A couple of days ago my husband drove the ward missionaries around to visit some part-member and inactive members. As they approached one home on the list they saw the husband working out in the yard, even though it was after dark. He guessed the man was in his mid-fifties. As Merle sat in the car the two young elders got out and began talking with the man.
Merle could hear part of the conversation, which went something like the following:
The man said, "I took my wife to church once--it was on Easter Sunday--and all they could talk about was asking for money! Money, money, that's all they want, so they can build up those big temples. Why don't they give that money to the poor?"
In thinking over his comments I wondered if his trip to church was dated twenty years ago, when we were raising money to build the Portland Temple? It could have been a time when families were caught up in projects to raise money. Some people grew gardens and sold the produce, some put on diners, others baked bread to sell, and some folks just made donations. It was a time of sacrifice.
Why would so many people sacrifice so much to build a temple?
First, we wanted a closer temple. The next closest was in Seattle, which required a drive of three hours one-way. Or about twelve hours turn around time if we stayed for at least two sessions. Before Seattle, the next closest was Oakland, 600 miles south. We took overnight bus trips lasting 20 to 24 hours depending on how many stops the buses made. Or, before that, we could choose to go to Idaho Falls, Cardston or Salt Lake, which were each 800 miles away.
Why do so many people want to go to the temple?
So we can do baptisms and other ordinances by proxy, and with proper authority, for our deceased relatives, and so we can be sealed together for time and eternity, because we love each other. The deceased relatives still have the option of accepting or rejecting the ordinances, we just make it possible for them to have these blessings.
The man in the yard thought we should give the money to the poor.
How can anyone living in today's world not know about the tremendous work the Church has done to help victims of natural disasters world-wide? How did he miss hearing about thousands of Latter-day Saints who drove hours to get to Mississippi and Louisiana to help cleanup after Hurricane Katrina? Or for that matter, the work crews from Seattle and Portland who helped flood victims in and around Centralia, Washington? In addition to Humanitarian efforts, we donate items to Deseret Industries, which helps people who are out of work with job training and basic needs. We donate the cost of two meals or more from fasting once a month, especially so the bishops can assist ward members in need. And many of us donate to other charities of our own free will.
The man's third comment, which seemed unlikely, was that he and his wife attended church on an Easter Sunday, "and all they could talk about was money."
This seems highly unlikely. I don't think I've ever missed going to church on Easter. Sermons on Easter Sunday are always centered on the Atonement, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. For this, we must all appreciate the Savior's great Sacrifice, for without his Sacrifice, we could never be resurrected ourselves and forgiven of our sins. And, in the long-run, all the work we do in all of our temples to seal together family units, would be for nothing, as Malachi warned, "the earth would be utterly smitten with a curse." (Malachi 3:4-5)
If this less-active man could only realize it, the true treasures that come from the temples are when family members are sealed by Priesthood authority for time and eternity. They are well worth any amount that is spent to build and maintain all our temples.
