Seminary
Lesson 201: Jesus Christ Is at the Center of All Temple Worship—“That I May Dwell Among Them”
the Salt Lake Temple

Temple Preparation: Lesson 201

Jesus Christ Is at the Center of All Temple Worship

“That I May Dwell Among Them”

Visit “Studying the Scriptures” to help prepare yourself spiritually to learn.

gray steel drawing compass near brown leather case

The formula for the center of a circle is (x−h)2+(y−k)2=r2, where (h, k) are the coordinates of the center and 𝑟 is the radius. This formula might be used in construction, engineering, design, mathematics, and mapping.

This equation shows that all points on the boundary of the circle are the same distance from the center (h, k). This distance keeps the circle perfectly balanced around its center. Similarly, the words “the house of the Lord” on each temple remind us that everything in the temple is centered on Jesus Christ.

Throughout the lesson, record any impressions you receive from the Spirit that increase your desire to be in the temple.

Lesson Purpose: To help you feel a greater desire to be closer to Jesus Christ in His house.

Learn How

The house of the Lord

Watch the video “Mormon Temples” (1:40), or read the following descriptions.

1:40
model of the ancient Israelite tabernacle

The tabernacle was the first house of the Lord, or temple, mentioned in the Old Testament (around 1300 BC). It was a portable structure for the Israelites while they traveled in the wilderness.

the temple of Solomon

The temple of Solomon was a permanent house of the Lord built in Jerusalem (around 1000 BC). The temple was later destroyed and rebuilt (around 500 BC). Each time the Lord commanded His people to build a house to Him in the Old Testament, He shared similar promises.

mark iconRead the following scripture passages. Mark what the Lord promised His covenant people if they built a house to Him.

One of the many promises the Lord made is that if His children built His house, He would “dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8). The phrase “dwell among them” could refer to the experience of feeling the Lord’s presence or receiving His power in the temple and in our daily lives as we make and keep covenants with Him and worship and serve Him in His holy house. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continues to build temples where the Lord can dwell.

In speaking about the temple, Elder Allen D. Haynie of the Seventy taught:

Elder Allen D. Haynie

[Jesus Christ] is why we come to the temple. He is who our Father in Heaven desires us to meet in the temple. He is at the center of every symbol, every ordinance, every covenant, and every hoped-for blessing in the temple. Seeking Jesus in the temple enables us to understand why we are in the temple and why we should return. (“Meeting Jesus in the House of the Lord,” [Brigham Young University devotional, Oct. 10, 2023], 6, speeches.byu.edu)

How would knowing that the temple is the house of the Lord impact your feelings about going there?

Blessings from worshipping the Lord in His house

One way to see evidence that the temple is a place where we can feel the presence and power of the Lord is through the blessings He gives as you go there. These blessings can help you feel His love.

notebook iconPresident Russell M. Nelson taught how visiting the house of the Lord can bring you closer to Jesus Christ. Make a list in your notebook of the blessings He has promised:

President Russell M. Nelson

Those who serve and worship in the house of the Lord … can expect to receive answers to prayer, personal revelation, greater faith, strength, comfort, increased knowledge, and increased power.

Time in the temple will help you to think celestial and to catch a vision of who you really are, who you can become, and the kind of life you can have forever. Regular temple worship will enhance the way you see yourself and how you fit into God’s magnificent plan. I promise you that. …

My dear brothers and sisters, here is my promise. Nothing will help you more to hold fast to the iron rod than worshipping in the temple as regularly as your circumstances permit. Nothing will protect you more as you encounter the world’s mists of darkness. Nothing will bolster your testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Atonement or help you understand God’s magnificent plan more. Nothing will soothe your spirit more during times of pain. Nothing will open the heavens more. Nothing! (“Rejoice in the Gift of Priesthood Keys,” Liahona, May 2024, 121, 122)

tag icontemple worship, temple blessings

notebook iconComplete the following exercises in your journal:

  1. Think about and record any additional blessings you can receive as you attend the house of the Lord.

  2. Pick two blessings and explain how they have helped you feel God’s love in your life.

  3. Record what you can do to prepare yourself to go to the temple and feel closer to the Lord.

Share Your Thoughts

Lesson Purpose: To help you feel a greater desire to be closer to Jesus Christ in His house.

share iconShare one or more of the following with your teacher or class:

  • One or two of the blessings you identified. Include how they have helped you feel closer to the Lord.

  • Something specific you did to achieve the purpose of this lesson.

  • Any questions this lesson raised for you. How will you try to find answers to your questions?