What is a Temple Recommend? (Jesus Christ, Latter-Day Saints, moral, testimony)

[evearael]

Just curious... What is a Temple Recommend and why is it important? Does it have anything to do with Sealing?

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by evearael

Just curious... What is a Temple Recommend and why is it important? Does it have anything to do with Sealing?

Not all members of our Church have proven themselves worthy of the blessings the Temple offers. The fact that a person is a baptized member of the Church doesn’t mean that that individual is committed to living up to the required standard of obedience that entrance to the temple requires. All Latter-day Saints are encouraged to strive for that commitment and worthiness, however. I hold a current, valid Temple Recommend that entitles me to attend any of the Church’s more than 100 temples worldwide. Every two years, I need to renew this recommend. I do so by requesting a meeting with either my Bishop or one of his counselors. (These three men are the leaders of an individual LDS Ward, or congregation – much like a parish.) The person I meet with will ask me a series of questions. I’ve been asked these many, many times, so I ought to be able to remember most of them. They run pretty much along these lines:

Do you believe in God, the Eternal Father, in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost?

Do you have a firm testimony of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Do you sustain President Gordon B. Hinckley as Prophet, Seer and Revelator, and as the only individual holding the Keys of the Kingdom of God on the earth today?

Do you pay a full tithing? (This would be 10% of our income.)

Do you strive to attend your Church meetings?

Are you morally clean? (To us this means no pre-marital or extra-marital sexual relations of any kind.)

Do you live the Word of Wisdom? (This is our health code which prohibits alcohol, tobacco, stimulants and illegal drugs.)

Are you honest in your dealings with your fellow men?

Is there anything in your relationship with members of your family that is amiss? (This question concerns physical or emotional abuse within the home.)

Do you affiliate with members of any apostate group? (This is a reference to some of the splinter groups that have broken off from the LDS Church.)

After I have been interviewed by a member of my Bishopric, I must meet with a member of my Stake Presidency. The Stake President and his counselors preside over about six to eight wards, making it roughly equivalent to a diocese. He asks me the same questions. If I am able to honestly answer them to the satisfaction of both of these men, I am given a Temple Recommend. I have to carry it with me whenever I go into the Temple, since I won’t get beyond the front door without it.

When a Latter-day Saint couple is married in the temple, they are said to be "sealed for time and all eternity." Both the man and woman getting married must have a valid temple recommend in order to be sealed to one another.

[evearael]

Do you live the Word of Wisdom? (This is our health code which prohibits alcohol, tobacco, stimulants and illegal drugs.)

So... does this prohibit Sudafed or other medications that may either be stimulants or contain alcohol?

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by evearael

So... does this prohibit Sudafed or other medications that may either be stimulants or contain alcohol?

No. Medications containing alcohol or stimulants are allowed, as long as they are not abused.

[evearael]

No. Medications containing alcohol or stimulants are allowed, as long as they are not abused.

Cool. Thank you so much for your prompt and thorough responses!

[Bishka]

Originally Posted by evearael

Cool. Thank you so much for your prompt and thorough responses!

Well, we are glad you asked Leonne instead of just assuming as some people do!

[SoyLeche]

Originally Posted by Katzpur

Not all members of our Church have proven themselves worthy of the blessings the Temple offers. The fact that a person is a baptized member of the Church doesn’t mean that that individual is committed to living up to the required standard of obedience that entrance to the temple requires. All Latter-day Saints are encouraged to strive for that commitment and worthiness, however. I hold a current, valid Temple Recommend that entitles me to attend any of the Church’s more than 100 temples worldwide. Every two years, I need to renew this recommend. I do so by requesting a meeting with either my Bishop or one of his counselors. (These three men are the leaders of an individual LDS Ward, or congregation – much like a parish.) The person I meet with will ask me a series of questions. I’ve been asked these many, many times, so I ought to be able to remember most of them. They run pretty much along these lines:

Do you believe in God, the Eternal Father, in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost?

Do you have a firm testimony of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Do you sustain President Gordon B. Hinckley as Prophet, Seer and Revelator, and as the only individual holding the Keys of the Kingdom of God on the earth today?

Do you pay a full tithing? (This would be 10% of our income.)

Do you strive to attend your Church meetings?

Are you morally clean? (To us this means no pre-marital or extra-marital sexual relations of any kind.)

Do you live the Word of Wisdom? (This is our health code which prohibits alcohol, tobacco, stimulants and illegal drugs.)

Are you honest in your dealings with your fellow men?

Is there anything in your relationship with members of your family that is amiss? (This question concerns physical or emotional abuse within the home.)

Do you affiliate with members of any apostate group? (This is a reference to some of the splinter groups that have broken off from the LDS Church.)

After I have been interviewed by a member of my Bishopric, I must meet with a member of my Stake Presidency. The Stake President and his counselors preside over about six to eight wards, making it roughly equivalent to a diocese. He asks me the same questions. If I am able to honestly answer them to the satisfaction of both of these men, I am given a Temple Recommend. I have to carry it with me whenever I go into the Temple, since I won’t get beyond the front door without it.

When a Latter-day Saint couple is married in the temple, they are said to be "sealed for time and all eternity." Both the man and woman getting married must have a valid temple recommend in order to be sealed to one another.

You forgot the most important question:

Do you feel that you are worthy to enter the temple?

Kind of a catchall for anything that may slip through the other questions.

[Katzpur]

Originally Posted by SoyLeche

You forgot the most important question:

Do you feel that you are worthy to enter the temple?

Kind of a catchall for anything that may slip through the other questions.

Duh! Yup, I forgot that one!