There is a deep and sacred history behind the building of the Kirtland Temple. It stands as a testament of past members of The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints’ faith and sacrifice. It still serves as a beacon of spiritual empowerment for modern Latter-day Saints.
Elder James W. McConkie III, a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ, shared his insights into the profound significance and legacy of the Kirtland Temple. He emphasized the temple’s role in fortifying Latter-day Saints’ testimonies and echoed President Russell M. Nelson who described the temple as a conduit for divine empowerment.
“It is a prophetic invitation intended to help us better understand the true nature of God, our relationship to Him, the power of our covenants with Him and the ways in which we can connect more powerfully with heaven in the temple. It is an invitation that I would like for us to take up together today,” Elder McConkie said.
Reflecting on the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, Elder McConkie emphasized the universal outpouring of the Spirit experienced by those who were present. Whether they were Latter-day Saints or not, there were many accounts that revealed a sense of divine presence that day.
“Those spiritual outpourings and manifestations, the visitation of heavenly beings, the feeling of the Holy Ghost in a way that was powerful and overwhelming and transformative, they weren’t limited to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and Hyrum Smith,” Elder McConkie said in an interview with BYU-Idaho Radio. “They were felt universally by everyone that made effort. Men, women, children, young people and that’s the thing that I love most about being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we all have access to God and the spiritual experience. The Kirtland Temple dedication is proof of that truth.”
The dedicatory prayer, which is recorded in Doctrine and Covenants Section 109, captures the Saints’ unwavering commitment, profound gratitude and great faith. Elder McConkie highlighted key passages from the prayer which illustrate a deep connection between heaven and earth, the same as between Heavenly Father and His children.
Elder McConkie, as he concluded his remarks, gave an invitation to all: Go to the place where heaven and earth overlap, where God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ can be more present in your lives, go to the temple. The temple is where Elder McConkie believes inspiration to navigate life’s challenges can be found, where Latter-day Saints can find personal revelation and communicate with their Heavenly Father.
“I hope that when people leave the I-Center this afternoon and they’ve listened to [his talk], that they will appreciate the reality that is personal revelation and that it comes most often and most frequently and in ways that are meaningful and transformative in our lives when we engage with our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ,” he said. “Whether it’s through prayer or through sacrifice or through being at the temple, just when we engage as disciples of the Lord, live with faith and confidence that we’re about the Lord’s work, spiritual experience happens. I think that is a remarkable thing for us to claim as believers.”