Temples

When I was a little girl, I did what most little girls do and I dreamed and talked about my wedding. I told everyone that I was going to marry a prince and get married in a castle and live happily ever after.

I was married on May 24, 2011 in the Salt Lake City Temple. On my wedding announcement, several little girls mistook Matt's military uniform to be what Prince William wore at his wedding (which happened around the same time as ours).  The Salt Lake Temple is the prettiest castle-like building I have ever seen.   However, my desire to be married in a LDS temple had nothing to do with my childhood dreams of fairy tales.  I will get back to this though.

Mormon temples are nothing at all like Mormon meetinghouses/churches.  Churches are open to anyone and everyone for regular worship.
Temples are not this way. To know how we feel about about temples, simply read the inscription outside each LDS Temple "The House of the Lord".  Over my life, I have heard some non-Mormons express their frustration (ranging from moderate to livid) about not being allowed to come into and tour LDS temples.  Perhaps it would put their minds to rest to know that there are many Mormons who are not allowed into temples.  We are very specific about who comes into temples.

House Guests
I am not overparticular about guests in my home. I let people come in and look around and talk with me. But even as laid back as I am, I do have some standards for my house guests. I am not as keen on letting strangers into my bedroom to look at the decor and small talk with me.  This is because I value my privacy.  I would not allow someone into my home if they were covered in mud. I would ask them to wash off before coming in because I try to keep my home physically clean.
 It is for similar reasons that the temple is specific about who comes inside.  It is the house of the Lord.  It is an amazingly spiritual place where those who come inside to worship can feel the closeness of the Spirit.
 Let me clarify this metaphor. I do not think that non-Mormons are spiritually unclean people. I know a LOT of members of other faiths, Muslim, Jew, Catholic, Protestant, to be specific, who are wonderfully spiritually people who share a closeness with God.  They would not be defiling the temple if they were to enter. 
On the other hand, there are spiritually 'dirty' people of every faith, including Mormonism. These people should not be in the temple because they mock sacred things and have no desire for a personal relationship with god. 
The bottom line for determining who can worship in the House of the Lord (the temple) is based ona personal worthiness interview with the bishop of your ward. (see section on standards. ) Because it is an LDS church, LDS leaders determine which standards they feel God has set for entrance to his holy house. 
 Personally I feel the spirit when looking at the temple or when I walk in the doors.  Because it is such a spiritually clean place, we insist that those who come to worship are spiritually clean. The standards for regular temple visit (or to hold a temple recommend), are fairly high. This is because they are set by God for what kind of a place he wants his home to be.  We believe that the temple is the closest place to heaven we can get on this Earth because of the purity of the environment.
The temple is a place for worship and prayer and to listen to receive personal revelation and guidance.  It is not a place for tour groups.
Mormons recognize that people are curious about temples. Temples are not secret; they are sacred. We do not talk about them casually and invite anyone and everyone to come in a tour as they are because they are very important to us spiritually.

Temple Dedication and when Tours are Given
 You may be surprised to know that there is a time when you can tour an LDS temple. Anyone and everyone is invited to come into the temple and see the rooms before it is dedicated.  This happens right after a temple is built or has undergone renovations.  I was very happy that I was in Hawaii when the La'ie Temple was rededicated and I could show anyone who wanted to come, the rooms in the temple and talk a little bit about what temples are for and what they mean to me.  And I swear to this day that I saw Julia Roberts there.   But not even Julia Roberts can come into a temple after it is dedicated unless she was living up to the standards set by the LDS Church.


Here are some pictures of the lovely Mormon/LDS temples.


Salt Lake City, Utah


San Diego, California


Washington, DC


Accra, Ghana


Copenhagen, Denmark


Fukuoka, Japan

Temple Standards
To hold a temple recommend (or to be able to go into Mormon Temples for regular worship ie not the blue moon tour) you must be an active member of the LDS church. You must regularly attend your Sunday meetings, fulfill your callings, live the law of chastity (abstinent before marriage and faithful to spouse in marriage), uphold the Word of Wisdom (see prior post for questions on that), and sustain the living Prophet.

You can go to the temple to perform baptisms for the dead (to be explained shortly) when you are 12 if you are living the standards.
At some point after you turn 19, usually before you get married or before you go on a mission, you decide to go through the temple and make additional promises to God (see post on garments http://candidmecandidly.blogspot.com/2012/08/mormon-underwear.html.) 



Why I Chose to get Married in the Temple
The reason I wanted to get married in the temple is because I believe that families can be together forever.  I believe that God put us here in families because that is an eternal unit and that when you are married in the temple and you keep the promises you make you God, you can be married forever.  Marriage does not have to be 'til death do ye part'.  The idea of only being with Matt until we die, was deeply saddening to me. Death is very certain but uncertain in its timing.  I cannot imagine being a individual without any ties or without my loved ones after this life.  In the temple, couples can be sealed for time and all eternity. 

On marriage Russell M Nelson said this: “ Marriage has been divinely designated as an eternal and everlasting covenant. Marriage is sanctified when it is cherished and honored in holiness. That union is not merely between husband and wife; it embraces a partnership with God.”


This is a link to some frequently asked questions about Mormonism.  http://mormon.org/faq/topic/about-mormons

If you have additional questions, comment below and I'll do my best to answer. :) 


To see some lovely pictures of the temples (both the exterior and interior, and for further questions on the temple here is an awesome link.   
http://mormontemples.org/
http://mormontemples.org/eng/brighamcity/interior-photos
http://www.lds.org/church/temples/why-we-build-temples/inside-the-temple?lang=eng

Frequently Asked Questions
http://www.lds.org/church/temples/frequently-asked-questions?lang=eng