Lessons From Building A Pyramid From Toothpicks (General Post)
Fundmental principles of the gospel to think about:
1. Heavenly Father is dad, pop -- 1000 more times than our earthly dad.
2. The Lord goes home to his house after a hard day's work, the same as us. He smiles at us, as we walk past him in the temple.
3. We learn from the Lord in the temple, as we think about the tiniest of details in what we see there. The learning is in the details.
4. The refining of our character is exponentially proportional to frequency of temple attendance.
5. The ultimate game is practicing receiving revelation from the Lord, as we think about the details in the temple. Everyone can win this game.
For a Gospel Doctrine lesson on personal revelation, I constructed a pyramid of toothpicks. This has turned out to be a very enlightening lesson on the sealing of children to parents. The Spirit, over several months, gave me many ideas that pertain to families, based on thinking about (pondering) the Sesame Street properties of the pyramid.
The manner of construction is important. The representations used during construction shed some light on families:
1. Select 6 equal-length toothpicks that are straight (eg, family members are equal, and become equal with the Lord. Also, see scriptures about straight and narrow, in this case among family members, too. Also, toothpicks are used for cleaning mouths and (with cotton) ears).
2. Place 3 toothpicks on a solid base (the temple is the solid base).
3. Use glue to fasten the toothpicks at the end (Holy Ghost is the glue).
4. Note that the toothpicks wind up glued to the base (Holy Ghost works best in the temple, since Satan is not allowed to be there).
5. When glue is very sticky, put some more glue on the other 3 toothpicks (once you are prepared for the temple, the Holy Ghost sticks better).
6. It will take effort to align the other 3 toothpicks, to make the vertical part of the pyramid (it takes lots of work to learn to receive constant revelation from the Lord, in the temple).
7. Wait for the glue to dry. Figure out representation for yourself.
8. Do not label the toothpick joints. However, the 3 lower are parents, and the top is the Lord. Figure out representation for yourself.
These representations (symbols) were given to me by the Spirit. Symbols are hooks that the Spirit uses to teach. Other representations and materials could be used for other teaching.
Now imagine yourself standing inside the pyramid, looking around. By thinking about simple properties like up, down, inside, outside, etc, the Lord can reveal many representations and information, from this model. Just up and down revealed 8 observations to me, so far. The model has been excellent practice for me, in receiving revelation.
There are many scriptural symbols used in the temple and in the endowment.These include, for example, the dove as the symbol of the Holy Ghost. In addition, the architecture, methods, what is done and what is not done, are all important to think about. Think about what you learned on Sesame Street about up/down, higher/lower, in the air/on the ground, colors, education techniques, marriage courses, light/dark, dry land/water, etc. Look up the clothing in the scriptures. Count numbers. The lessons are many.
The purpose of the temple is to quickly move mortals toward exaltation. There are three major benefits in the temple. The three-stage model of work applies to these three benefits:
1. First learn what to do. The Holy Ghost freely teaches in the temple.
2. Then perform the action. The action in the temple is the ordinances.
3. Evaluate the results. The result is a gradual transformation of spirit.
As we think about the symbols and what lessons they teach, the Spirit pokes ideas and connections between concepts into us. At the same time, the Spirit slowly transforms our attitudes and character into that of an exalted being.
An example: the toothpicks are straight and narrow. Straight and narrow relative to the Lord are well known concepts. However, the pyramid suggests that straight and narrow also apply to relationships with spouse and children. No crooked or devious relationships. Focus narrowly on your spouse and none other. These are temple recommend questions. There are at least 4 more lessons, if you look carefully at the junction of 3 toothpicks at the base.
It has been my experience that temple attendance at least once a week is required for this education, ordinance, and sanctifying process to work best. You must keep up the spiritual oil level. Others have said the same.
I have found two books by Mathew Brown to be very enlightening on temple symbols. They must be read by the Spirit to understand the concepts, preferably read from front to back. Look up the references, when possible. The books are "Symbols In Stone" and "The Gateway Of Heaven". They have over 500 numbered references, many with text, and many more references in the text. Look up the quote from Charles W Penrose on page 250 of "The Gateway Of Heaven". Another good book is "Temple And Cosmos" by Hugh Nibley.
Brother Duncan (a sealer in the Mount Timpangos Temple) once said that he was convinced that the work for the dead was arranged the way it was, so the Lord could bring us frequently into the temple, and there work on us.
Brother Duncan also refers to Ezekiel 47. The river is a river of knowledge from the Lord via the temple. The river heals the dead sea within us. He also mentions that just as you cannot put nuclear material into any old container, the Lord cannot put his Spirit into any old body. You must be prepared to receive it.
Discourses of Brigham Young, Pg.132
An individual who holds a share in the Priesthood, and continues faithful to his calling, who delights himself continually in doing the things God requires at his hands, and continues through life in the performance of every duty will secure to himself not only the privilege of receiving, but the knowledge how to receive the things of God, that he may know the mind of God CONTINUALLY; and he will be enabled to discern between right and wrong, between the things of God and the things that are not of God. And the Priesthood--the Spirit that is within him, will continue to increase until it becomes like a fountain of living water; until it is like the tree of life; until it is one CONTINUED source of intelligence and instruction to that individual. (emphasis mine)
Journal Of Discourses 3:192.
Much of the scriptures can be viewed differently from a temple perspective. My institute teacher shortly after I joined the Church, pointed out D&C 93:1. He said this is the gospel in a nutshell. Only after former Provo temple President Orville Gunther pointed out that 2 Nephi 9:41 could be viewed from a temple perspective, that I realized D&C 93:1 could also be viewed that way. 2 Nephi 9 has other verses that can be viewed from a temple perspective.
The above nothwithstanding, I often fail to mention that I sweated for perhaps 30 years before the lessons of the temple really started opening. The key was when I started attending sealing sessions (thus the temple) once a week.
1. Heavenly Father is dad, pop -- 1000 more times than our earthly dad.
2. The Lord goes home to his house after a hard day's work, the same as us. He smiles at us, as we walk past him in the temple.
3. We learn from the Lord in the temple, as we think about the tiniest of details in what we see there. The learning is in the details.
4. The refining of our character is exponentially proportional to frequency of temple attendance.
5. The ultimate game is practicing receiving revelation from the Lord, as we think about the details in the temple. Everyone can win this game.
For a Gospel Doctrine lesson on personal revelation, I constructed a pyramid of toothpicks. This has turned out to be a very enlightening lesson on the sealing of children to parents. The Spirit, over several months, gave me many ideas that pertain to families, based on thinking about (pondering) the Sesame Street properties of the pyramid.
The manner of construction is important. The representations used during construction shed some light on families:
1. Select 6 equal-length toothpicks that are straight (eg, family members are equal, and become equal with the Lord. Also, see scriptures about straight and narrow, in this case among family members, too. Also, toothpicks are used for cleaning mouths and (with cotton) ears).
2. Place 3 toothpicks on a solid base (the temple is the solid base).
3. Use glue to fasten the toothpicks at the end (Holy Ghost is the glue).
4. Note that the toothpicks wind up glued to the base (Holy Ghost works best in the temple, since Satan is not allowed to be there).
5. When glue is very sticky, put some more glue on the other 3 toothpicks (once you are prepared for the temple, the Holy Ghost sticks better).
6. It will take effort to align the other 3 toothpicks, to make the vertical part of the pyramid (it takes lots of work to learn to receive constant revelation from the Lord, in the temple).
7. Wait for the glue to dry. Figure out representation for yourself.
8. Do not label the toothpick joints. However, the 3 lower are parents, and the top is the Lord. Figure out representation for yourself.
These representations (symbols) were given to me by the Spirit. Symbols are hooks that the Spirit uses to teach. Other representations and materials could be used for other teaching.
Now imagine yourself standing inside the pyramid, looking around. By thinking about simple properties like up, down, inside, outside, etc, the Lord can reveal many representations and information, from this model. Just up and down revealed 8 observations to me, so far. The model has been excellent practice for me, in receiving revelation.
There are many scriptural symbols used in the temple and in the endowment.These include, for example, the dove as the symbol of the Holy Ghost. In addition, the architecture, methods, what is done and what is not done, are all important to think about. Think about what you learned on Sesame Street about up/down, higher/lower, in the air/on the ground, colors, education techniques, marriage courses, light/dark, dry land/water, etc. Look up the clothing in the scriptures. Count numbers. The lessons are many.
The purpose of the temple is to quickly move mortals toward exaltation. There are three major benefits in the temple. The three-stage model of work applies to these three benefits:
1. First learn what to do. The Holy Ghost freely teaches in the temple.
2. Then perform the action. The action in the temple is the ordinances.
3. Evaluate the results. The result is a gradual transformation of spirit.
As we think about the symbols and what lessons they teach, the Spirit pokes ideas and connections between concepts into us. At the same time, the Spirit slowly transforms our attitudes and character into that of an exalted being.
An example: the toothpicks are straight and narrow. Straight and narrow relative to the Lord are well known concepts. However, the pyramid suggests that straight and narrow also apply to relationships with spouse and children. No crooked or devious relationships. Focus narrowly on your spouse and none other. These are temple recommend questions. There are at least 4 more lessons, if you look carefully at the junction of 3 toothpicks at the base.
It has been my experience that temple attendance at least once a week is required for this education, ordinance, and sanctifying process to work best. You must keep up the spiritual oil level. Others have said the same.
I have found two books by Mathew Brown to be very enlightening on temple symbols. They must be read by the Spirit to understand the concepts, preferably read from front to back. Look up the references, when possible. The books are "Symbols In Stone" and "The Gateway Of Heaven". They have over 500 numbered references, many with text, and many more references in the text. Look up the quote from Charles W Penrose on page 250 of "The Gateway Of Heaven". Another good book is "Temple And Cosmos" by Hugh Nibley.
Brother Duncan (a sealer in the Mount Timpangos Temple) once said that he was convinced that the work for the dead was arranged the way it was, so the Lord could bring us frequently into the temple, and there work on us.
Brother Duncan also refers to Ezekiel 47. The river is a river of knowledge from the Lord via the temple. The river heals the dead sea within us. He also mentions that just as you cannot put nuclear material into any old container, the Lord cannot put his Spirit into any old body. You must be prepared to receive it.
Discourses of Brigham Young, Pg.132
An individual who holds a share in the Priesthood, and continues faithful to his calling, who delights himself continually in doing the things God requires at his hands, and continues through life in the performance of every duty will secure to himself not only the privilege of receiving, but the knowledge how to receive the things of God, that he may know the mind of God CONTINUALLY; and he will be enabled to discern between right and wrong, between the things of God and the things that are not of God. And the Priesthood--the Spirit that is within him, will continue to increase until it becomes like a fountain of living water; until it is like the tree of life; until it is one CONTINUED source of intelligence and instruction to that individual. (emphasis mine)
Journal Of Discourses 3:192.
Much of the scriptures can be viewed differently from a temple perspective. My institute teacher shortly after I joined the Church, pointed out D&C 93:1. He said this is the gospel in a nutshell. Only after former Provo temple President Orville Gunther pointed out that 2 Nephi 9:41 could be viewed from a temple perspective, that I realized D&C 93:1 could also be viewed that way. 2 Nephi 9 has other verses that can be viewed from a temple perspective.
The above nothwithstanding, I often fail to mention that I sweated for perhaps 30 years before the lessons of the temple really started opening. The key was when I started attending sealing sessions (thus the temple) once a week.
posted by Jim | 4:12 AM
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