Thousands of young people attended a devotional with Elder David A. Bednar prior to the dedication of the Port-au-Prince Temple
Young men and women from Haiti who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints participated in a devotional this Saturday, August 31, prior to the dedication of the Port-au-Prince Temple. Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was the keynote speaker.
Hundreds of young people from all over the country witnessed the devotional from the Port-au-Prince Central meeting center. Many others enjoyed the transmission from other church chapels in different locations in Haiti.
A special video was presented during the devotional, in which Elder Bednar invites to seek more fully the spirit that is felt when working on the temple work. In it, several young people of the Church recorded the importance of family history for them, which consists of seeking information from their ancestors and then bringing names to the temple and performing a vicarious work for them.
Elder Bednar and his wife Susan shared with the youth in a panel where they answered questions. The young people added their comments about the importance of the Temple in their lives and how they are changing thanks to the experience they have in this sacred place.
David Elías, one of the young people who participated, said: “Our families can be sealed for the eternities. We are very happy that the temple will be dedicated tomorrow. Our country will be highly blessed. We hope that our country improves a lot by having the Temple here. ”
“The Temple is the house of the Lord. It is a great blessing that we are given to have it among us. The purpose of the temple is to prepare us to return to live with God forever. I invite you to come to the Temple to receive the peace and joy that comes from this wonderful place, ”said Trinity Augustin, a young woman who spoke at the event.
Today, Sunday, September 1st, Elder Bednar will preside over the dedication of the Port-au-Prince Temple in three sessions. Members of the Church in different parts of the country will attend the event by closed circuit.
Elder Bednar assured young people that they should not feel strange to others when performing ordinances in the temple for the deceased.
“Jesus Christ is the Savior of all the people who have lived on earth. Very few of those who have died have had the opportunity to hear about Him. So how can they be saved if they have not heard about Jesus Christ? Any young man or woman in this Church can explain how someone who has died can receive the gospel of Jesus Christ and the ordinances of the gospel that are performed in the temple. ”
“Never feel ashamed of being members of the Church of Jesus Christ. We have the answers to the most important questions of human existence and that includes the wonderful work we do in the Temple for our ancestors, Elder Bednar said.
He also talked about preparing to enter the temple. “You do not need to be perfect to enter the temple, but worthy. Being worthy to enter the temple is an indicator of how they are spiritually. Nothing that prevents them from being worthy to enter the temple can bring lasting joy, ” he said.
By leaving a blessing to the young people present, Elder Bednar concluded his message with the following words: “The future of Haiti is in this room, the things you know will change your lives, your families and this country. The dedication of the temple tomorrow will bless their families and this country. ”
