Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Throughout time, God has commanded His children to build temples. Each temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a house of the Lord. In the Lord’s house, Church members participate in sacred ceremonies, called ordinances, that bring them closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and prepare them to receive eternal blessings. President Russell M. Nelson taught: “The Savior and His doctrine are the very heart of the temple. Everything taught in the temple, through instruction and through the Spirit, increases our understanding of Jesus Christ.”

President Nelson also declared: “Every man and every woman who participates in priesthood ordinances and who makes and keeps covenants with God has direct access to the power of God.”

Those who have never been to a house of the Lord may have questions about what takes place there. Even those who have been to the temple may have questions about their experience as sacred temple ceremonies are not discussed in detail outside the house of the Lord. Some also wonder about how temple worship has changed over time.

We can find answers to our questions as we study trusted resources, listen to the Spirit, prepare for and receive temple ordinances, and worship in the temple as regularly as our circumstances permit. Through this process, we can grow in faith and knowledge and come unto Jesus Christ.

In temples, Latter-day Saints learn more about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and how to follow them. We do this as we participate in sacred ceremonies, called ordinances. During these ordinances, we make promises, called covenants, that we will obey God’s commandments, serve Him and others, and strive to become more like the Savior. As we keep these covenants, we strengthen our relationship with Heavenly Father and His Son and receive Their power to overcome the challenges of this life and help us return to Their presence. We can also participate in these ordinances in behalf of our ancestors.

Learn more at temples.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Jesus Christ taught that baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost are necessary for anyone to enter the kingdom of God. In holy temples, Latter-day Saints receive ordinances, including baptism, on behalf of their deceased ancestors and others who have died.

We believe that when people die, their spirits live on and they have the freedom to accept or reject temple ordinances performed on their behalf. They are not forced to accept these ordinances, nor are they listed as members on Church records. Rather, performing ordinances on their behalf is an act of service, freely given by Church members out of love and sincere concern for the eternal welfare of all God’s children. It is evidence of our certainty that God loves all His children and that, because of the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, death is not the end of our eternal progression.

Learn more at Topics and Questions, “Baptisms for the Dead.”

Temple covenants, ordinances, and symbols are sacred. Because of this, we are careful about how and when we talk about the temple experience to avoid treating it too casually.

Elder David A. Bednar taught: “Because we love the Lord, we always should speak about His holy house with reverence. We should not disclose or describe the special symbols associated with the covenants we receive in sacred temple ceremonies. Neither should we discuss the holy information that we specifically promise in the temple not to reveal.

“… We may discuss the basic purposes of and the doctrine and principles associated with temple ordinances and covenants.”

Elder Bednar continued: “As we strive to walk in the meekness of the Lord’s Spirit, we will be blessed to understand … the necessary balance between what is and what is not appropriate to discuss about sacred temple ordinances and covenants.”

For more information and helpful resources, visit temples.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

In the temple, as part of an ordinance called the endowment, members covenant, or promise, to live these laws of God:

• The law of obedience, which means striving to keep God’s commandments.

• The law of sacrifice, which means sacrificing to support the Lord’s work and repenting with a broken heart and contrite spirit.

• The law of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which includes exercising faith in Jesus Christ, repenting daily, making and keeping covenants with God, and striving to love God and others.

• The law of chastity, which means having no sexual relations outside of a legal marriage between a man and a woman.

• The law of consecration, which means that members dedicate their time, talents, and everything with which the Lord has blessed them to building up Jesus Christ’s Church on the earth.

If members are faithful to their covenants, the Lord promises that they can receive His strengthening power in their lives, and eventually the gift of eternal life, which is “the greatest of all the gifts of God.”

Making covenants with God is central to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Sacred covenants are made through ordinances that use symbolism to teach gospel truths. Baptism, for example, includes being immersed in water, symbolic of the Savior’s burial and Resurrection. The sacrament includes the symbolic act of partaking of bread and water in remembrance of the body and blood of Jesus Christ and His Atonement. The symbolism found in gospel ordinances teach and remind us of the purpose and blessing of covenants.

The temple may seem more ceremonial because it is focused so fully on providing the crowning covenants and ordinances of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. The ordinances of baptism and confirmation for our ancestors, the endowment (including the initiatory), and the sealing of a husband and wife for time and all eternity include sacred symbols that teach and remind individuals about the central role of Jesus Christ in the plan of salvation.

President Russell M. Nelson said of the temple: “In this house of learning, we are taught in the Lord’s way. His ways are not our ways. We should not be surprised if teaching techniques differ from those … more familiar to us. Temple ordinances and covenants have been an integral part of the gospel since the days of Adam and Eve. Anciently, symbols were used to teach profound truths, and this method of instruction is used in the temple today.”

While there are some similarities between the teaching style and outward forms of Masonic ritual and the endowment, the substance and purpose of the two ceremonies are completely different. Masonic ceremonies promote self-improvement, brotherhood, and charitable giving. In the temple endowment, men and women covenant with God to obey His laws so they can gain exaltation through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Masonic rituals deliver stage-by-stage instruction using dramatization and symbolic gestures and clothing, with content based on Masonic legends. Aspects of these Masonic ceremonies bear resemblance to religious ceremonies in many cultures, ancient and modern, including the temple ceremonies of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The content of the temple endowment comes from revelations to God’s prophets.

Joseph Smith first administered the temple endowment in May 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois. Joseph had become a Mason a few months earlier. Some of the earliest members to receive their endowment, who were also Masons, noted similarities between the endowment and the rituals of Masonry. These members recognized similarities in teaching methods but were not concerned by them. They testified that the endowment was “governed by the principle of Revelation” and rejoiced in the knowledge they had received.

There are different ways of understanding the relationship between Masonry and the temple. Some Latter-day Saints point to similarities between the format and symbols of both the endowment and Masonic rituals and those of many ancient religious ceremonies as evidence that the endowment is a restoration of an ancient ordinance. Others note that the culture in which Joseph Smith lived sometimes contributed to the process by which he obtained revelation.

The Lord gave the endowment in fulfillment of His promise that as His people built a house unto His name, He would reveal unto them His ordinances.

For more information, visit Church History Topics, “Masonry.”

In the early days of the restored Church, the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith all the ordinances and covenants that are associated with temples today. As Joseph received more revelation and experience, he also adjusted the procedures of these ordinances to better instruct the Saints while preserving the eternal laws, doctrine, and principles they were founded on.

Similarly, under the Lord’s direction other Latter-day prophets have adjusted the way temple covenants and ordinances are administered. These adjustments have been made in response to revelation as prophets have sought the Lord’s guidance about the best way to explain and take the blessings of the temple to the Lord’s children.

Throughout these adjustments, the core doctrine of Jesus Christ and the central covenants of temple ordinances have remained consistent. In 1959, President Harold B. Lee taught the following to ordinance workers at the Salt Lake Temple: “We are having new methods,” he said, “but the truths are the same regardless of how they are presented. We may expect to have more new methods—but the fundamentals will not be changed.”

In 2021, after some adjustments were made to the temple ceremonies, President Russell M. Nelson taught that these adjustments are made under the Lord’s direction. He said: “[The Lord] is the One who wants you to understand with great clarity exactly what you are making covenants to do. He is the One who wants you to experience fully His sacred ordinances. He wants you to comprehend your privileges, promises, and responsibilities. He wants you to have spiritual insights and awakenings you’ve never had before. This He desires for all temple patrons, no matter where they live.”

In many religious traditions, people wear sacred clothing to connect them to their deepest beliefs. Latter-day Saints wear temple garments, or the garment of the holy priesthood, for similar reasons. These sacred undergarments have deep symbolic meaning for Church members. The First Presidency stated: “When you put on your garment, you put on a sacred symbol of Jesus Christ. Wearing it is an outward expression of your inner commitment to follow Him.” Garments are also a reminder of temple covenants and of God’s promises to those who are faithful.

Members who have received the endowment also receive the sacred privilege to wear the garment throughout their lives. They remove it only for activities that cannot reasonably be done while wearing the garment and then restore it as soon as possible. President Jeffrey R. Holland taught: “This practice reflects our desire for the Savior to be a constant influence in our lives. Other beloved symbols are periodic. We are baptized once in our lives. We partake of the sacrament once a week. We attend the temple as circumstances permit. But the garment of the holy priesthood is different: this symbol we honor every day and night.”

As members keep their covenants and wear the garment faithfully as instructed in the temple, they will receive many blessings, including “greater access to the Savior’s mercy, protection, strength, and power.”

Learn more at Topics and Questions, “Garments.” See also “Sacred Temple Clothing” (video), Gospel Library.

All of God’s children are invited to prepare themselves to receive a temple recommend so they can enter the house of the Lord. President Russell M. Nelson stated: “The blessings of the temple are available to any and all people who will prepare themselves. But before they can enter a dedicated temple, they need to qualify. The Lord wants all His children to partake of the eternal blessings available in His temple. He has directed what each person must do to qualify to enter His holy house.”

An opportunity for anyone to enter the temple is also available before a temple is dedicated. A public open house is held where all are welcome to come inside, tour its beautiful interior, and learn of our beliefs and the sacred purposes for which temples are built. After a temple is dedicated, only faithful members of the Church who are striving to live the standards the Lord has set can enter the temple. This is because a dedicated temple is set apart for sacred ordinances that require spiritual preparation.

Members of the Church signify they are striving to live the Lord’s standard by obtaining a temple recommend issued by local Church leaders. You can view the temple recommend questions here.

Sometimes this requirement can be difficult for those who want to attend a temple sealing—which often takes place in conjunction with a marriage—but who cannot because they do not qualify for a temple recommend at that time. The First Presidency has stated: “When a temple marriage would cause parents or immediate family members to feel excluded, a civil ceremony followed by a temple sealing is authorized. We anticipate that this … will provide more opportunities for families to come together in love and unity.”

Unfortunately, the covenants and ordinances of the temple are sometimes depicted or described inaccurately and without respect for how sacred they are to members of the Church. This can happen inadvertently or intentionally. The Church and its members are grateful when others reference sacred temple teachings in respectful ways.

You can encourage others to be respectful of sacred things as you show them the same respect and are Christlike in your interactions.

The Church of Jesus Christ dedicates time, effort, and resources to building temples around the world because temples are essential to Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation. President Russell M. Nelson stated: “The temple is the gateway to the greatest blessings God has in store for each of us. … That is why we are doing all within our power, under the direction of the Lord, to make the temple blessings more accessible to members of the Church.”

In addition, temples bless communities and nations worldwide. President Nelson taught: “With the dedication of each new temple, additional godly power comes into the world to strengthen us and counteracts the intensifying efforts of the adversary.” The Lord continues to direct the building of temples to bring more of His covenant blessings to His children and to help accomplish His work.

Learn more at temples.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.