President Henry B. Eyring on finding holiness in the temple

President Henry B. Eyring (born May 31, 1933) served in the Presiding Bishopric from 1985-1992, as a Seventy from 1992-1995, then was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles. He has served in the First Presidency since 2007.

"On the outside of our temples, we place the words 'Holiness to the Lord.' I know for myself that those words are true. The temple is a holy place where revelation comes to us easily if our hearts are open to it and we are worthy of it....

"I know that temples of the Lord are holy places. My purpose today in speaking of temples is to increase your desire and mine to be worthy and ready for the increased opportunities for temple experiences that are coming for us.

"For me, the greatest motivation to be worthy of temple experiences is what the Lord has said of His holy houses:

"'Inasmuch as my people build a house unto me in the name of the Lord, and do not suffer any unclean thing to come into it, that it be not defiled, my glory shall rest upon it;

"'Yea, and my presence shall be there, for I will come into it, and all the pure in heart that shall come into it shall see God.

"'But if it be defiled I will not come into it, and my glory shall not be there; for I will not come into unholy temples.' (D&C 97:15–17.)

"President Russell M. Nelson made clear for us that we can 'see' the Savior in the temple in the sense that He becomes no longer unknown to us. President Nelson said this: 'We understand Him. We comprehend His work and His glory. And we begin to feel the infinite impact of His matchless life.' (Teachings of Russell M. Nelson (2018), 369.)"

- Henry B. Eyring, "I Love to See the Temple," General Conference April 2021 Saturday morning

When President Eyring shared this beautiful message of invitation to Church members in April 2021, the temples of the Church had been mostly closed to attendance for over a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But that perhaps makes the message even more powerful. We need to long for the blessings of the temple, and devote ourselves to preparing for them.

Worthiness and preparation are great keys to being prepared to receive the wonderful blessings of eternity. President Eyring's life has been a testimony to those characteristics.

I loved President Eyring's personal motivation: he knows the temple is a place of power, where the Lord has promised blessings, including His own presence. We can "see" him, figuratively at first, as we attend there worthily. Could there be a greater promise to each of us?

(Compilation and commentary by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, 2020)