The Temple

For those of you who don't have the slightest clue about Temples or are curious about them, I suggest clicking this link to learn more:  

Questions about LDS Temples

YES. Today was the day. I just want to say, and I was reminded by the Temple President that... although going through the temple is required before serving a mission, today had nothing to do with my mission. Nothing to do with Washington or Preach My Gospel. It was a completely separate and disconnected event. More important than my mission in fact.

Encouragement, kindness, and comfort comes from those in the temple.

The feelings you have are of absolute peace.


It's image is pristine and beautiful inside and out.

You can forget the world, focus on things that matter.

Welcoming and yet sacredly guarded, it stands as a building that beacons all to enter it.

It was a privilege. An honor. A gift to be able to enter the House of the Lord.

I feel renewed. Strengthened. Empowered. Protected. Dedicated. And loved beyond belief.   

I obviously cannot talk about everything in detail because the ceremonies within the temples are held at the highest spectrum of sacredness within the church. Some people might question this and claim we are a religion of secrecy and "cult" like practices. And this is what I have to say to that...




1. Imagine this. You have a personal and meaningful conversation with your mother, or someone very close and important to you. The conversation was just between you two. You held it very dear to your heart. The content of the conversation was nothing out of the ordinary or unnatural, but under the circumstances is held value. Then all the sudden so-and-so comes up blabbering on about what you and your mom were talking about. Your mom apparently told people. The conversation seems to have lost all importance. It is not that meaningful one-on-one moment you shared together. It would no longer be cherished.

This is much like the situation of the temple. Inside of the temple, nothing is particularly out of the ordinary.  But the experience you have is personal and meaningful. Your endowment is a gift that you cherish. If we went around blabbering on about what happens, the temple ordinances would lose their value. To repeat the extremely repeated phrase, the confidentiality of the temple is not because it is secret, but because it is sacred. And surely there is not a single member of the church who wouldn't love for every person on earth to be able to go inside and participate in temple work... I don't think that's being very secretive.

2. If you find guidance, being surrounded by family and friends, loving the Lord, following the commandments, lifting anothers' burdens, finding peace, understanding the world, praying, following Christ's example, being obedient, keeping bodies healthy, having faith, trusting God, being charitable, or extending forgiveness as "strange" or "sinister" than I suppose we are a cult. Funny thing is that the synonyms for cult are worship, religion, and adoration. If that's the case I believe there are a lot more cults on this earth than we think.