Temples
Mormons have two types of places of worship: chapels and temples. Chapels are their regular meeting houses where Sunday services are held. Mormon temples are different from a chapel in many ways. The Mormon temple ceremony and Mormon temple rituals are different from Sunday worship services like Sacrament meeting and Sunday School, however, they are not that much different.
Inside a normal Mormon church you will see every Sunday a congregation gathered together to worship and to learn. They take the Sacrament, they attend Sunday School for instruction, and baptisms take place inside of Mormon churches. Inside of Mormon temples, faithful Latter-day Saints go to participate in other ordinances and be instructed in more gospel principles.
They follow the ancient Biblical tradition of building temples. It started with Moses, who made the Tabernacle. Eventually Solomon built a temple in Jerusalem. In modern times, Mormon’s started building temples in Kirtland and Nauvoo, but they were forced to leave both behind. It wasn’t until they settled in Utah that they could build permanent temples in peace. The first temple they dedicated in Utah was in St. George, and it is still in operation today.
So just what happens inside of a Mormon temple? Church leaders answer this question at LDS.org:
“In the temple we are taught, we make covenants, and we are promised blessings. We receive ordinances that enable us to live in the presence of God.
Endowment
One ordinance we receive in the temple is the endowment. The word endowment means “gift” or “bestowal.” As part of this ordinance, we are taught about the purpose of life, the mission and Atonement of Jesus Christ, and Heavenly Father’s plan for His children. We gain a glimpse of what it will be like to live in His presence as we feel the peaceful atmosphere of the temple.
Sealing
Another temple ordinance is the sealing ordinance, in which husbands and wives are sealed to each other and children are sealed to their parents in eternal families. This means that if we are faithful to our covenants, our family relationships will continue for eternity. People sometimes also refer to this ordinance as “temple marriage” or “eternal marriage.”
Ordinances for the Deceased
In addition to receiving these ordinances for ourselves, we can receive them for our deceased ancestors. In this way, people who died without receiving essential ordinances such as baptism and confirmation, the endowment, and sealing have the opportunity to accept these ordinances.”
Mormon temple ceremonies and rituals are called ordinances. Ordinances performed in Mormon temples are sacred and therefore members are told not to openly share them with the world. The only way to fully understand Mormon temple ordinances is to join the Mormon church and go inside a Mormon temple.
But what does NOT happen in a Mormon temple? Contrary to what many think, nothing weird, sick or twisted goes on inside of a Mormon temple. Because it is secret, people assume it must be awful. The truth is, the temple ordinances are so sacred that they simply should not be openly shared with all. There are no animal or human sacrifices inside of Mormon temples. This is no ceremonial or ritual dancing or music. Going inside the temple is a sacred experience and a time to participate in ordinances and make eternal covenants with God and family.
Mormon temples now dot the earth. With more than half of the Mormon church’s membership outside of the United States, temples across the globe have sprung up in recent decades. In almost every country in the world Mormon temples can be found. Temples tend to be located near members of the Church, so there are many more temples in Utah, Idaho, California, Nevada and California than anywhere else in the world.
For those curious to know more about Mormon temples, you are welcome to tour inside when a new temple is constructed but not yet dedicated. Then they give hosted tours of the temple and show you where ordinances take place and explain more about the purpose of a temple.
