Temple moments: 'Incomprehensible joy'
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"When I joined the Church as a single adult in 1971, I became immediately and intensely involved in family history research," said Tim Juett of the Newton Creek Ward, Roseburg Oregon Stake.
A year later he left on a mission, and upon returning, he became busily involved in school, marriage and career. Soon, he and his wife, Mel, had a family of four children. There just didn't seem to be time to return to doing family history and subsequent temple work he enjoyed so much.As the children began growing up, life became even more hectic.
In June 1994, President Howard W. Hunter encouraged members to "establish the temple of the Lord as the great symbol of their membership and the supernal setting for their most sacred covenants," and to "go not only for our kindred dead, but let us also go for the personal blessing of temple worship."
After hearing this, Brother Juett felt inspired to try again.
"I prayed to the Lord to help me find a way to fulfill my obligation and desire to search out my ancestors and perform the ordinances of salvation on their behalf," he said.
From his employers, he requested and graciously received permission to work four 10-hour days, instead of five 8-hour days. On the fifth day, he now researches his ancestors, and once a month he and Sister Juett travel to the Portland Oregon Temple to do work for their ancestors.
"When we attended the temple one month, I did the endowment ordinances for two of my great-grandparents. As I sat in the chapel, a powerful spirit came over me and I felt their appreciation.
"After the endowment, I was overcome with intense emotion; I was crying. I felt their incomprehensible joy. It was then, for the first time, that I realized that by performing ordinances for our kindred dead, we release them from the bondage of spirit prison. They will now be able to participate in preparing for the Second Coming in the spirit world.
"I can say now that I look forward with great expectation to meet my ancestors for whom I will have done vicarious work in the temples of our God."
