The Hong Kong China Temple: In a Land of Temples

Dec 2011
by President John Aki
Hong Kong China Temple

The Hong Kong China Temple overlooks the towering high rises of the city of Hong Kong.

The temple was dedicated by President Gordon B. Hinckley on May 16-17, 1996.  Its temple district ranges from Mongolia in the northeast, India and Pakistan to the west, Nepal to the northwest and countries of the Indochinese Peninsula in the middle.   The district encompasses approximately 50% of the earth’s population.

Some of the world’s major religions and their religious temples are found in this area.  This is a land where families and ancestors are important and revered.  The Hong Kong China Temple is indeed a temple in a land of temples.  Yet it is the only temple that offers a path where families, living and deceased, can be together eternally.

Located in Kowloon-Tong, the temple is within easy access to saints from both Hong Kong and other Asian countries.  Saints from Hong Kong arrive on the local Metropolitan Transit Railway system that serves the entire territory.  Saints from Mongolia and China come on the Kowloon-China railway system.  Saints from other Asian countries fly in and ride the Express Airport Bus that stops conveniently next to the temple.

Early History of Temples

An early account of temples is given in a dream by Jacob.   “And he dreamed, and behold a ladder [stairway] set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.  And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;”   “And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.  And he was afraid, and said, how dreadful [awe-inspiring] is this place! This is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven” (Genesis 28:12-13, 16-17).

The scripture describes, long before physical temples were built, a multi-level temple similar to that of the Hong Kong China Temple.  Angels going up and down could be compared to patrons performing the different ordinances for their ancestor on the different levels of the temple.

President Gordon B. Hinckley in his dedicatory prayer of the Hong Kong China Temple said, “Thy Church has grown and blessed the lives of many of Thy sons and daughters in this place. We thank Thee for all who have accepted the gospel and who have remained true and faithful to covenants made with Thee. Thy Church in this area now comes to full maturity with the dedication of this sacred temple.”¹

Saints come from the various countries of Asia are truly saviors on Mount Zion.  The Prophet Joseph Smith explained, “How are [we] to become saviors on Mount Zion?”  “By building … temples, erecting … baptismal fonts, and going forth and receiving all the ordinances, baptisms, confirmations, washings, anointings, ordinations and sealing powers upon [our] heads, in behalf of all [our] progenitors who are dead, and redeem them that they may come forth in the first resurrection and be exalted to thrones of glory with them.”²

Making a Sacrifice to Attend the Temple

It is not uncommon for those who live far away to make a significant sacrifice to attend the temple.  A brother, from a distant country, brought his wife to be sealed in the Hong Kong China Temple.  He commented that he made a significant sacrifice to be able to come.  He sold the family cow, a source of milk and family income. When asked why he sold the cow instead of something else.  He replied, “I can be sealed to my wife for time and all eternity, but I cannot be sealed to my cow.”³

Elder Russell M. Nelson has taught: “We are still commanded to sacrifice, but not by shedding blood of animals. Our highest sense of sacrifice is achieved as we make ourselves more sacred or holy.  This we do by our obedience to the commandments of God. Thus, the laws of obedience and sacrifice are indelibly intertwined. … As we comply with these and other commandments, something wonderful happens to us. … We become more sacred and holy—[more] like our Lord!”⁴

Some Things You Can Do to Come to the Temple

1.         Set your temple visit as a high priority.  Write it in your calendar as an “unbreakable appointment."   When you receive calls for another event that threatens to displace your temple visit, reply “I have an unbreakable appointment.”

A story is told of President Ezra Taft Benson, who was noticeably absent from the Friday morning inauguration of Elder Rex E. Lee as the new President of the Brigham Young University.  When asked about his absence, on this auspicious occasion, he replied, “Friday is my temple day.  Where else would I be on a Friday morning.”⁵

2.         Attend the endowment sessions of newly called missionaries from your ward.  President Howard W. Hunter said, “Let us prepare every missionary to go to the temple worthily and to make that experience an even greater highlight than receiving the mission call.”⁶

3.         Offer to perform any of the ordinances in the temple.  Initiatory, sealing, baptism are just as important as the endowment.  A brother, who comes frequently to do initiatory, commented that he was taught by his father that all of the ordinances are important and there are blessings and much to learn in participating in all the different ordinances.  Would a person attend a play to see only one act and not the others?

4.         Seek spiritual experiences and understanding that are eternal in nature.  A sister reminisced that it was her grandmother who brought her to the temple to receive her own endowment long ago.  Each time she comes to the temple, she remembers her grandmother.

Another sister lovingly watched as her deceased father’s baptismal ordinance was completed.   Her countenance expressed joy and the assurance that she would see and live with her father again.

5.         For those who come from far distances, spend time during the days or weeks before your temple visit in prayer and scripture reading.  Reflect upon the plan of salvation, the atonement, and the importance of eternal families.  Prepare family file names of deceased loved ones to take with you.  Careful preparation for the journey can add to the wonderfulness of the destination itself.

Every Member Temple Worthy

As we see the many temples, in this land of temples, may we remember President Howard W. Hunter’s admonition, “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 blessing 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.”⁷

Notes:

1. Gordon B. Hinckley, Hong Kong Temple: “May Thy Watch Care Be Over It,” Church News, 1 Jun. 1996, 4.
2. Joseph Smith, Chapter 41: Becoming Saviors on Mount Zion, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, (2007), 468–478.
3. John Aki, Personal Journal, March 2011.
4. Russell M. Nelson, “Lessons from Eve,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 88.
5. S. Michael Wilcox, House of Glory, Deseret Book Company, SLC, 1995, 4.
6. Howard W. Hunter, “Follow the Son of God,” Conference Report, Oct. 1994, 118; or Ensign, Nov. 1994, 88.
7. Howard W. Hunter, “A Temple-Motivated People,” Ensign, Oct. 1994, 2-5. See also Liahona, Oct. 2010, 37-39.