"I would invite all members . . . to live with ever-more attention to the . . . example of Jesus Christ . . . and . . . to establish the temple . . . as the great symbol of their membership." =- Statement to the news media, June 6, 1994
Almost from the moment of his call, President Howard W. Hunter set the tone of his presidency with two invitations to the members of the Church.
In his statement to the news media on June 6, he said:
"There are two invitations I would like to leave with the members of the Church as we strive to keep the commandments of God and receive the full measure of His blessings. First of all, I would invite all members of the Church to live with ever-more attention to the life and example of the Lord Jesus Christ, especially the love and hope and compassion He displayed.
"I pray that we might treat each other with more kindness, more courtesy, more humility and patience and forgiveness. We do have high expectations of one another, and all can improve. Our world cries out for more disciplined living of the commandments of God. But the way we are to encourage that, as the Lord told the Prophet Joseph in the wintry depths of Liberty Jail `is by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; . . . without hypocrisy and without guile.' (D&C 121:41-42.)
"To those who have transgressed or been offended, we say come back. To those who are hurt and struggling and afraid, we say let us stand with you and dry your tears. To those who are confused and assailed by error on every side, we say come to the God of all truth and the Church of continuing revelation. Come back. Stand with us. Carry on. Be believing. All is well, and all will be well. Feast at the table laid before you in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and strive to follow the Good Shepherd who has provided it. Have hope, exert faith, receive - and give - charity, the pure love of Christ.
"Secondly, and in that same spirit, I also invite the members of the Church to establish the temple of the Lord as the great symbol of their membership and the supernal setting for their most sacred covenants. It would be the deepest desire of my heart to have every member of the Church temple worthy. I would hope that every adult member would be worthy of - and carry - a current temple recommend, even if proximity to a temple does not allow immediate or frequent use of it.
"Let us be a temple attending and a temple-loving people. Let us hasten to the temple as frequently as time and means and personal circumstances allow. Let us go not only for our kindred dead, but let us also go for the personal blessings of temple worship, for the sanctity and safety which is provided within those hallowed and consecrated walls. The temple is a place of beauty, it is a place of revelation, it is a place of peace. It is the house of the Lord. It is holy unto the Lord. It should be holy unto us."
During the months that followed, President Hunter's invitations were repeated over and over again by general and local Church leaders and members in various Church meetings.
At the October 1994 general conference, the prophet renewed the invitations, giving them continued emphasis.
"Let us study the Master's every teaching and devote ourselves more fully to his example," he admonished in the opening session. "He has given us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.' He hascalled us to glory and virtue' and has `given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these [we] might be partakers of the divine nature.' (2 Pet. 1:3-4.)
"I believe in those `exceeding great and precious promises,' and I invite all within the sound of my voice to claim them."
He said it was the deepest desire of his heart to have every member of the Church worthy to enter the temple and added: "It would please the Lord if every adult member would be worthy of - and carry - a current temple recommend. The things that we must do and not do to be worthy of a temple recommend are the very things that ensure we will be happy as individuals and as families."
