A Temple Is the House of the Lord

Judy Edwards, “Sharing Time: A Temple Is the House of the Lord,” Friend, Jan 1993, 14

It is thy house, a place of thy holiness (D&C 109:13).

Have you ever wondered what Heavenly Father’s house in heaven looks like? We can only imagine how wonderful it is. As we try to imagine it, we can think about our own houses here on earth. Homes are different for different people. Some children live in houses made of brick, others in houses made of wood. Homes can be apartments, simple huts, even boats.

Whatever your home looks like, the most important thing about it is what is found inside. If a house if filled with love and kindness, it is a beautiful place.

Heavenly Father also wants to have a beautiful house here upon the earth where we can visit and feel His love. He has commanded us to build houses for Him where we can hear His messages and receive important blessings. These houses are called temples. It is in God’s temple that we may best worship and make important covenants, or promises, with Him.

Because each temple is a holy place, those who enter the temple must be worthy. They must keep Heavenly Father’s commandments. In this way love, beauty, and holiness will continue to be found there.

Instructions

1. Remove page 15 from the magazine. Mount it on heavy paper or lightweight cardboard, then cut along the broken lines.

2. On page 3, draw a picture of the temple nearest your home. Color all the pictures.

3. Punch holes where indicated, and make a booklet by threading the pages together in order with yarn or heavy string. Tie the yarn in a bow on the front of the booklet. Turn the pages one by one as you sing “I Love to See the Temple” (Children’s Songbook, page 95).

I Love to See the Temple

By Janice Kapp Perry

1. I love to see the temple.
I’m going there someday

2. To feel the Holy Spirit,
To listen and to pray.

3. For the temple is a house of God,
A place of love and beauty.

4. I’ll prepare myself while I am young;
This is my sacred duty.

5. I love to see the temple.
I’ll go inside someday.

6. I’ll covenant with my Father;
I’ll promise to obey.

7. For the temple is a holy place
Where we are sealed together.

8. As a child of God, I’ve learned this truth:
A family is forever.

Sharing Time Ideas

1. Using “I Love to See the Temple” (Children’s Songbook, page 95) as a guide, list and discuss some of the things that a person does in the temple: feel the Holy Spirit, listen, pray, covenant with Heavenly Father, be sealed together as families.

2. Explain that in the temple, people wear special white clothing that represents purity, cleanliness, holiness, and righteousness. In your discussion, use “They shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment.” (Rev. 3:4–5.) Talk about other times in our lives when we wear white (baptism, marriage, and burial).

3. Show a picture of the temple nearest you. Have younger children draw a picture of themselves standing outside the temple. Discuss with older children the history of their temple. Encourage them to write their feelings about it in their own journals.

4. Invite a Primary child who has been to the temple for a dedication or sealing to share his feelings about the experience, or invite an adult to briefly tell the Primary children of blessings he has received from going to the temple.

5. Invite the bishop or branch president to discuss temple worthiness and temple recommends with the children.

Filed under: Lesson 13: My Family Can Be Together Forever, Lesson 26: Families Can Be Together Forever, Lesson 35: Temples and Eternal Families, Temple, A Temple Is the House of the Lord, I Love to See the Temple, Lesson 13: My Family Can Be Together Forever, Lesson 26: Families Can Be Together Forever, temple coloring page, temple sharing time