- Strengthen fellow church members in all conversations, prayers, exhortations, and doings (7)
 

Read carefully the explanations contained in the Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual (2017) (chapter 43) and come to class prepared to discuss (or clarify) what you understood about the meaning and significance of this dedicatory prayer

- A temple is a house of glory where the influence of the Spirit of the Lord is so strong that people feel constrained to acknowledge its sanctity (12-13)

- Does this happen automatically?  Or do we play a part in this Spirit and sanctity?

- Praying for mercy upon persecutors (29-30,43,50-53)

Read this inspired prayer in its entirety.  What other passages caught your attention?  Come to class prepared to discuss them.

Compare this prayer with the dedicatory prayer of the temple closest to your home.  What commonalities and differences do you find?
(This could be a good topic for your paper in this course)

Read carefully the explanations contained in the Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual (2017) (chapter 43) and come to class prepared to discuss (or clarify) what you understood about the meaning and significance of these heavenly visits

Consider these words from latter-day prophets about the blessings of Abraham and Elijah:

"... [The] promise made to Abraham some 3,500 years ago ... was not a promise made to Abraham alone, but through him to others.  He and his seed were to be the instrumentality, the media through which mankind should be blessed; they were to be the special instruments in the hands of God for the accomplishment of these purposes.

Hence the Priesthood began to be organized--the Bishopric and all pertaining to the Aaronic Priesthood including Priests, Teachers and Deacons; and associated with the Melchizedek Priesthood, the First Presidency, the Twelve, the High Council, High Priests, Seventies and Elders, and all those occupying their own particular place ...

Why?  Because ... Things as they existed in the heavens again began to be introduced upon the earth. Hence, that His servants might be properly instructed and comprehend correctly the great principles which He designed to unfold to the human family, He sent those several messengers holding those various keys that they might unlock the doors and place His servants in communication with the heavenly Priesthood in the eternal worlds." President John Taylor - May 18, 1884 (Journal of Discourses, vol.25, p.180)

"To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest, the whole earth be smitten with a curse."
"Now, the word "turn" here should be translated "bind," or "seal." But what is the object of this important [i.e. Elijah's] mission? or how is it to be fulfilled? ... By building their temples, erecting their baptismal fonts, and going forth and receiving all the ordinances, baptisms, confirmations, washings, anointings, ordinations and sealing powers upon their heads, in behalf of all their progenitors who are dead, and redeem them that they may come forth in the first resurrection and be exalted to thrones of glory with them;

and herein is the chain that binds the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, which fulfills the mission of Elijah. ...

The question is frequently asked, 'Can we not be saved without going through with all those ordinances?' I would answer, No, not the fulness of salvation. Jesus said, 'There are many mansions in my Father's house, and I will go and prepare a place for you.' "House" here named should have been translated "kingdom;" and any person who is exalted to the highest mansion has to abide a celestial law, and the whole law too." January 20, 1844 (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.330)

"God is interested in the dead as well as the living. Adam, who is the Ancient of Days and the father of the human family ... and all the prominent leading men of God ... and thousands of these peoples have passed away having held and now holding the Priesthood; all these ancient fathers feel interested in this great work, and their hearts are turned toward the children, being interested in their welfare, happiness and exaltation; and their children who now have received the Gospel have their hearts, through this instrumentality, and the keys and principles which were introduced by Elijah, turned towards the fathers through the inspiration of the same ... everlasting Gospel, being associated with the everlasting covenant, which principle wherever it has existed, brought life and immortality to light." President John Taylor - May 18, 1884 (Journal of Discourses, vol.25, p.181)

The difference between the keys restored by Elias and Elijah:

Elias - Restored the Gospel (or "good tidings") of Abraham (Contained in Abraham 2:9-11):

• The blessing of becoming a great nation
• The right to bless one's posterity
• The right to bear this ministry and priesthood unto all nations
• The right to bless all the families of the earth with the blessings of salvation, even life eternal
• The right to perpetuate (i.e. maintain or claim) these rights from generation to generation

Elijah - Restored the Sealing Power:

The power and authority by which the administration of any of the blessings of the Gospel of Abraham made by a righteous mortal priesthood holder--which administration is made by means of ordinances and covenants--would be recognized (or validated) in eternity.  (Marcus H. Martins, Unpublished speech)

"[The] keys of this Priesthood consisted in obtaining the voice of Jehovah ... in a familiar and friendly manner, [and in obtaining] the keys, the covenants, the power and the glory, with which [the Lord] blessed Adam at the beginning ...

Questions for Review

1. The first temple in this dispensation was built and dedicated in what city? (109:2-4)

2. What did the Prophet Joseph ask the Lord to do to those who spread lying reports about the Church, if they would not repent? (109:29)

3. What heavenly personages appeared to the prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple? (110:2,11-13)