A popular “folk”
doctrine one has encountered is that Satan is never present in the temple.
However, this does not appear to be the view of early Latter-day Saints. In his
diary for 7 April 1837, Wilford Woodruff spoke of Satan being present in the
Kirtland Temple:
April 7th I spent the day in writing my
Journal 1833-1898, Vol.1, & when the shades of evening began to appear I
repaired to the house of the LORD in company with Elders Milton Holmes, &
Joseph B Nobles for the purpose of worshiping God. We entered one of the stands
within the veils & fell upon our knees & Satan appeared also but not to
worship God but to deprive us of the privilege. Satan strove against us with
great power by tempting & otherwis. He at one time drove me from my stand
while I was striving with my brethren to enter into the visions of heaven.
Notwithstanding his apparent victory good grew out of it for by going into the
outer Court I there found Elder Freeman Nickerson an aged father in Israel who
was faithful & Prayed to God alway. I solicited him to Join us in prayer
that we might gain a victory over Satan & get a blessing at the hand of
God. He joyfully accepted the invitation & we again entered the stand being
four of us in number of one accord in one place. We had great cause to be
united in heart. We all had travled together about 1,000 miles in the spring of
1834 for the redemption of Zion. We at that time offered to lay down our lives
& our offering was accepted as was Abram's. We felt considering those
circumstances that we could kneel down & unitedly get a blessing by faith
through Jesus Christ. We fell upon our Knees & began to cry unto God. Satan
departed, tempation found no place in our harts The power of God rested upon us
& we were baptized with the Holy Ghost & the Spirit of God was like
fire shut up in our bones. We were immersed in the liberty of the sons of God.
Many great things were shown unto us. The power of God & the Spirit of
prophesy & revelation rested upon us. I arose & Proclaimed many
Glorious thing upon the heads of my beloved brethren that were present which
were dictated in my heart by the Holy Spirit. And I Willford testify in the
name of Jesus Christ that many precious things were shown me concerning my
brethren by the Holy Spirit in prophecy & revelation. Our hearts were made
glad & we went our way rejoicing. (Wilford
Woodruff's Journal, Volume 1: 1833-1840, ed. Scott G. Kenny [Salt Lake
City: Signature Books, 1983], 136-37, spelling in original preserved)