Temples and Testimonies

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TEMPLES AND TESTIMONIES HAS OFFICIALLY MOVED TO A STAND-ALONE WEBSITE. VISIT THAT SITE AND SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY OF THE RESTORED GOSPEL.

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I love to photograph temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But I also love hearing testimonies from members of the church. So why not combine the two together? Below are testimonies about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Submit your testimony below or send it via email to testimony@templesandtestimonies.com.

I will then compile the testimonies below and mix in photos I have captured of LDS Temples. Since I live in Utah, many of the photos (for now) will be of temples close to home. But on the occasions when I am able to travel, I will seek to capture the Houses of the Lord from around the world. You can visit my Flickr set for LDS Temples as well or read my blog posts about the temple photos I have captured.

Share your testimony and together we can make this page a collection of faith, hope and strength, all of which can be found in the House of the Lord.

“I was blessed with the opportunity to go through the temple at a young age for a young woman. I wasn’t going on a mission and I wasn’t getting married. I can’t tell you in words what the temple means to me, but I sure can try. The temple gives me a sense of peace and hope for the future. Each and every time I am there all my worries seem to be pushed aside. Some of my biggest decisions were made in the comfort and peace of the Lord’s House. I know without a doubt that the temple is the Lord’s House. He is there and the Spirit is there. When I want to feel closer to my Savior or just need some peace of mind I go to the temple. While there my testimony for the gospel is reaffirmed. My gratitude for all I have been blessed with doubles. I’m so grateful for this Church, for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for the Book of Mormon. The Gospel is the one constant in my life and the one thing I will never doubt.”     – Sierra Burton (Olympia, Washington) Check out her blog.

“My husband and I had the opportunity to attend the Nauvoo temple with my son & his family on May 10th. I have a testimony of temples, and the spirit that dwells within. The love, and kindness of the workers are so special. They are truly the Lord’s servants, and have a divine nature, and heavenly temperance. The temple is a place of peace and inspiration, and a place to reflect upon our covenants that we have made with our Father in Heaven. It’s the only place on earth where you can truly feel safe from all the troubles of the world.”     – Michelle Van Ginkel (Ankeny, IA)

“When I was a young man, my Dad, who is a wonderful man, told me: “The temple is where the power is.” Over the years I’ve found that to be true. When I’ve needed answers from the Lord — when I needed the power and clarity that only come from the Spirit of God — I’ve gone to the temple. I bear testimony: The Lord’s presence is there with great power and great peace. Plus, as these photos show, the temple is also a place of beauty, which we see and sense.”     – Richard Nash (Salt Lake City, Utah)

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“It’s been weeks since the first time I went to the temple but the dreamy feeling of comfort is still within me. It was my first time and I feel so happy to work on my own family history. Whenever I get to read articles regarding how other members struggle to go to a temple because it’s too far, I feel so inspired and can’t help but to feel joyful that I live near one. There is this feeling that I want to share to everyone, that overwhelming, unexplainable weight of happiness that comes from being inside a temple. It is indeed a very different spiritual experience. The leaders of the church are correct for saying that “This is a great time to live!” because once upon a time, the pioneers labored hard to lay down the foundations of the Church and look at where we are now— millions of souls called back to the true church of Jesus Christ, temples built and dedicated as a house of the Lord, thousands of missionaries serving full time missions… When we begin to know where we should put our eyes on, that’s when we realize that living today is giving us a lot of wonderful opportunities to follow Him. All the tools that we need has been established, but there lies a question, “Will you follow Him?” I testify, through the confirmation of the Holy Ghost, that a temple is truly the house of the Lord. It is a place of comfort, a place that is always right when everything is wrong, a place where love does not only exist but also shown, a place where sacred ordinances are meant to be practiced and preserved, a place where we ought to be, now and forever. “Temples are blessings.” — I know that this is true. I know that we are so blessed and are truly loved by our Heavenly Father for He has given us a place to remind us of our faith. I say go to the temple and pour your heart out to the Lord and you shall feel the truthfulness of it. If you haven’t yet, it will be waiting for you. It has been truly a remarkable experience for me and I can’t wait ’til I could visit the temple once again.     – Jana, @itsjanacu, (Philippines) Check our her blog

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“Having not grown up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, finding a relationship with God was something that in the beginning, at least for me, seemed easier said than done. Attending church never became a habit until age 16, when I found interest in religion. My family and I began attending churches in our community, each preaching the importance of a relationship with God, but not much detail expounding upon the subject. After some friends invited me to attend a Latter-day Saint service, I immediately felt that was where I needed to be. My testimony is that God is our real Father in Heaven. He has a plan for us, both collectively and individually. That plan is centered around families, beginning with and finding a foundation upon a sacred and solemn marriage between a man and a woman. Jesus Christ is the literal Son of our Heavenly Father. His atoning sacrifice allows us to be united as families forever. Living like Christ and using His atonement regularly shape us and molds us so that the finished product mirrors the image of God. The best part is that anyone can know these things. Anyone can know that Jesus really died for us. Anyone can know that God still cares about us enough to speak to us through prophets like Moses. Anyone can know the reality of the Book of Mormon and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The greatest journeys in life often begin with simple questions.  The answers I’ve found as a Latter-day Saint have shaped me into the man I am today, and have given me that relationship with my Savior that I was looking for. For these things I am forever thankful.”     – Jimmy Lewis (Salt Lake City, Utah) Check out his blog, The Mormon Life

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“When I was preparing to leave my home, family and friends to serve a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, my testimony was still young. I didn’t feel like I could say I knew The Church was true, but I knew it wasn’t false. During the next two years, I had numerous distinct experiences that built my testimony, line upon line – Eternal families, The Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, Temples and Jesus Christ. It is upon this foundation that I have continued to build my testimony of the Savior and found strength in times of challenges. I am far from perfect, but with my knowledge and testimony of the teachings of Jesus Christ I am moving in the right direction and look forward to my continued pursuit of knowledge and a confirmation of truths.”     – Jason Carlton (Sandy, Utah)