"Every activity, every lesson, all we do in the Church, point to the Lord and His holy house," said Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve.
Speaking in the Saturday afternoon session, Elder Nelson said, "Each holy temple stands as a symbol of our membership in the Church, as a sign of our faith in life after death, and as a sacred step toward eternal glory for us and our families."
He outlined aspects of temple worship, beginning with the endowment, which literally speaking, is a gift, he said.
"Each temple ordinance 'is not just a ritual to go through, it is an act of solemn promising,' " he said, quoting President Gordon B. Hinckley.
"The temple endowment was given by revelation. Thus, it is best understood by revelation," he said.
The sealing authority is eternal, just as the priesthood authority is eternal, said Elder Nelson.
"Temple ordinances, covenants, endowments and sealings enable individuals to be reconciled with the Lord and families to be sealed beyond the veil of death. Obedience to temple covenants qualifies us for eternal life — the greatest gift of God to man."
Qualifying for a temple recommend prepares members to enter the temple. The qualifying interview with a bishop addresses several vital issues that become "spiritual separators. They help determine if we truly live as children of the covenant, able to resist temptations from servants of sin. These interviews help to discern if we are willing to live in accord with the will of the true and living God."
Physical preparation for the temple means dressing properly in a dignified manner. Brides wear long-sleeved white dresses, "modest in design and fabric, and free of elaborate ornamentation. Grooms also dress in white. And brethren who come to witness weddings do not wear tuxedos."
While what goes on inside the temple is not to be discussed, spiritual preparation for the temple can include learning that the Lord's way is "ancient and rich with symbolism. We can learn much from pondering the reality for which each symbol stands. . . . They are understood by the humble, yet they can excite the intellect of the brightest minds."
He suggested first-time temple goers look up in the Bible Dictionary the topics: Anoint, Atonement, Christ, Covenant, Fall of Adam, Sacrifices and Temple.
"With each ordinance is a covenant — a promise," he said. "Divine covenants help us filter out of our minds impurities that could harm us."
Temple blessings give eternal perspective, he said. "I have learned that temple blessings are most meaningful when death takes a loved one away from the family circle. To know the pain of separation is only temporary provides peace that passes ordinary understanding."