Lessons from the Doctrine and Covenants 2021
Lesson No. Forty-Five

Celestial Marriage Makes It Possible For Families To Be Together Forever

“The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave.  Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally” (The Family – A Proclamation to the World).  The Prophet Joseph Smith introduced this most wonderful doctrine to the world near Nauvoo in May 1843.  (See D&C 131:1-4 below)

“Celestial marriage is essential to exaltation in the highest heaven” (D&C 131, Headnote) – “In the celestial glory there are three heaven or degrees; And in order to obtain the highest, a man (or a woman) must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage]; And if he does not, he cannot obtain it.  He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase” (D&C 131:1-4).

Rome Italy Temple: Sealing Room

There are two essential requirements for any ordinance to be sealed.  This applies especially to the crowning ordinance of celestial marriage (See D&C 132:7) 

  1. The ordinance must be performed by someone with authority.  When a man or a woman is set apart as ordinance worker they are given authority to administer the ordinances of the temple on behalf of both living and dead.  The sealing ordinances of the temple must be performed by a man who has been given the sealing authority.  Only the living Prophet holds, exercises, and directs the use of the sealing keys.  The Lord said:  “I have appointed unto my servant Joseph to hold this power in the last days, and there is never but one on the earth at a time on whom this power and the keys of this priesthood are conferred…” (D&C 132:7).  President Boyd K. Packer further elaborated about how closely guarded the sealing authority is:  “The sacred sealing power is with the Church now. Nothing is regarded with more sacred contemplation by those who know the significance of this authority. Nothing is more closely held. There are relatively few men who [hold] this sealing power upon the earth at any given time—in each temple are brethren who have been given the sealing power. No one can get it except from the prophet, seer, and revelator and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”  The Prophet cannot personally confer the sealing authority, which is necessary to operate temples throughout the earth, on every man so he delegates the authority to confer the sealing power to one of his councilors, a member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, or to a temple president.  As the president of the Louisville Kentucky Temple I had the great privilege of conferring the sealing authority on nine worthy men.  

  2. All ordinances must be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise which is another title for the Holy Ghost.  Every blessing of the gospel is conditioned on keeping covenants.  The Holy Ghost knows our hearts and can thereby discern deceit, half-truths, or misrepresentations.  Therefore, when an ordinance is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise the Holy Ghost confirms that the person(s) is worthy.  

Only when these two requirements are met is an ordinance sealed “for time and for all eternity” (D&C 132:7).  “For time and all eternity” are usually thought of in connection with celestial marriage, but they apply to all ordinances.  It is important to remember that if someone becomes unworthy the sealing by the Holy Spirit of Promise is broken.  

Celestial marriage requires individual and joint covenants and individual worthiness 

  1. Individual covenants and blessings – Each partner individually and separately makes promises and covenants with God, and will individually receive blessings conditioned on their individual worthiness.  Therefore, even if one partner were to become unworthy and forfeits the promised blessings, the other partner who remains faithful will continue to be eligible to receive those blessings.

  2. Joint covenants and blessings – A man and a woman jointly make promises and covenants with God and each other.  The continued faithfulness of both partners is essential if the promised blessings are to be received jointly because the promises are made to the partners as one – that is a single unit consisting of two halves.

Testimony – Speaking of the turmoil and uncertainty of the last days, the Lord promised protection “to [his] disciples [who] stand in holy places and [are] not moved” (D&C 45:32).  Those holy places are the temples and should also be our homes.  We are certain that if our homes are filled with the Holy Spirit, and if we attend the temple as often as reasonably possible, and do so worthily, we will be blessed and protected in the turmoil and uncertainty of the last days.