Are Mormon Temples Secret?
December 13, 2011
Filed under About Mormon Temples, Cebu Philippines Mormon Temple
by Roy
I 
was one of the participants at the Cebu Philippines Temple Dedication. Because I can sing well, I was privileged to be with the choir to sing during that major event for the Latter-day Saints in the Philippines. It was so wonderful, and very intriguing to many people, that over 50,000 people from almost everywhere had come to visit the new temple. Many of the guests were not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes nicknamed the Mormon Church). The media published some interesting thoughts about the Mormon temple that encouraged people to come and see the new temple.
My grandmother had told me how the Mormon temple in the Philippines became the “apple of the eye” to the Filipinos. The building itself is naturally attractive and beautiful. She said that it is the first time in the Philippines that a building would be elaborately decorated and lit during Christmas season, and that happens also at the Manila Philippines Temple, attracting many onlookers. The temple in Manilla had become one of the main attractions during Christmas, and it adds to the fame of the LDS Church in the Philippines.
The thoughts of many turn to this question: “Why is it that the Church is spending so much just to have this kind of place of worship, when they already have beautiful chapels everywhere? And what is the Mormon temple for?” or “Are Mormon Temples Secret?”
Most people are very interested to know what things can be found inside the temple and what is happening inside it. Sometimes people get the wrong impression from the critics of the Church that Mormons are secretive and have some weird things happening inside the temple. And some would even say, “If there isn’t something weird going on there, why don’t they follow the standard of a non-Mormon temple anywhere in the world where people can come, relax, and visit?”
The LDS Church regards their temple as holy edifices dedicated to the Lord. They are places where His Spirit can be strongly felt. Similar to the temples built by commandment to God by Moses, Solomon, and other men of God, the Mormon temple is regarded as a special place where only the most worthy—those who accept the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and are keeping the commandments of God in their daily lives—can enter the temple after it is dedicated to the Lord.
Higher ordinances are performed in the temples of God, wherein patrons make stronger commitments to follow Christ and center their lives on Him. Some of these ordinances are Family Sealing and Temple Marriage. Family sealing is the binding of every individual in the family to each other so they can be together forever as a family. Likewise, temple marriage is the sealing of husband and wife for the eternities.
There
are also other sacred ordinances that are so important in our lives, like the Mormon Endowment and Baptism for our dead loved ones and ancestors. To be “endowed” means being given special blessings or gifts that can help us tackle our hardships in life. Baptism is the first essential ordinance necessary to enter into the kingdom of God. The Savior is our perfect example of this principle, when He was baptized by immersion, although He was sinless. There are many of our ancestors who have died without the knowledge and blessings of the fullness of the gospel. Joseph Smith, one of the Mormon prophets, said, “And now, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let me assure you that these are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, as Paul says concerning the fathers—that they without us cannot be made perfect—neither can we without our dead be made perfect” (Doctrine and Covenants 128:15).
Ordinances performed inside the temple are more “sacred” than secret, because they are saving ordinances or sacred acts that can only be done inside the holy temple. Mormons don’t discuss the details of temple worship outside the temple, even with other members who have attended the temple, because they belong in holy places only.
“And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end. Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day” (Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 27:19–20).
We are all children of God and therefore all are entitled to the same blessings given to those who are obedient and who are wiling to follow His commandments. Latter-day Saints hope all will sanctify themselves in order to be worthy to enter God’s house and partake of higher ordinances that can lead to exaltation in the highest kingdom of heaven.
I testify that God loves us so much. He is our Father in Heaven and His wonderful plan of happiness is the way back to His presence. I testify that temple ordinances are essential in our lives. They bring us the possibility of eternal glory and eternal families, of power, knowledge, and spiritual safety.
Additional Resources
Roy Patrick is currently working as a Call Center Agent in the Philippines. He served a full-time mission in San Francisco, CA. His family is one of the pioneers of the LDS Church in Panay Island, Philippines.