Enjoying the Temple

Reading through Elder Hales' article in the ensign, "Blessings of the Temple" gave me a few things to think about. I have heard before the definition of "endowment" is "gift." But when I read that in this article, I thought about it for a while. It seems that the current definition for gift is something that we give ourselves or others to please them or to pamper them. So, when Elder Hales says that "The [endowment] consists of a series of instructions on how we should live and covenants we make to live righteously by following out Savior," and that that is a gift, I have to think in spiritual terms to understand it, not social terms. Because why would a series of instructions on how I should live and promises I make pamper me? Here's how (per Elder Hales):

1- I will know who I am. I enjoy the temple because it's at least an hour of reminder of that basic truth which contributes to my core happiness. Making a few promises to help me keep a hold of that basic truth helps me enjoy me. That is a gift.

2 - Knowing the doctrine of saving ordinances gives me purpose and all my fellow being purpose and I should treat them as people with a common purpose whether they know what their purpose is or not. That is a gift to me and to them.

3- Temple attendance reminds me that things are just things and generally have nothing to do with my happiness in an eternal perspective.

4- Elder Hales refers to couples as knowing that they have each other for eternity and courting is over. For me this is a wonderful blessing. But I have many friends who have not found their someone or have lost their someone or their someone has left them or vice versa. I do not know why this is so, but I hope that the same gift of the endowment, instructions and covenants, provide comfort and joy, each in our own situation.

5 - Elder Hales says that because of the covenants we make, we learn to be unselfish, either in a couples relationship, or I think in any relationship or circumstance in life. While the world teaches that achieving things independently brings happiness, the Lord teaches that as we are dependent on Him and we are dependent on others and they are dependent on us, we experience joy.

These are the basic tenets of joy we can receive from the temple. There are many ways to go about achieving this joy because we are all different. But if we make sure, in our different ways, that we do the things directed by the spirit to receive these basic tenets, we will have joy.