(includes quotes by Elder Bednar, Elder Faust, and John Taylor)

Why stand in a Holy Place?

We hear this phrase occasionally. According to Doctrine and Covenants 101:22-24, YOU WILL BE CONSUMED during the Second Coming if you don’t stand in a holy place.

(Verses 22-23, stand in holy places and prepare.)

24 And every corruptible thing, both of man, or of the beasts of the field, or of the fowls of the heavens, or of the fish of the sea, that dwells upon all the face of the earth, shall be consumed; (Doctrine and Covenants 101:24)

Or YOU WILL DIE during the events leading up to the Second Coming if you don’t:

32 But my disciples shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved; but among the wicked, men shall lift up their voices and curse God and die.

33 And there shall be earthquakes also in divers places, and many desolations; yet men will harden their hearts against me, and they will take up the sword, one against another, and they will kill one another. (Doctrine and Covenants 47:32-33)

Big Question

I’ve heard several theories about what qualifies as a holy place, including our own home.

But most everyone has a home to stand in, and they would already stand there naturally, so what does the Lord mean when he says:

22 Behold, it is my will, that all they who call on my name, and worship me according to mine everlasting gospel, 👉should gather together, and stand in holy places; 👈

23 And prepare for the revelation which is to come, when the veil of the covering of my temple, in my tabernacle, which hideth the earth, shall be taken off, and all flesh shall see me together. (Doctrine and Covenants 101:23-23)

👉 My big question as I read this…what does Jesus Christ actually mean by “holy places.”

So I searched for it.

James E. Faust

Elder James E. Faust (apostle) says it beautifully

“We must rise above the evil that encroaches upon us. We must follow the counsel of the Lord, who said, “It is my will, that all they who call on my name, and worship me according to mine everlasting gospel, should gather together, and stand in holy places.”

“We unavoidably stand in so many unholy places and are subjected to so much that is vulgar, profane, and destructive of the Spirit of the Lord that I encourage our Saints all over the world, wherever possible, to strive to stand more often in holy places. Our most holy places are 👉 our sacred temples.” (April 2005)

So, a temple is a holy place. That’s what most of us would guess.

John Taylor

John Taylor describes holy places this way:

This is the position that we ought to occupy in relation to these matters, standing in holy places,👉full of the light and intelligence that flows from the throne of God,👈seeking to cultivate every noble and exalted principle that has been made known unto us, and striving to walk worthy of that high vocation wherewith we are called.

To be a holy place, it needs to be full of the light and intelligence that flows from the throne of God.

Elder Bednar

Can that be our home? Elder Bednar thinks so:

“Making our homes sanctuaries wherein we can ‘stand in holy places’ is essential in these latter days. And as important as home-centered and Church-supported learning is for our spiritual strength and protection today, it will be even more vital in the future.” (April 2019)

Later in the same talk quoted above, Elder Faust says: “Another holy place on earth ought to be our homes.”

Takeaway

Reading several quotes by prophets and apostles shows that the temple is a holy place. But also, in any place, we create a space that is “full of the light and intelligence that flows from the throne of God,” which can potentially be our home.

It immediately came to my mind I could do better at home. There is room for more habits and traditions to move it closer to a “holy place.” I’ll be sharing this with my husband today! We need a strategy and an intentional effort to create a holy place safe from the storm.