Finding Christ in the Temple

by Alonzo L. Gaskill

President Nelson has promised, "Every sincere seeker of Jesus Christ will find Him in the temple." What if every ordinance, symbol, and teaching in the temple pointed directly to Jesus Christ and you could learn to see Him more clearly each time you entered His house? In Finding Christ in the Temple, beloved author and teacher Alonzo L. Gaskill shows that the temple is not about hidden codes or obscure rituals, but about the Savior Himself, who is at the very heart of every covenant and ordinance.

Drawing on years of temple study and personal worship, Gaskill invites readers to discover how the temple reveals Christ in powerful and practical ways. From baptismal fonts resting on oxen, to sacred clothing, to the endowment's covenant path, each element teaches of the Lord's character, His atoning mission, and His desire to walk with us in holiness. With clarity and accessibility, the book highlights how recent changes in temple worship have placed Christ more visibly at the center, making His mercy and love unmistakable.

This book is not an academic treatise but a devotional guide that helps you recognize Christ's presence in His holy house and carry that awareness into your daily life. As you read, you'll be invited to deepen your worship, strengthen your discipleship, and truly find Christ in the temple.

162 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 5, 2026

Reviews

[George Dickinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding Christ in the Temple profoundly deepened my understanding of temple worship, and the chapter on the Initiatory gave me entirely new insight into ordinances I thought I already understood. Rather than focusing on procedure alone, this chapter carefully and reverently reveals how every element of the initiatory points directly to Jesus Christ—His priesthood, His Atonement, and His desire to sanctify and empower us.

What stood out most was the explanation of priesthood authority and representation. The discussion of ordination—both for the living and the dead—helped me better understand that all temple work is ultimately Christ’s work, performed through authorized servants acting as His representatives. I was especially moved by the Christ-centered explanation of women as ordinance workers, showing how sisters powerfully represent not only our Heavenly Mother’s nurturing nature, but also Christ Himself through their vicarious, saving service in the House of the Lord.

The symbolic meaning behind the washing and anointing was beautifully explained. Learning how each part of the body represents actions, choices, and capacities—and how Christ’s singular Atonement cleanses us “every whit”—made the initiatory feel more personal, intentional, and hopeful. The connection between ancient practices, scriptural symbolism, and modern temple ordinances strengthened my appreciation for how carefully the Lord teaches through sacred patterns.

The explanations of the anointing with oil, the use of the horn, the promise of a fuller outpouring of the Spirit, and the receiving of a new name all reinforced a powerful truth: the initiatory is not merely preparatory—it is transformative. It testifies that Christ desires to share His power, His Spirit, and His identity with those who covenant to follow Him.

This chapter helped me see the initiatory not as a brief ordinance to pass through, but as a profound declaration of who Christ is and who He is helping us become. Finding Christ in the Temple does exactly what its title promises—it helps the reader recognize the Savior more clearly in sacred temple worship. Highly recommended for anyone seeking deeper understanding and greater reverence for the temple.

[Lynn Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book SO MUCH! I received an ARC, read it, recommended it to all my friends, then ordered a hard copy for me and sent one to a friend because I need to be able to jump back and forth, to underline, to re-read easily. As the author introduces this book, he teaches: "We are not there simply to serve Christ or our kindred dead. We are there to worship God and Christ. Temple "work" must be done, but temple "worship" should be the priority of each patron. Our ancestors on the other side of the veil have a duty to hear and accept the covenants made on their behalf. You and I, on the other hand, have a duty to worship the very Being that has made our salvation and exaltation possible - indeed, the very Being who is central to the entire message of the endowment."
With that perspective, he then explains how every part of the temple, every ordinance we perform, leads or points us in some way to the Savior.
He talks about the building, the art and architecture and explains the symbols found therein. Just as Jesus used many symbols to convey various ideas, and in some instances used a single symbol in multiple ways, we can see different application of symbols - we go to the temple not just as a refuge from the world (and perform ordinances for our kindred dead, but to "conquer the world of evil" in our hearts and heads. (Quoting Elder David A. Bednar)
What I loved most of all was his explanation of the symbols throughout the initiatory and endowment. I've been going to the temple since I was sealed there in 1964 but had no idea of the depth of meaning in each of these beautiful ordinances. I no longer "see through a glass darkly" but clearly see and understand the importance of - and the symbolic and significant meaning of these pointing to the Savior. I highly recommend this little volume - only 128 pages - but packed full of incredible information every temple attending member of the Church needs to know.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding Christ in the Temple is written mostly from the point of view & experiences of the author, with most of the scripture references & other supporting sources cited in the footnotes and at the end of the book. I enjoyed this point of view both for conciseness and flow of the book. Jesus Christ is central to everything in the Temple. There is much symbolism in the clothing, the covenants & ordinances, even the clothing worn has reference to Christ. All these things are meant to turn us to Christ, to think of Him more often and to understand His role in our life and how to draw closer to Him while in His temple.

I received an e-arc from the publisher

[Desiree Ferrer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a good book! I have been endowed for 8 years and this book answered so many questions that I’ve always wondered about things we do or see or hear in the temple and WHY! Lots of spelling mistakes but I’m assuming he was so excited to get it published he just didn’t take the time to edit it thoroughly.

[Roxanne Shull · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful resource for better understanding of Jesus Christ and Worshipping in the Temple. It will strengthen our understanding of Temple covenants. I received an advance copy of this book. The opinion is my own.

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably more like 3.5 stars. Sometimes I don’t like reading what others discover about scriptures (or the temple) bc I like to find things myself. Most of the book I felt like this, but I started enjoying some of the things he offered towards the end.