James T. Duke, “Eternal Relationship,” inside the Latter-day Saint Fundamentals: Readings in the Encyclopedia away from Mormonism,ed. John W. Welch and you can Devan Jensen (Provo, UT: BYU Degree and Spiritual Degree Heart, Brigham More youthful School, 2002), 105–8.
Latter-time Saints believe that life is more secure and memorable when it is experienced in the newest sacred matchmaking of your eternal household members
The main off eternal relationship and also the ordinances applying it make up an extremely special and valuable area of the Church. It involves a service performed inside the an excellent holy temple by a keen officiator blessed with the priesthood authority so you’re able to invoke covenants meant to getting efficacious getting some time and eternity. President Joseph Fielding Smith taught you to definitely for example a wedding relates to “an eternal idea ordained before the first step toward the country and you can instituted on this planet ahead of death came into they,” to have Adam-and-eve received in-marriage to each other by the Goodness in the Garden of Heaven before Slip (Gen. 2:22–25; Moses step three:22–25). Which sacred work regarding marriage is actually the new top act of all creation: “Throughout the day one God created man, about likeness away from God-made he your: men and women written he them; and privileged them” (Gen. 5:1–2). With his true blessing they really you can expect to set the brand new trend because of their descendants thereafter which one or two from the one or two, a man and you can a woman, you will definitely exit dad and mum, cleave together, and you can “become that tissue” (Gen. 2:24). Hence first started the good package from Goodness with the pleasure from all the his children.
This is a good sacred and simple service to unite spouse and you may spouse about bonds away from eternal love plus this new expectations away from eternity
People who take care of such as for instance worthy relationship on the planet tend to real time given that parents in the celestial kingdom after the resurrection. For this reason, somebody who existence a good righteous lives in mortality and you will exactly who keeps entered with the an eternal matrimony looks forward to a keen association about postmortal business having a deserving partner, and with people that was basically earthly students, fathers, moms Engels in Russia bride and dads, brothers, and you will siblings. Bruce R. McConkie, an apostle, said you to definitely an eternal friends starts with “a spouse and a spouse, joined within the a household tool. After that it goes out to our pupils-this new comfort one God provides become people in all of our family-to the grandchildren and the like, with the current generation. In addition is at back once again to our very own moms and dads and the grand-parents so you’re able to the first age bracket.” Chairman Brigham More youthful mentioned that endless wedding “’s the thread and therefore works right away with the stop of one’s holy Gospel out of Salvation-of your Gospel of your own Child out of Jesus; it’s away from eternity so you can eternity.”
Brand new sacred ceremony away from temple relationship is carried out during the reverence and you can simplicity, additionally the occasion is a beautiful and you may splendid you to getting Second-big date Saints. Brand new bride to be and the groom talk with friends during the a designated closing space of forehead. This new officiator normally greets the couple with a few terminology regarding allowed, the recommendations, and fatherly commendations. He might admonish the happy couple to treat each other through the existence with the exact same like and you can generosity which they become at that time, and could create most other terminology away from encouragement, along with his blessing through to its righteous undertaking. The couple are greet in the future send and you can kneel facing per most other round the a keen altar in the middle of the space. The fresh new sealer both delivers the eye of the many show the new decorative mirrors for the contrary walls, showing constantly the pictures of couple during the altar, and he get discuss the newest symbolization. Then sealant pronounces the straightforward terms of your ceremony, that promise, to your position out of behavior, long-term ties toward possibility endless happiness anywhere between both of these close to own eternity. Chairman Ezra Taft Benson said, “Faithfulness towards marriage covenant will bring the latest maximum glee here and you may glorious perks hereafter.” At the end of the latest service, the happy couple hug over the altar and may up coming develop and you may get off the brand new altar to restore rings.