Conference tecrus::mormonism

    This is an easy one. When one has a spiritual experience, one is often
    reluctant to just blurt it out all over the place. One tends to keep it
    to oneself, or at least protect it from ridicule. As all of us know,
    the world has a lot of potential ridicule for spiritual things. Prior
    to joining the Church, I scoffed at the very idea of spiritual
    experiences. I did not understand that there really could be encounters
    with God that should be treated as sacred. 
    
    I have had a number of spiritual experiences since I joined the Church,
    both inside the Temple and outside the Temple. I treat both types with
    the respect that their sacred character deserves. I do not talk
    about them except under appropriate circumstances. 
    
    There are many spiritual experiences I have had outside the Temple that
    I could talk about here, but I don't because it just is not appropriate
    to post them on a public net. I'll talk about them in personal, private
    conversation with any one of you out there, but not here on the net. 
    
    Some of my *most* spiritual experiences have been in the Temple.
    The Temple is by its nature a *very* sacred place. Therefore,
    the experiences therein are treated that way by Mormons who respect
    its sacredness. It isn't secret.
    
    Standing-all-amazed-at-the-love-Jesus-offers-me,
    /kevin

    
    Hi Keven,
    
     Thank-you for your reply.I agree and understand what you are saying
    concerning spiritual experiences.It is a personal thing and should
    be handled in the way you speak of.
     What i was trying to bring up was the actual process that happens
    when you go to the Temple.I actually got as far as an interview
    with the stake president,and,he did tell me some things about what
    happens,but not everything.I am a person who likes to know ahead
    of time what to expect,in order to be able to accept it or not.I
    must be willing to accept what is to take place,and not have to
    be presented with something i am not aware of.
    
    
    Peace
    Michael
    
    

Elder Boyd K. Packer, of the Council of the Twelve Apostles, has explained the
sacredness of the Temple.

"A careful reading of the scriptures reveals that the Lord did not tell all
things to all people.  There were some qualifications set that were prerequisite
to receiving sacred information.  Such things were to come "line upon line,
precept upon precept", as people were able to receive them.

"Temple ceremonies are not something that we try to limit to a restricted number
of people.  With great effort we urge every soul to qualify and prepare for the
temple experience.  Everyone who comes within the influence of the gospel is
urged to prepare to go to the temple and participate fully in the sacred
ordinances which are available there.

"Our reluctance to speak of the sacred temple ordinances is not in any way an
attempt to make them seem more mysterious or to encourage an improper curiosity
about them.  The ordinances and ceremonies of the temple are simple.  They are
beautiful.  They are sacred.  They are kept confidential lest they be given to
those who are unprepared.  Curiosity is not a preparation.  Deep interest
itself is not a preparation.  Preparation for the ordinances includes
preliminary steps: faith, repentance, baptism, confirmation, worthiness, a
maturity and dignity worthy of one who comes invited as a guest into the house 
of the Lord.

"In order that you may understand and respect the need to hold in confidence the
detailed nature of the temple ceremonies, let us explore the question of why
the Lord would direct us to refrain from talking about them outside of that
sacred building.  It is a matter of preparation.  We must be prepared before
we go to the temple.  We must be worthy before we go to the temple.  There
are restrictions and conditions set.  They were established by the Lord and
not by man.

"Most educational programs require the completion of basic or prerequisite 
courses before one can register for advanced courses.  At a university you
cannot register for a graduate course in chemistry, or even an advanced course,
until completing the basic or elementary courses.  This principle of
prerequisites is well understood in everyday life.  It should not surprise
anyone when it is applied to the ordinances of the gospel.  That is common
sense....

"It should not seem unusual, then, that the Lord has decreed in His church
that admission to the temple comes only after certain prerequisites have
been filled.  It should not seem unusual that certain preparation and
worthiness should be established before these privileges are given.


"Sacredness Requires Confidentiality

"There are some blessings which can be bestowed only in the Lord's temple,
and we do not talk of them outside the temple.  But all who are worthy and
qualify in every way may enter the temple, there to be introduced to the 
sacred rites and ordinances.  This is not the secrecy of restrictiveness.
Rather it is the sacredness required for covenants offered to all of God's
children in His way.  Clearly there is much difference between treating
something as sacred and keeping something secret....

"Questions about the temple ceremony usually meet with the response, "We are
not free to discuss the temple ordinances and ceremonies."  Those who have not
been to the temple sometimes ask, "Why is it so secret?"

"If "secret" means that others are permanently prevented from knowing of them,
then "secret" is the wrong word.  These things are SACRED.

"It was never intended that knowledge of these temple ceremonies would be
limited to a select few who would be obliged to ensure that others never learn
of them.  It is quite the opposite, in fact.  Those who have been to the temple
have been taught an ideal.  Someday every living soul and every soul who has
ever lived shall have the opportunity to ear the gospel and to accept or
reject what the temple offers.  If this opportunity is rejected, the rejection
must be on the part of the individual himself.

"In the Church we continually stress the highest standards of worthiness.  The
youth of the Church are urged to prepare themselves for temple marriage.  In
the most reverent terms we talk about temples and what they mean.  And across
the Church we continually schedule meetings for married couples who have not
yet been to the temple.  These meetings, under various titles, embrace the
theme of preparation for the temple.

"When a member reports to the bishop seeking an initial temple recommend, the
bishop gives counsel regarding what will be expected in the temple....

"Sometimes nonmembers become very inquisitive as to what goes on in the
temples.  They quickly learn that members of the Church are not willing to
talk about those matters, and they wonder what the nature of the ceremonies
might be.  Lacking knowledge, some have developed strange explanations about
the work of our temples.

"Some things concerning the temple ordinances have been published by apostates
who seek to injure or destroy the Church.  Their accounts do not assist
understanding, partly because the accounts are usually distorted.  In any case
the temple ordinances cannot be understood without the feeling and the spiritual
presence that surrounds them in the temple.  They must make very dull reading
indeed for the enemy who has no right to the Spirit of the Lord.

"President Joseph Fielding Smith told of a person who directed an attack upon
the Church and cited the so-called secrecy about temple ordinances as evidence
that things were not in order.  The critic quoted from the Savior's words in 
the New Testament: 'Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever
taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort;
and in secret have I said nothing.  Why askest thou me?  ask them which
heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.'
(John 18:20-21)

"Then, making reference to our unwillingness to discuss the temple ordinances,
the critic said: 'Christ was not afraid of any revealments.  He stood there
among His enemies, defying them to find fault with His teachings.'  The critic
asserted that Brigham Young was not willing to reveal 'his doctrine and
secret works' and asked the question, 'Did he represent Christ?'....

"Members of the Church all over the world face similar questions.  These
questions need not disturb nor shake the faith of anyone.  Those who take the
position of this critic have not read the scriptures carefully.  When we
consider other statements of the Lord another dimension is added, for there are
scriptures, equally as valid as John 18, which broaden our understanding and
show us that the Lord did indeed restrict some information, giving it only
to those who were prepared and qualified.

"On the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter, James, and John saw the Lord
transfigured before them.  With Him were two personages whom they knew to be
Moses and Elias (Elijah).  An important point may be made in the present
context.  'and as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying,
*Tell the vision to no man*, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.'
(Matthew 17:9; italics added.)....

"Temples Before and After Dedication

"The restriction preventing nonmembers from visiting the dedicated temples does
not suggest that there is anything about the building or its appointments that
they should not see.  Prior to the dedication of temples in each case an open
house is held.  This is continued for as many days as it is reasonably expected
that people will want to tour the temple.  Tours are arranged so that those who
enter can see samples of most, if not all, of the rooms of the temple.  The
tours visit every room in the temple except for the matter of convenience in
conducting the tours.  Therefore service areas and other areas of less interest
to the visitors are generally not seen.  Prior to the dedication of a temple the
privilege to visit the temple is widely advertised with the hope that all within
the area, member and nonmember, will visit the temple and become familiar
with the building.

"Even worthy members are not invited to the temple after dedication just to be
in the building.  Members with recommends to not go to the temple unless they
have a specific purpose for going there, a specific ordinance in which to
participate.  There is a practical reason for not inviting everyone to come
to the temples.  If all who took a fancy to do so, whether nonmembers or
members, were allowed to tour the temples, the temple work would be disrupted
and delayed....

"After a temple is dedicated we do not feel we own it.  It is the Lord's house.
He directs the conditions under which it may be used.  He has revealed the
ordinances that should be performed therein and has established the standards
and conditions under which we may participate in them.  He has full control
over the authority of the priesthood by which the ordinances are performed
and the standards pertaining to who may be ordained to the offices of the
priesthood and under what conditions....


"Without the spiritual atmosphere of the temple itself, and without the
worthiness and preparation required of those who go there, the temple
ceremonies would not be quickly understood and might be quite misunderstood.
Therefore I am content with the restrictions the Lord has placed on them.

"While we cannot discuss in detail the temple ordinances and ceremonies, there
is much we can discuss in this book--and we will." (Boyd K. Packer, "The Holy
Temple", Bookcraft, Salt Lake City, 1980, pp. 25-36)

Two other sources of information about LDS temples that have been published
are 

   James E. Talmage, "The House of the Lord", Bookcraft, Salt lake City,
   reprinted in 1962.

   "Sacred Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints", a
   small booklet published by the Church (Church Distribution number PBVC0768).

Boyd K. Packer, of the Council of the Twelve, said the following.

"Those who hold and share in the blessings of the priesthood should have their
bodies covered as was revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith when the endowment
ceremony was given to him.

"It is interesting to note that those who officiated in the Tabernacle in
Moses' time wore special garments and their bodies were anointed.

    "And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and
    clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him [ephod is
    defined in the dictionary as 'an official garment for the high priest'],
    and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it
    unto him therewith.  (Leviticus 8:7)

"Members who have received their temple ordinances thereafter wear the
special garment or underclothing....

"The garment represents sacred covenants.  It fosters modesty and becomes a
shield and protection to the wearer. [the protection comes from God; the
garment is not a 'magic' shield]

"The wearing of such a garment does not prevent members from dressing in the
fashionable clothing generally worn in the nations of the world.  Only clothing
that is immodest or extreme in style would be incompatible with wearing the
garment.  Any member of the Church, whether he or she has been to the temple
or not, would in proper spirit want to avoid extreme or revealing fashions.

"There may be occasions when endowed members of the Church face questions on the
garment.  For instance, there are some occasions when nonmembers who perform
certain services for Church members who wear the garment have a legitimate
reason for showing an interest in why we wear this type of underwear.

"On one occasion I was invited to speak to the faculty and staff of the Navy
chaplains Training School in Newport, Rhode Island.  The audience included a
number of high-ranking naval chaplains from the Catholic, Protestant and
Jewish faiths.  A class of chaplains then being trained were also invited to the
meeting.  My invitation asked me to explain the tenets of the Church and to 
respond to questions the chaplains might have.  The idea was for them to learn
more about what they might do for Latter-day Saint servicemen in their
chaplaincy service, particularly in remote areas where such men were out of
contact with the Church.  At the time there was a need for them to be informed,
because the Vietnam War was then in full fury.

"In the question-and-answer period one of the chaplains asked, 'Can you tell us
something about the special underwear that some Mormon servicemen wear?'  The
implication was, 'Why do you do that?  Isn't it strange?  Doesn't that present
a problem?'

"I knew of course that the matter of the garment was a concern to Latter-day
Saint servicemen who had been to the temple.  Since they generally were living
in open barracks, on occasions their underclothing was visible to the other
men.  Naturally they sometimes were questioned about it, and on some occasions
uncharitable fellows ridiculed them.  It was also true that chaplains as
well as military medical personnel had to minister to a sick or injured
Latter-day Saint serviceman in circumstances wherein the matter of the patient's
underclothing became part of their responsible interest in that Church
member....

"To the chaplain who made the inquiry I responded with a question: "Which church
do you represent?"  In response he named on of the Protestant churches.

"I said, 'In civilian life and also when conducting the meetings in the military
service you wear clerical clothing, do you not?'  He said that he did.

"I continued: 'I would suppose that that has some importance to you, that in a
sense it sets you apart from the rest of your congregation.  It is your uniform,
as it were, of the ministry.  Also, I suppose it may have a much more important
place.  It reminds you of who you are and what your obligations and covenants
are.  It is a continual reminder that you are a member of the clergy, that you
regard yourself as a servant of the Lord, and that you are responsible to
live in such a way as to be worthy of your ordination.'

"The chaplains all seemed to consent to this appraisal of the value of their
own clerical clothing.

"I then told them: 'You should be able to understand at least one of our
reasons why Latter-day Saints have a deep spiritual commitment concerning the
garment.  A major difference between your churches and ours is that we do not
have a professional clergy, as you do.  The congregations are all presided over
by local leaders.  They are men called from all walks of life.  Yet they
are ordained to the priesthood.  They hold offices in the priesthood.  They are
set apart to presiding positions as presidents, counselors, and leaders in
various categories.  The women, too, share in that responsibility and in those
obligations.  The man who heads our congregation of Sunday as the bishop may
go to work on Monday as a postal clerk, as an office worker, a farmer, a
doctor; or he may be an air force pilot or a naval officer.  By our standard
he is as much an ordained minister as you are by your standard.  He is
recognized as such by most governments.  We draw something of the same benefits
from this special clothing as you would draw from your clerical vestments.  The
difference is that we wear ours under our clothing instead of outside, for we
are employed in various occupations in addition to our service in the Church.
These sacred things we do not wish to parade before the world.'

"I then explained that there are some deeper spiritual meanings as well,
connecting the practice of wearing this garment with covenants that are made
in the temple.  We wouldn't find it necessary to discuss these--not that they
are secret, I repeated, but because they are sacred.

"I told them that if they would accept baptism into The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints and live in harmony with its teachings, they too could
share in all of the blessings connected with the holy temple.

"They found that answer completely satisfying.  They made a comment or two about
it along the lines of understanding now why the Latter-day Saint men in the
military service were so careful about this matter.  They could then see that
to ridicule that practice was, in a sense, to ridicule Christian clergy in
general."  (Boyd K. Packer, "The Holy Temple, Bookcraft, Salt Lake City, 1980,
pp. 75-78)

    
    
    Thank-you all for the excellent responses.
    
      Perhaps some day i will make it to the Temple,but,it will be up
    to me and the Lord.
      I still would like to know what to expect.If i was to take a course
    and certain other things were prereqiusite,i would at least know
    what i was to work toward.
    
      Peace
      Michael
    

    I have an interesting book on the rituals that go on inside the
    Temple of the Mormon church.  However, I will not disclose them
    here, nor will I disclose them in my report.  And for a reason:
    I feel that I should respect the people in this notes file.  Those
    of you who are Temple mormons have taken oaths that what has been
    revealed in the Temple, would NOT be revealed outside of the Temple.
     And out of respect for you, I will not say what they are.
    
    Instead, let me tell you how this book came to be. 
   
    A gentlemen who had decided that Mormonism was not correct, left
    the church.  Along with another ex-Mormon, they devised a plan to
    get a tape of the Mormon temple rituals.  This ex-Mormon, hid a
    tape recorder on his body and left it on during the ceremonies.
    (All except for one particular ceremony where he could not hide
    the tape recorder).
    
    These men had both been Temple Mormons (one for over 9 years) and
    were priests.  The interesting point they came up with is:
    
    They had expired Temple Recommends.  The Holy Spirit is supposed
    to make known to Temple Workers when an "outsider" has come in.
     Yet, they were never caught.  
    
    Also:  how do you explain away, the death of Jesus?
    
    In the old testament, priests performed duties.  Only certain priests
    could go into the holy of holies behind the veil.  However, what
    they did was not secret, for Moses had detailed it in the Bible.
    
    But when Jesus died - the veil of the temple was rent - torn.  Making
    the temple open to all people - no matter what.
    
    Why does the Mormon church take away what Christ gave?  Freedom
    to come before God?
    
    If there is anyone who is really interested in learning more about
    this, I will tell you the title of the book and where you can get
    it.  Then I will leave it up to you to decide.
    
    
    
     

    
>    They had expired Temple Recommends.  The Holy Spirit is supposed
>    to make known to Temple Workers when an "outsider" has come in.
>     Yet, they were never caught.  
    
That's unfounded in the scriptures.  Did they claim this to be true?
It is not a teaching of the Church.  It is ultimately the responsibility of 
individuals to determine their own worthiness.

>    Also:  how do you explain away, the death of Jesus?
>    
>    In the old testament, priests performed duties.  Only certain priests
>    could go into the holy of holies behind the veil.  However, what
>    they did was not secret, for Moses had detailed it in the Bible.

If they did secret ordinances, would Moses have detailed these in the Bible?

The temples constructed today are often contracted out to non-members.  And,
when a temple is opened it is often opened first to the public so that they
can see what is inside.  (I heard that the Washington temple had so much 
public traffic when it was opened that they had to close it back down and
replace the carpet before they could start using it, but I have no sources to
verify this.)  There is nothing secret about what is inside a temple.  
There are several Church books available which have photographs of the insides
of temples for those who have interest.

It is the ordinances which are sacred and protected.

>    Why does the Mormon church take away what Christ gave?  Freedom
>    to come before God?

I don't understand your point.  Evidently, there is yet some misunderstanding
of what happens in the temple.  One need not be restricted to coming before
God in the temple.  It is the performance of the temple ordinances that can
only be done in the temple, for the living and the dead.

>    If there is anyone who is really interested in learning more about
>    this, I will tell you the title of the book and where you can get
>    it.  Then I will leave it up to you to decide.

As a word of caution.  The reasons for protection are because of the sacred 
nature of these things, not because there is anything profane or vulgar.
To take these things lightly is to be in conflict with the commandments of
God according to the Mormons.


Steve

Re .6

>    They had expired Temple Recommends.  The Holy Spirit is supposed
>    to make known to Temple Workers when an "outsider" has come in.
>     Yet, they were never caught.  
    
We do not claim that all LDS are in perfect harmony with the Spirit.  The
sad thing about that event is that the two brethren had enough bitterness
in their hearts that they concocted a plan of deceit.


>    Also:  how do you explain away, the death of Jesus?
>    
>    In the old testament, priests performed duties.  Only certain priests
>    could go into the holy of holies behind the veil.  However, what
>    they did was not secret, for Moses had detailed it in the Bible.
>    
>    But when Jesus died - the veil of the temple was rent - torn.  Making
>    the temple open to all people - no matter what.
>    

Yes, Leza, when Jesus died the veil of the temple was rent.  The temple in
Jerusalem was built so that ordinances of the Law of Moses could be performed.
Christ fulfilled the Law, and the veil was rent to symbolize that the Law had
been fulfilled and was no longer in effect.

Mormon temples are have no relationship to the Law of Moses.  Our claim to the
world is that God has given a new dispensation to His children.  Temple
ordinances as performed in Mormon temples were revealed as part of that
dispensation.


>    Why does the Mormon church take away what Christ gave?  Freedom
>    to come before God?

It doesn't!  All persons, whether LDS or not, have the right to come before God
in their personal lives through prayer and in worship as individuals and as
groups.  In addition, all persons who prepare themselves as the Lord has
directed have the right to come before Him in our temples; those who choose to
not prepare themselves give up that right.  It is their choice not ours.

"Temples in the Last Days", by Royden G. Derrick, published by Bookcraft Inc.
1848 W. 2300 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84119.

Elder Royden G. Derrick of the First Quorum of the Seventy has witnessed
firsthand the blessings of temple work as a former president of the Seattle
Temple.  In "Temples of the Last Days", Elder Derrick discusses nearly four
dozen topics relating to these holy edifices, "stepping-stones between
mortality and eternal life."

In this book, Elder Derrick writes about the purpose of temple work,
genealogical research, the blessings of temple service, preparation for temple
attendance, eternal families and many other subjects.  The chapters are 4-6
pages long, making the reading of a single chapter daily a manageable part of
personal gospel study.

"Temples in the Last Days" also contains, between each chapter, photos or
artistic renderings of each temple in operation or in the planning stage at
the time of publication, with an excerpt from the dedicatory prayer, ground-
braking ceremony or a scripture about temple work.

  (Church News march 12, 1988)

    I realize that you cannot talk about the temple rituals in detail, but
    could you at least answer this:
    
      Do the temple rituals change from time to time.  In other words,
    would the ritual this year be the same as the ritual that someone
    had to go through last year?

Hi Roger,

Joseph Smith received the endowment through revelation and administered it
to the Saints in the Nauvoo Temple.  The ceremony wasn't recorded at that
time however.  After the Church settled in the west, the ceremony was given
in the Temples that were being constructed, but it was given from memory as
the Apostles recalled it from their own experience in the Nauvoo Temple.
Brigham Young requested that the ceremony be written down, and I'm not sure
exactly when that happened; I think it was 20-30 years after they settled in
Utah.  The version that resulted was thus a recollection of the Nauvoo
Temple ceremony and was expressed in the language of the Saints as they lived
in the late 1800's.

During the 35+ years that I've been going to the Temple, I've noticed several
changes that have occurred in the wording and the way in which the information
is presented.  I think it is natural for such changes to occur.  We live in
quite a different world today than they did in Brigham Young's time.  We have
different idioms today than they had then, and phrases that were natural to the
people then seem stiff and awkward to us.  As I sit here, I've been reviewing
in my mind the changes that I've observed, and none of them have changed the
covenants that I make with God in the temple.  The changes have all been to
simplify and clarify the meaning of the sacred things discussed.

Allen

    re: (-.1)
       Since the temple rituals are primarily TEACHING tools, it is
    reasonable to expect them to change as the needs/understandings of the
    students change.  In the twenty-two years since my endowment, the
    TECHNOLOGY has changed considerably.  I could imagine that when
    large scale holographic presentations become practical, they will be
    incorporated into the program.
    	[dale]
    

    I have a temple question. My son is going to attend Weber State
    University in September. He and I traveled to Ogden for his freshman
    orientation last Tuesday, so we had the opportunity to visit Temple
    Square in Salt lake. We both found it very interesting. We had many
    questions which we received answers too. As we were leaving my son
    noticed that on the back side of the temple that there appeared to be
    an image of the Big Dipper. This was surprising to us but since we were
    on the way out we didn't get the chance to ask. So, can anyone explain
    why the Big Dipper would be on the Salt Lake Temple, and is it on all
    the temples?
    
    Thanks for your help.
    
    

	"Star-stones of another kind appear on the face of the center tower 
	at the west. Here, above the highest window and extending to the base
	of the battlement course, are seen the seven stars of the northern
	constellation Ursa Major or Great Bear, otherwise known as the Dipper.
	The group is so placed that the two stars called pointers are 
	practically in line with the North Star itself." (page 149)

				"The House of the Lord"
				James E. Talmage, 1974 fifth printing    

    I'm still a little confused as to why it was placed on the temple. This
    shows me that I wasn't imagining what I saw. But, is pointing to the
    North Star the reason for it being there? If so, why does it point to
    the North Star. 
    
    I'll be glad to research this myself if I can get help with some
    references.
    
    Thanks
    ...Tom

    The only problem with that is that our orbit gradually changes and soon
    Polaris won't even be above the North Pole.  It is estimated in 10,000 
    years that Veda will be the North Star.
    
    Mike

    My son and I returned to Ogden to drop him off at Weber State. Again we
    went to Temple Square in Salt Lake City. This time we asked one of the
    many missionaries, why the Big Dipper was on the Temple. The first
    missionary that we asked didn't know. But, a sister Missionary told us
    that there are many stars and constellations on the temple along with
    the moon in differant phases. The reason for them is to show the
    changing universe. The Big Dipper is in a place of prominance to point
    toward eternity. What was interesting is that while she was explaining
    this to us other missionaries gathered around, along with the tourists.
    After the explanation one of the missionaries said " I always wondered
    that myself". 
    
    ...Tom