Mormon Temples Archives - Joseph Smith, Prophet

More About Temples

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 02:14:52 +0000

Do Mormons Believe Marriages Can Last Forever?Eternal marriage is an essential principle in Mormon doctrine. In the Bible, Christ taught that certain acts done in this life would be in force in heaven, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound…(read more)Do Mormons Wear Special Underwear?

Members of the Mormon Church, who have received the ordinance of the endowment in a Mormon temple wear a special kind of underwear, most commonly referred to by members as the garment. Members wear the garment as a sign of being an endowed member…(read more)

Why Are Mormons so Interested in Family History?

The Nashville Tennesee Temple – An Example

Elder John K. Carmack of the Seventy, during the groundbreaking ceremony, declared, “It’s the faith, righteousness and prayers of the people in this area that brought the temple here.” (read more)

Temples

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 02:14:52 +0000

To understand why Mormon beliefs dictate that Mormons should build temples is to understand what purpose temples fulfill. Mormon temples are houses of God–they are places of peace and holiness, sanctuaries from the outside world. In temples Latter-day Saints learn the Plan of Salvation, which answers eternal questions: Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? Can I see loved ones again after death? Temples are essential to understanding this life and what we must do to achieve eternal life with God. This is the fundamental reason why Mormons build temples.God has always commanded his people to build temples. The people of Moses had a portable temple that they called the tabernacle; another well-known temple in the scriptures is King Solomon’s temple. With the restoration of the gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith, God again asked his people to build temples. In temples today, just as in temples of the Bible, sacred covenants and ordinances are made with God.These ordinances are essential to eternal salvation and must be performed in order. The order they must be performed in are baptism, confirmation (receiving the Holy Ghost), priesthood ordination (for men), washing and anointing, endowment, and sealing. This order is very important. In a revelation received by Joseph Smith, which can now be found in the Doctrine and Covenants, it says, “You may think this order of things to be very particular; but let me tell you that it is only to answer the will of God, by conforming to the ordinance and preparation that the Lord ordained and prepared before the foundation of the world, for the salvation of the dead who should die without a knowledge of the gospel.”1Millions of people have died without the knowledge of the gospel, Mormon belief teaches that God is a God of love, and that He would not want these people to be punished, when they would have received the gospel if they had had the opportunity to hear it. This is why so much Mormon genealogy work is done within the Church and why attending the temple is so important.For a person who is alive, baptism, confirmation, and priesthood ordination can all be done outside of the temple. The other ordinances must be performed in the temple. For those who have died, all of these ordinances are performed in the temple. It is important to note that ordinances performed for the dead are done by living people standing in as proxies, and that the person who has died does not have to accept the ordinances. Performing these ordinances simply gives them the opportunity to accept them if they want to. Of these important ordinances, especially the ordinance of sealing a family together for eternity, President Gordon B. Hinckley has said,

“With us there is no building as sacred as a dedicated house of God. Only in Latter-day Saint temples are preserved in an indissoluble union for all eternity the precious associations of mortality. Among many things of a doctrinal nature that distinguish this Church from all others is the work that occurs in the house of the Lord under divine priesthood authority. Every temple throughout the world stands as a visible monument to the faith of this people in the certainty of immortality and the continuation of sacred bonds in that immortal realm.”2

More about Mormon Temples…

Temples Underwear

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 02:14:52 +0000

Members of the Mormon Church, who have received the ordinance of the endowment, in a Mormon temple wear a special kind of underwear, most commonly referred to by members as the garment. Members wear the garment as a sign of being an endowed member of the Church.The garment is white and covers the body from the shoulder to the knees. The garment has symbolic marks, which help remind members of the covenants they make in the temple. Along with being a symbolic reminder of covenants made with God, the garment also serves as a standard for modesty. The garment should be covered by clothing and not displayed, so members must wear clothing that covers from the shoulders to the knees. The garment is also supposed to help remind the wearer of the need for repentance and faith in Christ. Throughout the scriptures, sin is often related to a stained garment, and the only way to remove the stain is to wash the garment in the blood of Christ. The symbolism of always wearing a white garment helps remind members that they need to be pure and clean before the Lord.An endowed member is obligated to wear the garment throughout his or her life. There are only a few activities for which members are told to remove the garment; such as swimming, bathing, and intimacy with spouses. There are blessings connected to wearing the garment and it is a privilege. If an endowed member breaks covenants made in the temple, they may be asked not to wear the garment because they are not worthy. Those who have not participated in the endowment ceremony yet are also not authorized to wear the garment.Members are encouraged to remember that the garment is only an outward reminder of a spiritual commitment made to God, and that it should always be worn properly and not be adjusted to fit style trends or for any other reason. When worn properly, the garment is a protection from evil and temptation. Elder Carlos E. Asay stated, “I like to think of the garment as the Lord’s way of letting us take part of the temple with us when we leave. It is true that we carry from the Lord’s house inspired teachings and sacred covenants written in our minds and hearts. However, the one tangible remembrance we carry with us back into the world is the garment. And though we cannot always be in the temple, a part of it can always be with us to bless our lives.”1

Temples Eternal Marriage

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 02:14:52 +0000

Eternal marriage is an essential principle in Mormon doctrine. In the Bible, Christ taught that certain ordinances performed in this life would be in force in heaven, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”1 To have a marriage be effective in heaven and not just until “death do us part” it must be performed by the proper authority. This means that the man performing the marriage (called a “sealing” by members of the Mormon Church) has the correct priesthood keys to perform the ordinance.The marriage must also be performed in a temple, and then the couple must be righteous and stay true to the promises they make in the temple.Marriage in the temple is important, however those who do not marry in the temple, or who do not have the opportunity to marry, are still considered good upstanding members of the Church, and are able to serve and participate as do other members.While the actual sealing ceremony is very important, it is still conditional. The couple will only be together forever if they are faithful to God and the covenants they make in the temple. For this reason the Church has implemented numerous ways to help strengthen the family and marriage. Members are encouraged to participate in Family Home Evening, a program where the entire family gathers together each week to learn about a gospel principle and enjoy each other’s company. The Church also encourages married couples to continue “dating” and to go out together at least once a week. The Church also teaches its members principles that will help ensure a happy marriage, such as complete fidelity, friendship, and equality between men and women. President Spencer W. Kimball has said, “It is certain that almost any good man and any good woman can have happiness and a successful marriage if both are willing to pay the price.”2 This statement illustrates the Church’s stand on marriage; that it is vital and something that a couple must work on each day. By doing this, members will have happiness in their families and will gain the blessing of a family that can be together forever. The Church preaches that the greatest work we do on earth is within the walls of our own homes.

Temples Family History

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 02:14:52 +0000

The Mormon Church has the largest family history library in the world, and many people know that members of the Mormon Church are very interested in finding their ancestors; but why is this something that is so greatly supported by the Church? The reason is that Mormon doctrine teaches that families can be together forever, and members are encouraged to find their ancestors so that they may do their temple work and become sealed to deceased family members in the temple.The Mormon Church teaches that death is not the end of family relationships. The prophet Joseph Smith, through revelation from God, further explained this doctrine when he stated the “same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there [after death and into eternity], only it will be coupled with eternal glory.”1 Through the restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood, which holds the power to seal on earth and in heaven, men and women have the opportunity again to be with family after death. To do this, a person must participate in the ordinances required by God. These ordinances are baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost, covenants made in the temple, and sealing. When all of these things are done, and a couple is righteous and stays true to their covenants, their marriage is eternal, and any children born to them are eternally theirs. However, there have been many people who have lived without the knowledge of the gospel or who have not had the opportunity to enter into the ordinances of God. This is why family history work is done. Members find names and families and perform ordinances in Mormon temples by proxy for these people. As spirits, those who have died have the choice of accepting the ordinances and being eternally sealed to their families or of rejecting them.The Church offers its family history resources to anyone without charge, and encourages anyone who is interested to use the Family History Library in Salt Lake City or any of the branch libraries found all over the world. The Church also offers a website called familysearch.org where anyone can use the Church’s resources to search for information about his family history.Other Links:

1 Section 130:2. Doctrine and Covenants

Nashville Temple

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 02:14:52 +0000

After five and a half years the Nashville Tennessee Temple is finally completed and members are grateful. The original site for the temple was changed, because after three years of trying to gain approval, a court of law decided not to approve zoning, and the Mormon Church did not appeal the decision.“We were surprised at the opposition in Forest Hills,” said Allan Erb chairman of the local temple-site committee. “Our experience has been that the temples have become attractive and appreciated assets to the communities wherever they’ve been built. We are disappointed that our temple will not be part of the Forest Hills religious community.”1Instead, a smaller Mormon temple than was planned was built next to an existing meetinghouse about twenty miles southwest of Nashville. The temple’s exterior is constructed from Imperial Danby white marble and has a single spire topped with the familiar statue of the angel Moroni. It will serve 13,000 members in the Tennessee area.Elder John K. Carmack of the Seventy during the groundbreaking ceremony declared, “It’s the faith, righteousness and prayers of the people in this area that brought the temple here.” 2

During the temple open house held May 6-13, 2000, almost 25,000 people toured the temple. Non-members were given a chance to see what a Mormon temple looks like inside. Buryl McClurg, the newly called temple president said, “They have been so good and so kind, so generous in their comments about what they see. I think it’s been a unifying kind of experience.”

His wife Daine McClurg added, ““I heard people say as they went out that they felt different when they were inside. That’s a lot of what it’s all about—the feeling of the Spirit.” 3

Members would testify that the Holy Spirit is what sets the temple apart from other buildings. After a temple is dedicated, only those who are living their lives in alignment with gospel principles are allowed to enter, so the Spirit is always present in the temple. There is no discord, anger, or worldly influence to disrupt the influence of the Holy Ghost. Mormon temples are places of peace and harmony where members of the Church go to learn more about God and participate in eternal ordinances such as sealings, baptisms, and endowments.

A sealing ordinance is what unites families together for time and for all eternity. Couples who are married in the temple are promised eternal marriage, not just till death do they part. Sealings are also performed for those who have died, giving them a chance to be joined as a family.

The endowment is a series of covenants that are made between a person and God. Each person promises to keep the commandments and serve the Lord, and He in return promises eternal life in His presence. After receiving his own endowment, a member can stand as proxy for a deceased person and make the necessary covenants. The deceased person can then choose to accept those covenants, or not.

Baptisms in behalf of those who are deceased are performed in temples. Members are baptized in proxy in a baptismal font, which stands on the back of twelve sculptered oxen, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. The deceased person who has been baptized by proxy then has the choice to accept the baptism or not. (See Inside Mormon Temples to see a temple baptismal font.)

James E. Faust dedicated the Nashville Tennessee temple on 21 May 2000. “This sacred structure stands as a monument before the world of our belief in the immortality of the human soul and that a great work is going forward on the other side of the veil to bring blessings to those who will accept the ordinances which will be performed in their behalf in this Thy house,” 4 said President Faust in the dedicatory prayer, for the ultimate purpose of Mormon temples is “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man,” 5 both living and deceased.

For more information about Mormon temples visit the sites below:

LDS Temples – Mormon Temples – Salt Lake Temple
Teachings About Mormon Temples
USATODAY.com – Mormons open temple doors to share beliefs
BBC – Religion & Ethics – Mormon Temples
Manhattan Mormon Temple New York City.com : Arts & Attractions …
Mormon Temple: Information From Answers.com
Mormanity: Mormon Temples and “Secrecy”
History of Mormon Temples
Mormon Temple Ordinances – ReligionFacts.com

(1) News of the Church,” Ensign, July 1998, 76
(2) Church News, 20 March 1999.
(3) News of the Church,” Ensign, Aug. 2000, 74
(4) News of the Church,” Ensign, Aug. 2000, 74
(5) Moses 1:39