The image above is a temple for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Gilbert Arizona. In the scriptures, there were temples built to the Lord.

They have many purposes but one of the most important purposes of the Temple is that God’s presence can be there, and He can bless and teach His children. These are places that people can draw closer to the Lord, participate in sacred ordinances, and deepen their commitment to follow Him. It is a place of learning and instruction. A place of peace from the loud distractions of the world.

The first temple found in the scriptures is the tabernacle built by the Israelites under the direction of Moses. (Exodus 26-27; 40:35 KJV)

King Solomon built the first formal temple in the Old Testament. (2 Corinthians 5:1-14; 7:1-2 KJV)

In the Book of Mormon, a group of people traveled from Jerusalem to the Americas after listening to God’s warnings that Jerusalem was to be destroyed. When they settled, they built a temple similar to that of Solomon. (2 Nephi 5:16)

During His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ was often found at the Temple of Herod. There He taught and healed the sick. He defended the sanctity of the temple from those that defiled it.

After the Savior was crucified and then resurrected, He came and visited the people in the Americas. He came to the Temple there. (3 Nephi 11:1-10)

After the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and the rejection and deaths of His Apostles, the temple at Jerusalem was destroyed and within a few hundred years, the people in the America’s also rejected the Lord’s apostles and prophets. The Lord withdrew His authority and there then no such temples on the earth for many centuries.

In 1820, a young man prayed to know which church he should go to. Heavenly Father and His son, Jesus Christ appeared to this 14-year-old boy with a great desire to know from Him what to do. He told this boy that none of the churches had His full truth. This began the process of restoring His gospel to the earth.

In 1830, this boy was now a young man and he had worked hard and very close to the Lord to bring His authority back to the earth and restore His gospel that had been taken from the earth previously.

Very soon after the church was established, the plans to build a temple had begun. They began construction of the first temple in Kirtland, Ohio in 1833 and it was finished and dedicated to the Lord in 1836. A few days later, the resurrected Savior, Jesus Christ appeared in the temple.

The ancient prophets Moses, Elias and Elijah also appeared and conferred additional priesthood authority upon Church leaders. (Doctrine and Covenants 110)

The Saints suffered immense persecution there and they were forced to leave their beloved temple. The building still stands today but it is no longer a working temple. I have been there and felt of the history of this special building.

The saints began building a temple in Nauvoo, Illinois. The prophet Joseph Smith was martyred with his brother Hyrum. But the saints continued building the temple. A few months after it was dedicated to the Lord, they were forced out and the temple was burned down two years later.

The saints finally found safety in Utah. They built their temple and at last, we have temples in the world today that are still standing. The authority of God has been restored to the earth. We have a living prophet and apostles, and His work is continuing on the earth.

Today, there are 350 temples in various phases of completion today. There are 195 dedicated temples, 50 temples under construction, and 105 new temple locations announced.

Our current prophet, President Russell M. Nelson has announced 153 of the temples during his six years as President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Okay, now that you understand the history and purpose of temples, I want to share some of my thoughts with you about them.

Some of my most favorite and sacred moments happened in the temple. I was sealed to not only my husband, but to each of my adopted children for time and all eternity in the temple. For in the temple, things are bound on earth and in Heaven through the priesthood of God. The restored priesthood that was taken and then returned in the 1800’s.

In the Temple, I learn important things that the Lord wants for me to know. To further my own knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to understand the importance of covenants and ordinances that I choose to make with Him.

I have been heartbroken by circumstances that have been out of my control, and I knew that I needed to go to the temple. I have prayed with my whole soul there and then found peace and healing.

I know that the temple is the house of God on this earth. How amazing it is that there are so many all over the world. I urge you to find the nearest temple to your location. Go to it. Feel for yourself the holiness of this house of the Lord.

When you do feel it for yourself, learn as much as you can about how to obtain a recommend to be able to go inside one day. You will never regret it. It is one of my most favorite things to do.

I will have more posts about the temple in the future. It is too important to have this be my only post.

Here is a link for you to read and learn more about temples. I took a lot of my post info from here and some other places.

Why Latter-day Saints Built Temples