Questions About Temple Service...

[GNews4BadTimes]

Is it required once you become a member of the church that you have to participate in the temple rituals? Are they related to the Book of Mormon and the Sacraments? Can someone describe what to expect when they go to a temple? Finally, does one have to go to the temple located in your stake to do these things or can they be performed in any temple if your a member in good standing? Thanks for helping me clear up my confusion!

:)

[Connie]

The below is from this resource put out by the First Presidency: LDS.org - Family Table of Contents - True to the Faith

“Temples,” True to the Faith, (2004),170–74

Temples are literally houses of the Lord. They are holy places of worship where the Lord may visit. Only the home can compare with temples in sacredness.

Throughout history, the Lord has commanded His people to build temples. Today the Church is heeding the Lord’s call to build temples all over the world, making temple blessings more available for a great number of our Heavenly Father’s children.

Ordinances for the Living

The principal purpose of temples is to provide the ordinances necessary for our exaltation in the celestial kingdom. Temple ordinances lead to the greatest blessings available through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. All we do in the Church—our meetings and activities, our missionary efforts, the lessons we teach and the hymns we sing—should point us to the Savior and the work we do in holy temples.

One ordinance we receive in the temple is the endowment. The word endowment means “gift,” and the temple endowment truly is a gift from God. The ordinance consists of a series of instructions and includes covenants we make to live righteously and comply with the requirements of the gospel. The endowment helps us focus on the Savior, His role in our Heavenly Father’s plan, and our commitment to follow Him.

Another temple ordinance is celestial marriage, in which husband and wife are sealed to one another for eternity. A sealing performed in the temple continues forever if the husband and wife are faithful to the covenants they make.

Children born to parents who have been sealed in the temple are born in the covenant. These children automatically become part of an eternal family. Children who are not born in the covenant can also become part of an eternal family once their natural or adoptive parents have been sealed to one another. The ordinance of sealing children to parents is performed in the temple.

If you have received temple ordinances, always remember the covenants you have made. Return to the temple as often as you can. If you are a father or mother, teach your children the significance of the temple. Help them prepare themselves to be worthy to enter the temple.

If you have not yet received temple ordinances, begin preparing yourself now. As circumstances allow, attend the temple to participate in baptisms and confirmations for the dead.

Ordinances for the Dead

People who have died without essential gospel ordinances may receive those ordinances through the work done in temples. You may do this work in behalf of your ancestors and others who have died. Acting for them, you can be baptized and confirmed, receive the endowment, and participate in the sealings of husband to wife and children to parents.

You should actively search for the records of your deceased ancestors so temple work can be performed for them.

For more information about temple work for the dead and family history work, see “Family History Work and Genealogy,” pages 61–64.

Worthiness to Enter the Temple

To enter the temple, you must be worthy. You certify your worthiness in two interviews—one with a member of your bishopric or your branch president and another with a member of your stake presidency or the mission president. Your priesthood leaders will keep these interviews private and confidential. In each of the interviews, the priesthood leader will ask you about your personal conduct and worthiness. You will be asked about your testimony of Heavenly Father and the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and you will be asked whether you support the general and local leaders of the Church. You will be asked to confirm that you are morally clean and that you keep the Word of Wisdom, pay a full tithe, live in harmony with the teachings of the Church, and do not maintain any affiliation or sympathy with apostate groups.

If you give acceptable answers to the questions in the interviews and if you and your priesthood leaders are satisfied that you are worthy to enter the temple, you will receive a temple recommend. You and your priesthood leaders will sign the recommend, which will allow you to enter the temple for the next two years, as long as you remain worthy.

Temple recommend interviews offer a great opportunity for you to examine your worthiness and the pattern of your life. If anything is amiss in your life, arrange to speak with your bishop or branch president well in advance of your temple recommend interview. He will be able to help you prepare yourself to be worthy of a temple recommend.

Temple Clothing

When you go to the temple, you should wear your best clothing, as you do when you attend church. When you are inside the temple, you exchange your clothing for the white clothing of the temple. This change of clothing takes place in a dressing room, where you use a locker and a private dressing space. In the temple, modesty is carefully maintained.

As you put your clothing in the locker, you can leave all your worldly distractions behind. Dressed in white, you can feel a oneness and a sense of equality with others in the temple, for everyone around you is similarly dressed.

Wearing the Temple Garment

Once you are endowed, you have the blessing of wearing the temple garment throughout your life. You are obligated to wear it according to the instructions given in the endowment. Remember that the blessings that are related to this sacred privilege depend on your worthiness and your faithfulness in keeping temple covenants.

The garment provides a constant reminder of the covenants you have made in the temple. You should treat it with respect at all times. You should not expose it to the view of those who do not understand its significance, and you should not adjust it to accommodate different styles of clothing. When you wear it properly, it provides protection against temptation and evil. Wearing the garment is an outward expression of an inward commitment to follow the Savior.

Blessings from Attending the Temple

In addition to being a place where sacred priesthood ordinances are performed, the temple is a place of peace and revelation. When you are troubled or when crucial decisions weigh heavily on your mind, you may take your cares to the temple. There you can receive spiritual guidance.

Sometimes you may feel that you cannot think clearly because your mind is so burdened with problems and the many things clamoring for attention. In the temple, the dust of these distractions can settle, the fog and haze can lift, and you can understand things that you have not understood before. You can find new ways to deal with the challenges you face.

The Lord will bless you as you attend to the sacred ordinance work in the temple. And the blessings He gives you will not be limited to your time in the temple. He will bless you in all aspects of your life. Your labors in the temple will strengthen you and refine you spiritually.

Additional references: Isaiah 2:1–3; D&C 88:119; 109; 110; 124:39–41

[Connie]

Is it required once you become a member of the church that you have to participate in the temple rituals?

No. As stated in above, one does have to be worthy, however.

Are they related to the Book of Mormon and the Sacraments?

They are related to the gospel.

Can someone describe what to expect when they go to a temple?

You can expect to make covenants with God and get some pretty amazing blessings/promises in return. The one thing my mother told me before i went that helped the absolute most was: There is always someone there to help you along.

Finally, does one have to go to the temple located in your stake to do these things or can they be performed in any temple if your a member in good standing? Thanks for helping me clear up my confusion!

:)

Any temple, i think, although i might venture to say it is encouraged to attend the one over your area.

Edited March 11, 2009 by Connie

[Hemidakota]

Let me re-answered that question: Is it required once you become a member of the church that you have to participate in the temple rituals?

When you are ready for the next step in your mortal salvation and to be edified by the Godhead in living with HIM for ever, make preparation in receiving your temple ordinances. It is the next to the last step [sealing of Marriage] that is required in this life in entering into the highest degree of glory where our GOD and HIS beloved Son resides. Summarize this question into one word, the answer is YES.

[tubaloth]

Is it required once you become a member of the church that you have to participate in the temple rituals?

It is required in the since it for your salvation (like baptism) but WHEN you do it is up to you. Just as you weren’t forced to be baptized until you were ready, you aren’t required to attend the temple until you are ready.

Are they related to the Book of Mormon and the Sacraments?

They are more related to Abraham and Moses (found in the pearl of great price).

Can someone describe what to expect when they go to a temple?

You learn about the creation and Adam’s fall. Because Adam fell, we learn the covenants that Adam made to be able to return to the presents of God. Most of all of is symbolic. (like a lot of the gospel is). There are parts that can seem strange, but ones the symbolism is learned, it makes sense. But don’t expect to learn it all the first time. It takes many many years to learn all the temple has to teach us about our own journey through life.

Finally, does one have to go to the temple located in your stake to do these things or can they be performed in any temple if your a member in good standing?

Each stake is part of a temple district. That temple stats (how many people attend) is reflected on those in that given area. You can “take out” our endowments at any temple you just have to let them know. But usually the first time you take out your endowments at YOUR temple. After you have taken out your endowments every time you go to the temple after that you do work for the dead. (You do the same ceremony, just for somebody that has past on). But like it was stated, you have a chaperon of your choosing that walks you through all the different places in the temple.

[bytebear]

I just want to remind visitors that temples are not chapels, and everyone, member or not, is welcome to Sunday services (as well as interweek activities) that are held at chapels. I sometimes find that people think temples are for weekly worship service and that they are not allowed and therefor are afraid to visit a local chapel for fear of being turned away. So, please visit your local chapel and you will be welcomed warmly.

[Snirilla]

i understand you can also go to a temple just to pray or feel the presence of God?

Are there separate rooms for private praying and pondering, and for all the different ceremonies, so these two groups dont "disturb" each other?

i see on many temples homepages that there is endowment ceremonies all the time, every day, so when and where do people go to pray in private?

[skippy740]

I think of the temple as the "university of the Lord". It is a place of learning. That being said, you can pray in your mind and in your heart during ordinances. After the endowment and you are in the Celestial Room, you can ponder and pray.

There are no private rooms for prayer. Nor is it appropriate to vocalize a prayer or be on your knees in the Celestial Room. The Celestial Room is to symbolize being with God and Christ... and to feel the joy of the spirit there. To me, that's most important - to feel the spirit of the temple in the Celestial Room.

[Snirilla]

so in what rooms are the ceremonies taking place? do you mean the celestial room is just for private prayers?

[Jason_J]

so in what rooms are the ceremonies taking place? do you mean the celestial room is just for private prayers?

Snirilla, I think these links will be helpful to you:

Mormon Temple Rituals | LDS Temples - What Happens in Temples

Inside the Temple

The Celestial Room is where the Endowment ordinance/ceremony ends. The Celestial Room symbolizes the Celestial Kingdom, where God dwells. The Celestial Room is for quiet prayer and pondering (and the Celestial Room in the Manhattan New York Temple also has scriptures for reading, not sure if all temples have scriptures, as I read something that said otherwise, but that may be outdated). Loud talking is not permitted, so if you're talking to someone it should be in hushed tones.

Edited February 28, 2012 by Jason_J

[Snirilla]

Ok, but if the celestial room is both where the ceremonies end and where people go to pray - dont they disturb eachother? People in robes perfoming ceremonies and peoploe praying privately dont seem to be a good mix? how does it work?

[Dravin]

Ok, but if the celestial room is both where the ceremonies end and where people go to pray - dont they disturb eachother? People in robes perfoming ceremonies and peoploe praying privately dont seem to be a good mix? how does it work?

Ends as in that is where people gather to contemplate the ordinance they have just completed. Not ends as in the final portions of the ordinance are being concluded there.

Edited February 28, 2012 by Dravin

[Snirilla]

Ah i see, thank you, so there is no conflict there then. What about the other ordinance rooms, they are not meant for private prayers? Only for different stages of the ceremonies?

[applepansy]

Ah i see, thank you, so there is no conflict there then. What about the other ordinance rooms, they are not meant for private prayers? Only for different stages of the ceremonies?

As was said previously in the thread, private prayers can happen anywhere. There isn't a conflict as I'm sitting quietly, praying and pondering what the spirit is teaching.

[Snirilla]

As was said previously in the thread, private prayers can happen anywhere. There isn't a conflict as I'm sitting quietly, praying and pondering what the spirit is teaching.

Oh, so you can pray privately in the other ordinance rooms too? Or is celestial the most common to pray in? Sorry i'm not LDS, (but i am curious), but i have very hard to grasp exactly how things work in the temple, maybe it's obvious for you but not for me, and i get so different answers depending on who i ask...

i got the impression from dravins answer that the celstial room is where everybody prays? and that the other rooms were for stages in the rituals?

[Jason_J]

Oh, so you can pray privately in the other ordinance rooms too? Or is celestial the most common to pray in? Sorry i'm not LDS, (but i am curious), but i have very hard to grasp exactly how things work in the temple, maybe it's obvious for you but not for me, and i get so different answers depending on who i ask...

i got the impression from dravins answer that the celstial room is where everybody prays? and that the other rooms were for stages in the rituals?

Ok, so I actually just got back home from the temple. Yes, you can pray privately anywhere in the temple. Most importantly, the Celestial Room is a quite room where no other ordinances are happening, and it symbolizes the presence of God, so it is a great room for prayer and reflection, and that's what people do there. In the other rooms, other things are going on, such as baptisms, the endowment, etc., so yes, you can still privately pray and reflect during those ordinances (and I was doing that today), but the Celestial Room is ideal for this as it is quiet, in comparison to the other rooms.

[Snirilla]

Thanks Jason J, very informative, i think i finally am starting to understand how it works :)

So is it never awkward for you or them to be in the same room? Like, those ceremonies maybe are a "private" thing and they don't want strangers around? You can just walk in to rooms where they are doing those stuff? Come and go as you please in all rooms?

[Vort]

Snirilla, here's how you can get exact answers to your questions:

• Invite the LDS missionaries to teach you the discussions.
• Read the Book of Mormon and pray to know the truthfulness of its doctrines and of what the missionaries teach you.
• Get baptized and confirmed a member of God's kingdom.
• Attend your meetings diligently for a year, pay your tithing, and keep yourself morally clean while you grow spiritually.
• Ask your bishop for a temple recommend to recieve your endowment.
• Go to the temple.

There you go! A foolproof plan.

[Just_A_Guy]

Thanks Jason J, very informative, i think i finally am starting to understand how it works :)

So is it never awkward for you or them to be in the same room? Like, those ceremonies maybe are a "private" thing and they don't want strangers around? You can just walk in to rooms where they are doing those stuff? Come and go as you please in all rooms?

I hope you'll allow me to make sure you understand one crucial point: Individuals who pray in the temple do so silently, without vocalizing anything. It would be no more awkward for me to say a silent prayer during an endowment session, than for a congregant in another Christian church to say a silent prayer during the pastor's sermon.

Temple rituals are linear in nature, rather like a mass or (to put it crudely) a movie: you go in at the beginning, you stay until the end, and if lots of people are going in and out it becomes a tremendous distraction. So ordinance room doors are generally kept closed when the rooms are in use, and intentionally wandering into an occupied room would be considered extremely poor form.

And I second Vort's suggestion: the best way to know what goes on in a temple is to embark on the spiritual journey that Mormonism offers so that you can one day experience a Mormon temple for yourself. Barring that, if you ever get an opportunity to attend an open house at a newly constructed/renovated LDS temple--by all means, take it.

[Snirilla]

Ok thanks for all your answers everyone!

[RipplecutBuddha]

Is it required once you become a member of the church that you have to participate in the temple rituals?

Temple attendance is left entirely to the individual, however new members are encouraged to obtain a temple recommend around one year after baptism. One of the main goals of the LDS Church is to 'perfect the saints'. This means getting every member possible worthy to attend the temple for their ordinances.

Are they related to the Book of Mormon and the Sacraments?

The ordinances themselves are based upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Every part of them would be familiar to anyone well acquanited with Christ's ministry as recorded in the New Tesament. Everything in the temple is connected to Christ and his wonderous Atonement, and the attendant blessings for humble obedience to the doctrines and principles he taught.

Can someone describe what to expect when they go to a temple?

The temple is not what most people expect. Rather than large rooms, such as Catholic Cathederals, or even the chapels found in local LDS meetinghouses, the temples are divided in to several smaller rooms, each with their own function. In other words, the temple is a utilitarian building, set up to accomplish very important work.

The temple is a place that uses a lot of symbolism, not only in the ordinances, but often in the very construction of the building. For instance, when people attend the temple they change into clothing that is all white. This is to represent our hope in spiritual cleanliness before God, but it also represents the fact that all are equally important to God. In attending the temple, one could be a fast-food manager sitting next to an appeals court justice, or a kindergarten teacher, or a plumber.

Usually to attend the temple one dresses as they would to attend church. Once inside the attendees would change to all white clothing in private locker rooms. Inside the temple is a quiet place, and a very strong spiritual feeling is common. There are many attendants thorughout the building to assist with questions or directions on where to go.

The temple is usually found to be a spiritually refreshing place where one can truly rest from the cares of the world and focus upon spiritual things. For me it is an amazing experience that can't be described completely without actually being there. I always feel much better leaving a temple than I did going in, no matter how good I feel to begin with.

Finally, does one have to go to the temple located in your stake to do these things or can they be performed in any temple if your a member in good standing?

When the youth go on temple trips, or outings where the youth go to peform proxy baptisms and ordinations, they are expected to attend the temple assigned to their stake. Also when people submit temple ordinances to be done for family members, it is encouraged that they also use the temple assigned to the stake, though I don't know that it's a hard and fast rule.

After one has gone through the temple for their own ordinances they can go through the ordinances again on behalf of people who have passed on without having the opportunity to do so themselves during their lives. This can be done at any temple so long as they posess a vaid and current temple recommend. No appointment is needed for the larger temples. The smaller temples are typically open for the needs of the stakes assigned to them, so a call ahead to make sure there's room is usually a good idea.

As for going through the temple for the first time for one's self, or to be sealed to their spouse, any temple desired is acceptable, so long as the paperwork is submitted in advance so the staff can prepare and schedule for the event. Each temple has a phone number for further information.

Edited March 2, 2012 by RipplecutBuddha