What an LDS temple is and who can enter

An LDS temple is a building owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where members participate in religious ceremonies that the church teaches are not performed in regular meetinghouses. The most common ceremonies are endowment (a ritual instruction ceremony) and sealing (a ceremony the church teaches binds families together eternally). Only members who hold a current temple recommend — a document issued by local church leaders — can enter a temple.

The church operates temples in the United States and in dozens of countries worldwide. Each temple is closed to the general public except during an open house period before dedication, when anyone can tour the building. Once dedicated, only members with a valid recommend can pass through the doors.

Temple work is central to LDS theology. Members believe that certain ordinances (religious rites) performed in temples are necessary for salvation and that members can perform these ceremonies on behalf of deceased ancestors. This practice, called proxy work or vicarious work, is one reason temples are considered sacred spaces distinct from the church's regular Sunday meeting places.

Key Takeaways

  • LDS temples are separate from regular meetinghouses and require a temple recommend — a document from local church leaders — to enter.
  • The main ceremonies performed in temples are endowment (instruction ritual) and sealing (family binding ceremony), which the church teaches are essential to salvation.
  • Members can perform temple ceremonies on behalf of deceased relatives, a practice the church calls proxy or vicarious work.
  • Temples are closed to the public after dedication, though the church holds open houses before each temple is formally dedicated.
  • The church has announced plans to build many new temples, though construction timelines vary widely.

How to get a temple recommend

A temple recommend is issued by two local church leaders: your bishop (who oversees a congregation called a ward) and your stake president (who oversees multiple wards in a stake). Both must interview you separately and determine that you meet the church's standards for temple worthiness.

The church does not publish a detailed public list of the exact questions asked in these interviews, though members generally know the topics covered. Interviews typically address whether you sustain church leaders, follow church teachings on sexual morality, pay tithing (a donation the church requests), and avoid substances the church prohibits such as alcohol, tobacco, and coffee. The bishop and stake president also ask whether you have any unresolved conflicts with family members or others.

If both leaders approve, they sign a recommend that is valid for two years. You present this recommend at the temple entrance. If you do not hold a current recommend, you cannot enter the temple building, even if you are a church member.

Types of temple recommends and what they allow

The church issues two main types of recommends. A limited-use recommend allows you to attend certain temple ceremonies but not all. A full recommend allows you to participate in all temple ordinances. The difference is determined during your interview with the bishop and stake president based on whether you meet all the church's standards.

A limited-use recommend typically allows attendance at proxy work (performing ceremonies for deceased people) but may restrict attendance at endowment or sealing ceremonies. Full recommends allow participation in all ordinances. The church also issues temporary recommends for specific purposes, such as attending a family sealing, which may be granted even if you do not hold a full recommend.

Recommends are not transferable. You cannot use someone else's recommend, and you cannot lend yours. Each recommend is tied to a specific person and checked against church records when you enter the temple.

What happens inside a temple

Temple ceremonies are closed to non-members and are not photographed or recorded. Members who have attended describe the endowment ceremony as lasting roughly two hours and involving instruction, symbolic clothing, and covenants (promises). The sealing ceremony, which the church teaches binds a married couple or family members together eternally, is shorter and more intimate, typically involving only the people being sealed and a few witnesses.

Members also attend temples to perform proxy work — ceremonies performed on behalf of deceased ancestors whose names are researched through church genealogy records. This work is a major reason the church maintains temples and encourages members to attend regularly. Many members spend several hours at a time in the temple performing multiple proxy ceremonies.

Temples also have spaces for other purposes: administrative offices, clothing rental areas, cafeterias, and waiting rooms. The public areas where members wait or change clothes are separate from the ceremonial rooms where ordinances take place.

Temple etiquette and what to expect on your first visit

Temples operate on a schedule posted on the church website and at each temple. You do not need to make an appointment for most ceremonies; you straightforward arrive during operating hours with your recommend. Dress codes are strict: members wear formal clothing (typically a suit and tie for men, a dress for women) to the temple, and inside the temple, members change into white ceremonial clothing provided by the temple.

Phones, cameras, and recording devices are not permitted inside the temple. Conversation is kept quiet and respectful. If you are attending for the first time, the temple staff will guide you through the process and explain what to expect. Many members bring a family member or friend who has attended before to help them through their first visit.

Temples are open different hours on different days. Some are open during the day, some in the evening, and some on weekends. The church website lists the schedule for each temple, including days when the temple is closed for maintenance or special events.

New temples and construction announcements

In recent years, the church has announced plans to build many new temples. The church president announces new temples periodically, and the church then begins a process of site acquisition, design, and construction. Some announced temples begin construction within a few years; others remain in planning stages for a decade or longer.

The church publishes a list of temples by status: announced, under construction, recently completed, and in operation. This list is updated on the church's official website. Construction timelines are not always predictable, and the church does not always announce specific opening dates until a temple is near completion.

When a new temple nears completion, the church holds an open house where the public can tour the building before it is dedicated. These open houses typically last several weeks and draw large crowds. After dedication, the temple is closed to the public and only members with a recommend can enter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I visit an LDS temple if I am not a member?

You can tour a temple during the open house period before it is dedicated, which the church announces in advance. Once a temple is dedicated, only members with a current temple recommend can enter. Some temples offer visitor centers nearby where non-members can learn about the church's beliefs.

What if I lose my temple recommend or it expires?

Contact your bishop to request a new recommend. You will need to have interviews with your bishop and stake president again. If your recommend expires, you can request a renewal interview at any time. The process typically takes a few weeks.

Do I have to go to the temple?

Temple attendance is not mandatory, though the church teaches that temple ordinances are important to salvation. Many members attend regularly; others attend less frequently or not at all. Your decision to attend does not affect your membership status in the church.

How often do members go to the temple?

Frequency varies widely. Some members attend weekly or monthly; others attend a few times a year or less often. There is no required minimum. Members often attend more frequently during certain life stages, such as after marriage or when doing genealogy research for deceased relatives.

What is the difference between a temple and a meetinghouse?

A meetinghouse is where regular Sunday services, classes, and community events take place and is open to members and non-members. A temple is a separate building where specific ceremonies are performed and is open only to members with a recommend. Most church members attend a meetinghouse weekly but visit a temple less frequently.