Receiving Endowment Before Marriage

[BenRaines]

With greater knowledge comes greater responsibility. The Law of Chastity and covenants regarding it in the temple is, I believe, one of the greatest challenges to the single adult today that has been to the temple but not married.

There are few young men who do not serve missions who have been to the temple prior to marriage either.

Ben Raines

[Hemidakota]

I'm 19, and have been a member since late June. I've been thinking of receiving my temple endowment next summer or fall, and I'm wondering if you all think that is a good idea. I know most girls wait until marriage or a mission, but I know some end up going to the temple before all that. What is your opinion?

Thanks

Two questions you need to answer yourself: 1] are you mature enough to understand the relevance of temple symbolism? and 2] are you prepared to live the covenants at all cost?

If you can answer both with a positive response, then ask to attend the Temple Preparation Class that is offered by your ward or Stake.

Some help on this subject: LDS.org - New Era Article - Preparing for My Endowment

Teachers Course manual: LDS.org - Optional Courses Table of Contents - Endowed from on High: Temple Preparation Seminar Teacher’s Manual

[Palerider]

If anyone goes to the Temple....be sure to take the Temple Prep classes.....it will help you.....:)

[lestertheemt]

I haven't read all the replies, but I took out my endowment when i was 22. No I didn't go on a mission and I didn't get married till I was almost 26. There were some very personal reasons why I went through. Looking back.......should I have waited....maybe but in so many ways i am so very glad that i did. You need to make that decission for yourself. Ask Heavenly Father and He will let you know if it is right the right time.

[sensibility]

I've also heard that they now ask you to wait until you're 23 if you aren't getting married or going on a mission. Bishops and SPs can make exceptions, of course, but I think they probably won't unless there's a very compelling reason. People used to be able to go through when they were younger, but that obviously wasn't working out anymore, for one reason or another.

Sister Beck said, "Recent instruction from the First Presidency clarifies the policy for obtaining temple recommends and receiving endowments. It was reiterated that receiving one’s temple endowment is a serious matter that should be extended only to those who are sufficiently prepared and mature enough to keep the covenants they enter into. They also affirmed that single members in their late teens or early twenties who have not received a mission call or who are not engaged to be married in the temple should not be recommended to the temple for their own endowment. Every member who is 12 or older can, however, receive a Limited-Use Recommend to perform baptisms for the dead." (Here)

Going to the temple is a bigger commitment than buying a house, buying a car, joining the military, joining a sorority, bringing home a pet--it's a bigger committment than anything else we can do except maybe temple marriage and parenthood. It promises more blessings than anything else, except maybe marriage and parenthood--but it is a compete commitment. The temple is beautiful and everyone in the world should go--but there's absolutely no reason to rush it.

But I sympathise so, so much with the longings to go to the temple. At one point, it got so hard for me to wait that I actually had to put these two quotes on my wall and read them every day to help me keep my perspective.

"The ordinances and ceremonies of the temple are simple. They are beautiful. They are sacred. They are kept confidential lest they be given to those who are unprepared. Curiosity is not a preparation. Deep interest itself is not a preparation. Preparation for the ordinances includes preliminary steps: faith, repentance, baptism, confirmation, worthiness, a maturity and dignity worthy of one who comes invited as a guest into the house of the Lord.

"We must be prepared before we go to the temple. We must be worthy before we go to the temple." -- Boyd K. Packer

"The ordinances of the endowment embody certain obligations on the part of the individual, such as covenant and promise to observe the law of strict virtue and chastity, to be charitable, benevolent, tolerant and pure; to devote both talent and material means to the spread of truth and the uplifting of the human race; to maintain devotion to the cause of truth; and to seek in every way to contribute to the great preparation that the earth may be made ready to receive her king—the Lord Jesus Christ. With the taking of each covenant and the assuming of each obligation a promised blessing is pronounced, contingent upon the faithful observance of the conditions." -- James E. Talmage

I think I was about sixteen or seventeen when I put them on my wall; I tried to prepare myself to be able to meet all the obligations Elder Talmage lists, and to be the sort of person Elder Packer describes, and it got me through the last few years before I went to the temple last October in preparation to be married (in fact, they're still on my wall, just because they're really good quotes). And I finally did make it here, though it was so hard to wait--and it's so worth the waiting and the preparation. :)

[Iggy]

If anyone goes to the Temple....be sure to take the Temple Prep classes.....it will help you.....:)

Pale, isn't that mandatory now? I know I had to take them prior to getting my temple recommend.

Actually my Branch President asked me if I would like to get my endowments. When I said yes, he then introduced me to the Temple Prep teachers (Husband & Wife).

Every endowed member of my Branch went with me when I was endowed. My next oldest sister met me at the Portland Temple and was my escort.

Talk about "Family"- When your entire endowed Branch Family is involved with you - WOW!!!

When husband and I were sealed in the Mesa Temple, my branch family in Oregon went to the Portland Temple on the same day and did what ever sessions they felt prompted to do. They "went" to the Temple with me! So did my Sister in Seattle. She went to the Seattle Temple along with our SIL!! They took the niece and nephews and did baptisms for SIL's family.

[Iggy]

"The ordinances and ceremonies of the temple are simple. They are beautiful. They are sacred. They are kept confidential lest they be given to those who are unprepared. Curiosity is not a preparation. Deep interest itself is not a preparation. Preparation for the ordinances includes preliminary steps: faith, repentance, baptism, confirmation, worthiness, a maturity and dignity worthy of one who comes invited as a guest into the house of the Lord.

"We must be prepared before we go to the temple. We must be worthy before we go to the temple." -- Boyd K. Packer

Quote:

"The ordinances of the endowment embody certain obligations on the part of the individual, such as covenant and promise to observe the law of strict virtue and chastity, to be charitable, benevolent, tolerant and pure; to devote both talent and material means to the spread of truth and the uplifting of the human race; to maintain devotion to the cause of truth; and to seek in every way to contribute to the great preparation that the earth may be made ready to receive her king—the Lord Jesus Christ. With the taking of each covenant and the assuming of each obligation a promised blessing is pronounced, contingent upon the faithful observance of the conditions." -- James E. Talmage

Thank you so much for these quotes, sensibility. I have been looking for them for some time.

When I went through the Temple Preperation class, these were given to me to use in response to questions regarding the secret things we do in the Temple.

In my move from Oregon to Arizona I lost them.

Again, Thank You.

[Palerider]

Pale, isn't that mandatory now? I know I had to take them prior to getting my temple recommend.

Actually my Branch President asked me if I would like to get my endowments. When I said yes, he then introduced me to the Temple Prep teachers (Husband & Wife).

Every endowed member of my Branch went with me when I was endowed. My next oldest sister met me at the Portland Temple and was my escort.

Talk about "Family"- When your entire endowed Branch Family is involved with you - WOW!!!

When husband and I were sealed in the Mesa Temple, my branch family in Oregon went to the Portland Temple on the same day and did what ever sessions they felt prompted to do. They "went" to the Temple with me! So did my Sister in Seattle. She went to the Seattle Temple along with our SIL!! They took the niece and nephews and did baptisms for SIL's family.

its not mandatory that you take these classes....it is however greatly encouraged to do so.....As I have mentioned in other threads....its up to the Stake President, they could make it mandatory.

[Hemidakota]

I would opt for the classes in order to bring a greater wealth of experience.

[Elgama]

If anyone goes to the Temple....be sure to take the Temple Prep classes.....it will help you.....:)

ok just personal and maybe it was my experience but mine were worse than useless.

-Charley

[WillowTheWhisp]

I don't know if this question is permitted but it's something I can't help wondering about. When a couple go through the temple before they are sealed it's the husband who takes his wife through the veil and so he knows her name. I was told that he has to remember that for the day when he takes her through the real veil. So what hapopens when a single woman goes through the temple for herself and then some time later gets married in the temple. Her husband will niot be the one who has taken her through the veil so how will he know her name?

[Hemidakota]

And a white stone is given to each of those who come into the celestial kingdom, whereon is a new name written, which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it. The new name is the key word. [D&C 130:11]

Don't be to concern over this when he will know it in that day whom to call.

[applepansy]

I don't know if this question is permitted but it's something I can't help wondering about. When a couple go through the temple before they are sealed it's the husband who takes his wife through the veil and so he knows her name. I was told that he has to remember that for the day when he takes her through the real veil. So what hapopens when a single woman goes through the temple for herself and then some time later gets married in the temple. Her husband will niot be the one who has taken her through the veil so how will he know her name?

Prior to their sealing ceromony, there is a veil ceremony where the groom takes his bride through the veil.

This happens whenever a woman is endowed prior to the sealing. In some cases, depends on the temple and circumstances, if the bride takes our her endowment within two weeks of the sealing cermony the groom can take her through the veil. However, most of the time there is a separate veil ceremony prior to sealing,

Another circumstance is when both the groom and bride are being endowed the same day, then the groom with take the bride through the veil. Afterwards they are sealed.

applepansy

Edited January 10, 2009 by applepansy

[Palerider]

ok just personal and maybe it was my experience but mine were worse than useless.

-Charley

there have been some that felt that way...you are not alone....I think the teacher makes somewhat of a difference....I feel there are 3 lessons in that manual that are of great importance for anyone going thru for the first time.....:)

[Guest mysticmorini]

this is a very sticky situation, on the one hand the endowment is the pinnacle of religious worship and devotion and as soon as one realizes this they tend to have a great desire to participate in the ordinance. and it doesn't help that unendowed members are sometimes treated as second class citizens albeit inadvertently.

on the other hand, the covenants made in the temple if broken hold much higher consequences and i suppose the church sees young adults who are neither married or going/ gone on missions as people more likely to not keep covenants (very loose logic imho) or even young people in general, as i doubt missionaries would be endowed if it was not commanded in D&C.

[hordak]

Several of my children attended a singles ward, and I've noticed that in the singles ward the bishop much more promotes single women getting their endowment, even if they are not getting married or going on a mission.

I think the practice of young single women not getting endowed came from habtis.... you need to be endowed to serve a mission, and all worthy young men are strongly encouraged to go on a mission, so therefore they are encouraged to receive their endowment. Young women were not very encouraged to go on a mission, because they traditionally had their greatest marriage opportunities then.... so there was no need for them to take out endowments then.

Today that is changing somewhat. More and more women serve missions, not just the "factory rejects" as they were called years ago. So they need to endowment equally with the men serving missions. And the age at which women marry is creeping up. So the idea that they need to wait for marriage is begining to fade away. Which is good, because as a rule women are generally more spiritual than men, and those poor young women who were told to wait were usually much more prepared for the temple that all those young men getting endowments so they could go on a mission!

I think old habits linger greatly in family wards, the changes are much more visible in singles wards.

Sister of Jared

I would agree with everything but this.

[Islander]

There is revelation as well as experience in the process. Young adults require a sense of purpose, urgency and commitment to begin to be ready, in the eyes of the priesthood, to receive the Temple Endowment.

These are sacred ordinances. They can not be suggested as a good idea or "good thing to have" as I have heard some refer to it. It MUST be desired in one's heart y understood. And yes, statistically speaking young adults tend to be less prepared to enter into these covenants.

[Guest mysticmorini]

yes but if the issue is keeping people from breaking covenants why allow anyone who is not either going on a mission of getting married to make them? its been my experience that unendowed members can feel very alienated especially when denied the opportunity to receive the blessings so many of their peers enjoy.

[MarginOfError]

Several of my children attended a singles ward, and I've noticed that in the singles ward the bishop much more promotes single women getting their endowment, even if they are not getting married or going on a mission.

I think the practice of young single women not getting endowed came from habtis.... you need to be endowed to serve a mission, and all worthy young men are strongly encouraged to go on a mission, so therefore they are encouraged to receive their endowment. Young women were not very encouraged to go on a mission, because they traditionally had their greatest marriage opportunities then.... so there was no need for them to take out endowments then.

There is nothing habitual about it. The First Presidency has sent a letter to stake presidents and bishops three times since 2002 stating that members should not receive their endowments in their late teens or early twenties unless they are serving a mission or engaged to be married. This is a matter of policy, not of culture.

Today that is changing somewhat. More and more women serve missions, not just the "factory rejects" as they were called years ago. So they need to endowment equally with the men serving missions. And the age at which women marry is creeping up. So the idea that they need to wait for marriage is begining to fade away.

Nonsense. Men and women receive the endowment when they are married so that they can be sealed and have the blessings of that covenant to begin their life together. It has nothing to do with the average age of marriage.

Which is good, because as a rule women are generally more spiritual than men,

I find this to be patently false

and those poor young women who were told to wait were usually much more prepared for the temple that all those young men getting endowments so they could go on a mission!

That says very little about preparedness to receive the endowment and more about bishops and stake presidents keeping low standards for missionary service.

I think old habits linger greatly in family wards, the changes are much more visible in singles wards.

Sister of Jared

Again, this isn't a matter of habits or culture. It is policy, and there are some good reasons for the policy.

What's more interesting is the major reason for instituting the policy to begin with. The First Presidency made it clear that desire to witness the sealings of siblings or friends was not sufficient reason for a person to receive his or her endowments early. More than likely, that practice started in the singles wards. That is to say, the singles wards started this mess by giving out temple recommends for the wrong reasons.*

i received my endowments last year...but i prepared for it for two years..

one sunday, my stake president told my bishop to give me a temple recommend and i was surprised when he did that.. so my bishop called me in for an interview and we talked about it.. but i felt unprepared for it.. i wasn't going on a mission and i was not getting married so i did not understand why...

so we talked about how to prepare for it... i took two temple preparation classes..one wasn't enough for me to feel prepared...i've attended the temple several times but only for baptisms.. never for my endowment..

before last year's stake temple trip, my bishop called me again for an interview.. and this time i felt ready...

before the endowments though, a temple worker expressed concern why i am getting endowed at such a young age ( i heard the stake presidents were issued a letter that single girls who are not going on missions or are not getting married cannot receive their endowments before age 23)...but that was between me and my bishop...

and so i received my endowment.

No age was ever specified. Any age you hear is likely to be a local interpretation of when "early twenties" ends.

this is a very sticky situation, on the one hand the endowment is the pinnacle of religious worship and devotion and as soon as one realizes this they tend to have a great desire to participate in the ordinance. and it doesn't help that unendowed members are sometimes treated as second class citizens albeit inadvertently.

on the other hand, the covenants made in the temple if broken hold much higher consequences and i suppose the church sees young adults who are neither married or going/ gone on missions as people more likely to not keep covenants (very loose logic imho) or even young people in general, as i doubt missionaries would be endowed if it was not commanded in D&C.

I'd have to contest that statement. The Sealing seems more like it would be the pinnacle of religious worship than the endowment. But, then again, I could argue that worthy acceptance of the Sacrament every week is a better pinnacle than the sealing, even.

Since we've got a parallel thread going elsewhere, and I think it carries well to this discussion, I'll link to it here.

*Just because singles wards annoy me:

Most single members are best served as members of conventional wards. (CHI, 126)

[MarginOfError]

And I'm a putz, cause I'm just now realizing that I'm responding to people that haven't posted in over a year.

[hordak]

And I'm a putz, cause I'm just now realizing that I'm responding to people that haven't posted in over a year.

Haha, i was going to laugh but noticed i did the same thing:doh:

o well, at least i didn't put forth as much effort as you^_^

[Guest mysticmorini]

"I'd have to contest that statement. The Sealing seems more like it would be the pinnacle of religious worship than the endowment. But, then again, I could argue that worthy acceptance of the Sacrament every week is a better pinnacle than the sealing, even."

i'd have to disagree, the sealing is very important but not the pinnacle. the sacrament defiantly is less important (if you can measure the importance of any ordinance) because it is not a saving ordinance.

[MarginOfError]

"I'd have to contest that statement. The Sealing seems more like it would be the pinnacle of religious worship than the endowment. But, then again, I could argue that worthy acceptance of the Sacrament every week is a better pinnacle than the sealing, even."

i'd have to disagree, the sealing is very important but not the pinnacle. the sacrament defiantly is less important (if you can measure the importance of any ordinance) because it is not a saving ordinance.

Well, using your own logic about saving ordinances, one must be endowed before being sealed, and the sealing is also a necessary ordinance. With the endowment being a necessary condition for sealing, you could put sealing above endowment in the hierarchy, which would make it the pinnacle.

Note, sealing to parents doesn't count, because the requirement is to enter into the new and everlasting covenant of marriage, which sealing to parents does not do.

But regardless, the endowment and the sealing are worthless if one does not continually repent and renew his or her baptismal covenants. Failure to worthily take the Sacrament (when the Sacrament is available) renders the temple covenants null and void.

The point being, the pinnacle of our worship is not in a place, nor is it in an ordinance. The pinnacle of our worship and our devotion is in how we live our daily lives. And of that, the Sacrament is the best reflection we have.

[confuzzled]

I was 21 when I rc'd my endowments. I was not going on a mission and I was not getting married. It is a decission not to take lightly and as another poster stated, "with greater knowledge comes greater responsiblity." Pray, fast, and speak w/ your Bishop.