Covenants and Ordinances

So why should we get married in the temple anyway? What difference does it really make if we are married civilly or sealed for eternity?

Here are some of the things I've learned in this unit on covenants and ordinances:

1. What ordinances are:
"In the Church, an ordinance is a sacred, formal act performed by the authority of the priesthood. Some ordinances are essential to our exaltation. These ordinances are called saving ordinances. They include: baptism, confirmation, ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood (for men), the temple endowment, and the marriage sealing. With each of these ordinances, we enter into solemn covenants with the Lord."

"... ordinances are physical actions that symbolize spiritual experiences. By taking part in them we receive the spiritual power we need to change our lives."

2. It is not enough to merely be good in this life--there are sacred ordinances which are necessary for salvation. 
For those who "have never heard the gospel, nor had any opportunity to accept it... They may hear it in the spirit world and the work may be done vicariously for them on earth, and they may be united." "We may be angels, if we are righteous enough. Even unmarried, we may reach the celestial kingdom, but we will be ministering angels only. You see, it is not a matter of righteousness only... There must be both the righteousness and the ordinances." --President Spencer W. Kimball


3. How important eternal marriage is:

From Elder McConkie's talk: "Everything that we do in the Church is connected and associated with and tied into the eternal order of matrimony that God has ordained." Woah. I had no idea eternal marriage was this important! But I guess if you think about it, it really is! The family is central to the plan of salvation, which is the whole plan and reason for... well, everything--and you wouldn't have an eternal family unit without the everlasting covenant of marriage! So it makes sense, but I never really realized that before.

4. The difference between a civil marriage and a covenant marriage:

From Elder Hafen's talk, "Covenant Marriage": We should remember the difference between a contractual marriage (the kind of marriage most people these days enter into) and a covenant marriage. A contractual marriage is one in which both parties "marry to obtain benefits and will stay only as long as they're receiving what they bargained for." Sometimes it is hard to not view marriage in this way, especially in this world in which we live where contractual marriages abound. But if we enter into covenant marriages in which we stick together and work through our troubles come what may, we will come out of our trials better, stronger people and receive the blessings associated with keeping our covenants.

5. We essentially receive three things when we make and honor covenants: gifts and blessings, increased faith, and divine power. (Elder Christofferson's talk "The Power of Covenants")
Some quotes from Elder Christofferson that summarize these three points:

Gifts and Blessings: "First, as we walk in obedience to the principles and commandments of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we enjoy a continual flow of blessings promised by God in His covenant with us."

Increased Faith: "[covenants] produce the faith necessary to persevere and to do all things that are expedient in the Lord. ... In the first place, the promised fruits of obedience become evident, which confirms our faith. Secondly, the Spirit communicates God’s pleasure, and we feel secure in His continued blessing and help. ... With that knowledge, our faith becomes unbounded, having the assurance that God will in due time turn every affliction to our gain."

Divine Power: "When we have entered into divine covenants, the Holy Ghost is our comforter, our guide, and our companion. ... The gifts of the Holy Spirit are testimony, faith, knowledge, wisdom, revelations, miracles, healing, and charity, to name but a few (see D&C 46:13–26)."