Holy Places

In 2019 author and composer Sherrie Manwill Boren felt drawn to Doctrine and Covenants 87:8, in which the Lord commands His children to “stand … in holy places.” Sister Boren wanted to write a song that would teach not only how to recognize a holy place, but also how to make a place holy. She jotted down some ideas but then needed to set the project aside. A few months later, she awoke early one morning with words and music running through her mind, and by sunrise her first draft was complete.

Sister Boren recalls: “Less than a year later, we all saw our temples and chapels close due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Without our dedicated buildings, it suddenly became vitally important to have additional holy places in our lives, especially our homes and our hearts.” This hymn reminds us to purify ourselves as we await the time when the Savior will return to make the world “holy, clean, and new.”

Find lyrics, sheet music, and recordings for Holy Places

Scriptures

Principles

Temples are houses of the Lord where we can assist in His work.
Like the temple, our home can be a holy place where we can learn about God and feel His love.
When we seek to have God’s Spirit in our hearts, we can become more holy and more like Jesus Christ.

Questions to Ponder

How do you feel when you visit the temple?
What can you do to help your home feel more like the temple?
What are some ways that you can keep God’s love and His Spirit in your heart?

Related Gospel Study Guides

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Activities for Families

Teach that the temple is a holy place. Help your children recognize that temples are holy places where we can feel peace and draw closer to Jesus Christ as we participate in His work. Invite family members to close their eyes and imagine a temple—perhaps one they’ve visited or seen in a picture, or one they hope to see someday. Listen to or sing the first verse and chorus of the song together. Afterward, discuss some questions as a family, such as “How do you feel when you see a temple or picture it in your mind? Why do you think the temple is a holy place? What are some ways we can prepare to do the Savior’s work in the temple?” Encourage your children to share their thoughts and feelings.
Discuss how to make your home a holy place. Help your children understand that your home can be a holy place. Before family prayer, invite each family member to share one thing that makes your home feel peaceful, happy, or full of love. Listen to or sing the second verse of the song together, and encourage your children to listen carefully for words or phrases that describe how a home can be a holy place. Invite them to share what they discovered. Sing the verse once more, but this time invite your children to stand each time they hear one of those words or phrases. Ask your children what they can do to help make your home a holy place, and then commit to working together as a family to make it happen.
Teach how the heart can be holy. Talk about ways family members can keep God’s love and the influence of the Spirit in their hearts so they can become more holy and more like Jesus Christ. Focus on the message of the third verse by having meaningful family conversations throughout the week. You might discuss questions such as “How does following the Savior and His teachings help us stand in holy places? How does He help our heart become a holy place? How does the temple help us to be holy? What can we do as a family to prepare for temple ordinances?” You might also review the temple recommend interview questions as a family. Consider ending each conversation by singing the chorus of the song together.