I remember waiting in those sacred hallowed halls for that beautiful ceremony. It is difficult to describe the transcendent peace and calm that attends those who visit the temple. My wedding day was no different.
Yes, indeed, to begin my marriage in such a beautiful edifice, full of the spirit of God, was a hallowed start indeed. Others can attest to a similar experience, whether they were married in the Oakland Temple, the Washington, D.C. Temple, or the Seoul Korea Temple (currently there are more than 120 temples in existence throughout the world).
But what about the day after such a sacred experience? And the month after? The years after? What can be done to continue such a beautiful start, extending it into the years that stretch ahead?
My husband and I have found several things that have helped to retain those quiet feelings of peace and serenity that surrounded our wedding day.
1. We always pray before retiring to bed each evening and upon waking each morning.
2. We always worship the Lord on the Sabbath day.
3. We attend the temple as frequently as possible, returning to worship the Lord and to give thanks for the gospel truths contained within the temple.
4. We study His word throughout the week, not just on Sundays.
5. We seek to serve those around us without complaint (including each other), as much as possible.
My husband and I are grateful to be married. Even better, we’re grateful to have established a marriage in the best place possible – the house of the Lord. This indeed is what the Lord would have for all His children, every single one of them. For more information, visit The Purpose of Temples.
