Today is a special Sabbath day, another House of the Lord, the Brigham City Utah Temple will be dedicated to our Heavenly Father. It is the fourteenth temple in the state of Utah and when dedicated will be the 139th in operation world-wide. We will enjoy the dedicatory session via broadcast at the Bountiful Heights stake center this morning as a family (including both of us, Rylee, Junior and Mekelee, Grandpa and Faaagi); our FAMILY temple worship opportunity.
In a sacrament meeting address recently, one of the speakers shared a gospel message which connected the return or coming of the Prophet Elijah as foretold by Malachi in the Old Testament (Malachi 4:1-5) -- his mission in restoring the sealing keys (Doctrine and Covenants 110:13-16) at the Kirtland Temple April 3, 1836 -- and today's missionary effort here on earth. It provides us with a spiritual and eternal view of the work (Moses 1:39) the elder and we are called to do as latter-day saints in inviting all to come unto Christ.
Elijah’s Promise and Missionary Work
Doctrine and Covenants 2:1–2 states: “Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers.”
There are many ways in which the power and spirit of Elijah are manifest today. We may not even be aware when they happen. Missionary work is one way. Consider the following:
Missionary work on the earth. Because of Elijah’s mission, missionaries are led to descendants of those who have accepted the gospel in the spirit world. Elder Melvin J. Ballard observed: “It was made known to me that it is because the righteous dead who have received the Gospel in the spirit world are exercising themselves, and in answers to their prayers elders of the Church are sent to the homes of their posterity so that the Gospel might be taught to them, and that descendant in the flesh is then privileged to do the work for his dead kindred. I want to say to you that it is with greater intensity that the hearts of the fathers and mothers in the spirit world are turned to their children now in the flesh than that our hearts are turned to them.”
A pair of missionaries in the South Africa Johannesburg Mission had an experience that demonstrates this principle. While driving near the outskirts of town, they passed an elderly gentleman standing at the side of the road. The missionaries felt strongly impressed to stop and speak to him. They told him that Jesus Christ had sent them to him with an important message. The elders bore strong testimony of Joseph Smith and the Restoration. They gave him a pamphlet with their names and phone number and urged him to read the material and contact them.
About three weeks later, the elderly gentleman phoned the missionaries. He asked them to come to his home and pray for his wife, who was very ill. At the home, which was so far out of town that they never would have stopped at that house during their regular proselyting, the elders administered to the wife, and she was healed immediately. She then asked the missionaries to teach her and her husband. Three weeks later, the couple were baptized. The elderly sister told the missionaries the following story:
"Some time ago my husband came home and told me that he met two young men who said that the Lord had sent them to him. Three days later I had a dream. I dreamed that I was with my mother, who died thirty-five years ago. I have never before dreamed of my mother.
The dream was vivid, just as if it was real. My mother said to me, “My child, I cannot rest.” I replied, “Why, Mom, why can’t you rest?” She answered, “Because you don’t belong to the right church.” I was surprised because I am in the church which my mother and father raised me in.
Then the scene changed, and we were standing next to a beautiful clear pool of water that had three steps leading down into the water.
My mother said, “My child, go down into the water, and I will follow.” I hesitated and said, “No, Mom, you go first and then I will follow.” Then my mother said, “No, my child, you must go first! Then I will come after.”
When I woke, I wondered what the dream meant. Then I became sick, and you came out and blessed me. You taught us the gospel. I learned about the spirit world and that my parents may have heard the gospel. Then we were baptized. When I stood before the steps of the baptismal font, I remembered my dream. It was the same pool of water that I had seen in my dream."
