The Temple is the crown jewel of any active Latter-day Saint’s life. There, the most blissful and spiritual experiences are had. For those who are not members — or who do not know much about temple work — here is a basic guide.
Allow me to deviate somewhat first. Latter-day Saints are, like Israel was during Old and New Testament times, a covenant-making people. Our spiritual progression is largely determined by the making of covenants, or sacred promises to the Lord, in return for which we are promised glorious blessings.
The first covenant a member of the Church makes is known as the baptismal covenant, or the covenant made at baptism. Members promise to take the name of Jesus Christ upon them, to always remember Him and to keep His commandments. Basically, they promise to try their utmost to follow the Lord’s will and be like Him.
Male members who are worthy will then make the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood when they have the Melchizedek Priesthood conferred upon them. Essentially, they covenant to discharge their duties to the greatest degree possible and to (again) follow all the commandments given to them.
The preceding two ordinances are performed in meeting houses, homes or wherever they can be. The covenants they next take out are so sacred that they can only be performed in temples.
The Temple is the House of the Lord. It is an intensely sacred place, where the Saviour Himself walks the corridors and where His servants go to perform the most sacred acts of Mormonism.
Only the worthy Latter-day Saint may enter the Temple. For that purpose, Bishops and Branch Presidents (leaders of congregations) must interview a prospective visitor before he or she may enter. A recommend is then issued, which is valid for two years and which is used as a qualifying ticket to enter any temple in the world.
There are five essential ordinances (of which I am aware, at least) that occur in the Temple. They are baptism, confirmation, Initiatry, the Endowment and Sealings. When a member is at least 18 years old (in practice, a bit older), he or she may enter the Temple to ‘take out’ his or her own endowment.
Before the Endowment is taken out, he or she must first go through Initiatry, where certain vital ordinances are performed. I shall forebear to divulge too much information here. All that can be revealed, I think, is that Initiatry is also known as ‘washings and anointings’.
After going through Initiatry, the member will ‘take out’ his or her Endowment. This ordinance involves being taught about the Plan of Salvation and a review of history as well as the making of certain covenants, such as to be chaste, give of time and means to help build up the Church, et cetera.
After this, the member may return whenever he or she wishes (provided a current recommend is held).
Before I explain the other three ordinances performed at the Temple, allow me to explain something first. Latter-Saints are charged to research their family lines in order to identify their ancestors.
Because so many people have died without ever knowing of the true Gospel and without being baptised, confirmed and (in the case of men) given the Priesthood, the Lord has provided a glorious way in which we can assist our kindred dead. Through the principle of vicariousness, living members may act as proxy in ordinances for those who are dead. For example, I have been baptised vicariously for my grandfather, who died without really knowing about the Gospel.
The dead do have a choice, on the ‘other side’, whether they will accept the ordinances performed, but through this glorious principle, those who died without the privileges of the Gospel may be given the same opportunities as we.
Now, vicarious ordinances for the dead may only be performed in a Temple. Therefore, whilst living members may be baptised, endowed and given the Priesthood anywhere, proxy ordinances must be performed within the walls of a Temple.
Members of the Church are busily doing genealogical research, so that they can have their ancestors baptised, confirmed, taken through Initiatry, endowed and sealed.
Sealings are the greatest blessings of the Temple. Two types of sealings occur: those for entire families and those for marriage.
Traditional marriage ceremonies have no power after death. Marriages are ’till death to you part’. Therefore, the death of one spouse immediately annuls one’s marriage. Also, what authority have we to tell God who will be with whom for eternity. Nowadays, one can be married by a civil officer in two minutes!
For Latter-day Saints, marriage is more than an earthly coupling; it is eternal. When we get married, we have our ceremonies performed within the Temple, in a sealing, where the couple is literally bound together for time and all eternity. There are covenants associated with this, naturally. They are marital commitments.
Children born to sealed parents are automatically sealed to their parents. Thus, the family is bound together, by the Holy Spirit, for eternity.
Through conversion, of course, and when doing work for the dead, there are children who were born to parents who were not sealed. They must then be sealed as a family in a sealing ceremony as well.
Latter-day Saints love their temples!
