As a preface to the following, I should say I’ve spent times on both sides of this ‘debate’. I’ve seen with different eyes at different periods in my life. In what follows, Perspective A comes from a talk in which the speaker challenges listeners to regularly (weekly) attend the temple. Perspective B comes from a voice in the back of my mind as I read.
Perspective A: One of three “great fallacies” heard about temple attendance is “...’There are seasons in life. When you have a young family, you shouldn’t even try to attend the temple once a week.’ Wrongo-bongo! There are no seasons in life when you should deprioritize temple attendance. In fact, during your most demanding seasons of life you can’t afford NOT to be in the temple once a week.”
Perspective B: Right before reading the above, after reading the recommendation to attend the temple weekly, the thought went through my mind: “Yeah, spend even less time with your family.” And a little before the recommendation about weekly attendance, I thought: “Why aren’t we encouraging families to make their own homes a place of learning and faith?” (Section 123:2-4 RE) Why can’t our own homes be places of reverent reflection? I don’t believe the solution is to spend even more time outside of the home. I think we should be finding quiet places and times in our own homes where we can ponder, pray, and have the spirit to teach us. I actually think such a recommendation could do more harm than good for young families, causing them to feel guilt about not attending regularly. I might even completely reverse this and say we can’t afford NOT to prioritize our families above all other things.
Perspective A: A second “great fallacy” heard about temple attendance is “...’I am too busy to attend the temple. I just can’t find a slot that works for me.’ Wrongobongo! Brothers and sisters, I totally know what busy feels like. For the last six years, there’s not a minute of my life that hasn’t been scheduled. Between a demanding job, a busy calling, and a growing family – I feel like I’m constantly on the go. But the secret to Consistency in temple attendance is blocking the same time every week and building your schedule around that block. For me, that’s the 6am session on Wednesday mornings. My whole week revolves around that session.”
Perspective B: This sounds like the classic “can’t be busier than me” argument. Many are overly busy because the church has convinced them that it (the church) is more important than family. If there’s not a minute of a person’s life that has not been scheduled, then I don’t think the answer is: “You guys should all be super busy like me too!” The answer should be: “Hmm, I’ve got to do something about the fact that I never have breathing time to slow down, reflect on my life, and heaven forbid spend a little extra time with my family.” The following offered “solution” is for a “problem” that actually shouldn’t be a problem in the first place: “…the secret to Consistency in temple attendance is blocking the same time every week and building your schedule around that block. For me, that’s the 6am session on Wednesday mornings….”
Perspective A: We can receive revelation about (1) the ordinances themselves (their meaning and symbolism), (2) our family, (3) our calling in the church, and (4) our work. Concerning the fourth one, it was said: “...I face many legal, moral, and business decisions that are beyond my limited capacity. And so, I take them to the Lord in the temple. And in the temple, He speaks to me. To be honest with you, a few years ago I would have never guessed that the God of the Universe cared at all about my job. But He has clear and definitive guidance for me on business models, product innovation, pricing, and marketing. He regularly shares His thoughts with me from 6-8am every Wednesday morning.”
Perspective B: Whenever I ask God for help on a work-related thing I’m struggling with, the only way I have ever found to ask in confidence and with faith that he’ll answer my prayers is to be entirely focused on the fact that if I don’t figure out how to solve the problem it’s going to mean work spilling over into time that my family needs me. If God can help me solve the problem, it means I can be more available to my family. It doesn’t mean: “Nice, I’m for sure going to be getting that promotion or bonus this year! …ahem, ummm, I mean won’t that be great to have a little bit more money so that my family and I don’t need to be so stressed about it?” And the following feels icky to me: “But He has clear and definitive guidance for me on business models, product innovation, pricing, and marketing.” It makes it sound like Jesus and Heavenly Father are just a couple more suits up in heaven who’ve got my back on this business deal, saying: “We’re killing it! Isn’t it great to be on the Lord’s side?“
Perspective A: In a separate talk by the same speaker the topic of sabbath day observance was discussed: “Question eight in the temple recommend interview gives us the ‘minimum bar’ for Sabbath observance: ‘Do you strive to keep the Sabbath day holy, both at home and at church; attend your meetings and prepare for and worthily partake of the sacrament?’ In my role as a judge and representative of God in that interview, I am instructed to ensure that on Sundays my members are at least attending sacrament meeting and partaking of the sacrament. But you should think of that as the minimum requirement to have a basic road back to the castle of the Great King.”
Perspective B: This might as well have been directed to me personally, since I have only been attending sacrament meeting via Zoom since early 2020. God knows my heart. He knows that I never cease waiting upon him to receive his word. The Lord said:
“If you love me, stand ready, watching for every communication I will send to you. Remember that I will ask the Father, and he will provide to you another Comforter, that he may be by your side endlessly. You will obtain the record of Heaven, the truth of all things which is denied to the world because the world refuses my Father, and therefore they do not know him. But you know him, for he is with you, and shall provide answers to guide you. I will not leave you comfortless. I will stand at your side also.
“...He that treasures my teachings, and stands ready, watching for every communication I send him, is he who shows love for me. To those who show love for me, my Father will show love to them, and I love all those, and I will personally minister to them.” (Testimony of St. John 10:11-12)
Regardless of where I am, whether in my field, or my house, or my closet, or my secret places, or my wilderness, whether for my flock, or my crops, or my household, whether morning, midday, or evening, I pour out my soul, I cry to the Lord, my heart is full, “drawn out in prayer unto him continually” for my welfare, and also for the welfare of those around me (Alma 16:35 RE). And I know he will hear my cry.
“Behold, I say unto you, do ye suppose that ye cannot worship God, save it be in your synagogues only? And moreover, I would ask, do ye suppose that ye must not worship God only once in a week?” (Alma 16:24 RE)
...it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ...that ye must build your foundation... 