Mormon temples

You may have seen a Mormon temple somewhere and wondered, "What is it for? How is it different from going to church?"

The primary purpose of the temple is to unite families forever. When a man and a woman are married in the temple, their marriage can last forever, not just "till death do us part." Children can be sealed to parents and parents to children forever. We also participate in ordinances (like baptism) for ourselves and also for those who have passed away, giving them a chance to accept the gospel. (We do not believe that if a person dies before being baptized that they will automatically go to hell.) You can read more about proxy baptism here. Members of the church often say that the temple is a "house of learning." We learn more about the Plan of Salvation and make covenants with God. People often go to seek divine guidance for their lives. The Spirit can be felt in greater measure there. Nothing that members of the church do in the temple is secret. It's sacred. That's why we don't speak about it lightly. When I went to the temple for the first time, I was not terribly surprised by the experiences there--everything that happens in the temple can be found in the scriptures. That first experience I had with the temple was one of the most special, spiritual, and happy experiences of my life. I continue to go back as often as I can to do work for people who have passed on, to remind myself of the covenants I've made to my Heavenly Father, and to feel the peace and joy that accompanies the Spirit there.

You may have heard or were already aware that only members of the church can go to the temple. But did you know that just after a temple is built, before its dedication, the public can tour the inside of the temple during an open house? There is a temple in Kansas City, Missouri that was recently built and the open house will be April 7th- 21st. Go here for more details. There will also be a temple built in Fort Collins, Colorado in the next few years.

This short 3 minute video explains more about why we build temples and includes some video of the interior of some of our temples.