Unendowed temple worship


Guest mysticmorini
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Guest mysticmorini

temple worship for unendowed members has all sorts of negative connotations especially for adults. "limited" use recommends, "youth" temple trip, and the limited nature in which unendowed members can participate.

recently i was involved in the planning of a ward temple trip, we were to do baptism and all other work. as it turned out the local temple no longer does baptism on saturdays (the ward temple trip was to be planned for a saturday) so it was decided that we would do one trip for baptism and two weeks later another trip for endowments and sealings. I listed the Baptism trip as "ward temple trip(baptism)" apparently i was wrong as i was directed by the bishop to change it to "youth temple trip" even though there were several new member and single women members going on the trip. in the name of inclusion and sensitivity i suggested it should not be labeled a "youth" temple trip, however i was shot down. any thoughts?

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Our ward has had an influx of new converts, and the Ward Missionaries take them (and other Endowed members) to the Temple for Baptisms about once every two months. The Youth do NOT go with them on these, although sometimes the new converts do tag along for the Youth trips.

I agree with Wingnut, sounds like a cultural misstep, and not an act of "let's put the unendowed members in their place".

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Guest mysticmorini

i don't think the bishop was trying to "put unendowed member in their place" originally it was to be a ward temple trip and the idea of including unendowed adults was specifically mentioned, that was my reasoning for labeling it "ward temple trip(baptisms)" i tried to explain that it might seem exclusive to use "youth" but the bishop just said "adults can still go" i think he totally missed the point i was raising.

it seems to me that the church in general places unendowed, unmarried adults in second class citizen status, albeit inadvertently.

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Guest mysticmorini

We have an adult temple baptism trip coming up. It was just announced by the bishopric...

I wonder how common these are. I remember reading a recent ensign article where a bishop said he never thought to bring unendowed adults to the temple for baptisms.
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i don't think the bishop was trying to "put unendowed member in their place" originally it was to be a ward temple trip and the idea of including unendowed adults was specifically mentioned, that was my reasoning for labeling it "ward temple trip(baptisms)" i tried to explain that it might seem exclusive to use "youth" but the bishop just said "adults can still go" i think he totally missed the point i was raising.

it seems to me that the church in general places unendowed, unmarried adults in second class citizen status, albeit inadvertently.

As an adult, I most likely would have seen that as a youth only trip and not attended. And then wondered why non-married adults aren't offered the same opportunities as children.

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I think they like to let the youth do baptisms because is gives them a sense of what the temple is all about.

Endowed members tend to participate primarily in washing and anointing, endowment, and sealing ordinances. None of these can happen without the baptism or confirmation first happening. Youth do not attend the temple to observe and test drive. They are on the Lord's errand, participating in His work, fulfilling one of the missions of the Church.

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Endowed members tend to participate primarily in washing and anointing, endowment, and sealing ordinances. None of these can happen without the baptism or confirmation first happening. Youth do not attend the temple to observe and test drive. They are on the Lord's errand, participating in His work, fulfilling one of the missions of the Church.

Exactly. Their work is JUST as important as that of the Endowed members performing the other ordinances. The Spirit is just as present at Temple baptisms as he is at the Endowment sessions.

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Exactly. Their work is JUST as important as that of the Endowed members performing the other ordinances. The Spirit is just as present at Temple baptisms as he is at the Endowment sessions.

I am the YW President in my ward, and I had the opportunity a few weeks ago to chaperone a youth temple trip. We have a very small program, and we drove 7 leaders and 3 youth two-and-a-half hours just to go, but it was so worth it. One of my girls who went is 15 years old. She was baptized when she was 11 or 12, and has been inactive for several years, largely because her family isn't active. She started coming to church (coincidentally) around the same time I was called, at the end of last September. A month ago, she didn't even know what a temple was, or work for the dead. We taught her, the bishop found her worthy to go, and she participated in temple baptisms. It was a more spiritual experience for me than anything I've ever had in the Celestial Room of the temple, to be there with her, as she experienced the joy of doing for others what they are unable to do for themselves. It became what I think will be a life-changing experience for her, and hopefully for her family as well.

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Guest mysticmorini

Exactly. Their work is JUST as important as that of the Endowed members performing the other ordinances. The Spirit is just as present at Temple baptisms as he is at the Endowment sessions.

I think there should really be more emphasis on unendowed adults and baptisms for the dead.
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Endowed members tend to participate primarily in washing and anointing, endowment, and sealing ordinances. None of these can happen without the baptism or confirmation first happening. Youth do not attend the temple to observe and test drive. They are on the Lord's errand, participating in His work, fulfilling one of the missions of the Church.

I don't think that's what was meant. As a youth going to the temple for the first time for baptismal work was a very serious matter to me, and a very spiritual experience.

It was also my first taste of what temple work is all about. While you are correct in stating that we don't observe and test drive temple work, there is a sense of progressive involvement in the Lord's errand. Remember, line upon line, precept upon precept.

I see proxy baptisms as ideal introductory experiences in the temple because the individual has already had their own. They know pretty much what to expect from a physical standpoint. That way the ceremony and the process don't interfere with communication with the Holy Ghost about what they're really accopmlishing.

Once I did get to experience the temple through baptismal work, I was determined to experience the rest of the temple as soon as I was able.

Edited by RipplecutBuddha
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I am the YW President in my ward, and I had the opportunity a few weeks ago to chaperone a youth temple trip. We have a very small program, and we drove 7 leaders and 3 youth two-and-a-half hours just to go, but it was so worth it. One of my girls who went is 15 years old. She was baptized when she was 11 or 12, and has been inactive for several years, largely because her family isn't active. She started coming to church (coincidentally) around the same time I was called, at the end of last September. A month ago, she didn't even know what a temple was, or work for the dead. We taught her, the bishop found her worthy to go, and she participated in temple baptisms. It was a more spiritual experience for me than anything I've ever had in the Celestial Room of the temple, to be there with her, as she experienced the joy of doing for others what they are unable to do for themselves. It became what I think will be a life-changing experience for her, and hopefully for her family as well.

We had a similar experience in our ward with a young man. He and his mom converted, and he was the first one who had a chance to go to the Temple on a youth trip (about a year after his baptism, which was when he was 11). His mom said that when he came home he locked himself in his room and turned on some church music because he wanted to "hold onto the feeling" of being in the Temple. It really lit the fire in his mom to get herself to the Temple as well, seeing his reaction.

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Guest mysticmorini

So how would an endowed couple go about doing baptisms for the dead? I haven't done baptisms for the dead since I was a youth. I would love to go again with my wife. Do we have to wait for a temple trip or can we just go in, like going for an endowment.

depends on the temple, most likely you would have to make an appointment. some temples restrict baptisms to groups. never hurts to call and ask

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I think there should really be more emphasis on unendowed adults and baptisms for the dead.

I would agree, and it is difficult for the few new converts to go surrounded by teens. I would not necessarily say there is a stigma, but it is somewhat uncomfortable and that should not be ignored. Nevertheless the people I have seen go seem to like it. We have discussed having an adults only BFTD session in our branch as a way to ease the discomfort for new adult converts. I will let you know how it goes.

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So how would an endowed couple go about doing baptisms for the dead? I haven't done baptisms for the dead since I was a youth. I would love to go again with my wife. Do we have to wait for a temple trip or can we just go in, like going for an endowment.

Ask your Temple and if you take your own names you can ask if your family can do the Baptisms for them....I have seen that done alot.
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I think there should really be more emphasis on unendowed adults and baptisms for the dead.

In the area where I live they do put emphasis on this now as part of the progression after baptism. This is coming thru the Mission we live in. They also encourage the new convert to do Family History and take the names to the Temple.

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Guest mysticmorini

Thanks! We have to call the temple anyway beause my wife left her necklace there.

maybe thats why they say not to wear jewelry or watches to the temple, too many lost and found calls.
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Guest mysticmorini

In the area where I live they do put emphasis on this now as part of the progression after baptism. This is coming thru the Mission we live in. They also encourage the new convert to do Family History and take the names to the Temple.

I thought it was systemic of the church as a whole, but its possible its just my area. come to think about it my ward sucks at doing temple work in general.
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Guest mysticmorini

I would agree, and it is difficult for the few new converts to go surrounded by teens. I would not necessarily say there is a stigma, but it is somewhat uncomfortable and that should not be ignored. Nevertheless the people I have seen go seem to like it. We have discussed having an adults only BFTD session in our branch as a way to ease the discomfort for new adult converts. I will let you know how it goes.

thats great to hear, i wish it was like that in my area. I've expressed my feelings about this to the powers that be a couple times but they don't seem to understand why you wouldn't want the youth to go as well. guess it might be a lost cause.

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