THE TEMPLE

I have been thinking about the Temple a lot lately and what it means to me and what I have had to do to go through and to be able to receive my Temple blessings.
Before I decided to commit myself to the lord I had issues I needed to repent of and habits I had to change. I was not going to "fake it" to impress my girl friend or to get my parents blessings or increase my social standing with the church members. I had a lot to work out. It took months and a LOT of ups and downs and temptations. It was not easy.
That's the way I was taught. The temple is such a sacred place that you had to be clean and pure to enter it. No I don't believe I am perfect! My wife reminds me all the time about how imperfect I am! The imperfections I am talking about are those that we need to talk to a church authority about to receive forgiveness.
I have experienced a lot over the years. Being involved with the youth of the church and helping young men prepare for missions. I have seen countless times when people lie to be able to enter the temple. The sad thing about this is that parents, grand parents and church leaders know something is not right but they choose to ignore it! NOT MY SON OR DAUGHTER!!!!! or They are old enough!!!! Do you think the people were old enough when Christ cleansed the temple of his brothers and sisters or sons and daughters??????
I helped and supported a young man to go on a mission but to our surprise he left the MTC on his own accord and found his own way home. When he got home I had a longggggg talk with him and some of the things he told me would make your hair curl. The short of this story is he was so involved with a girl sexually so much so that they had sex before he left for the airport to go to the MTC.
I knew the girl and worked with her father in the Stake Young men's Presidency and when I was trying to help get this young man get ready to go I expressed my concerns to the father but all I got was "Not my Daughter"!
Well needless to say she would have nothing to do with the young man when he came home to face the truth and was not able to serve a mission. He was crushed and to this day wants nothing to do with the church and now his kids don't go to church.
She got married in the Temple six months after the young man came home to a return missionary no less. How does that work??? Lies!!!! Oh and a side note. One of the girls brothers fell away from the church and another is gay. Both return missionaries. common denominator? Parents!
So parents be involved with your kids even after they are married. Counsel them when you feel and know something is wrong. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is basic. Its Black and White! No Gray! If they know you will say something they will feel accountable and will most likely choose the right. Do it lovingly just like our Heavenly Father.
Respect the Temple and "let no unclean thing enter"