Hugging a Sign

I was out on the trail this morning when I came to a fork in the road and a sign to show the way. The sign says that the Big Springs Trail to Rock Canyon is to the left and that Big Springs is 1/2 mile along that trail. The last line of the sign is partially missing, because the sign has aged and is cracked, but you can just make out that Cascade Saddle is to the right. I took a picture of the sign for you to see. As you can see in the picture, I have run up to the sign and am excited to see that it points the way to where I want to go. Take a look at the enthusiasm on my face!

This next picture is a little silly. Imagine that, having found this sign, I just hug it and stay by the sign. Wouldn't it be strange to be content to stay by the sign as if being at the sign were the objective? Wouldn't it make more sense to follow its direction since it points the way to where I really want to go? If I stay by the sign, hugging it and celebrating the fact that I found the sign, I would never reach my destination. 

As strange as this silly hypothetical may seem, there is important insight to be gained. Recall Jesus' words in John 5:

  45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.
  46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.

The leaders of the Jews in Jesus' day had the law of Moses, filled with signs that pointed to Jesus as the Son of God, yet they missed the point. They were satisfied with the signs and failed to go on to receive the very Savior pointed to by the signs.

Do we fall prey to this in our day? Consider a few possibilities.[1] When we stand in the waters of baptism, we participate in an ordinance that represents our willingness to make a covenant to accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The ordinance symbolizes death, burial and resurrection, which are yet future events (see D&C 128:12). As it symbolizes future events, baptism can not be the end objective but can be considered as a signpost that points the way. In being baptized we signify a willingness to be counted among the followers of Jesus Christ. Then, each week we partake of the sacrament and renew our commitment to take His name upon ourselves. Thus, both baptism and the sacrament signify a future willingness to take upon us a name.

Elder Bednar describes the path that is pointed to by baptism and the sacrament as follows:

In modern revelations the Lord refers to temples as houses “built unto my name” (D&C 105:33; see also D&C 109:2–5; 124:39). In the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple, the Prophet Joseph Smith petitioned the Father “that thy servants may go forth from this house armed with thy power, and that thy name may be upon them” (D&C 109:22). He also asked for a blessing “over thy people upon whom thy name shall be put in this house” (v. 26). And as the Lord appeared in and accepted the Kirtland Temple as His house, He declared, “For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house” (D&C 110:7).

Thus, baptism and the sacrament are like signs that point to the path that goes through the temple. The willingness to take upon us a name may be realized in the temple. Also, as described at the end of the quote from Elder Bednar, the temple is to be a place where the Lord is manifest to us.

Baptism and the sacrament happen in the ward house (chapel). These ordinances are performed under the keys of the preparatory gospel that are part of the Aaronic Priesthood (see D&C 84:26). Baptism and the sacrament are not the end objective. Rather, they are like signs that point us to the temple. They are part of the preparatory process of obedience, repentance and sanctification necessary to entering the temple. It would be similar to me in the picture, hugging the sign, if we were to be content to attend church each week partaking of the sacrament but not moving forward to the temple.

Similarly, the ordinances of temple that are performed under the keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood, are not the end objective. Rather, they are like signs that point the way to the Lord being manifest to us in the Temple (again, see D&C 110:7). In the temple we are to have the name of God put upon us. We learn the path back to God's presence. The Lord is made manifest to us. If we think that being in the temple, simply going through the ordinances, is the point, then it would be another example similar to me hugging that trail sign rather than moving forward in the direction that it points.

Faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings us to baptism and the sacrament in the ward house. But, the programs and activities that take place in the ward house are not the end objective. Rather, they point us to the temple. Similarly, when we enter the temple, participating in the ordinances and observing the symbols that are presented is not the end objective. Rather, they point the way to having the Lord manifest to us. The ward house points to the temple; the temple points to Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ points to the Father; the Father is the objective (and the Holy Ghost is our guide and teacher, but that is for another post).

Let's not be found hugging signs. Rather, let's follow the signs that God has provided to us back into His presence.

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[1] These examples are drawn from two wonderful General Conference talks:

David A. Bednar, "Honorably Hold a Name and Standing":
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2009/04/honorably-hold-a-name-and-standing

Dallin H. Oaks, "Taking upon Us the Name of Jesus Christ":
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/print/1985/04/taking-upon-us-the-name-of-jesus-christ?lang=eng