Members of the Pacific Area Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Ian S. Ardern, Elder K. Brett Nattress and Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita, visited the grounds of the Auckland New Zealand Temple this past weekend. The following is a message of faith, hope and preparation, written by Elder Ardern, for members and friends of the Church about this and all temples.
When we read of a beacon upon the top of a mountain and an ensign on an hill (Isaiah 30:17), many will see the parallel with the Auckland, New Zealand temple.
It sits majestically atop of a small hill and those who pass by on the nearby motorway are already witnesses to an edifice which will be a beacon of light, both figuratively and spiritually, and an ensign; or, as the word was used historically, a set standard.
Pacific Area Presidency Auckland New Zealand Temple August 2021.
Left to right: Elder K. Brett Nattress; Elder Ian S. Ardern; Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita, of the Pacific Area Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, stand in front of the Auckland New Zealand Temple, under construction. 14 August 2021.© 2021 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.In the dedicatory prayer for the ground breaking, the Lord was asked that, "even while being constructed, this temple will bless the lives of all who live in the vicinity and pass by, by increasing their hope and peace through Christ."
As the Pacific Area Presidency visited the temple grounds on Saturday, there was that feeling of hope and peace.
Some 40 workers were busy in various ways, but all with one purpose ─ the building of a temple. Most of the workers are not members of the Church, but in the Dedicatory Prayer offered at the ground breaking, the Lord was asked to "help them to recognize His hand in their work and to be grateful for it."
As we stood and watched workers bolting steel trusses into place, we felt that the Lord would honour the humble request and we would see hearts touched as the work of the Lord was being accomplished.
Of course, we need the hearts of the members of the Church touched as well, for this is our day of preparation. We must prepare for the day when the doors will open by ensuring we are ready and worthy to pass through them.
And, we do not want to go alone, we will surely want to attend with friends and family and let us not forget that we will want to attend with the names of our family members who have passed beyond the veil without having received the necessary ordinances that can be received in the temple by proper priesthood authority. We invite you to be ready, as ancestors anxiously await us.
The Senior Project Manager, Brother Wayne Pemberton, is working closely with the Site Project Manager, Brother Oscar Lawrence, to ensure the temple construction remains on schedule.
The steel structure is well underway, and the purpose designed stone cladding is beginning to arrive on site where it will be stored before being fitted. Soon enough, the steel structure to the spire will reach heavenward as a reminder to all to look heavenward in times of trouble and peace.
In size, the Auckland temple will be similar to the Hamilton temple, in purpose, it will be exactly the same. Unlike the Hamilton temple, there will be no on-site patron housing, nor an arrival centre, but all who visit will be warmly welcomed.
In your study of "Come, Follow Me" this week, we were reminded to, "Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God," (D&C 88:119).
The New Zealand, Auckland Temple will be such a place and we invite you to be ready to enter therein.
Elder Ian S. Ardern
Pacific Area Presidency
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints