Preparing for Your Temple Tour

By Bill McKeever

Leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons) emphasize the importance of temple work. The significance of these buildings in Mormon theology cannot be overstressed. In fact, it is only by participating in the temple ritual that a faithful Mormon hopes to achieve exaltation or godhood.

Though the Jews recognized only the Jerusalem temple as being God-ordained, the Mormons have built dozens of these special buildings throughout the world. However, unlike LDS chapels that are open to the public, entrance into a Mormon temple is reserved only for members who follow a strict code of conduct and are deemed worthy. The only time that the general public is invited to see the inside of a Mormon temple is during a brief "open house," which usually precedes the dedication of the building.

This article is specially prepared for those who may be interested in the Mormon temple ritual and its purpose as well as for those who plan to visit a temple open house in their area.

Before You Enter

Prior to your tour, you will be shown a brief visual presentation on the purpose and history of LDS temples. It is intended to give the impression that modern Mormon temples serve the same function as the Old Testament tabernacle in the wilderness (Exodus 25ff) and the temple in Jerusalem. The problem with this comparison is that it is not reasonably close to the truth. Both the tabernacle and the Jerusalem temple were used primarily for animal sacrifice. When given the opportunity, you might ask your tour guide why the film draws a parallel between Mormon temples and the Jerusalem temple when animal sacrifice plays no role in modern LDS temples.

Angel Moroni

You may be directed to look atop the steeple to the gold-plated angel. Your guide may tell you that this is the angel Moroni (ma-roan-eye) who appeared to Joseph Smith, Mormonism's founder, in 1823. Mormons believe that it was Moroni who directed Joseph Smith to the gold plates eventually "translated" into the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon states that Moroni is the son of a Nephite prophet/general named Mormon (from which the book gets its name). What may be overlooked is the fact that Smith was not always consistent when naming this angel. In relating this story in 1838, he claimed that the angel called himself Nephi, who was a completely different character in the Book of Mormon narrative. When the opportunity is available, you may wish to ask your guide why the 1851 Pearl of Great Price (p.41) and volume 3:753 of the Mormon periodical Times and Seasons (April 15, 1842) says it was Nephi, not Moroni, who appeared to Smith. It would be difficult to attribute the latter rendering to a "clerical error" given the fact that Smith was the editor of the Times and Seasons at the time his testimony was published.

Recommend Desk

One of the first items you will see on your tour is the "recommend desk." It is here that a Mormon (known as a "patron") must provide his or her "temple recommend." This is an identification card that demonstrates that the member has passed an examination by his or her local church leader and, among other things, has paid a full tithe, does not drink alcohol or coffee and tea, and abstains from tobacco products.

What makes the concept of temple worthiness so unusual is that people in Bible times did not go to the temple because they were "worthy." They went because they knew they were unworthy. Israelites saw the temple as a place where they could offer sacrifice on behalf of their sins. They realized all too well that they were unworthy sinners who needed God's forgiveness. Based on this concept of worthiness, you might want to remind your guide about the story Jesus told in Luke 18:10ff. Here Jesus speaks of two men, a Pharisee and a tax collector, who entered the temple to pray. In Jesus' story, which of the two men more fits the example of the Mormon?

Baptism for the Dead

As you continue on your tour, you will be shown a large font on the back of twelve oxen. It is here where Mormons participate in proxy baptisms on behalf of deceased relatives and friends. Mormons believe that this act gives the deceased an opportunity to accept Mormonism in the spirit world; however, they have no way of knowing if the dead accepted or rejected the vicarious work.

This font resembles King Solomon's "molten sea" or "brazen sea" mentioned in 2 Chronicles 4:2. Tenth Mormon President Joseph Fielding Smith erroneously stated that this font was used for "baptizing the living for the remission of their sins" (Answers to Gospel Questions 5:18). However, Mormon Apostle James Talmage correctly noted that that the "molten sea was reserved for the ceremonial cleansing of the priests" (The House of the Lord, p.34).

What you won't be told is that this design was used only for a relatively short time. According to 2 Kings 16:17, King Ahaz removed the font (or laver) from the backs of the oxen and placed it "upon a pavement of stones." Even though you may be given the impression that this font was used during New Testament times, it was actually destroyed by the Babylonians when they captured Jerusalem in 586 B.C. Second Kings 25:13 states that the remaining pieces were carried off to Babylon after it was destroyed,. This design was never used again.

It is not uncommon for the Mormons to place a sign next to the baptismal font citing 1 Corinthians 15:29. While scholars have debated as to what the apostle Paul was referring to in this passage, one thing is certain: Paul actually separated himself from such a practice when he said, "Else what shall THEY do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are THEY then baptized for the dead?" If baptism for the dead was in fact the "most glorious of all subjects belonging to the everlasting gospel" (D&C 128:17), it seems odd that Paul would not include himself as a participant.

There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that baptisms for either the living or the dead ever took place in the tabernacle or the Jerusalem temple. You might also find it interesting that Mormons have been vicariously baptized for such people as John Wesley, Martin Luther, Abraham Lincoln, William Shakespeare, Albert Einstein, Christopher Columbus, and yes, even Adolph Hitler!

You may wish to ask your guide why modern LDS temples have a replica of the molten sea when no such edifice was ever used in the New Testament. If the Mormon temple ceremony is really a restoration of things done anciently, why is this?

Locker Rooms/Washing and Anointing Rooms

Tours often allow the public to view the locker rooms. There are separate facilities for men and women. Here patrons change from street clothes into temple clothing. It is also in this area where the washing and anointing rooms are located, though you will probably not be permitted to see them. These special cubicles are to ceremoniously wash and anoint temple patrons who are entering the temple for the first time. These special cubicles are used for the washing and anointing ceremony, a vital part of the personal endowment. When going through this part of the ritual, temple patrons wear only a piece of fabric covering called a "shield." A temple worker then ceremoniously "washes" and blesses the patron, making reference to various parts of their body. Prayer is offered on behalf of the patron, and the ritual is repeated with the anointing of olive oil. Perhaps you can ask your tour guide why you were not shown the washing and anointing rooms.

Temple Garments

Patrons have placed upon them the "garment of the holy priesthood" during the ritual Sewn into this garment are special markings. Over the right breast is a mark that resembles a backwards L, and over the left breast is a mark that resembles a capital V. Another marking that looks like a short horizontal line is sewn over the abdomen and over the knee.

Mormons are told in the ceremony that this garment can actually protect them. Twelfth President Spencer Kimball taught, "I am sure one could go to extreme in worshiping the cloth of which the garment is made, but one could also go to the other extreme. Though generally I think our protection is a mental, spiritual, moral one, yet I am convinced that there could be and undoubtedly have been many cases where there has been, through faith, an actual physical protection, so we must not minimize that possibility" (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p.539).

You may wish to inquire of your tour guide why Mormons seem just as vulnerable to death in car accidents, etc, as those who do not wear this special piece of clothing. You might also ask where in the Bible Christians are told to expect protection from a piece of clothing.

New Name

Another unique aspect of the Mormon temple ritual is the special name given to each patron. A couple of men's names are selected and given out alternately throughout each day. The same is true for the women. Normally they are names found in either the Bible or Book of Mormon. Historically, Mormon leaders have taught that the husband has the ability to call his wife from the grave on the resurrection day by using this special name. According to Charles Penrose, who later became a First Counselor to President Heber J. Grant: "In the resurrection, they stand side by side and hold dominion together. Every man who overcomes all things and is thereby entitled to inherit all things, receives power to bring up his wife to join him in the possession and enjoyment thereof" (Mormon Doctrine Plain and Simple, 1888, p.51). You might wish to ask your tour guide what happens to the wife should the husband forget her temple name.

Endowment Room

Your temple tour will include a stop in one of several ordinance rooms. In newer temples these have the appearance of a mini-movie theater. Here patrons watch a film on the Mormon view of the creation and fall of man. It is in one of these rooms where patrons will be taught secret handshakes and passwords known as "tokens" and "keywords." It is very necessary that the Mormon become familiar with these handshakes and passwords; otherwise they will not be able to gain entrance into the presence of their God. Second LDS President Brigham Young taught, "Your endowment is, to receive all those ordinances in the house of the Lord, which are necessary for you, after you have departed this life, to enable you to walk back to the presence of the Father, passing the angels who stand as sentinels, being enabled to give them the key words, the signs and tokens, pertaining to the holy Priesthood, and gain your eternal exaltation in spite of earth and hell" (Discourses of Brigham Young, p.416).

You may wish to ask your tour guide to explain the use of these tokens and keywords. You might also ask your guide where in the Bible it teaches that entrance into heaven depends on secret handshakes or passwords. Isn't faith in Christ enough?

Sealing Room

Marriage is very important in Mormon theology. In fact, it is only by being married that a Mormon can hope to get the best his religion has to offer. Brigham Young taught that if a man wishes to be saved, "he cannot be saved without a woman by his side" (cited in Kimball's The Miracle of Forgiveness, p.245). However, a marriage that ends at death is not good enough. Mormons also believe that marriage can extend beyond the grave. They emphasize being sealed together for "time and eternity." This ritual takes place in what is known as a "sealing room," which are rather small in comparison to some of the other rooms in Mormon temples. They consist of several chairs surrounding a kneeling bench in the middle of the room.

One of the primary desires of faithful Mormons is to be sealed to their families for eternity. However, this is a conditional promise based on individual faithfulness. If a family member does not keep all the laws and ordinances of the Mormon Church, this person will not achieve exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom and will be barred from reuniting with family members. This holds true for husbands and wives. Despite having been sealed in a Mormon temple, the Mormon's ability to be married in eternity is only on condition of complete obedience to God's laws.

According to the Encyclopedia of Mormonism (2:479), "Exaltation is the greatest of all the gifts and attainments possible. It is available only in the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom and is reserved for members of the Church of the Firstborn. This exalted status, called eternal life, is available to be received by a man and wife... Blessings and privileges of exaltation require unwavering faith, repentance, and complete obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ."

You might offer your tour guide the following hypothetical situation: A man marries his first wife in the temple, but sadly, she later passes away. He remarries a second time in the temple and finds that he would much rather spend eternity with the second wife. In eternity to whom will he be sealed? You might also ask why there is no biblical or historical evidence to support this belief.

Conclusion

It should be clear that the Mormon Church is very misleading when it draws a comparison between its temples and the biblical model. There is actually no comparison at all. Instead, much of what goes on in Mormon temples more closely resembles ceremonies common in Freemasonry. This would make perfect sense since Joseph Smith became a Mason on March 15, 1842 (History of the Church 4:550-551). Shortly after his initiation into Masonry, he instituted the Mormon temple endowment ceremony.

Please be advised that there is much to Mormonism that will not be explained on your temple tour. Be wise and examine this religion very closely. Not all groups that claim to be Christian actually are Christian.

Temples, Tours, and the Truth

By Eric Johnson

Whenever a new Mormon temple is built in a particular city, a 3- or 4-week “open house” is held so the public can see the inside of the new structure. Once the open house is complete, the temple is immediately dedicated in elaborate ceremonies officiated by a member of the First Presidency. After this, only Mormons with temple recommends—which are identification cards ascertaining that a certain list of prerequisites have been met—are allowed entrance into the temple to perform special rites for both themselves as well as those who have died.

Thousands of people visited the Sacramento temple, located in Folsom, CA, during its open house during late July and August. According to the local media, the open house would help visitors better understand the LDS religion. For instance, the July 28, 2006 Roseville Press-Tribune reported that it “is meant to share with the public the inner workings of the temple.” In fact, “church representatives (were) prepared to answer any questions the public has and be as transparent as possible about their practices.” LDS spokeswoman Maureen Dudley is quoted to say that “our ceremonies aren’t secret but they’re sacred.” Lisa West, the temple media coordinator, added, “There are no closed doors in there. We’re here to dispel the myths.”

Is all of this true? Or are these just empty promises? I toured the Sacramento temple on two different days. Midway through my first tour, we entered the men’s locker room area. An elderly male guide gave a short one-minute talk while we were gathered just outside the locker area. As I walked over to the cubicles that housed the various lockers, I noticed the words “Initiatory room” printed on the wall just outside the door well.

Spotting the wife of our guide, I pointed to the room and asked her, “What happens in this room?” She looked at me and, in a stuttering voice, whispered, “Oh, there are just more lockers back there.” Wanting to give the lady another chance to get it right, I asked again, “Are you sure? It says ‘initiatory room’?” “Yes,” she replied with a new confidence. “There’s nothing more than lockers there.”

Knowing that this room was the washing and anointing room—a place where this 60ish-year-old lady would have certainly visited in other temples where she served—I believe it was obvious that she had just lied to me! After the tour was complete, I asked one of the young 19-year-old male missionaries in the fellowship hall about this initiatory room. After attempting to come up with an answer to no avail, he finally said, “I’m not sure I can give you that information. But I know someone who can help.” This was, he said, an issue that he was not supposed to answer on his own.

He walked me over to Lee T. Perry, the mission president of the California Roseville Mission and the son of L. Tom Perry, a senior apostle who is fourth in line to become the next Mormon prophet. Certainly with his impressive pedigree, this man could help set the record straight.

Me: “What is the initiatory room?”

Lee: “This is a place where a person is cleansed so he can go through the rest of the temple.”

Me: “On my tour the guide made it appear that this was just a room with more lockers.”

Lee: “Well, that’s not true.”

Me: “Why did she not tell the truth?”

Lee: “I wouldn’t put it that way. Perhaps she felt put on the spot and didn’t know how to answer.”

Me: “I’m not sure I understand. She must have known what this room was.”

Lee: “It might have been an honest mistake.”

Me: “Are you telling me she didn’t know what an initiatory room was?”

Lee: “It’s a very complicated matter.”

Me: “I think you have two options, Mr. Perry. Either hide the room with a curtain so nobody will see it. If this is your choice, then you need to be honest with the media by telling them that, because some parts of the temple are considered so sacred, no details can be divulged. You must then quit telling the media that there are no secrets in your temple. Your other option is to give full disclosure, telling the public about each of the rooms and being more complete with what really goes on inside the temple. Then you would have the right to tell the media that ‘there are no closed doors.’”

I decided to visit the temple on the following Monday, which was the next day that the temple was open since it is closed on Sundays. While our group was walking through the baptismal font area, I asked Laurie, the wife of the temple guide, whether or not we would be seeing every important room in this temple. “Absolutely,” she quietly assured me. Wanting to make sure she wasn’t mistaking my question, I asked, “Every room?” “Uh huh,” she said in a matter-of-fact manner.

As we came to the men’s locker area, I was surprised that her husband had allowed the group to gather directly in front of the lockers. This gave me a chance to walk partway into the “initiatory room” and peek inside, confirming that this was indeed the washing and anointing room. After the guide provided a quick explanation of the lockers, he asked, “Are there any questions?” “Yes,” I answered, pointing behind me. “What happens in this initiatory room?” Since I was not wearing a button-down shirt with a tie, and my slacks were hanging in the closet back in my Southern California home, I think it must have been obvious to him that I was not a Latter-day Saint. Looking a little confused as he looked at the sign, he stumbled over his words and said, “I’m not sure what it’s for.”

The 20 or so Mormons in our group seemed to fidget since this room embarrasses many members in the church. This may very well be the reason why changes were made in the washing and anointing room in the spring of 2005, which lessened the awkwardness of having temple workers touch the participants on different parts of their bodies. But there is no doubt that most, if not all, of the members of our group knew the purpose of this room, even if the guide really didn’t. After an awkward pause, a middle-aged gentleman in the group whispered quietly to the guide. “Oh yes,” the guide finally responded, seeming pleased that he suddenly remembered the purpose of the room. “It’s a place where people are cleaned.” Not wanting to allow my original question to be answered so vaguely, I persisted. “Is it like a shower?” “Yes, like a shower,” was his response.

Probably because this was not a very good description of what really happens in this room, the gentleman who had whispered to the guide looked directly at me and said, “It’s a room where the temple Mormon goes cleansed to prepare him for the rest of his time in the temple.” Relieved that he was off the hook, the guide quickly exited the room and everyone followed. As we were exiting to the next room on the tour, the gentleman sidled up to me and whispered, “We call it the washing and anointing room. It’s what we do at the beginning of the endowment ceremony.” At last, I was receiving some accurate information, though certainly no thanks to the official guide who was supposed to be the one who would help “dispel the myths.” Of course, no additional details were offered, and I wouldn’t expect them to be much more detailed. But at least someone—I found out his name was Paul—was willing to call the room by its name as well as provide a short explanation for what went on there.

After we finished the short tour—again, very little information was provided in any of the rooms that could give a clear picture as to what really happens in a temple—I ran into Paul again in the punch and cookie line at the hospitality center. Paul told me that he is a member of the bishopric at a local Sacramento-area ward. We spoke for about 45 minutes on the temple ordinances and other issues related to Mormonism. Before we parted, he told me, “You know, I was talking to my wife as we were leaving the temple tour, and I told her that there was no reason why the guide had to blow off your question like he did. It’s not like the washing and anointing room is a secret.”

“Ahh,” I responded, “I’m glad to hear you say that. Based on the response from the tour guide, though, it really appears that it really is a secret.” Paul gave me a disagreeing look and said, “I’m not sure what these guides are told to say by the officials in charge. But I think not being forthright is not the right way to approach questions like yours.”

When Bill McKeever and Keith Walker (director of Evidence Ministries, www.evidenceministries.org) toured the temple during the third week of the open house (August 14th), their tour guides were Richard and Dawn. When directed to the locker room, Bill wandered into the adjacent “Initiatory Room” where patrons are ceremoniously washed and anointed. Perhaps my conversation with Mr. Perry during the first week had some kind of effect because Bill noticed that the words “Initiatory Room” near the entryway were covered with white tape. Bill exited the small room and waited for Dawn to finish addressing the group. According to Bill, he asked Dawn, “What’s in this room?” To which she replied she was unsure, but that it was a “transitional room” to the other rooms they would visit on the tour.

When Bill and Keith’s group was escorted to the ordinance room adjacent to the celestial room, Bill discreetly asked Dawn if the large curtain at the front of the room was raised when the room was in use. Dawn said no. Bill then said “So it is always down,” to which she said, “uh-huh.” Keith mentioned the room looked like a theater but that it lacked a projector like the previous room had. Dawn said many assume there is a stage behind the curtain but she said that was not true. When Keith asked what was behind the curtain Dawn said it was a little area that led in the next room (celestial room) and that there was really no significance to it.

When their group came to the sealing room (where couples and families are sealed for eternity), Dawn explained to the group that she and Richard make it a point to visit a Mormon temple once a month. After the couple bore their “testimonies” to the group, everyone exited the temple. They were then ushered into the hosting center. It was here where Bill asked Dawn for further clarification.

Bill: “Dawn, I have a question. If you and your husband go through the temple once a month, then you should have known that that was the washing and anointing room.”

Dawn: “Uh-Hmm.”

Bill: “But you said you didn’t know.”

Dawn: “Right.”

Bill: “Why did you say that?”

Dawn: “Because we’re told to say what we can say.

Dawn then asked if she could get someone else to better answer Bill’s questions. Bill said that wasn’t necessary and that he only wanted to know why she answered that way. Bill then asked about the curtain. She insisted that she did not know if the curtain went up because she had never gone through a “session” in this temple before.

Apparently Bill’s questions greatly bothered Dawn. About four hours later two security guards drove down to the intersection where Bill and Keith were distributing our 4-page temple handout. While Bill was across the street, the two men approached Keith, taking a few pictures of him before telling him that he was banned from entering temple property for the duration of the open house. A security guard named Doug accused Keith of causing contention during his tour. Asking what it was that made him “contentious,” Keith was told that the tour guide was uncomfortable with the questions he asked of her. Ironically, it was Bill, not Keith, who asked the questions.

The next day Bill and Keith were approached by security guards named Ron and Bill. With a big smile Ron, who is the temple’s chief of security, wanted to tell them how happy he was that the Christians were there distributing the newspapers because “you are doing us (the LDS Church) a favor.” Calling Ron’s bluff, Bill said, “Then send your missionaries down here to help us if you really believe that.” Ron only laughed. (We hear comments like this all of the time from Mormons, but it seems we never get any assistance from LDS Church officials in a distribution of materials that is supposedly helping their cause! I had spoken to Ron during the first week, and when he asked me if there was anything he could do to make our distribution any easier—since we were “helping the church”—I immediately replied, “Give us a tent on your temple grounds with some chairs. We’ll stay there and then distribute these at the gate when the guests leave.” Of course, my wish was not granted.)

Keith then asked Ron why the church banned him from the temple, and Ron said it was “some of the comments you made.” Bill asked Ron, “So you can’t ask any question you want even though that is what you told the papers?” Rather than answer Keith’s and Bill’s inquiries, Ron switched topics by telling them he did not come down to “bash,” but that he came down because he was concerned for their “safety.” He then tried to imply that he had the power to have the Christians removed. This is absolutely not true. He had no such power. Besides, how much sense does this make when he had just stated how much Bill and Keith were helping his church?

Keith still wanted to know the specifics as to why he was not permitted to enter temple property. Bill explained that they were both very low-key when they talked with Dawn. The only question loud enough for the group to hear was the one asked in the men’s locker room. Bill spoke in a hushed tone to her in the ordinance room and waited until the group had dispersed in the hosting room before the final dialogue took place lest he cause her any undue embarrassment. Ron said the tour guide felt “threatened.” Threatened? “I think she felt convicted,” Bill responded. She should have. What she said was absolutely false.

Ron said he too did not know where the washing and anointing room was located. Bill explained that it was near the locker room but that the small sign that said “Initiatory Room” was now covered. “When you cover something,” Bill said, “it means you don’t want them to know what is underneath it.” Bill said this game of semantics was very offensive and deceptive. Ron said he was sorry if they were offended, to which Bill pointed out that his apology meant nothing because the church has no desire to change its policies. Bill reminded Ron that according to Mormonism, true repentance means you stop the sin. The church never had any intention of showing all of the rooms in the temple despite what they told the media.

On August 18th three more of our volunteers toured the temple. When in the men’s locker room they noticed that the entry to the Initiatory Room was now blocked by several chairs.

The unfortunate part is the great majority of those touring this temple would never recognize the misinformation that they were being fed on their tour. Even more disturbing is the fact that the tour guides are willing to do what they are told by their church officials in an attempt to purposely conceal information. They have apparently learned well from the words of Mormon Apostle Boyd Packer, who said:

"There is a temptation for the writer or teacher of Church history to want to tell everything, whether it is worthy or faith promoting or not. Some things that are true are not very useful. . . In the Church we are not neutral. We are one sided. There is a war going on, and we are engaged in it. . ." (Boyd K. Packer, "The Mantle is Far, Far Greater Than the Intellect,” BYU Studies, Summer 1981, pp. 263, 267).

Perhaps they should instead take heed to BYU Professor Robert Matthews who, in 1994, stated:

"Even sharing the truth can have the effect of lying when we tell only half-truths that do not give the full picture. We can also be guilty of bearing false witness and lying if we say nothing, particularly if we allow another to reach a wrong conclusion while we hold back information that would have led to a more accurate perception. In this case it is as though an actual lie were uttered" (Robert J. Matthews, "Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness," Ensign, October 1994, pg.54).

As a visitor to seven temple open houses, I can say that the information provided in the average tour is usually so nebulous that it is meaningless unless a person is LDS or is a person with a good working knowledge of the religion. Casual observers are left befuddled by the end of the tour and could easily conclude that temple worship is a valid practice ignored by Protestant Christianity. But the modus operandi of the Mormon Church is providing fewer details about their doctrines and practices, allowing it to be accepted by observers as just another Christian religion. Wouldn’t it be nice if the church leaders would just put full disclosure into practice? This is wishful thinking, though, because the more information they provide, the less likely potential converts would want to join the Mormon religion. Something tells me that future temple open houses will probably not change very much at all—such a shame!