Temple/Endowment Issues

[classylady]

As a missionary testifying to the truthfulness of Joseph Smith seeing God the Father and Jesus Christ is serious business. I know that when I went out into the mission field, I had to strengthen my testimony. As a missionary, I needed to testify in the name of Jesus Christ on the First Vision, Joseph Smith, the Plan of Salvation, and other gospel principles.  This is serious. One should not be testifying in the name of Jesus Christ to something they do not believe. I'm so grateful I received a witness to the truthfulness of the Gospel. I'm so grateful I was able to share my testimony with others. I'm so grateful for those I served with. I'm so grateful for the Church, and what it means in my every day life. And with the Church, there is the Temple--the House of the Lord. I'm so grateful to know that my family can be eternal. Especially after having a daughter die in a car accident, the knowledge of eternal life is precious. What other church teaches us of eternal families and our divine nature? None, that I'm aware of.

[lds-convert-sw]

Joseph Smith didn't "make" a church or religion. He was the instrument by which the Gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to the Earth. He restored the Church, but he didn't "make" one.

Silhouette, Yep, you're right of course. Joseph Smith didn't "make" a religion, but it often 'seems' to be that way, because the order of things was restored, after it didn't exist for 1800 years. Regarding the original poster's worry about his testimony being shaken and the temple endowment session disturbing him... Go talk to the temple president, all of them I have known are wonderful, kind, loving men. He will help you. I was baptized 6 years ago, and just recently have I come to a better understanding of the temple endowment session, and felt that it is a blessed experience. Now, it might have taken me so long because I have issues (anxiety, etc) that prevented me from truly enjoying the experience. Now I can't get to the temple enough. One thing to keep on mind is: Don't worry about having all the answers right now. The temple is different, it doesn't have (nor should it have) a manual laying out the whole thing, and the reasons behind everything. I learn something new every time I go. Also, life experience helps. What I mean is, as you grow in life and life circumstances burden you, as they surely will, the temple becomes the one place you are truly "at home". But that's just my perspective. Oh, one more thing, about Testimony. Again, just my perspective... don't worry about having a Rock Solid, All Knowing, Without Doubt Testimony. It takes time. Do you believe in Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, & the Holy Ghost? Do you believe Jesus came down to Earth to redeem us? Do you believe in the scriptures and have a good (masters degree level not needed) understanding and belief in the Book of Mormon? Do you want to learn and study and grow your knowledge? Yep? Then I say, go on your mission. From all I understand, the mission, while it's main goal is indeed to bring people to the true gospel, a secondary thing that happens is... The Elder or Sister on the mission Grows Up and becomes wiser overall. It sets a strong life foundation.

[Macattack]

Train as a vail worker and understand why there has to be that exactness.

The reason why we are taught to perform ordinances with exactness is not for brain washing.

A big reason is so it is easier for patrons to feel the spirit. I will give an example without going into specifics.

There are two ordinance works, worker "X" and worker "Y". If worker " X" were to perform ordinance "A" different then worker "Y" then thebpatrpon would pay attention to way worker "X" performs ordinance "A" and would lose focus on the spirit that prevails in the temple.

Also this why correcting patrons when they are performing ordinances is usually frowned upon ( or at least should be) A good rule I used is correct once, and if they do it wrong again simply move on.

OP it sounds like were eluding to being corrected multiple times. were you corrected a lot during your endowment?

[Macattack]

Train as a vail worker and understand why there has to be that exactness.

The reason why we are taught to perform ordinances with exactness is not for brain washing.

A big reason is so it is easier for patrons to feel the spirit. I will give an example without going into specifics.

There are two ordinance works, worker "X" and worker "Y". If worker " X" were to perform ordinance "A" different then worker "Y" then the patron would pay attention to way worker "X" performs ordinance "A" and would lose focus on the spirit that prevails in the temple.

Also this why correcting patrons when they are performing ordinances is usually frowned upon ( or at least should be) A good rule I used is correct once, and if they do it wrong again simply move on.

OP it sounds like were eluding to being corrected multiple times. were you corrected a lot during your endowment?

Edited November 24, 2014 by Macattack

[Twisted_Fairytales]

I felt EXACTLY the same way Carter. All I can say is you need to address this issue somehow or it will get away at you and possibly get worse as far as the church goes. From what you've said I think gaining a testimony is the most important thing for you here. If you feel the Church is true and a mission is the right thing then go. That feeling will transcend your reservations about the temple. I've doubted for years and still have doubts, but I was so fed up that one day I prayed and begged God to tell me if the church was true so I could move forward in the church. I got that confirmation that the church wad where I needed to be. I still have questions as we all do but I can get over it a bit more now. This was almost 10 years in the making, believe me I've walked up and down that road 1000 times. Pm me if you want to ask me anything else.

[Saul Hudson]

Carter,

 

One of the first shocks of the temple is that it is nothing like our regular worship services. The temple is very ritualistic. If you have been LDS your whole life, then you've never experienced a very ritualistic way of worship before. Frankly, I don't think the church does a very good job in preparing us for it either. A temple preparation class just gives some scriptures and glosses over some of the topics, speaking very abstractly about the temple, but they do nothing to prepare someone for the drastic change in worship style. Then as things rush along, you are not able to stop it or ask questions, but are expected to move right along. So with all that, it is no wonder quite a few people finish their first time with complete bewilderment.

 

But, rest assured, the temple endowment has been practiced by all the people of God in ancient times as well as now. It is so drastically different than any other worship service and there is a reason for that. But we are the only ones who have it and there are deep meanings behind it all, which take years of thought to comprehend. Stick with it. It is actually good that it aroused deep feelings in your soul. The are there for a reason.

 

And LOL to those talking about brainwashing. Aren't you the same ones who force your kids to say please and thank you, make them share their toys, etc.  Is that not brainwashing?

[Finrock]

The whole duration while I was there, I had the worst feeling, and felt like nothing I was doing was right. While it all made sense to me and I understood everything, nothing felt like it was the right thing to do and that I shouldn't be there. But I went through with it anyway, due to the sheer amount of pressure placed upon me from my family and friends, and even my teacher that was getting get endowments at the same time...

What should I do...?

 

Good Afternoon carter_kun. I hope you are donig well!

 

If you decided to go through the temple and take covenants even though you had reservations and you did it because you felt pressured, then I can understand why you felt bad. You should only go to the temple if you want to go. You should only take the covenants if you want to take them. You shouldn't do it if you feel pressured.

 

I think you should be honest about your feelings but at the same time you need to also recognize that you don't understand everything about the temple, despite what you claim! =) In any case, if you felt pressured in to doing something you really didn't want to do, well, then that is the problem. Figure out why you didn't want to go to the temple in the first place? Why did you feel pressured? Why did you do it even though you had reservations?

 

Some things to think about...

 

-Finrock

[Vort]

Did a temple session this morning. What a beautiful thing it was. I love the endowment presentation.

[Laniston]

My first experience in the temple was very awkward for me.  As others have mentioned, there were a lot of unknowns.  The temple preparation class was nice and all but it didn't answer any of the questions I had, most of which focused on the practical.  Here I had been ordering the clothing and there were items on the list that did not have pictures or explanations.  No one would/could tell me what was actually going to occur (which I understand better now but at the time this only frustrated me further).  ((Incidentally I was pleased to see the new video from the church about temple garments. That video would have helped me since they actually show the temple clothing and explain the point of them)).

 

What kept me going, was my testimony of the truth of the gospel, of the restoration, of the book of mormon, of Joseph Smith, of President Hinckley (when I went he was the president of the church), and of the saviour.  This testimony is the foundation every member or prospective member needs in order to accept what is being taught in the LDS church.  If you don't have a testimony it becomes very difficult to hold to that iron rod.  Consider the disciples of Christ in the new testament, who upon hearing Christ instruct them that salvation could be had only by eating Christ's flesh and drinking Christ's blood, were so shocked that many turned away and would no longer follow him.  When asked if the apostles would also leave all they could say was they had no where else to go, because they knew Christ had the words of life.  Only their testimonies sustained them through what for them was also a very alarming experience.

 

Later, at the last supper when Christ handed them bread and said it was his body, and wine as his blood, were their faith and perseverance rewarded with understanding.  Suddenly the very odd and shocking statements must have seemed so simple and clear.

 

It sounds to me from your language that you went into the temple with a weak testimony.  This isn't to say that you are a bad mormon or you shouldn't have gone.  I am not the bishop or stake president who interviewed you and signed the recommend.  You also were given every opportunity to leave both before and during the temple ceremony, but I understand feeling pressure.  All of this is very normal, but it doesn't mean that the church isn't true or the temple endowment isn't a beautiful and spiritually uplifting thing.  It sounds more like you weren't properly prepared, and by keeping your feelings to yourself it made that lack of preparation worse.  The choice you have to make now is are you willing to do the work to find out if the church is true? If the book of mormon is scripture? If Joseph Smith is a prophet?  The endowment was revealed to Joseph Smith.  If Joseph is a prophet then the endowment is of God and you can be sure that what you are feeling is not the spirit telling you that the temple isn't good.  If you can gain that foundational testimony, then you will be able to bear all the very different experiences that the temple offers. 

 

And just as an aside, I met a man who had traded his activity in the church for a buddhist lifestyle.  I have nothing against Buddhism, but it is not a replacement for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It has no power to save, though it teaches many good and wonderful things.  He told me that he had, through meditation, also felt just as spiritual as attending the temple.

 

The key difference, which I didn't realize until later, is that while meditation might be spiritual to him, it wasn't giving him the tools he needed to reach exaltation in the next life.  Also, as we go to the temple only for ourselves the first time, subsequent visits are done for the dead.  As much as this man might meditate, he was doing no service for his dead ancestors.  Worse still he was leading his family away from God, though under the pretense of something spiritual and good.

 

Everyone struggles in this church.  I applaud you for talking about it.