Tyler Rausch does not believe that his disabilities are a disadvantage to him. He was born with cerebral palsy. Now at the age of 37 years-old, he does not regard his physical limitations as a challenge but as a blessing in his life.
Fulfilling a Full-time Service Mission
Tyler grew up especially wanting to serve the Lord as a full-time missionary. When he turned 19, his father, who was also his bishop, began looking for other opportunities for him to serve Heavenly Father. Initially, Tyler was called to be a service missionary helping at the bishops’ storehouse in Calgary. He could help store, load, and prepare food provisions for many families and individuals in need. Tyler really enjoyed this opportunity to serve, stating: “There are different kinds of missions for all different kinds of people.”
After faithfully serving his first year at the bishops’ storehouse, Tyler asked his mission president if he could be transferred to Cardston, Alberta where he could serve the second year of his mission in the temple. Nothing can compare to the light and revelation that can come by serving in the temple. For it is within those holy walls where the Prophet Elijah will “plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers” (Doctrine and Covenants 2:2). This special spirit brought direction and peace into Tyler’s life.
Devoting His Life to Service in the House of the Lord
After completing his missionary service, Tyler returned home for about three months. Then, he prayerfully counselled with his parents, telling them: “I was meant to come back to Cardston to spend my life blessing the lives of those on the other side of the veil who cannot do temple work for themselves. I know that this is my lifelong purpose.”
Housing arrangements were made for Tyler to move to Cardston and faithfully attend the temple every day that he possibly could. He also schedules time each week to use his home computer to go on FamilySearch to find his own ancestors. He then arranges to help complete their baptisms, confirmations, initiatory work, endowments and sealings. As he does this temple work, he feels their love for the time and service that he is giving to them.
Lots of people also ask Tyler if he can help them do their names for them. He explains: “No matter how many names I’ve got, I never have too many. I do the work for their families too.” Every name he takes to the temple is a person who needs temple ordinances performed, and he loves doing everything he can to serve them. The Lord has promised, “The dead who repent will be redeemed, through obedience to the ordinances of the house of God” (Doctrine and Covenants 138:58).
Tyler personally records the names of all temple ordinances he has completed. Before the end of 2019, he notes, “I have done 13,230 endowments in the last 16 years, and all together, I have done over 50,000 ordinances.”
The Joy of Bringing Souls to Heavenly Father
Tyler says that his favorite scripture is Doctrine and Covenants 18:16: “And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!”
He loves that scripture because he sincerely believes that he has brought great joy into the lives of many individuals on the other side of the veil. Tyler adds, “Not only does it bless their lives, but every ordinance that I participate in at the temple brings so much joy to MY life as well.”
Tyler explains, “When I do sealings for other people, I think of my own family and how grateful I am to be sealed to my own family for eternity.
Tyler shares an especially close bond with his grandmother: “My Grandma Luella and I share a love for temples. We’ve been on two temple tours together, visiting close to 40 different temples throughout Canada and the United States.”
Concerning his service in a house of the Lord, Tyler Rausch concludes: “Every time I go to the temple, I feel so close to home—to my Heavenly Father. I feel so close to Him. I can feel His love for me. I can feel the people on the other side thanking me for doing their work for them and blessing their lives. It is so wonderful to be in the temple every day. There is no place like home.”
To see and hear Tyler Rausch tell his own story and share his testimony, view the following YouTube video:
