Although sometimes challenging, I experience a fulfillment in connection with family history and temple work beyond that associated with other activities. Other matters relating to the Church are wonderful, but efforts in family history research and temple participation seem to me to be the culminating Gospel activity. This is not so much something I experience in my mind, but in my feelings, deep down in my heart, in my emotions. In the following discussion, I will attempt to gain some understanding of these feelings.
Elder David Bednar in his conference classic on temple work taught the temple ordinances were extensions or amplifications of the more basic gospel ordinances of baptism and the sacrament:
“... the process of taking upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ that is commenced in the waters of baptism is continued and enlarged in the house of the Lord. As we stand in the waters of baptism, we look to the temple. As we partake of the sacrament, we look to the temple. We pledge to always remember the Savior and to keep His commandments as preparation to participate in the sacred ordinances of the temple and receive the highest blessings available through the name and by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, in the ordinances of the holy temple we more completely and fully take upon us the name of Jesus Christ.” (“Honorably Hold a Name and Standing”, April 2009 General Conference)
The words “completely” and “fully” are significant. As I experience the temple, I receive a feeling of spiritual completeness that seems to be available in no other way. And, I have come to sense and understand that there are essential elements or circumstances that together form the basis for maximizing this sense of fulfillment in me. These are:
1) Performing research that identifies family members who are dead.
2) Submitting and performing temple ordinances for these family members, as a temple patron.
3) Helping other living persons to experience temple ordinances, as a temple ordinance worker, and
4) Helping others to grow in their ability to perform family history research.
In my thinking, the first two elements are inseparable as a part of maximizing spiritual fulfillment. Family history research is most meaningful to me when it leads to temple work. Performing temple ordinances is good in its own right, but more satisfying when done in behalf of members of my own family. This fulfillment seems related to achieving the goal expressed by the Prophet Joseph of presenting in God’s holy temple “a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation.” (Doctrine & Covenants 128:24)
Serving others in these regards adds to this satisfaction. Functioning as a temple ordinance worker is also extremely helpful in promoting a deeper understanding of the temple and the meaning of its ordinances..
I want to examine some possible bases for these feelings of satisfaction, deepening understanding, and most of all spiritual completeness.
Perfection
One synonym for completeness is the word “perfection,” but not with the common definition of the word, meaning without defect or fault. Elder Russell M. Nelson provided insights into a differing scriptural definition of “perfection,” that relates closely to and illuminates the sense of completeness that may be provided by the temple experience (Russell M. Nelson, “Perfection Pending,” October 1995 General Conference). In this view, perfection is less something we achieve, but rather something that is granted to us. It is a synonym for exaltation or eternal life. Elder Nelson begins with an analysis of the meaning of the original Greek words from which the words perfect and perfection in the New Testament text were translated:
"In Matt. 5:48, the term perfect was translated from the Greek teleios, which means “complete.” Teleios is an adjective derived from the noun telos, which means “end.” The infinitive form of the verb is teleiono, which means “to reach a distant end, to be fully developed, to consummate, or to finish.” Please note that the word does not imply “freedom from error”; it implies “achieving a distant objective.”
"Eternal perfection is reserved for those who overcome all things and inherit the fulness of the Father in his heavenly mansions. Perfection consists in gaining eternal life—the kind of life that God lives."
Christ is a model for this meaning of the word perfection. As he was giving the Sermon of the Mount, during his earthly ministry, he only claimed perfection for his Father. However, in the Book of Mormon he included himself as an example of perfection along with his Father as he addressed these peoples. By this time, he had fulfilled his purposes as the foreordained Redeemer. He had “finished his work.” He had completed the atonement through his suffering and death, and had overcome physical death through his glorious resurrection.
Elder Nelson goes on to identify things which lead toward or are prerequisites to perfection, that is, eternal life. Temple ordinances are essential to perfection.
“Scriptures identify... important prerequisites to eternal perfection. [Among these are] the ordinances and covenants of the temple. No accountable individual can receive exaltation in the celestial kingdom without the ordinances of the temple. Endowments and sealings are for our personal perfection and are secured through our faithfulness."
“This requirement also pertains to our ancestors. Paul taught “that they without us should not be made perfect.” Again, in that verse, the Greek term from which perfect was translated was a form of teleios."
“In latter-day revelation, the Lord was even more explicit. His prophet wrote: “My dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let me assure you that these are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation. … They without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect.”
Perhaps the sense of completeness I experience in connection with the work of the temple is a foretaste of the more eternal completeness that Elder Nelson writes about. We are blessed to have a religion that is not just words or empty promises, but that allows a person to have real experiences that represent a sort of down payment or, as Paul states, an “
earnest [my emphasis] of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto a praise of his glory” (Eph. 1:14)
Fulness
Another word closely related to completeness is the word “fulness,” the quality of being full, containing as much as is possible, not lacking any essential, being at the greatest degree or height of development (according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/full?show=0&t=1384820370). Hugh Nibley observed that “fulness” is the key word to describe and understand the work of God in our day:
"The key word to this dispensation is
fulness [my emphasis]. The word appears sixty-three times in the Doctrine and Covenants and thirty-one times in the Book of Mormon. After all, this is the dispensation of the fulness of times; go down the list: "The fulness of mine intent" (1 Nephi 6:4), "received the fulness of the gospel" (1 Nephi 10:14), "through the fulness of the Gentiles" (1 Nephi 15:13), "the fulness of the wrath of God" (1 Nephi 17:35), "may God grant, in his great fulness" (Helaman 12:24), "the fulness of these things" (3 Nephi 16:7), "I will bring the fulness of my gospel" (3 Nephi 16:10), "knowledge of the fulness of my gospel" (3 Nephi 16:12), "my joy is great even unto fulness" (3 Nephi 27:30), "the Father has given me fulness of joy" (3 Nephi 28:10), "the fulness of my scriptures" (D&C 42:15), "which rest is the fulness of his glory" (D&C 84:24), "he receives not of the fulness at the first" (D&C 93:13), "the fulness of the record of John"" (D&C 93:18). (Hugh Nibley, Brother Brigham Challenges the Saints, edited by Don E. Norton and Shirley S. Ricks, p. 385)
In the standard works of the Church and teachings of the prophets, at least four kinds of fulness are associated with the temple. These are the fulness of the Holy Ghost, the fulness of the priesthood, the fulness of glory, and the fulness of joy.
The fulness of the Holy Ghost.
In his inspired prayer given at the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, Joseph Smith prayed that those persons who enter and worship in this house “may grow up in thee, and receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost” (Doctrine and Covenants 109:15). It is well-understood that in connection with baptism, a person is given the Gift of the Holy Ghost and directed to “receive the Holy Ghost.” The phrase in the Kirtland dedicatory prayer seems to portray that something additional or greater that the baptismal bestowal of the Holy Ghost is available in the temple.. What might this be and how is it experienced?
Elder David Bednar provides insights regarding these questions. As noted above, he states that “in the ordinances of the holy temple we more completely and fully take upon us the name of Jesus Christ” (David A. Bednar, Honorably Hold a Name and Standing, April 2009 General Conference).
The ordinances of the temple do not change from the focus of the baptismal covenant; rather they enlarge upon and deepen the ordinances of baptism and the sacrament.
Here is a brief comparison of components of the baptismal covenant with related temple ordinances (without being too specific about the latter):
The Temple--taking upon ourselves the name of Christ. “At baptism, we take upon our selves the NAME of Christ. Enlarging upon that commitment, we see, in the temple ceremonies, that we take upon ourselves the PRIESTLY ROLE of Christ, and, as such, become a TYPE of Christ. The priestly role is assumed by being washed, anointed, clothed, and robed in the temple ordinances. This anointing seems particularly significant as representative of the Savior’s anointing as prophet, priest, and king, the ancient way that such individuals were designated” (see Bokovoy and Tvedtnes, “Testaments: Links between the Book of Mormon and the Hebrew Bible”, Heritage Press: Tooele, UT, 2003, pp.13-15).
Such priests (and priestesses) become types or models of Christ. Priests “were ordained after the order of order of his [God’s] Son, in a manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to look forward to his Son for redemption” (Alma 13:2). As stated by Bokovoy and Tvedtnes (p. 14), “when we see a priest perform his sacred duties, we learn about the divine role of Jesus Christ.”
It seems then that the temple elevates the taking upon oneself the name of Christ to a much higher level, in which each of us, both man and woman, is given the responsibility to exemplify the Savior as we are given rights and privileges associated with the exercising the priesthood in the sacred rites of the temple and elsewhere.
The Temple--always remembering him. Here are two of the ways we see the temple enhancing our remembering Christ:
1) Receiving and wearing the temple garment reminds us to be faithful to the Savior and of his ultimate triumph over all.
2) There are names to remember and form the basis for how we will be introduced to the Father at a future time, that might be thought of as representing a reborn personal identity for us that includes our receiving Christ and being perfected and exalted by him (see Moroni 10:32-33), reminding us of how he suffered for us, and our eternal destiny with him and with our eternal families.
The Temple--keeping his commandments which he has given us. The baptismal/sacramental covenant of obedience is all-encompassing, but we see that the temple provides increased specificity for areas of obedience that are of the very most importance for our advancing spiritual progress in Christ's Kingdom. The endowment includes a series of covenants which focus on celestial laws to be obeyed. There are also a number of other reminders and enjoinders in the temple of the importance of keeping God’s commandments. (from Robert and Wendy Lewis blog, August 2009)
The baptismal covenant includes promises the candidate makes to God and promises by God to the candidate. If the temple ceremonies are basically enlargements of the covenantal components for baptism it seems reasonable that promises made by both individual persons and God would be enlarged. Thus the gifts associated with the Spirit might increase with temple participation. One might expect from the temple from the Spirit, enhanced knowledge and conviction (D&C 8:2, 9:8; Luke 24:32; Helaman 5:30; Moroni 10:5-6; Alma 32: 28, 30), increased comfort and joy (John 14: 26-27; Galations 5:22-23; Philipeans 4:7; D&C 6:23), burdens lifted and peace of conscience (Alma 36:19-21; 38:8; Moroni 8:25-26; 2 Nephi 31:18-20; Enos 1:4-11; Mosiah 4:3) and accelerated refining of desires, attitudes and passions (Mosiah 3:19; Alma 5; 32: 41-43; 1 Nephi 8:8-10). The feelings of completeness and fulfillment we experience in connection with family history and temple work might be part of this enlarged influence of the Spirit.
The fulness of the priesthhood.
The Lord refers to the phrase “fulness of the priesthood” as he commands the saints to build a temple in the City of Nauvoo, which is necessary as a place to reveal and conduct sacred ordinances for the dead and for the living.
"For there is not a place found on earth that he may come to and restore again that which was lost unto you, or which he hath taken away, even the fulness of the priesthood." (Doctrine and Covenants 124:28)
The actual restoration of the fulness of the priesthood occurred in the Kirtland temple through the ministrations of Elijah the prophet as recorded in the Doctine & Covenants section 110 and is the authority to administer the ordinances of the temple:
"In a broad sense the fulness of the priesthood includes the authority to administer the ordinances of the house of the Lord for both the living and the dead. The keys of the fulness of the priesthood were conferred upon the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple by Moses, Elias, and Elijah (D&C 110:11-16)". (“Revelations of the Restoration", "Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 1-4 vols., edited by Daniel H. Ludlow (New York: Macmillan, 1992
The fulness of the priesthood is received by individual persons through the ordinances of the temple. President Gordon B. Hinckley has taught:
"...the blessings of the temple represent that fulness of the priesthood of which the Lord spoke when He revealed His will unto the Prophet Joseph Smith." (April 2001 Conference,“The Work Goes On”)
Here is the way this concept is taught in a recent Relief Society lesson manual:
"As a man and a woman kneel together at the altar of the temple and enter into the new and everlasting covenant of marriage, they are complying with a necessary step in receiving the fulness of the priesthood. They initiate a new organization— an eternal family— within the family of God.
"Marriage in the temple is so important that those who do not receive this ordinance cannot enter the highest degree of the celestial kingdom (see D&C 131:1-4). Properly viewed, the family is an eternal entity presided over by a righteous bearer of the Melchizedek Priesthood, assisted by a wife who has been sealed to him for time and eternity and who is responsible with him for the home and family. This family fits into a plan for eternal families within the family of God. It unites a husband and a wife with their children and grandchildren to the latest generation and with their parents and grandparents to the earliest generation.
"Through our families —eternally sealed to gether—we may partake of the fulness of the priesthood. Unless our families are united by the power of the priesthood, we will be separate, single individuals in the eternal worlds." (Home and Family Education Lesson 6, p.115: Temple Marriage Opens the Way to Receiving a Fulness of Priesthood Blessings)
Temple marriage is a necessary step leading toward persons having the fulness of the priesthood, which might be considered to be synonymous with or a condition of exaltation in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom.
"... to receive the fulness of the priesthood is to receive the highest ordinances of the temple. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, "Those holding the fulness of the Melchizedek Priesthood are kings and priests of the Most High God, holding the keys of power and blessings" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 322). A man can receive the fulness of the priesthood only after he has entered into the new and everlasting covenant of marriage. That marriage covenant must be sealed "by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed" (D&C 132:19). To this the Prophet Joseph Smith added, "If a man gets a fullness of the priesthood of God he has to get it in the same way that Jesus Christ obtained it, and that was by keeping all the commandments and obeying all the ordinances of the house of the Lord"" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 308). (“Revelations of the Restoration “ Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 1-4 vols., edited by Daniel H. Ludlow (New York: Macmillan, 1992)
The fulness of glory.
The term “fulness of glory” also seems to be used as a synonym for exaltation in its grandest sense, and is received by qualified persons in the hereafter. While not experienced in this mortal life, but received in the life to come, the earthly temple ordinances play a preparatory part in this eternal blessing.
"And as pertaining to the new and everlasting covenant [that is, eternal marriage], it was instituted for the fulness of my glory; and he that receiveth a fulness thereof must and shall abide the law, or he shall be damned, saith the Lord God.
"And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed, unto whom I have appointed this power and the keys of this priesthood; and it shall be said unto them—Ye shall come forth in the first resurrection; and if it be after the first resurrection, in the next resurrection; and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers, dominions, all heights and depths—then shall it be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, that he shall commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, and if ye abide in my covenant, and commit no murder whereby to shed innocent blood, it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and through all eternity; and shall be of full force when they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever." (Doctrine and Covenants 132:6, 19)
Thus, marriage in the temple is a necessary requirement for persons to eventually qualify for a “fullness of glory” of God. In this way, the temple sealing ordinances contribute to the blessing of eternal life and exaltation.
The fulness of joy.
Joy is defined as a feeling of great pleasure or happiness. It is one of the gifts or fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:22; Mosiah 4:3, 11, 20; Alma 36:20-21). The most direct reference to receiving a fulness of joy in the scriptures is found in a revelation to the prophet Joseph Smith concerning the resurrection:
"For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy." (Doctrine and Covenants 93:33)
From this basis, a number of authorities and commentators in the Church have made a connection between having a fulness of joy, both in this life and more particularly in the life to come, with temple ordinances and temple work.
Truman Madsen reports that Joseph Smith taught that the temple is associated with a fulness of joy:
"Latter-day Saints are recognized as a people of consecrated joy, even defiant rejoicing and ceremonial feasting, who "offer up their sacraments" (see (D&C 59:9) in the manner of the ancient feasts and who live in the prophetic vision of the eventual messianic banquet. For Joseph Smith the fulness of joy is associated with "the temple of the most high God." Temple dedications were "an event of the greatest importance to the church and the world in making the saints in Zion to rejoice, and the hypocrite and sinner to tremble."" (Truman G. Madsen, ed., The Temple in Antiquity: Ancient Records and Modern Perspectives, pp.3-4)
Camilla Eyring Kimball points to the temple sealing ordinance as being an essential element in persons having a fulness of joy.
"Families are an eternal unit. So far as we know, the Church organization may not be found in heaven, but families will be. God joined Adam and Eve in the holy bonds of marriage even before they were mortal and commanded them to cleave to one another. God has through all ages fostered the family, giving to men the sealing power so that families can be joined for eternity. The importance of our finding worthy companions and of temple marriage cannot be overestimated when we realize that our eternal destiny depends in part upon this sacred ordinance. Without it, we cannot have fulness of joy. With it, the future is boundless. There are some who, through no fault of their own, do not have that opportunity in this life, but no one worthy of these blessings will be denied them indefinitely. Life stretches beyond mortality, and those who live worthily will find fulfillment in the hereafter." (Camilla Eyring Kimball, The Writings of Camilla Eyring Kimball, edited by Edward L. Kimball, p.110)
President Ezra Taft Benson connects this joy to marriage, family, and helping other spirit children of God gain their physical bodies:
"...this life is intended to provide an opportunity to help our Father in Heaven with His great plan, and we do that through honorable parenthood. We cooperate with our Heavenly Father in helping to prepare tabernacles to house spirits of His other children. So the matter of marriage, the home, and the family is a vital part of the plan of our Heavenly Father, and by keeping this ... purpose of life in mind constantly and carrying out these purposes faithfully we receive a fulness of joy here, insofar as it is possible to have a fulness of joy in mortal life, and we prepare ourselves for exaltation in the celestial kingdom where we will receive a fulness of joy." (Tokyo, Japan, 27 October 1957, Ezra Taft Benson, The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, pp.27-28.)
President Rudger Clawson presented the same teaching in a 1939 conference address:
"Another thing: Before we can enter into full and complete exaltation and glory and receive a fulness of joy we must take into account the sublime doctrine of marriage. It is necessary to our final exaltation. The man and woman were created together, or in other words it was one creative act. In the Garden of Eden it was found not to be right for Adam to live alone. Therefore Eve was created and given to him for a companion, a helpmate, that he as a king and a priest and she as a queen and priestess might rise to exaltation and glory and together receive a fulness of joy." (President Rudger Clawson, Conference Report, April 1939, Church of the Air Broadcast, p.118)
Other church authorities extend the requirement for fulness of joy beyond our own marriages to our connections with our ancestors. Here is a statement by Elder Orson F. Whitney:
"The gospel is the plan of eternal progression, and perfection is its goal. Apart from our ancestors who figured in the former dispensations, neither we nor they can attain perfection. But by unity, which brings power, and by faith, which makes all things possible, the glorious end can be achieved. The sacred ordinances of God's House-baptisms, endowments, sealings, adoptions, etc.,-all point to a perfect state of righteous love and unity. Why, for instance, do we marry for eternity, and not merely for time? It is because we are children of eternity, building for eternity, and "the man is not without the woman nor the woman without the man, in the Lord." Together they represent completeness, perfection; separated, they symbolize incompleteness, imperfection; and nothing imperfect can enter into the Divine Presence. Let a man and a woman, single or married only for time, present themselves at the celestial gates, and it will be said to them, or of them, as it was said at the gates of Verdun: "They shall not pass." But they who are wedded for eternity, wedded according to God's law and by his sealing power and authority, shall pass by the angels and the gods and inherit a fulness of joy. The welding link must bind together husband and wife, parent and child, present and past, living and dead-"all things in Christ," to the end that there may be completeness, perfection, and that that condition of unity and love may prevail which is the required preparation for the coming of the Lord in his glory. Amen." (Elder Orson F. Whitney, Conference Report, October 1920, Afternoon Session, p. 36)
Elder Neal A. Maxwell, in his usual insightful way, makes receiving a fulness of joy contingent upon those who we love experiencing the same joy:
"Your observations concern a most profound question. How can we ever expect to have a fulness of joy unless all those we love share that joy? In other words, how can there be "fulness" if there is "incompleteness"? How can loving parents, for instance, have a fulness of joy if their prodigals never really come home?" (Neal A. Maxwell, That Ye May Believe, p.65)
The Savior exemplified this in another scriptural reference to receiving a fulness of joy. As his visit to the saints in America progressed, he observed their prayers and faith, and declared:
"And now, behold, my joy is great, even unto fulness, because of you, and also this generation; yea, and even the Father rejoiceth, and also all the holy angels, because of you and this generation; for none of them are lost." (3 Nephi 27:30)
Also, there is great joy “in heaven over one sinner who repenteth” (Luke 15:7). For both heavenly and mortal beings, fulness of joy is experienced when loved ones repent and become united in obedience to the gospel.
Thus, a fulness of joy is described in the scriptures and teachings of Church authorities, primarily as belonging to the hereafter and the resurrection, for those who attain exaltation, through temple marriage and temple sealings, in those associations with loved ones who enjoy these same blessings including those in immediate and extended family relations. In a limited sense, this joy may also be experienced in this mortal life under the same latter conditions.
Summarizing, I conclude that the sense of completeness and fulfillment I experience in connection with family research and temple work for the living and the dead is a blessing of the Spirit. This is consistent with the doctrine that receipt of the fulness of the Holy Ghost is a gift associated with the temple, and that through temple worship and association with loved ones and the finding and performing work for ones kindred dead, a foretaste of the joys of eternity may be experienced..
