The endowment ceremony performed in Mormon temples (of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) is the subject of curiousity by many friends of other faiths.  In reality, it is a peaceful and sacred ritual repeated many times daily in LDS Temples around the world.  The endowment ceremony is partly shown on film and partly recited.  It is always the same and takes about ninety minutes to complete.  Most temples have several endowment rooms, which look like small auditoriums, but decorated in light and heavenly hues.  Endowment sessions usually are scheduled every 20 to 30 minutes.  A temple patron performs an endowment ceremony once for himself or herself.  Thereafter, he or she performs the ceremony by proxy for a deceased ancestor.  The ordinances and covenants performed there can be accepted or rejected by the dead.  (See Doctrine and Covenants, Section 138.)

An “endowment” is a gift.  The Mormon endowment is a gift of peace, power, and protection from God as a reward for making and keeping covenants.  “An endowment is a gift of knowledge—a series of instructions and covenants—that enable participants to leave the House of the Lord and walk from day to day with God’s Spirit and an increase in spiritual strength and direction.” [1] 

Instruction given during the Mormon endowment ceremony relates to God’s eternal “Plan of Salvation.”  The plan of salvation centers on the atonement of Jesus Christ.  The fall of Adam is seen by Mormons as an integral part of God’s plan.  Yet, because of the fall of Adam, we live in a “lone and dreary world” where men are carnal and need to be lifted spiritually.  Much is said about Latter-day Saints’ emphasis on works, but no one can save himself.  God’s grace is necessary, not only to save us, but to help us on a daily basis.  By reviewing God’s plan for us, we can see how we can progress to be more like Him.

Progression is the idea behind God’s Plan of Salvation.  We continually strive to keep God’s commandments more fully, beginning with a seed of faith that helps us to be kinder, and to sacrifice material things for spiritual progress.  In the temple, during the endowment ceremony, Mormons make a series of covenants and participate in ordinances meant to lead us to the point where we are centrally focused on God’s kingdom and doing God’s will.

The covenants that Mormons make during the endowment ceremony are not secret.  But they are sacred, and Mormons do not discuss them outside the holy place, not even with other Mormons who have been through the temple.  These covenants can only be described outside of the temple in general terms, as is done here by James E. Talmage:

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 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.

No jot, iota, or tittle of the temple rites is otherwise than uplifting and sanctifying. In every detail the endowment ceremony contributes to covenants of morality of life, consecration of person to high ideals, devotion to truth…and allegiance to God. (James E. Talmage, The House of the Lord, p. 84)

Temple Clothing

Mormons arrive at temples wearing “Sunday best” clothing.  Once inside the temple, they change into white clothing, representing purity before God.  All are equal in the temple.  It is impossible to tell how rich or poor a person is, or what the person’s vocation might be.  (The illustration at right is an example of what a female member of the Church might wear during the endowment ceremony.)

After a person has performed the endowment ceremony for himself or herself, he or she wears a “temple garment” under everyday clothing.  The temple garment is very similar to the Jewish symbolic undergarment (the tzitzit).  A Jewish tzitzit has tassels that are knotted to represent the 613 commandments of the Law of Moses.  The Mormon garment has small symbols interwoven to represent the covenants made in the temple.  These symbols remind the person that he or she has made commitments to God to live an honorable life and to keep the commandments of Christ.

The world tends to hold temple garments in derision, which is highly unfortunate.  Many of the world’s religions, if not all, have special clothing for special occasions, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is no different.  Many Christians wear jewelry displaying a crucifix to remind them of the sacrifice Christ made for them.  Wearing a necklace with a cross shows the world that the person is a believer.  The Mormon temple garment reminds the wearer that he or she has covenanted with Christ to live as He has commanded.  For a Mormon to keep temple covenants is to live innocently, to be kind, to help the poor, to be chaste and honest, and to be temperate in all things.

An endowment room in the Oquirrh Temple

Because temples are sacred, and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints speak very little about what goes on inside, people are curious about the rooms and activities inside Mormon temples.  Open houses are held before temples are dedicated and sanctified as houses of the Lord.  Thousands attend these open houses to tour and learn about Mormon temples.  However, many people will never have that opportunity.  This article will be a mini-tour of the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Mormon Temple, which opened summer, 2009.  We’ll begin outside the temple, at the main entrance.

On the exterior of the temple are engraved the words “Holiness to the Lord.”  The gardens are meant to inspire and bless those who walk through them, and anyone is invited to do so.  The Lord’s spirit can be felt in these gardens, but even more so inside the temple.  Atop the temple spire is a statue of the Angel Moroni.  Moroni was the last prophet to write in the Book of Mormon.  He visited Joseph Smith as a resurrected being and informed Joseph that the time had fully come when the words of Malachi would be fulfilled; that is, that the hearts of the children would turn to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children.  This is the purpose of temples: to bind families together for eternity in the kingdom of God.

When one enters the temple, there is a spacious entry area with a waiting room, and sometimes a quiet room where families with young children can wait without disturbing others.  There is usually a stairway downstairs to the baptistry from here.  As one proceeds to enter the temple, there is a recommend desk, where one’s temple recommend is checked.  The recommend is a small slip of paper certifying that the member has been interviewed by his or her bishop and stake president and found worthy to attend the temple.  Mormons who are temple-worthy are active in their congregations and serve in their callings (or voluntary service positions) as they are asked by their leaders.  They pay a full tithe (10% of one’s income) and live the “Word of Wisdom” by avoiding the use of tobacco, alcohol, coffee, and tea.  They are morally clean and honest in their dealings with their fellow men.

As one passes by the recommend desk, there is usually another waiting area.  Past this area are dressing rooms (one for men and one for women), a “family file” office to help visitors with preparing family names for temple ordinances, and a desk with temple clothing available to those who need it.  In all these areas, there are temple workers dressed in white, who volunteer their time to help the patrons (members) who come to the temple.

When a patron arrives to perform an “endowment,” he or she goes first to the dressing room to change into white clothing, and then to an endowment room, which is like a very small auditorium.  There, the story of the creation is recounted and instruction is given to enable those attending to feel God’s love and empowering spirit in their lives.  Those taking part make covenants to keep the commandments of God and to follow the Savior Jesus Christ.

Sometimes endowment rooms, sealing rooms and offices are upstairs, and there is a staircase (and elevators) for access to those rooms.  An endowment session takes about 90 minutes, and in most temples a session begins every 30 minutes.  This depends on how many patrons typically attend, and how many endowment rooms there are.  Some temples open very early in the morning to accommodate patrons’ schedules, and some even stay open very late at night on occasion.

Endowment room

This photograph is taken from the front of an endowment room.   An officiator stands behind the altar, facing the seated patrons.  Behind him is a small movie screen for instructional purposes, and a curtain, through which one may enter the celestial room of the temple.  Entering the celestial room is the culmination of the endowment, and is symbolic of entering the kingdom of God.

The celestial room is traditionally the most beautiful room in the temple.  There, patrons can sit and pray or meditate.  The spirit in the celestial room is the most peaceful, tranquil, and holy of any place on earth.

Baptism for the Dead

Oquirrh Temple Baptistry

People who arrive prepared to do baptisms for the dead, go downstairs to the baptistry.  The baptistry has its own recommend desk.  Children over 12 years old can participate in this ordinance by acting as proxies for their deceased ancestors.  They receive “limited-use recommends” from their bishops to gain entrance to the baptistry.  A recommend to enter the baptistry therefore might not qualify a patron to enter the main parts of the temple.

The baptismal font is usually below ground, because baptism by immersion represents death and rebirth.  Patrons change into white baptismal clothing in the baptistry dressing rooms.  The baptismal font is designed according to ancient temple custom, upon the backs of twelve oxen, representing the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

Weddings

Weddings are performed in Mormon temples, but the vows are not “’till death do us part.”  Temple “sealings,” as they are called, are meant to be eternal.  Temple weddings are very beautiful.  The bride and groom make an appointment to have their sealing ceremony performed.  Temples have more than one sealing room, and they vary in size, so it’s necessary to reserve one that will accommodate all the guests.  Guests who wish to attend temple sealings must also have temple recommends to attend.  Guests wear Sunday-best clothes and are ushered into a marriage waiting room prior to the ceremony.

Oquirrh Temple Sealing Room

When the bride and groom enter the temple, they are greeted and given instruction by a member of the temple presidency.  Then, they are guided to special dressing rooms.  The bride’s dressing room is especially lovely.  There, she dons the dress she’ll wear for the sealing ceremony.  Some brides choose to wear a wedding dress for the sealing, while others wear a more simple white dress.  The bride can leave her street clothes and cosmetics in the dressing room.

After the sealing, the bride and groom return to their dressing rooms.  If the bride has chosen to wear a simpler dress for the sealing, she now changes into her bridal gown for photographs.  This is also the case if the bride has chosen a gown that is not pure white.  She wears a white dress for the sealing and then changes into her gown for photographs and the reception.  The family goes outside to wait for the bride and groom to exit the temple.  The family then gathers for photographs in the temple gardens.  It’s a festive occasion for everyone.

For information and Mormon news about the dedication of the San Salvador El Salvador Mormon Temple visit the official newsroom of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Inadvertently called by friends of other faiths as the “Mormon Church”)

Oquirrh Temple Baptistry

What is a Mormon Temple Dedication?

Members of the Mormon Church call the Mormon temple dedication ceremony a dedication because the building is being offered to God for His use. Before any ordinances can take place in a temple it must be dedicated. The dedication ceremony is sacred and is only attended by those who have prepared themselves for participation in such an event. Many of the people who attend a dedication go fasting and praying so that they may add to the spirit.  Patrons must have obtained a “temple recommend” through an interview with the bishop of their congregation, certifying their worthiness.

Often the dedication for a single Mormon temple is repeated multiple times, so that all who would like to attend can participate. During the dedication ceremony General Authorities of the Mormon Church speak to the audience. Often these speeches encourage the members to dedicate themselves to the Lord, just as the temple is being dedicated. Many times those in attendance are reminded that temple service is a vital part of the Mormon religion. Then a formal dedicatory prayer is given. These prayers ask for blessings, and ask that the temple be accepted as a house of God. Most of the dedicatory prayers can be read online, and the dedicatory prayer offered for the Kirtland temple, the first temple built in modern times, can be found in Doctrine and Covenants section 109.

Also during a dedication the Hosanna shout is given. During this time everyone is asked to stand and while waving white handkerchiefs say, “Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna, to God and the Lamb,” three times. This shout is supposed to unite the people and remind them of God and Christ’s glory. The shout is reminiscent of the hosannas shouted during Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem as well as the praise that was given when Solomon’s temple was completed. The shout was instituted by Joseph Smith and has been a part of every temple dedication starting with the Kirtland temple.

Temple dedications are very spiritual experiences for those who attend. Many experience strong feelings; on occasion those at dedications have witnessed revelations, and prophecies. Attending a temple dedication is an event that is cherished by members of the Mormon Church.

Other Links:

Temple (Mormonism) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
LDS (Mormon) Temple Resources
LDS Temples – Mormon Temples – Salt Lake Temple

What is a Mormon Temple Open House?

A Mormon Temple Open House allows members of the Mormon Church as well as people who are not of the Mormon faith to see the inside of the temple and learn more about Mormon beliefs. Temples are important to Mormons because they are the place where you learn more about Heavenly Father’s plan for His children and where families can be linked together for eternity. For this reason a person must be spiritually clean and prepared to enter the temple, this is why the general public is not allowed to enter the temple after it has been dedicated.

Open houses are usually held for at least a week. Some of the open houses require tickets, such as the Nauvoo Mormon temple open house, but all tickets are free. Tours are never given on Sundays, and tours usually stop early on Mondays to allow the volunteers time for Family Home Evening. A tour guide takes groups of between 30 and 50 people through the temple.

Generally, those planning to tour the temple will see a brief video before entering the temple. The video gives information about the history of temple building and why temples are so important. After the film, a tour guide will guide visitors through the temple. Along the way people are encouraged to ask questions. It is important to remember that the guides are volunteers, and while they will answer questions as best as they can, they may not be able to answer all of them and may direct visitors with questions to other individuals who can. Visitors will be shown a baptismal font; it is here that members of the Church are baptized by proxy for deceased ancestors. This is done to give those who have died the opportunity for baptism. It does not force them; they have the choice to accept or reject it. The tour also shows an endowment room where members learn more about Heavenly Father’s plan. Guests will also see a sealing room where couples and families are linked to each other for eternity.

Other Links:

Mormon Temple Ordinances – ReligionFacts.com
Mormanity: Mormon Temples and “Secrecy”
History of Mormon Temples – Lightplanet.com

One of the main characteristics of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) is the work performed in the Church’s holy temples. This work sets apart the Mormon Church from every other religion on the face of the earth.

“The temple is a place of instruction where profound truths pertaining to the Kingdom of God are unfolded. It is a place of peace where minds can be centered upon things of the spirit and the worries of the world can be laid aside. In the temple we take covenants to obey the laws of God, and promises are made to us, conditioned always on our faithfulness, which extend into eternity” (The Priesthood and You, Melchizedek Priesthood Lessons—1966, Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1966, p. 293).

In Mormon temples faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints perform ordinances essential to the their salvation and exaltation and enter into covenants with the Lord. The temple has been likened to a school where mortals learn about sacred and eternal things. The temple can be considered as a presentation, in figurative terms, of the pattern and journey of life on earth. This pattern is found in the Plan of Salvation. In the Mormon temple, holy truths are taught and solemn covenants are made not only by individual members in their own behalf, but also in behalf of others who have died.

Work for the dead has precedence in the ancient Church. Paul said, “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if >the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead”? (1 Corinthians 15:29). This may seem to some like an imposition, but it’s important to remember that this service in favor of people who already left this earth can be compared to the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Christ offered His sacrifice for all, even for those who will reject His offer. Similarly, those who have died, have always the choice in the spirit world to accept or reject the work performed in their behalf in the temple.

The work performed in Mormon Temples centers on the family and the prospect of creating family ties that can last into the eternities. This type of commitment necessitates priesthood authority bestowed and validated by God Himself, so that covenants made on earth are binding in heaven:

And verily, verily, I say unto you, that whatsoever you seal on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever you bind on earth, in my name and by my word, saith the Lord, it shall be eternally bound in the heavens; and whosesoever sins you remit on earth shall be remitted eternally in the heavens; and whosesoever sins you retain on earth shall be retained in heaven (Doctrine and Covenants 132:46).

The ordinances performed in Holy Temples, and the teachings therein, have been received from the Lord through direct revelation to His holy prophets. The doings in the temple are pure and innocent and uplifting. The temple is a sacred place, not a secret place. Before they are dedicated to the work of the Lord, Mormon temples are opened to the public, so people can see what temples look like. After temples are dedicated to the work of the Lord, not even all Mormons qualify to enter. They must live lives of worthiness and receive ecclesiastical approval in the form of a “Temple Recommend.”

Inside the Mormon Temple

Learn more about temples in this website

Inside a Mormon Temple

Temples are made up of many rooms, which are designed for performing certain functions as part of Latter-day Saint temple worship. Examples of these functions are the ordinances of baptism and marriage, as well as sessions for instruction. Temples are built in various sizes, layouts, and décors, but all have the required rooms.

While inside, Church members wear simple, modest white clothing. There is a spirit of reverence inside the temple. After a temple is completed, an organized open house for the general public is held by the Mormon Church. During the open house, members of the Church hold tours and explain the different functions and ceremonies performed in the temple. After the open house, the temple is dedicated to the Lord. After this dedication, only worthy church members may enter the temple.

The rooms inside a temple include the following: On the basement level, there is usually a cafeteria, a laundry, offices, and a baptistry.  The baptismal font is always mounted on the backs of twelve sculpted oxen, as prescribed in the Old Testament.  There are dressing rooms and rest rooms that serve the baptistry, and a welcome desk where temple recommends are checked.  A recommend is needed to certify the worthiness of the patron, and it is obtained during an interview with the person’s bishop.

On the main floor is an entry lobby with a waiting room, a welcome desk where recommends are checked, dressing rooms, offices, family file office (for family history records), and depending upon the temple design, ordinance rooms.

The most important rooms of the temple are the endowment rooms, sealing rooms, and a celestial room.  There is usually a chapel where patrons wait to enter scheduled endowment sessions, and a waiting area for wedding guests scheduled to attend a sealing of bride and groom.  There are also special changing rooms for brides and grooms.  Endowment rooms are rooms for instruction regarding the Plan of Salvation and the Lord’s expectations of us as we progress spiritually.  Covenants are made here to serve the Lord and help build His kingdom to receive His Son.  When instruction is complete, patrons exit the endowment room and enter the celestial room, the most beautiful and ornate room of the temple.  Patrons greet each other there, converse quietly, or ponder and pray.

Sealing rooms are set apart for eternal marriages.  An altar is situated at the center of the room, and bride and groom kneel on either side and hold hands across the altar.  Guests sit on chairs around the periphery, dressed in Sunday-best street clothes.  Mirrors on the wall face each other, so the bride and groom can see themselves in an infinity of repeated reflections.

To read more, go to Inside the Mormon Temple.

To see more images of temple interiors, go to Inside Mormon Temples.

Mormon Beliefs about Temples

To members of the Mormon Church, Mormon temples are houses of the Lord. They stand as symbols of “membership in the Church, as a sign of our faith in life after death, and as a sacred step toward eternal glory for our families and us.” 1

Temples are different from regular meeting houses because they are set aside for sacred and eternal ordinances. After a temple is dedicated, only members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who are living the principles of the gospel may enter.

Since the establishment of the Church, members have built temples. The Lord told the prophet Joseph Smith, “And verily I say unto you, let this house (temple) be built unto my name, that I may reveal mine ordinances therein unto my people.” 2

Within Mormon temples sacred ordinances are performed for both the living and the dead. President Gordon B. Hinckley taught, “The work that goes on in these buildings sets forth God’s eternal purposes with reference to man, who is God’s child and creation.” 3

Mormon temple work is concerned with eternal families. It is within Mormon temples that the eternal nature of marriage and family is established. One of the temple ordinances performed is that of sealing husbands, wives, and children together into eternal family units. A marriage performed within a Mormon temple, using the power of the Holy Priesthood, ensures that the earthly relationship lasts for eternity, as long as the participants remain worthy.

Another ordinance performed is that of the endowment. The Mormon endowment ceremony is a series of covenants made between an individual and God. “In every detail the endowment ceremony contributes to covenants of morality of life, consecration of person to high ideals, devotion to truth, patriotism to nation, and allegiance to God.” 4 Members are asked not to discuss, outside of the temple, the sacred covenants that they make there, “lest they be given to those who are unprepared.” 5

Since temple ordinances are essential for an individual to return to live with God, a loving Heavenly Father has provided a way for those who are deceased to receive the necessary ordinances. Within Mormon temples members “set aside [their] own selfishness and serve for those who cannot serve themselves.” 6 The sealing and endowment ordinances as well as baptisms are performed by proxy for those who are deceased.  Mormon doctrine teaches that the deceased still live on, first in the “Spirit World,” and then as resurrected beings in a kingdom of glory.  The dead have volition and freedom of choice, just as those who live as mortals on earth do.  When temple ordinances are performed for those who are dead, the dead have the choice whether to accept or reject those ordinances.

Above all, Mormon temples are “a place of instruction for all those who are called to the work of the ministry… that they may be perfected in [their] understanding… in all things pertaining to the kingdom of God on the earth.” 7

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Other interesting information about Mormon temples

‘Mormon’ Temples: A Little Enlightenment

(by Annie L. Henderson Cechini). A great compehensive article about Temples.

Inside the Mormon Temple

Inside Mormon Temples

What is a Mormon Temple Dedication?

What is a Mormon Temple Open House?

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(1) Russell M. Nelson, “Personal Preparation for Temple Blessings,” Ensign, May 2001, 32
(2) Doctrine and Covenants 124:40-41
(3) Gordon B. Hinckley, “Why These Temples?” Tambuli, June 1992, 3
(4) Talmage, James E. The House of the Lord: A Study of Holy Sanctuaries Ancient and Modern. Chapter IV.
(5) Boyd K. Packer, The Holy Temple [booklet, 1982], 2.
(6) Gordon B. Hinckley, “Why These Temples?” Tambuli, June 1992, 3
(7) D&C 97:13-14

‘Mormon’ Temples: A Little Enlightenment
By Annie L. Henderson Cechini

In the short film Between Heaven and Earth, Krister Stendahl, former Dean of the Harvard Divinity School, states that in any interfaith discussion, individuals should never compare bests with worsts.  Stendahl reasons that, “Most people think of their own tradition as it is at its best, and they use caricatures of the others.” I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  It’s a mouthful, I know, and most people therefore refer to my church as the Mormon Church.

Fig. 1: Washington D.C. Temple

Immediately, some of you readers are pulling out the sketchbooks and charcoal to begin work on the caricatures just from reading that name.  In composing this article, I am driven by my experience of being viewed through cracker-jack lenses because of said caricatures. These inaccurate and sometimes painful sketches abound in even highly respectable minds and institutions regarding the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

A little over a year ago, I served an 18 month mission in Washington D.C. In addition to having the pleasure of working with families in the surrounding areas, I was also asked to serve part time in the Visitor’s Center located on temple property.  I was asked many questions, and spent many hours studying in order to answer competently.  I will respond to some of the questions I received then in an effort to dispel some modern ‘Mormon’ mythology now.  I will show that a) the concept of temples is not new; rather it is worldwide and cross-cultural, b) historical background on temples will shed further light on the subject, c) there is a biblical connection between ancient and modern temples, and d) there are surprisingly simple answers to the questions about the temple.

Judaism, Hinduism, Egyptology, ancient American history, Buddhism, and Christianity could not be more different, yet all unite under the banner of the temple.  Judaism’s temple history includes the Tabernacle, a portable temple that the Israelites carried with them in their wanderings.  Buddhist temples are spacious and built for congregational worship.  Hindu temples are ornate yet smaller, intended for individual worship.  Egyptian temples as well as those of the ancient Americas are often associated with the grim practice of human sacrifice, though there is evidence to suggest that loftier ceremonies took place there.

Despite these differences, there are some striking similarities between these temples.  All of them are a place set apart, or in other words, holy.  Holy, sacred-both of these words are indicative or something or somewhere that is set apart from the every-day.  Each of these edifices was originally built for the purpose of tugging at the spiritual heart strings of the practitioner, drawing their thoughts towards higher purposes.  These temples often share common symbols: spires that draw the eye upwards, beautiful landscapes that remind us of the wonder of creation, ordinances-or ceremonies-that focus the mind on a larger picture. Indeed, the temple concept is a global one.

Fig. 2: Each of the red dots denotes just a few of the areas where one can either find the culture or the creed spoken of in the above paragraph.

Christians like myself (remember, the name of my church is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ was Jewish.  He grew up in a temple culture.  The Tabernacle was a very hallowed place, as were the later constructed temples of Solomon, Zerrubabel and Herod.  Christ was born after the reconstruction of the latter.  On the occasion of his circumcision, Joseph and Mary brought their son to the temple to offer sacrifice.  At the age of twelve, Jesus and his parents returned to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover, an annual tradition in his family (Luke 2:41-42 KJV).  Was the temple important even to a child of twelve?  The fact that Christ knew as a boy where to go to speak of holy things is indicative of that.  His later cleansing of the temple shows understanding of its sacred (or set apart from the world) nature.

Temples, therefore, must play a role in Christian worship.  This brings forth other important questions, such as who has the authority to build something like that, how should it be built, and what happens inside once it’s built?  David and Solomon were given specific charges by God to build the temple or perform temple building related tasks.  Clearly, I can’t just build a temple and stamp Gods’ seal of approval on it without being given the authority to do so.  Yet the scriptures are plain on the necessity of modern temples.  Often in the scriptures, and especially in the Old Testament, the temple is referenced to by a metaphor or symbol of a mountain.  Moses received the law near the top of Mt. Sinai.  Other prophets have had similarly holy experiences high in the mountains-away from the world.  In Isaiah 2:2-3, it states:

And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above all the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

3. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths, for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

This scripture is referring to the time just prior to the return of the resurrected Jesus Christ.  It is clear that if the symbol of a mountain is referring to a temple, then there must be a restoration of temple worship in modern Christianity before Christ comes again.

To draw connections between ancient temples and modern, in order to go forward one must first go back.  Let us therefore step back into the time predating Herod or Solomon’s temple-back to the days of the portable Tabernacle. To more fully understand temples, and why a restoration of temples might be necessary, it is important to know what the Tabernacle was like and what happened inside of it.

Fig.3 Very rough sketch of the tabernacle courtyard from my notes J

The tabernacle itself was surrounded by a large fence.  In the courtyard of the tabernacle there was a larger altar on which the sacrifices were placed.  There was also a large brass basin in which the priests were required to cleanse themselves before entering the tabernacle.

Fig. 4: In addition to being practical, the ritual washing of hands and feet was symbolic of an inner cleanliness that was required of the priest before entering the Lord’s House.

The Tabernacle was covered with a fabric of skins, and upon entering the first room, or Holy Place, the viewer would find three objects.  On one side would be the menorah.  The menorah is a candelabra with seven wicks on each side of an eighth center wick.  The menorah is a very important symbol in the temple.  One of the principle characteristics of a deity is higher intelligence; another way of saying someone is smart is to say that they are bright.  Often, individuals go to a higher source of knowledge when they’ve run out of ideas or ways to deal with a situation-this is the heart of why temples are so important.

On the opposite side, the viewer would see a table of showbread (or showbread).  “The Israelites knew God didn’t eat anything,” said Laurence H. Schiffman, director of Judaic Studies at New York University. “By giving [him] these beautiful breads, eventually shared with the priests, it was a kind of showing that we want to give the best of what we have to the god”(Schiffman, Between Heaven and Earth)

Fig 5: Last of the notes, I promise!

Finally, there was the Altar of Incense.  According to one Bible Dictionary, the altar of incense was   similar to the altar in the courtyard, “…but smaller and overlaid with gold.  On it incense was burned morning and evening…and on its horns was put once a year, on the day of atonement, the blood of the sin offering (Ex. 30:10)” (Bible Dictionary, LDS quad, KJV).  The symbol here is that the priests, the people of Israel had lit something that would ascend up to the presence of God.

Across the room extended a large piece of fabric referred to as the veil of the temple.  It separated the Holy Place from a room called the Holy of Holies.  In that room was the Ark of the Covenant.  Seated on top of the ark were two cherubim, or winged angels, their wings facing each other.  This area of the Ark was known as the Mercy Seat.  Here it was that God would appear to speak to his people, and therefore it was the most hallowed and sacred place in the temple.  It was in essence a throne room.  In addition to the blood of the sin offering being put on the altar of incense, it was also placed on the mercy seat on the day of atonement.

Solomon’s temple was built with the same basic concepts in mind, simply on a much grander and more elegant scale.  It was unfortunately destroyed during the Babylonian captivity in 600 B.C. It was rebuilt almost 100 years later by Zerrubabel, but was burned in the Roman captivity.  Later on in 17 B.C., Herod rebuilt the temple yet again in an effort to gain favor with the Jewish community.  From this history we see that rebuilding the temple was of the utmost importance to the Jews, as was its sacred nature.  Into this community and culture Christ was born.  As mentioned previously, he spent time there teaching, reading the law and cleansing the temple. After his death, and the death of the apostles, many of the truths that he taught were either changed or lost.  The years following are known in the history books as the Dark Ages.

The Christian sects of today are at variance as far as authority goes, or whether it (or a lot of Christian doctrine) is even necessary.  However, if a Christian believes the Bible to be the word of God as spoken through the mouths of his prophets, things become a little less vague.

In the New Testament, Christ restored and taught the gospel.  He called apostles and gave them priesthood authority to preach the gospel and, most importantly for our discussion here, perform saving ordinances like baptism.  However, as we know Christ was crucified.  His apostles were rejected and killed, and without revelation through a prophet, the doctrine of Christ, and the ordinances he taught, were changed.  This falling away, or apostasy from the original gospel Christ taught was prophesied by the very apostles he chose.  In 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-3 it states:

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

1. That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand,
2. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come [the second coming of Christ] except there be a falling away first…

As the history books reveal, there was a period of religious reformation in the 1600-1700’s, followed in the United States by a time known as the Great Awakening.  It was during this time that a young boy named Joseph Smith was searching for Christ’s church.  There was so much confusion between the different churches regarding the doctrine that Joseph, like many of us, was unsure if the truth was even discoverable. However, he prayed in faith to know what to do, and in answer he saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  He was called to be a prophet, and it is through revelation, and a restoration of the gospel again through one having authority that we have temples on the earth today.

In canvassing the topic of the Tabernacle, I mentioned it would be beneficial to a discussion on modern temples.  As a missionary I sometimes heard the question , “Hey, why is your building so fancy?  Aren’t there still starving children who need the money more?” There are, and if the reader only knew how much the church does for them.  It goes right back to the Tabernacle and the showbread.  As Laurence H. Schiffman mentioned, we all know God doesn’t have to eat “people food”.  Therefore, we give the best that we can in building his house.  There is still a sense of modesty and economy even in the temples-they are not done without regard for resource.  Still, how the temples look is a reflection of how those who worship inside them feel about its importance.  In addition to the showbread, we can also refer back to the menorah when discussing the decorations and designs of the inside of the temples.  The temples are brimming with light.  As you will see in the images following, light plays a distinctive role in the temples, again acting as a symbol of deity and of the divine.

There are three major ordinances that are performed in these temples.  The first is probably the one over which there is the most confusion.  This is baptisms for the dead.  This doesn’t mean that we baptize corpses, or that those for whom the ordinance is being performed automatically get ‘Mormon’ stamped on their heads in the afterlife.  It does, however, reflect the love of God for all of his children regardless of their location or whether or not they hear his gospel in this life.

Fig. 6 Baptismal font, Nauvoo Ill.

In John 3:5, Christ states that a man must be born of water, and of the spirit, or he can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.  That’s pretty unequivocal, you either have it or you don’t.  Well, what about Joe the farmer, who is out on some remote island in the pacific, and hasn’t ever heard about any of that?  In death, the spirit and the body separate, so after this life is over, there is no opportunity for Joe to receive that ordinance on his own. Is it fair to require someone to live by a law they’ve never even heard of?  That doesn’t seem like justice to me.  God is described as perfect, so how could a perfect being be so unfair?  God isn’t unfair, and he is perfect as this ordinance evidences.  Heavenly Father provides a mediator, a go-between if you will, for those who live and die without being able to keep that commandment.

The ordinances are performed in the temples by proxy for those who have already died.  If those working in the temples have the authority to perform these ordinances, then they will be efficacious not only now but in eternity.  It is my feeling that the authority does exist today in the restored priesthood of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Through baptisms for the dead, Heavenly Father allows his children to have another chance to choose to follow his commandments.  As I mentioned earlier, this does not force anyone to accept that baptism.  However, it does preserve that individual’s agency, or the right to choose for themselves who they will elect to follow.  This ordinance is not new-in a discourse to the people of Corinth Paul himself speaks of this doctrine.  Paul is responding to a group of individuals who do not believe in a resurrection, but are following the practice of being baptized for the dead anyway.  After his discourse on the necessity and doctrinal certainty of the resurrection, Paul essentially says, if there is no resurrection, what’s the point? 1st Corinthians 15:29 states:

1. Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all?  Why then are they baptized for the dead?

This ordinance is not a new invention, but a restoration of an original gospel practice.

The second ordinance is called the endowment.  An endowment is a gift, generally given to help a group or individual financially.  This endowment is a gift from Heavenly Father to help his children navigate through life.  In the endowment the worshipper is taught the truths as outlined in the Bible and other scriptures.

Fig. 7: Ordinance room-Samoa

These truths teach us the   fundamentals about who we are, what we can do in this life, and where we are going.  We make promises to our Heavenly Father that, if kept, will help us to really live the gospel of Jesus Christ, not just profess a belief in it.  How does this relate to ancient temples?  As you can see, the ordinance room is filled with light.  At the front of the room there is an altar.  As the altar of incense was a symbol of sending an offering to heaven, prayers are offered on the altars of modern temples.  The sacrifice today is one of time, and instead of offering animal sacrifice, we offer our own lives.  The altar is not pictured in the ordinance room because it is sacred.  I have seen them, and they are not weird or scary-they aren’t even ornate.  They are simple and beautiful, and sacred. At the end of the endowment, each individual passes through the veil of the temple-another similarity between the ancient and modern temples.  There is no ark of the covenant on the other side of the veil, but the place on the other side-called the celestial room-is remarkable.  It is designed to be like the Holy of Holies in the sense that it is symbolic of a throne room.  It is also symbolic of what heaven might feel like.  It is a place of peace, beauty and quiet.  Worshippers may sit and ponder, or read the scriptures, pray, or simply feel the serenity of being away from the world.

Elder Jeffrey R.Holland, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, states, “We all need first aid.  We all need an infusion every now and again.  We all need hope, and help, and holiness.  And the temple does all of that for me”(Holland, Between Heaven and Earth).

Fig. 8: The celestial room-Samoa

The third and final ordinance performed in the temples is temple marriage, also called a sealing.  I was able to participate myself in this ordinance earlier this year when I married my very best friend, Matt.  Sealings are incredibly simple and sweet.  At ours, a very kind older gentleman stood at the head of an altar (again not pictured here for the reasons explained earlier), and my fiancé and I knelt across it.

Fig.9: A sealing room, Samoa

There were high mirrors that we looked into, and saw ourselves reflected in them together, going on as far as we could see.  It is a symbol of a union that can last throughout eternity, not just for this life only.  I could not imagine my life without Matt.  We have been friends since high school.  We met when we were only 14, and he has become so much a part of who I am.  He is my true love, my hero and my inspiration.  I don’t want to spend my existence, wherever or whatever it is, without him in it (and how lucky am I, he feels the same way!). Again, to quote Elder Holland, “I don’t know how to speak of heaven in the traditional, lovely, paradisiacal beauty that we speak of heaven…I wouldn’t know how to speak of heaven without my wife, or my children.  It would not be heaven for me.  Now, you can say that’s wishful thinking, you can say, ‘ Well that’s just because you love each other and you’ve gotten cozy here on earth and you like each other’s company.’ It’s a lot more than that.  There is something eternal in the statement that neither is the man without the woman, nor the woman without the man in the Lord.  That isn’t just good sociology it’s good theology, it’s eternal” (Holland, Between Heaven and Earth).

Being sealed in the temple gives a perspective that ‘till death do us part’ can’t quite live up to.  My parents lost a son to an extremely rare childhood cancer.  I was almost four, he was almost two.  My mother was 25, my father was 28.  Neither of them had graduated from college, though they are both exceptionally bright individuals.  However, there is no way their marriage would have survived losing my brother Scottie, were in not for the eternal perspective being married forever gave them.  They fought to stay married, even when divorce seemed easier and at times inevitable.  Over 90 % of parents who lose a child to cancer end up divorced.  My parents are a statistical anomaly in so many ways, and it is due to the fact that they know they will be able to be with our family forever if they live as they believe.  Four kids later, their marriage is not perfect, but it is better than it has ever been.  The family is the very heart of everything about the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the temple fortifies and strengthens families in the particularly turbulent times in which we live.

Now that what happens inside the temples has been covered, there are some other questions I frequently heard on my mission.  Most often I heard, “Why can’t I go in there?! Why the restrictions on who can enter?”  Again, we can go back to the tabernacle for some answers.  It was a holy place, it was sacred.  The priests had to perform the ritual washing before even they were allowed to enter.  Imagine you’ve just received an invitation to the Presidents’ Inaugural Ball while working in your garden.  Do you jump up, race to the White House and show them the invitation while you’re still in your blue jeans?  Of course not!  You would feel awkward.  Similarly, when going to the temple, we need to be clean inside and out.  Who determines this?  Well, frankly, you do.  There are two interviews with ecclesiastical leaders.  They ask questions regarding how you conduct your life and what you believe.  However, the final question impresses me each time: Do you consider yourself worthy to enter the temple?

I am the judge there.  I decide whether or not I am worthy to go, because who knows better than myself?
Another question I heard frequently was, ‘Can’t I go anywhere to be close to God?’ The answer is, of course.  Some of my most profound spiritual experiences have taken place out in nature.  I love hiking and observing the world around me, and I find special comfort close to the rivers and the oceans.  However, there is something set apart and special about the temples that is different from just personal closeness to God, although that is a benefit often received by serving there.  In the temples, we do for others what they cannot do for themselves, and we work out our own salvation too.  That is something that needs to happen in a holy place set apart from the world for just such a purpose.

My favorite question was, ‘How can I go inside?’ Talk to the missionaries, the young elders and sisters who work so hard for two years or eighteen months at their own expense.  They only want to explain their beliefs to you, and give you the chance to decide for yourself whether or not it’s true.  Read the scriptures, pray to know if God is there, and whether or not these things are true.  If you find that they are, you will begin walking down a path that leads to the doors of the temple, and to some of the greatest blessings you can know in this life.
I hope that in writing this article I have clarified some points.  I know that I am not a perfect writer, but I do know that the doctrines and principles and ordinances of the church are given to us by a perfect Heavenly Father.  He loves us so much.  We are his children.  He would not create a temple experience that is strange or perverse, or he wouldn’t be God.  I have been in every major room in the Washington D.C. temple.  There isn’t anything wrong or weird or even strange about it.  It is beautiful and holy and sacred.  And everyone is invited to come.

If talking to the missionaries is a little much, go to a temple with a visitors’ center.  There are sister missionaries serving there who are constantly studying and ready to answer your questions.  If there is a temple being built in your community, go to the open house, where the members of the church will take you on tours of the temple.  They aren’t perfect either, so if you ask a question that momentarily bewilders them, don’t let that bother you.  They’re simply trying to speak of something sacred without being flippant.  Ask all the questions you want.  Even better, if you have friends who are members, ask them.  Be curious.  That is how we learn to understand each other.  That is when caricatures are laid aside for stunning and beautiful portraiture.

Fig. 10: Annie and Matt at the Oakland Temple, July 1st 2006

This section will provide useful maps of Mormon temples around the world.

Temples to Dot the Earth: A site dedicated to the geographic study of the Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

LDS Temples: Temples will dot the earth: The purpose of this map is to create more awareness of the history and location of Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.