Temple Quotes from October 2023 General Conference

“The power to validate all priesthood ordinances and make them binding both on earth and in heaven—the sealing power—is crucial for gathering and preparing a covenant people on both sides of the veil.”
—Elder D. Todd Christofferson

“We tend to think of the sealing authority as applying only to certain temple ordinances, but that authority is necessary to make any ordinance valid and binding beyond death.”
—Elder D. Todd Christofferson

“The validity that the sealing power gives to priesthood ordinances includes, of course, vicarious ordinances performed in the place designated by the Lord—His temple. Here we see the majesty and sacredness of the sealing power—it makes individual salvation and family exaltation universally available to the children of God wherever and whenever they may have lived on the earth. No other theology or philosophy or authority can match such an all-inclusive opportunity. This sealing power is a perfect manifestation of the justice, mercy, and love of God.”
—Elder D. Todd Christofferson

“With access to the sealing power, our hearts naturally turn to those who have gone before. The latter-day gathering into the covenant crosses through the veil. In the perfect order of God, the living cannot experience eternal life in its fulness without forging enduring links to 'the fathers,' our ancestors. Likewise, the progress of those who are already on the other side, or who may yet cross through the veil of death without the benefit of sealings, is incomplete until vicarious ordinances bind them to us, their descendants, and us to them in the divine order.”
—Elder D. Todd Christofferson

“The highest and holiest manifestation of the sealing power is in the eternal union of a man and a woman in marriage and the linking of humankind through all their generations.”
—Elder D. Todd Christofferson

“God’s plan, founded on eternal truth, requires that exaltation can be attained only through faithfulness to the covenants of an eternal marriage between a man and a woman in the holy temple, which marriage will ultimately be available to all the faithful.”
—President Dallin H. Oaks

“The commandments, ordinances, and covenants of the gospel are not a list of deposits required to be made in some heavenly account. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.”

—President Dallin H. Oaks

“The blessings of a sealed relationship are assured for all who keep their covenants but never by forcing a sealed relationship on another person who is unworthy or unwilling.” 

—President Dallin H. Oaks

“In God's eternal plan, salvation is an individual matter; exaltation is a family matter.”
—President Russell M. Nelson

“Your tithes are allowing the blessings of the temple to be in places only the Lord could foresee.”
—Elder Neil L. Andersen

“If you hope to feel the Spirit, be in a place where the Spirit can easily dwell.
"Our temples and homes are the most sacred of these dedicated spaces.”
—Elder Gary E. Stevenson

“Attending sacrament meeting weekly and worshipping in the temple regularly to participate in the ordinances and to receive and renew covenants is a sign that we recognize our dependence on Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ.”
—Elder Joni L. Koch

“Have you ever pondered on how the principle of respect for human dignity and equality is demonstrated through the simple way we dress in the house of the Lord? We all come to the temple united in one purpose and filled with the desire to be pure and holy in His holy presence. Dressed in white, all of us are received by the Lord Himself as His beloved children, men and women of God, progeny of Christ. We are privileged to perform the same ordinances, make the same covenants, commit ourselves to live higher and holier lives, and receive the same eternal promises. United in purpose, we see one another with new eyes, and in our oneness, we celebrate our differences as divine children of God."
—Elder Ulisses Soares

“The Lord will answer each of us in our day of distress if we choose to tether our life with His. He has promised to walk with us in the way.
"We call this walking the covenant path—a path that begins with the covenant of baptism and leads to deeper covenants we make in the temple.”
—President Emily Belle Freeman

“We choose Him when we choose to hold a temple recommend and live worthy of its use."
—Bishop W. Christopher Waddell

“Our spiritual foundation is strengthened through repentance and by conscientiously preparing for and worthily partaking of the sacrament. . . .
"When we have the Holy Ghost with us, we will be inspired and guided to make and keep other covenants, such as those we make in temples. Doing so deepens our relationship with God.”
—Elder Dale G. Renlund

“You may have noticed that many new temples have been announced in recent years, bringing temples ever closer to members. Paradoxically, as temples become more accessible, it may be easier for us to become more casual about temple attendance. When temples are distant, we plan our time and resources to travel to the temple to worship there. We prioritize these journeys.”
—Elder Dale G. Renlund

“With a temple close at hand, it can be easy to let little things get in the way of attending, saying to ourselves, ‘Well, I’ll just go another time.’ Living close to a temple does bring greater flexibility in scheduling time in the temple, but that very flexibility can make it easier to take the temple for granted. When we do, we ‘miss the mark,’ undervaluing the opportunity to draw closer to the Savior in His holy house. Our commitment to attend should be at least as strong when the temple is nearby as when it is distant.”
—Elder Dale G. Renlund

“Treasure the opportunity to repent, the privilege of partaking of the sacrament, the blessing of making and keeping temple covenants, the delight of worshipping in the temple, and the joy of having a living prophet.”
—Elder Dale G. Renlund

“As parents . . . we can teach the importance of temple covenants when we speak about the doctrine of celestial marriage, but we model it when we honor our covenants, treating our spouse with dignity.”
—Elder Valeri V. Cordón

“Temple covenants are gifts from our Heavenly Father to the faithful followers of His Son, Jesus Christ. Through the temple, our Heavenly Father binds individuals and families to the Savior and to each other.”
—Elder J. Kimo Esplin

“Through temple blessings, the Savior heals individuals, families, and nations.”
—Elder J. Kimo Esplin

“As we recognize Jesus Christ at the heart of temple covenants, we refer less to ‘going to the temple’ and more to ‘coming to Jesus Christ in the house of the Lord.’ Each covenant whispers, ‘Love is spoken here.’”
—Elder Gerrit W. Gong

“Jesus Christ offers a better way—relationships founded on divine covenant, stronger than the cords of death. Covenant belonging with God and each other can heal and sanctify our most cherished relationships.”
—Elder Gerrit W. Gong

“The Lord has clearly taught that only men and women who are sealed as husband and wife in the temple, and who keep their covenants, will be together throughout the eternities.”
—President Russell M. Nelson

“Spending more time in the temple builds faith. And your service and worship in the temple will help you to think celestial. The temple is a place of revelation. There you are shown how to progress toward a celestial life. There you are drawn closer to the Savior and given greater access to His power. There you are guided in solving the problems in your life, even your most perplexing problems.”
—President Russell M. Nelson

“The ordinances and covenants of the temple are of eternal significance. We continue to build more temples to make these sacred possibilities become a reality in each of your lives.”
—President Russell M. Nelson

“We are grateful to announce our plans to build a temple in each of the following 20 locations:

• Savai’i, Samoa
• Cancún, Mexico
• Piura, Peru
• Huancayo, Peru
• Viña del Mar, Chile
• Goiânia, Brazil
• João Pessoa, Brazil
• Calabar, Nigeria
• Cape Coast, Ghana
• Luanda, Angola
• Mbuji-Mayi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Laoag, Philippines
• Osaka, Japan
• Kahului, Maui, Hawaii
• Fairbanks, Alaska
• Vancouver, Washington
• Colorado Springs, Colorado
• Tulsa, Oklahoma
• Roanoke, Virginia
• Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

The Lord is directing us to build these temples to help us think celestial.”
—President Russell M. Nelson