#7 MTC: The Hastening of the Work

This has been a very busy week. I've been doing good. It's been a better week. I've been learning to counsel with the Lord about my goals and expectations of myself, and I've seen blessings come from that. I look forward to moving out of the MTC (this "Pre-existence") and go to (the Mortal life) Hungary.

The first big news has been the New MTC buildings were dedicated on Friday. Dedications of buildings is a special ceremony that places a special priesthood blessing upon the building, it's purposes, and those people who work and serve in that place. We stood in line to be able to get a seat in the room where the dedication happened, most of the MTC watched it on broadcast in the big meeting room, but we watched it live!

View from the MTC, the temple in the fall

Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson, Bishop Gérald Caussé, Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Henry B. Eyring (of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles) were there. It was so cool! President Eyring is amazing (He is called President because he serves in what we call the "First Presidency," a church presidency of three, the prophet and his two counselors, all of them from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. A quorum is An organized group of men or young men who have the same office in the priesthood. Most quorums are governed by a president and two counselors.) President Eyring gave the dedicatory prayer. In his message he talked about how this dedication marked the beginning of a new era of missionary work, and acceleration of the hastening of the gospel. Very cool.

MTC outside grounds

What does the hastening of the work mean? And what does it have to do with the missionary work I've been called to do?

The hastening of the gospel of Jesus Christ in our world is a concept spoken of in scripture. The prophet Isaiah prophesied of our times, the times in which the world would prepare for the second coming of the Savior Jesus Christ, and said, "Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!" (Isaiah 5:19) This is repeated in the revelations received through the prophet of these latter-days, Joseph Smith, as written in the Doctrine and Covenants, a book that contains those revelations, it says: 

"Behold, and lo, I will take care of your flocks, and will raise up elders and send unto them. Behold, I will hasten my work in its time. And I give unto you, who are the first laborers in this last kingdom, a commandment that you assemble yourselves together, and organize yourselves, and prepare yourselves... that I may fulfill this promise, this great and last promise, which I have made unto you... And I give unto you a commandment that you shall teach one another the doctrine of the kingdom. Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the law of the gospel, in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of God... That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission with which I have commissioned you. Behold, I sent you out to testify and warn the people, and it becometh every man who hath been warned to warnhis neighbor. Therefore, tarry ye, and labor diligently, that you may be perfected in your ministry to go forth among the Gentiles for the last time, as many as the mouth of the Lord shall name, to bind up the law and seal up the testimony, and to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come; That their souls may escape the wrath of God, the desolation of abomination which awaits the wicked, both in this world and in the world to come. For not many days hence and the earth shall trembleand reel to and fro as a drunken man... For after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes... And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds... And all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men’s hearts shall fail them... And angels shall fly through the midst of heaven, crying with a loud voice, sounding the trump of God, saying: Prepare ye, prepare ye, O inhabitants of the earth; for the judgment of our God is come. Behold, and lo, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him." (D&C 88:73-99)

On Saturday we had our first Skype TRC with a real Magyar (Hungarian)! Her name is Dorottya Csolity, she is a college student in Debrecen. She served her mission in Arizona. We talked about the importance of scripture study, and it was awesome because she seemed to understand us, and we talked mostly with out any notes or anything! It was awesome, she was sitting there and we saw the Sister Missionaries in Debrecen in the background so they probably heard all of what we said... not that it's a problem, just funny, just wondering...

Sunday was pretty normal, Udy Elder and I got "released" as zone leaders. Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, came and spoke to us that evening, he talked about the Book of Mormon and showed us a copy that belonged to Lucy Mack Smith, the mother of the prophet Joseph Smith. He said that most of the security with him was to protect the book, not him. It as funny. Sometimes in General Conference the Apostles are very serious, but at the MTC, they are more relaxed and its kind of like a big FHE (Family Home Evening). I love it.

Yesterday we taught our "investigator" (our teacher) about the Book of Mormon. We read with her Alma 32:27-20 which is all about how if we receive the word of Jesus Christ, it will grow like a seed in our hearts and we will know it is good. We asked her to read the Book of Mormon and to pray about our message and Joseph Smith and then we challenged her to be baptized, or prepare to be, if she felt that what we taught her was true. She said that she didn't know. She asked when we wanted her to be baptized. We said that we are representatives of Christ, we wanted her to be baptized when she was ready, and that we are here to help her do that. She said yes. The spirit was so strong, and it was amazing, because the lesson was the most complex we have done and we just talked. The gift of tongues is there when you need it.

Today is a normal P-Day (preparation day). We will go to the temple and do initiators. I have some family names that I want to complete the work for, their initiatories and endowments before I leave the MTC. I will explain why I love to go to the temple and what "temple work" is.

A Celestial Room in a temple

For those of you who aren't familiar with temple work and worship in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, let me give a brief explanation and provide a link to a more in depth article from the church's website. In the church we learn that there are physical spiritual ordinances that we must receive while in this life in order to enter into the Kingdom of God when we pass on. Jesus taught this truth about baptism, a physical ordinance of the priesthood, when he taught Nicodemus that "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God," (John 3) and explained to him that this meant that we must "be born of water and of the Spirit," referring to the baptism by water and the receiving of the gift of the Holy Ghost, or the baptism of fire referenced by Christ's apostles by the laying on of hands. When Paul asked certain disciples of Christ, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" Jesus demonstrated the importance of these physical ordinances when he who was without sin went to be baptized to fulfill all righteousness. 

An Endowment Room in a temple

In these latter days, through the revelations given to the Prophet Joseph Smith, we have received anew additional physical ordinances given to ancient prophets and referenced in the Old Testament. These ordinances are obtained in sacred "tabernacles" and temples. They, like baptism, are necessary for our preparation to enter into God's Kingdom but must be completed while in this mortal life. Because many (if not most) of God's children who have lived in our world have not been able to receive these physical ordinances of salvation we know that it our responsibility to provide "proxy" ordinances to those who have died. 

This kind of vicarious work for those who cannot do it for themselves is spoken of in the New Testament when Paul is teaching about the reality of the physical Resurrection of the immortal body. He asks, "What shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?" Clearly the members of the early Christian church under the apostles were performing baptisms for the dead and understood the doctrine of physical ordinances and vicarious work. We believe that this "temple work" is another important aspect of preparing for the second coming of the Lord and the missionary work we have been commanded to do.

A sealing room in a temple 

When a person joins the Church, they received two ordinances—baptism and confirmation (which is the receiving of the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands). Likewise, the temple endowment is also received in two parts: The first part is received privately in a preliminary ordinance called the initiatory ordinance. The initiatory ordinance includes special blessings regarding a persons divine heritage and potential. In the second part, the person receives the remainder of their "endowment" (blessings) in a group setting along with others who are attending the temple. The final ordinance performed in temples, and the crowing purpose of God's plan for his children, is the sealing of married couples and their children for all time and eternity. This provides the way for couples and families to continue united beyond death.

A baptismal font in a temple

This understanding of the enabling and strengthening power of temple blessings and the powers that unite families forever are the reason children in the church sing the primary song, "I Love to See the Temple."

I love to see the temple.
I’m going there someday
To feel the Holy Spirit,
To listen and to pray.
For the temple is a house of God,
A place of love and beauty.
I’ll prepare myself while I am young;
This is my sacred duty.


I love to see the temple.
I’ll go inside someday.
I’ll cov’nant with my Father;
I’ll promise to obey.
For the temple is a holy place
Where we are sealed together.
As a child of God, I’ve learned this truth:
A fam’ly is forever.

Till next time!

Sok Szeretettel, Morgan Elder!