Sunday Report

Sunday's lesson was given by Sister Sharon Pringle from the Gospel Principles book Chapter 40, Temple Work and Family History.

Heavenly Father loves all of His children so much that He provided the Atonement, made by His Son, Jesus Christ, so that all would be resurrected and live forever.  To be able to live again with our families and in the presence of God, we must do all that is commanded of us by the Lord, including making and keeping sacred covenants, including those available only in the temple, and enduring in righteousness to the end.  Those who did not have the opportunity to receive sacred ordinances because of when or where they lived in mortality, are dependent upon us to do that work for them so that they, too might enjoy the blessings of exaltation. Temples are vital to the gospel of Jesus Christ, for they are necessary for the salvation of all Heavenly Father's children.  Here we can learn more about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and about our purpose in life, and what we are expected to do here on earth.  Through the power of the priesthood, within the walls of the temple,  ordinances are performed here on earth and are sealed or bound and validated in heaven.  This sealing power is also required for our ancestors who died without receiving the necessary priesthood ordinances for eternal life.  We are the ones who can bring them those ordinances through our proxy work in the temple. 

Sister Schuring shared with us the experience her family has had the last few years, after their own temple sealing was completed.  Brother Schuring, a convert to the gospel has been diligently working, with the help of his daughter, and the information supplied by his parents, on gathering names from his family lines and preparing them for submission for the work to be done.  They have numerous names to be done and this serves as a motivation to attend the temple regularly and have their friends help them with  the names.  In the process they are all serving, and learning and growing spiritually by their temple service.

This is exactly why the plan calls for us to serve our kindred dead and others, that not only might they have the opportunity to progress in the gospel, but that we also may experience  the refining and spiritually maturing influence of being often in the house of the Lord.

Next week will be Chapter 41 The Postmortal Spirit World will be given by Yvonne Lucas, substituting for Traci Cline.

Have a great week and make plans to really visit your VT sisters in the next few days!
The Relief Society Presidency