The importance of the Lord’s temple as a place of refuge and blessings was what Max Purcell, temple recorder at the temporarily-closed Laie temple, and member of the Laie North Stake Presidency, emphasized in his devotional, January 20.
Following a heartfelt introduction from his wife Carolyn, Brother Purcell stood to address the student body and spoke of leaving Samoa 34 years earlier, of attending BYUH as a student, and of being inspired by testimonies borne in the McKay Auditorium. He said, "Little did I realize I would one day be standing here as a devotional speaker. I pray for that same Spirit that touched me those many years ago to be in our midst, so that the next few moments may be edifying for you and I."
Brother Purcell has served at the Laie Temple for close to 17 years as, first, the assistant recorder and then the recorder.
Brother Purcell went on to discuss something tender and dear to the hearts of Laie citizens: the closing of the temple for renovations. Though Brother Purcell had been given ample notice of its closing and had taken time to prepare for this enormous change, the closing of the temple had a tremendous impact on his life. Brother Purcell said, "For the first time, the realization of what was to transpire finally hit home. Our Temple, a place of refuge and solitude, of dedication, of comfort and peace, was going to be closed for 18 long months and the life-saving work performed within her walls, for both the living and the dead, would cease for a season." Brother Purcell quoted these two scriptures: “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” (Isaiah 9:2).
“…Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free.” (D&C 128:22).
The temple looked completely different, with debris and devastation. Brother Purcell said, "I felt that, with the closing of the Temple, I would be figuratively walking in darkness and waiting in prison to be set free." With students' faces alive with curiosity and interest, Brother Purcell continued, "Yet, amongst the destruction and chaos were things of wonder and amazement. Daniel Polister, the temple engineer, was my tour guide. He showed me original features of the Temple that had long been hidden from view. He pointed out the quality of the workmanship that had gone into making this magnificent building; from the excellent woodwork on the walls, to the beautiful high ceiling and windows, to the painstakingly cut-and-fitted marble on the steps and floors. I was awe-stricken."
Brother Purcell's feelings of devastation and depression began to change as he surveyed the long hours and hard work put into the Laie Temple. "I felt stirrings within me for this sacred building as never before. My love for it, and He whose name is there, grew. My respect for those men who built it amplified, and my testimony of a living prophet and his counselors increased as I recalled the words of the letter they had sent announcing the renovations and its purpose '…to return the temple to its original beauty, and to bring it up to current temple standards.'"
Brother Purcell was reminded, he said, of the return of the Israelites from captivity to re-build the temple in Jerusalem, in the Book of Ezra, and the emotions displayed by the people.
“And when the builders laid the foundation of the Temple of the Lord, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the Lord, after the ordinance of David King of Israel.
“And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord, because He is good, for His mercy endureth forever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the House of the Lord was laid.” (Ezra 3:10-11).
Brother Purcell said he anticipates the day when the Laie temple will once again be open and its blessings enjoyed. He then asked the student body, "But what do the dedicated blessings of the Temple have to do with this campus? Why is it important to understand this dedicatory prayer, whatever your role here is?"
Brother Purcell gave these two answers:
“First, that the most important knowledge we will garner here, is to know that Jesus is the Christ. ‘And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.’ (John 17:3).
“Secondly, to live worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost is life’s pursuit. Because as the Lord said, ‘the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.’” (John 14:26).
Brother Purcell explained that, as the spirit of the Lord abides on our campus, the administration will be able to preside with charity, wisdom, and understanding, the faculty will teach with love, and the students can gain a secular education tempered with principles of the gospel and a testimony of Jesus Christ.
Brother Purcell stated, "The blessings of the Laie Hawaii Temple are meant not only to bless us, Heavenly Father’s children who live in this part of the vineyard, but to bless everyone who visits and, through our efforts, the lives of our families and loved ones and countless others in the world that we will come in contact with. They hold promises and blessings that will be fulfilled only through righteous living. May we live our lives worthy of these blessings."
Brother Purcell closed with his testimony that temples are of God and, finally, remarked, “I close with these words from the prayer, ‘O God, our Heavenly and Eternal Father, …we most earnestly pray that this sacred building may be a place in which Thou shall delight to pour out Thy Holy Spirit in great abundance, and in which Thy Son may see fit to manifest Himself and to instruct Thy servants.”
–Photo by Monique Saenz
:: For a complete transcript of Pres. Purcell's devotional...