Worthily Obtain and Use!
Dear Elders and Sisters:
It was so nice to sit with you in interviews this past
week and I thank each of you for your preparation. Receiving in advance
your summary of how you have changed, the "Doctrinal Diamond" you've unearthed
through your studies, your greatest conversion experience, and your testimony
was a great blessing to me. To be able to review this in advance, discuss
it in our interview, and cherish it for all time will be a treasure to me.
I hope to you as well.
I shared with you in our interview that I had earnestly
prayed to know what I should counsel you as my final advice in our final
interview together. As I pondered and prayed to know, some poignant
advice from my Mission President came back to me in a powerful way.
While it would be nice to speak of many things, my counsel given, while brief,
covers a wide array of living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
As I completed my final interview at the end of my
mission, including my interview for a new temple recommend, my Mission
President very simply and straight forwardly said this: "Elder Clark, I
promise you if you will worthily obtain and use a temple recommend the rest of
your life you will be exalted." While exaltation was and is my goal,
when he said that I was a little skeptical he could promise me such a thing.
But I had only been in the temple 3 times (Spain did not have a temple)
and so when I returned home I listened and I heard it. I heard and was
reminded that in the temple we learn all that is necessary to pass sentinels
and be admitted to the presence of the Lord. That's exaltation! And that
was the desire of my heart!
If you consider what is involved in "Worthily
Obtain", it is a lot. There are many great sermons in that relevant
cue! We could talk of Tithing or Sabbath Observance; Of a testimony or
the doctrines of the Godhead and the Savior as our Redeemer; Of the principle
of being honest or fulfilling our Church callings. If you will keep doing
all that is necessary to Worthily Obtain a temple recommend you will never
stray. It will be the "Hold Fast to the Iron Rod" of your life!
Trustfully, it will become a "Life's Vision" for you.
Just think about it! You will never need to decide whether you are
going to Church or paying a Full Tithe or obeying the Word of Wisdom.
You've already made those decisions once and now you simply "Go and
Do" for the rest of your life. The Lord promises (covenants) if you
will, Exaltation will be your reward!
And then "Use" it! Now there's a whole
other sermon in that, isn't there. I suppose if it were allowed,
Missionaries would be more than willing to attend the temple on a weekly basis
while they serve. But the test will come after your mission. As you
seek to find a balance in your post-mission life, one of the most important
things you'll need to determine is what your temple attendance will look like.
How will you Use your temple recommend the rest of your life? The
great Jehovah has said: "For behold, I have accepted this house, and my
name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this
house. Yea, I will appear unto my servants, and speak unto them with mine
own voice...and tens of thousands shall greatly rejoice in consequence of the
blessings which shall be poured out..." (D&C 110:7-9)
As you Use your Temple Recommend regularly, my promise to
you is that in the Temple the Lord will always be willing to counsel you in
every and any aspect of your life. The Lord will "speak unto [you]
with His own voice" regarding personal, marriage, family, children,
career, education, financial, and any counseling needs you require so
"that in [you] and [your] seed all generations after [you] shall be
blessed" (D&C 110:12).
And so, in what has become a very tender interview and
final counsel experience, I pass on to you what my Mission President shared
with me; I promise you if you will Worthily Obtain and Use a Temple Recommend
the rest of your life, you will be exalted! And it's not really his
promise or mine, but rather the Lord's! I would desire with all my heart
that each day, week, month, and year for the rest of your life you will always
remember this relevant cue: "Worthily Obtain and Use" a Temple
Recommend to be Exalted! I promise it will be a vision guide in your life
for the rest of your life!
With much love, admiration, and respect!
President Clark
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