Temple Ordinances

                The ordinances of the temple are so important that the Lord commands us to act as proxies for our ancestors who have gone before us.  The Lord is hastening His work in preparation for His return to earth and requires us to assist Him in this preparation.  The most important thing we can do to help the Savior is to do our own temple work and then prepare to help other people with their work.  

                What are you doing to prepare to receive temple ordinances?  There are a number of ways we can prepare, including the following:  (1) live worthy to enter the temple, (2) keep the covenants we have already made, (3) study the scriptures and words of the prophets to learn more about the ordinances of the temple, and (4) make the temple a part of our lives.

                Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained, “Inscribed on each temple are the words `holiness to the Lord.’  That statement designates both the temple and its purposes as holy.  Those who enter the temple are also to bear the attribute of holiness.  As temples are prepared for the people, the people need to prepare themselves for the temple.

                “A temple differs from other houses of worship….  A temple is literally the house of the Lord, reserved for ordinances of eternal significance.  Those ordinances include baptisms, marriages, endowments, and sealings.

                “Each temple is symbolic of our faith in God and an evidence of our faith in life after death.  The temple is the object of every activity, every lesson, every progressive step in the Church.  All of our efforts in proclaiming the gospel, perfecting the Saints, and redeeming the dead lead to the holy temple.  Ordinances of the temple are absolutely crucial.  We cannot return to God’s glory without them….

                “Because a temple is sacred, the Lord asks that it be protected from desecration.  Anyone may enter who is willing to prepare well for that privilege.  The concept of preparation prevails in other fields of endeavor.  I remember when I was but a young boy, I told my parents I wanted to attend the university.  They said I could, but only if I worked hard in preliminary schooling and met all the requirements for admission to the university.  Similarly, we must qualify for admission to the temple.  We prepare physically, intellectually, and spiritually.  Eligibility is determined individually for each person applying for a recommend….

                “How do you prepare for a temple recommend?  You may consult with your bishopric, as well as your parents, family, stake presidency, teacher, or quorum adviser.  The requirements are simple.  Succinctly stated, an individual is required to keep the commandments of Him whose house it is.  He has set the standards.  We enter the temple as His guests.

                “The Lord would be pleased if every adult member would be worthy of – and carry – a current temple recommend…” (“Prepare for the Blessings of the Temple,” Liahona, October 2010).  

Temple Work

The gospel of Jesus Christ teaches that we have a Heavenly Father who wants all of His children to return to His presence. The gospel also teaches that the Atonement of Jesus Christ provided the means to be resurrected and to live forever with our families in God’s presence. In order to put the Atonement into effect in our lives, we must obey all that the Savior commands. His commandments include being baptized and confirmed as well as receiving the temple ordinances.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have each been baptized and confirmed by one holding proper priesthood authority. Each adult member also may go into the temple to receive the saving priesthood ordinances performed there.

Many people have lived on the earth that did not have these same opportunities. They did not live at a time or in a place when the gospel was available to them. Because Heavenly Father loves all of His children and wants all of us to return to live with Him, He provided a way for those who have died without baptism or the temple ordinances to receive them. Members of the Church act as proxies to perform temple ordinances for our ancestors.

Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are special buildings built and dedicated to the Lord. Worthy Church members have the opportunity to go inside the temples to receive sacred ordinances and to make covenants with God. These ordinances and covenants, like baptism, are necessary for our salvation and must be performed in the temples of the Lord.

Part of the temple experience is instruction about Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Visitors to the temple gain better understanding of our purpose in life and our relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. There we learn about our life before we came to earth, why we are here, and what life after death is like.

All temple ordinances are performed by the power of the priesthood. Ordinances performed on earth by this power are sealed, or bound, in heaven as the Savior taught His Apostles, “Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven” (Matthew 16:19).

The temple is the only place where families can be sealed together forever. Baptism and all other ordinances prepare us for marriage in the temple where a man and a woman are joined as husband and wife for eternity if they honor their covenants.

When a man and a woman are married in the temple, any children born after the sealing are automatically part of their eternal family. Couples who were previously married by civil authority can receive these same blessings by preparing themselves and their children to go to the temple and be sealed to each other. Parents who legally adopt children may have those children sealed to them.

Many of our ancestors died without the opportunity to hear the gospel on earth and now live in the spirit world where they are taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who accept the gospel there in the spirit world are waiting for the temple ordinances to be performed for them here on earth. We can feel the joy of our ancestors as we perform these temple ordinances for them.

In order to do temple work for our ancestors, we must identify them by doing family history. When we have sufficient information, we can take the names of our ancestors to the temple to be sealed into the family relationship. The experience of doing temple work for an ancestor is a special and sacred experience.