We like to go to Temple Square as a family, sometimes to just take a walk, sometimes to see Christmas lights, and sometimes just to get out of the house and maybe also stop in at the Lion House Bakery for a cookie. And as much as we enjoy walking around the temple, I want my kids to know that it's the stuff going on inside that is most important.
FHE Theme: Temples
Scriptures: D&C 97:15 and D&C 87:8
Songs: "I Love to See the Temple" and "Families Can Be Together Forever" Children's Songbook
Explain that a temple is a sacred building where we can make special promises with the Lord. (You might need to explain the concept of "sacred" if your kids are young.) Only those who are old enough and considered worthy can enter the temple. Discuss some ways that everyone in your family can start becoming worthy even while they're young, such as:
• Going to church and taking the sacrament.
• Paying a full tithe.
• Keeping the commandements.
• Saying prayers.
• Etc.
Once you've talked about worthiness, discuss some of the purposes of temples. According to John A. Widtsoe they are:
• The temple is a house of the lord. If the Lord were to visit the earth He would come to His temple.
• The temple is a place of instruction where principles of the gospel are reviewed and profound truths are unfolded.
• The temple is a place of peace. At the temple we can lay aside all of our other cares and worries.
• The temple is a place of covenants, or promises we make to the Lord.
• The temple is a place of blessings, or promises that are made to us, if we live faithfully.
• The temple is a place where ceremonies can answer some of life's biggest questions like: where did we come from and why are we here? Or, where do we go when life is over?
• The temple is a place where every person may receive revelation to assist him/her in life.
Without going into too much detail, talk to your family about some of the things we can do inside the temple. Ordinance work for the dead can be done, which is the major reasons for visiting the temple often. Also we can be sealed together as a forever family, which is the reason that I personally love the temple.
If you'd like to add more to your lesson, try this story from the October 2012 Friend, "Juliana's First Temple Visit" by Jan Pinborough.
The 2013 Young Women theme goes perfectly with this lesson. It is "stand ye in holy places". There is nowhere else on earth that is more holy than the temple. If you want to promote this theme in your family, try printing one of our free 8x10 printables and displaying it in your home (seeing it every day is nice way to cement the concept in your brain!)
