lupe's notes may 19th 2013

Good afternoon sisters. What a special day this has been.

THOUGHT: “....Be faithful, brethren and sisters, and persevering; come to the temple and do your work there, and you will enjoy yourselves, and be better prepared to resist the unpleasantnesses of the world.”

Lorenzo Snow

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. Stake Choir practice – 6:30 pm at the Stake Center
2. June – we will have the opportunity to help the young women prepare for Trek – will be making Trek clothing.
3. Trek is July 8^th – 11^th. Encourage your youth to walk and get into shape.

BIRTHDAYS: May 24^th – Joeli C. Happy birthday and enjoy your day.

Had the special opportunity to spotlight two of the graduating Laurels – Addy B., and Whitney M. They were spotlighted by Jen R. who was their YW President when they were Beehives.

Our lesson today is from Lorenzo Snow Manual, # 10 - “Come into the Temples”, presented by Pat H.

Before we get into the discussion part of our lesson, we really need to talk about the things that President Snow is teaching us about the Temple. This foundation of the temple is so very important. Hopefully we will have the opportunity to share some temple experiences.

About 2 – 3 years ago, I had some family temple names that I passed out to special people that I knew. One name interested me; It only said 'Mrs. husband's name”. I gave it to my daughter, telling her that she was a direct line, someone who had lived over 100 years ago. My daughter did her work. Some people are blessed with the gift of having spiritual experiences in the temple and some, like me, are blessed to hear those spiritual experiences. I don't have lots of spiritual experiences in the temple, but my testimony is strengthened in hearing from those who do. My daughter came to me and said, “Mom, you can record her name in your records as Rebecca. I don't know her last name, but Rebecca was overjoyed to have her work done.” So I recorded her name in my records.

There are things in this lesson that we need to listen to closely. A lot of learning. It is education. Lorenzo Snow teaches us many things.

“Soon after his baptism and confirmation, Lorenzo Snow began attending meetings in the Kirtland Temple. There, with the Prophet Joseph Smith and other Church leaders, he received great spiritual blessings. In his journal he reported: “There we had the gift of prophecy—the gift of tongues—the interpretation of tongues—visions and marvelous dreams were related—the singing of heavenly choirs was heard, and wonderful manifestations of the healing power, through the administrations of the Elders, were witnessed. The sick were healed—the deaf made to hear—the blind to see and the lame to walk, in very instances. It was plainly manifest that a sacred and divine influence—a spiritual atmosphere pervaded that holy edifice.”

“Lorenzo Snow loved the Kirtland Temple, knowing that “the Son of God, in His glory, had honored it with His royal presence.” Consequently, he was awestruck when he first stood at a pulpit there to teach. “No language can describe my feelings,” he said, “when, for the first time, I stood up in one of those pulpits to address an audience—a pulpit on the breastwork of which, only a short time before, this holy Personage stood--'his hair as white as pure snow, his eyes as a flame of fire'--where also Moses, Elias, and Elijah came and committed the keys of their dispensations to Jose Smith.

Let's fast forward to another Temple.

Many years later, on April 6, 1892, President Lorenzo Snow stood before another gathering, this time in front of the almost-completed Salt Lake Temple. About 40,000 Later-day Saints crowded into the enclosure surrounding Temple Square, and about 10,000 more “occupied the tops of adjoining houses and places from which a view could be obtained.” The multitude had gathered for a ceremony in which the capstone would be secured on the temple's highest spire. Later that day the statue of the angel Moroni would be placed on the capstone. By assignment from the First Presidency, President Snow, who was then President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, was to lead the Saints in the Hosanna Shout. As he explained the Hosanna Shout to the multitude, he expressed his love and enthusiasm for temple work.

The Hosanna Shout: Lorenzo Snow gives some background information on page 138. He doesn't go into all the background, but gives us enough. It was a Biblical thing. Joseph Smith introduced the Hosanna shout on March 27, 1836.

“'Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna! To God and the Lamb. Amen, amen, and amen!

“Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna! To God and the Lamb. Amen, amen, and amen!

“Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna! To God and the Lamb. Amen, amen, and amen!

Let's go over some of the things that Lorenzo Snow explained to the people.

“The words of the shout, Hosanna!” he said, “to be uttered upon, or after, the laying of the capstone to-day, were introduced by President Joseph Smith at the Kirtland Temple, and were there used at a solemn assemblage where the power of God was manifested and the vision of the Almighty was opened up to the brethren. This is not ordinary order, but is—and we wish it to be distinctly understood—a sacred shout, and employed only on extraordinary occasions like the one now before us. We wish it also to be distinctly understood that we want the brethren and sisters not only to express the words, but that their hearts shall be full of thanksgiving to the God of heaven, who has accomplished, through our agency, this might and extraordinary labor. (referring to the Salt Lake Temple) Thirty-nine years ago to-day the foundation-stone—the corner-stone—of this Temple was laid, and in reflecting and meditating upon the wonderful blessings that God has bestowed upon us, His people, during this number of years that pronounce this shout that it comes from their hearts. Let your hearts be filled with thanksgiving.” He demonstrated the Hosanna Shout and then said, “Now when we go before the Temple, and this shout goes forth, we want every man and every woman to shout these words to the very extent of their voices, so that every house in this city may tremble, the people in every portion of this city hear it, and it may reach to the eternal worlds.”

In our day, the Hosanna Shout if used in solemn assembles and dedication of temples. The Salt Lake Temple, which took 40 years to construct, is the one of the most beautiful edifices. The Hosanna Shout is symbolic of the fact that in the pre-mortal life, when the Lord explained the plan of Salvation to us, we shouted for joy. It was a joyous thing and we sang hosanna to God then and now when we dedicate temples. It is the one thing we give today as a symbol of the Shout we gave then. That we would have agency, a Savior, that God would provide temples which are a direct conduit from the heavens to the people on the earth.

In the Book of Mormon, there were temples in Zarahemla, and Bountiful. In the Bible, it was the King Solomon Temple, these were conduits from God to his servants on the earth. It is a shout of praise to God and to his Son. Jesus Christ was the sacrificial lamb. The word lamb is symbolic of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and his resurrection. He had always been a God and when he came to mortality, the condescension to be born as a babe, it is of great significance.

The white handkerchief represents purity, as we express with loud voices the Hosanna Shout. The ritual white handkerchief that we use is symbolic of purity in proving to God the Father and the Lamb that we are worthy and privileged to be able to participate in the Shout.

After Lorenzo Snow teaches the significance of the Shout, President Wilford Woodruff stepped to the front of the platform, in full view of the assembled multitude, in whose mist a solemn stillness reigned. A thrill went through the hearts of the people as he spoke:

“'Attention, all ye house of Israel, and all ye nations of the earth! We will now lay the top stone of the Temple of our God, the foundation of which was laid and dedicated by the Prophet, Seer and Revelator Brigham Young.'

We need to remember that he was the Prophet of the world, whether the world accepted him as such or not.

“President Woodruff then pressed an electric button, and the Temple capstone moved securely into its position. The scene that followed is beyond the power of language to describe. The venerable President of the Twelve, Apostle Lorenzo Snow, came forward and led forty thousand Saints in shouting in concert the Hosanna Shout.

“Each shout was accompanied by the waving of handkerchiefs....The eyes of thousands were moistened with tears in the fulness of their joy. The ground seemed to tremble with the volume of sound which sent forth its echoes to the surrounding hills. A grander or more imposing spectacle than this ceremony of laying the Temple capstone is not recorded in history. The hosannas had scarce ceased when the vast congregation burst forth in the glorious inspirational hymn, 'The Spirit of God like a fire is burning.'”

“President Woodruff dedicated the Salt Lake Temple exactly one years later, on April 6, 1893, after the Saints had labored 40 years to complete it. President Lorenzo Snow was called to serve as the first president of that temple, and he fulfilled this calling until he became President of the Church I September 1898. A portrait of President Snow hangs in the Salt Lake Temple today, in remembrance of his devotion to what he called the “mighty work that we are accomplishing” in the house of the Lord.”

I wish we had a lesson of his experiences in that temple. Among all the revelations that we are privy to in the one that he experience by the stairs, where he had a mouth to mouth conversation with the Savior, as the Savior stood on the steps. He taught people temple truths. He invited them to attend the temple.

Due to shortness of time, I will go through the subtitles and if you have any experiences you wish to share, you are welcomed to.

In temples we learn of the marvelous blessings God has prepared for the faithful.

Through temple ordinances we form sacred ties that can bind families together for time and eternity.

In temples we receive the ordinances of exaltation in behalf of our kindred dead.

We should strive to perform temple and family history work, even if it requires sacrifice on our part.

When we enter the temple with a pure heart, the Lord blesses us according to what He knows is best for us.

Shanel W: When we had the Brigham City Temple dedication, we brought some of our children and on the way home, we talked about the experience. They felt it was so strange, so different. So I explained to them, and don't want to minimize the sacredness of it, that when they go to a game and a touchdown is made, or a home run, etc., that all the people shout and raise their hands in the air as a sign of joy. To me, Heavenly Father also cheers and shouts for joy in spiritual things. We rejoice in these happy moments.

Yes, the last word that the Savior said on the cross was Abba, meaning daddy, his own father.

Heather: I feel a burning in my bosom of the miracle of the gospel and especially in the hymn 'The Spirit of God.

It is a celebration and another symbolism of the handkerchief is that of Christ sitting on the donkey as he enters Jerusalem and the people are waving psalm leaves.

Amy W: This is a powerful lesson. What personal testimony and experience Lorenzo Snow has had with temples. I had been fasting and needed something to read that would help me. I had a hard time understanding to know what Heavenly Father wanted for me and my family. So I read this lesson and in 5 minutes I was sitting in the car going to the temple. And in 30 minuted I was in an endowment session with a name of an ancestor. Her name was Lucretia, which is my middle name. Through fasting and prayer in the temple, the whole puzzle became clear to me. I had all the pieces, but it took the temple to make it clear.

Thank you. There are many stories, but no time to talk about them. There are a lot of young mothers in the ward, but may not realize the parenting skills that are learned in the temple. I want to conclude with Lorenzo Snows words: “ I believe there will be very few who will not receive the truth. They will hear the voice of the Son of God; they will hear the voice of the Priesthood of the Son of God, and they will receive the truth and live. These brethren and sisters that are laboring so industriously in the temples will have the honor of being, as it were, saviors to their kindred and friends in whose favor they administered these ordinances.

The temples are a place of miracles. I know that they exist for our blessing and exaltation. I pray that we will take advantage of it. Go often. Endowments across the board are down. I testify that Jesus Christ is truly the Lamb of God.

Next Week's lesson is Conference address “The Lord's Way” by Elder Stanley G. Ellis.

Have a great week.