The following is not an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Some doctrines of the gospel come easy for us. And some don’t.
For me, temples, were the latter.
My struggle began young; I had heard so much about these beautiful edifices that my expectations were just as grand as the buildings themselves. I basically expected the heavens to part and angels to appear once I entered that holy house.
As a primary child, explanations of the temple made sense to me. In the Old Testament, Solomon built a temple and Moses built a portable temple; these were sacred structures dedicated to the Lord. These days, it has been revealed through modern-day prophets that God, just like in ancient times, loves His people and desires them to build temples.
Temple in Houston, TX. Image found Church of Jesus Christ newsroom here.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has done just that, constructing our first temple in 1836 in Ohio. And like Solomon, who used the finest materials to show his devotion to God, so it is when building our temples: The outside is typically a sparkling granite, the inside adorned with inlaid marble floors, hand carved adornments and crystal chandeliers.
What are temples for
I learned that as a God of justice, He commands us to partake in certain ordinances in order to live with Him again, like baptism. But as a God of mercy, He has provided a way for all His children to participate in these ordinances, even if they died without ever hearing about the Messiah. This happens when church members perform the ordinances by proxy, on behalf of those who have died.
When I was 12 I attended the temple for the first time to perform Baptisms for Deceased Ancestors. The inside was beautiful, peaceful as everyone spoke in hushed voices. In a locker room, we changed into all white clothing to symbolize purity, also because "there is no insignia or rank," everyone looks and is treated the same.
Baptistry in the Paris France Temple. Image found at Church of Jesus Christ newsroom here.
While I found the baptism ordinance calming -- the heavens did not part -- and angels did not appear. I was underwhelmed.
As the years passed I continued to attend the temple; recognizing the peace I felt, even just walking the grounds, and often went to find solace.
STILL…..I wasn’t really convinced. On Sundays I'd hear people drum on about how they just loved temple and think, "Yea...I don't get it."
At 23 I thought I was ready for the next ordinance the temple offered. We call it receiving our endowment.
"The word endowment means 'gift,' and your temple endowment is a special gift of knowledge and power that God gives to those who are ready to receive it."
"That knowledge includes plan of salvation, the mission and Atonement of Jesus Christ, the love Heavenly Father has for His children, and [our] divine potential." Because of the sacred nature of this ceremony, we don't discuss the details in our worship services. Adults who are prepared can go to perform this higher ordinance for themselves: this is typically before going on a mission or getting married.
Sapporo Japan temple. Image found at Church of Jesus Christ here.
My testimony grows
Then there are the special few of us who don’t experience either of those life changing events and have to decide on our own when the time is right. I decided this was the time.
I went to discuss it with my new bishop. I told him my plans and he sat quiet for a moment, then replied, “No. I don’t think this is the time.”
I'm sorry, not the time?! Do you know how many clueless 19 year old's I’ve seen go through the temple, and you’re telling me that I, a 23 year old college graduate, seasoned traveler, and person of wisdom, is not ready….
That’s what I wanted to say. But I had enough decorum to keep my mouth shut, and enough faith in my leaders to trust their counsel. (Although I was lacking in the humility category.)
So, a disappointed and slightly ticked-off AJ said, “Ok”, then went along home.
I wasn’t over it - it bugged me - for weeks. But as I hashed it out with Heavenly Father and thought it over, the scripture line upon line, precept upon precept kept coming into my head. Then came the phrase,
“You have to learn to walk before you can run.”
THEN I pondered some more. I had lived 6 months in Mesa, Arizona, the Mormon Mecca of the Southwest. With traffic the temple was a 12 minute drive, and I had gone…maybe twice. I remembered I didn’t have a solid testimony of the temple anyways, so why was I in such a rush? So I rolled my eyes and decided I'd heed the invitation to attend the temple as often as time permitted. For me, that was Wednesday night, at 7:00 pm.
Every. Wednesday. Night.
That’s what I did. For the next year I vigilantly kept to this goal, and after a year of this rigid schedule, you know what happened?
No, unfortunately the heavens didn’t part, and angels did not appear. (Not even once.)
But I did notice how differently I lived my life knowing where I’d be going midweek. I noticed situations that I normally would freak, I instead handled them ever so calmly. (Much to my shock.)
I noticed how grounded and confident I felt.
So I decided, now it's really time. I went to my bishop and he agreed. I attended the Temple Prep class where we discussed temples of old, and I was reminded that this was not something Joseph Smith made up out of whole cloth. I learned the importance of being spiritually prepared and repenting, so the Holy Ghost could teach me through the ceremony, rather than feeling frustrated or confused by it.
The day arrived and I was joined by family and friends, with my mother staying by my side. Once again, the heavens didn’t part and I did not see angles.
However, I felt peace. I felt joy. I felt clean. And it was beautiful.
Now don’t get me wrong, the lessons taught through the symbolism are unending, and apostles have stated that even in their 90’s they are still learning, and I was brand new. But I felt like it was the right place to be.
So I persevered; every Wednesday night. The time commitment longer, but still I went, to show God that I wanted to learn.
A couple months later I had a major life decision before me.
The questions…the worries…they were ENDLESS, and I felt like my head would burst at any second from the stress.
So where did I go…..
Manaus Brazil Temple. Image found at Church of Jesus Christ newsroom here.
I sat in the presentation reaching the height of my anxiety, frustrated that for days my prayers had gone unanswered. I silently pleaded with God for a response - for clarity - for direction of ANY kind!
And do you know what happened….
No. The heavens did not part.
I did not see angels.
But - at my absolute lowest point, I became overwhelmed, enveloped, more so than ever before in my 25 years, with so much peace and reassurance, that God - loves - me.
That He hasn’t forgotten about me.
That He wouldn’t leave me stranded.
That He had heard my pleadings and everything would be ok.
It was the most powerful spiritual experience - I had ever had. And it happened in the temple.
The marriage ceremony
Fast forward one year and I’m about to attend my first temple sealing. This is the marriage ceremony we perform in the temple, where we believe that death does not part the promise between a man and a woman, when it is made in His house with Him at the helm.
Sealing room in Durban South Africa Temple. Image found at Church of Jesus Christ found here.
I thought back to a dear friend in college. He had just attended his first temple sealing and when I asked how it went, he was just in awe. He remarked how the bride was glowing, how beautiful the entire experience was. And finished by stating:
“I can see why the marriage sealing is the pinnacle of our religion.”
Ironically, I was on my way to his.
And I got to see what he was talking about. I saw a simple room, chairs outlining the perimeter, gorgeous chandelier in the center. Beneath it an upholstered ottoman planked by mirrors, whose unending reflective images represent eternity.
I saw two people who had put God first in their lives surrounded by friends and family, who had also chosen to put God first in their lives.
It was a simple ceremony focused on the marriage, not the wedding.
There was no fanfare, so as to focus on the promises, not the frills.
And there was no glitter or glitz, so the focal point - could be God.
Love. Family. Eternity. God.
This - was the pinnacle - of my religion. And this is what the temple is all about.
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