Mormon Temples

Have you ever wondered about Mormon temples?  What goes on in them?  Why all the secrecy?  I know you have because I’ve gotten those questions from some of you.  Well, Huffington Post blogger Danielle Tumminio, an Episcopal priest, visited the not-yet-dedicated temple in Liberty, MO, and I think her post actually does a good job of explaining the basics.  For those of you who want to know the answers to the previous questions, let me highlight a couple of parts.

            I like how Danielle puts it: We go to temples to make promises to God and to learn about Him.  The promises we make are neither new nor strange—I doubt any practicing Christian would be surprised by them—but they are sacred, and as with anything sacred, we don’t speak of them lightly.  That’s where the “secrecy” comes from.  I know those who haven’t entered the temple can think this evasive, but please ask yourself, Isn’t there anything in your life that is so precious to you that you feel constrained when you try to talk to others about it?  That’s how I feel, and how I believe most LDS members feel, about the temple.  The promises are made between the Lord and me, and they are promises I hold dear and sacred.

The other part of her post that I loved was her “God moment.”  While I wouldn’t use that term, that moment is what draws me to the temple repeatedly.  It’s the moment of quiet reflection when you feel closer to the Lord, you understand better how much He loves you and how closely He is watching your life.  It’s a moment that heals and soothes you.  It’s like that moment in the middle of a long, exhausting day when you can sit down for a second, breathe a sigh of relief and let your whole body relax, thereby gathering strength to get up and start again.  That’s what the temple does for my life.  It gives me peace and strength.  

The Oakland, CA, temple

I love the temple.  It is sacred, and there are things I simply don’t speak of because of that, but there’s also plenty that can be said.  Read Danielle’s post, and if you have more questions, check out this FAQ section or feel free to ask me.