What is the Mormon Temple Endowment ceremony?

Answer 1

Before a person serves a full-time mission for the LDS Church or before his/her temple marriage he/she will be required to participate in the Endowment Ceremony (where they will be "endowed" with special knowledge). When an adult Mormon attends the temple he/she only goes through the ceremony once for him/herself. After that, the person will attend the temple on behalf of a dead person of the same sex. The live Mormon stands in the place of a particular dead person and goes through the entire endowment ceremony in that person's name.

The person enters the temple, goes to a locker room, dresses in the temple undergarment covered with a white poncho. He/she will then receive the washing and anointing ritual, performed by members of the same sex. At this point they will be given their new name for eternity (i.e. Paul, Timothy, etc. for men, Rachael, Deborah, etc. for women). The person then dons a white temple dress or shirt and pants (over the special underwear). Each will carry a small bag containing a long piece of white material, gathered in the middle, that will be draped over one shoulder, a white sash, green apron and a hat or veil. These will be put on later in the ceremony. The person then joins a group of several dozen people in the auditorium, men on one side and women on the other. They then watch a film depicting the creation of our world, the fall and expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. Then Peter, James and John appear to instruct them in certain handshakes and pass words necessary to gain admittance to the Celestial Kingdom. At the end of the ceremony they are tested on their knowledge by one playing the part of God. After this ceremony the couple will be given a temple marriage ceremony in an adjoining room. These rituals are considered necessary for one to gain the highest level of heaven, exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom.

Answer 2

The first answer pretty much gave you the neutral step-by-step - other than a marriage ceremony is not performed after each endowment ceremony...they are separate ordinances.

Endowment
A special spiritual blessing given to worthy and faithful members of the Church in the temple

This link http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.3933737ad2ff28132eb22a86942826a0/?vgnextoid=bbd508f54922d010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=b1747c2fc20b8010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____
which is from the official LDS site, will give you a good explanation why we have temples and why we go there.

It is sacred to those who understand the purpose. To those who do not understand, or who are not spiritually mature enough, it is often uncomfortable confusing and many times they quit going all together because they just don't "get it"...

As far as the "sealed portion" that actually has no bearing towards the LDS church because we do not believe that is actually scripture. That to us was a person trying to get fame through "exposing" the lost transcripts...
I don't believe that if the Lord revealed the first Book of Mormon to the prophet of the LDS church He would then choose some other avenue to reveal more of it. God is all about order and organization and that just makes no sense. I put no value on the "Sealed Portion" as mentioned before.

******jungle - I assume you are directing your comment to me and since you don't allow yourself to be emailed, I will do it here... Spiritually mature...yeah that's exactly what I meant. I think people who attend the temple just because it is "expected" or for any other purpose besides to become closer to the Lord aren't going to have a good experience. If we aren't submissive to the Spirit, don't study the gospel and see the symbolic nature of everything in the temple, we won't understand it at all. It would be like trying to do algebra without knowing how to add, subtract or multiply. I do not mean it condescending at all, I am sorry if it "read" that way. I don't think people should go if they don't want to. It will be a bad experience and probably turn them from the church. That was my point. I know several people who have received their endowment and never went back and now don't even really go to church...and they went to the temple for the wrong reason(s). Also I can honestly say I do LOVE attending the temple, not because we are asked to, but because I know it is truly the Lord's house, that He comes there...what a wonderful blessing it is to know I can stand in the same spot where my Savior has.

Answer 3

As an active, temple-recommend holding member, I believed it was a sacred ordinance that I needed in order to attain "salvation" in the Celestial kingdom--what I believed was the "higest" kindgom in the kingdom of God.

I went time and time again to the temple, trying to understand the endowment.

I didn't understand it though, and neither did anyone else for that matter. Whenever my husband and I asked anyone who we thought should know what any of it meant, we would get the same answer, "oh, we can't talk about that." (Bishops, Temple Presidents, etc.) We thought for sure that the "Brethren" knew what it meant. Now we know they don't either.

It wasn't until we read The Sealed Portion that we had any idea WHAT it meant. Chapters 10-12 of The Sealed Portion explain much of it.

http://www.thesealedportion.com/

Here is a site that has the transcript before and after the major changes that took place in 1990. (It does NOT have the signs, tokens, and penalties in it though.)

http://home.earthlink.net/~ldsendowment/historicaldocs.html

And here is the beginning of a work that will explain the whole thing in plainness. It was recently posted on a yahoo discussion group:

Ostensibly, no religious ordinance or institutional requirement appears as more arrogant, more esoteric, and more confusing to the understanding of a reasonable mind, than the LDS Temple Endowment. Mormon leaders instill it in their members’ minds that it is sacred and highly revered as the most significant ordinance one can receive in mortality, even claiming it to be an essential requirement for their eternal salvation. Despite this, most LDS members, if not all, do not understand the nature, significance and meaning of the truths hidden in the endowment. It has been the cause of much debate and controversy since its introduction into the LDS (Mormon) faith.

The purpose of this exposition is to reveal to the world the exact meaning of the endowment, and to unfold all of the mysteries that pertain to it. In so doing, the non-LDS mind can come to an understanding of its beauty, wonder, and glorious message. But most importantly, the LDS people can become aware of what exactly they are doing to limit their eternal perspective and understanding of the mysteries of God. The intent is that the members and leaders might come to understand the insignificance of this ordinance with regard to the salvation of a child of God, and at the same time, to reveal to all people its paramount significance in learning the mysteries of the plan of the Creator. His plan is the ONLY thing that truly brings salvation to ALL of His children—and certainly not just to LDS members.

Answer 4

There are two books that I would recommend that you read to gain a better understanding of what not only the Endowment is but the purpose of temples. The links in my sources will take you to them. They could explain the answer to your question better than I could ever hope to.

Answer 5

I just love when Mormons claim to "love" attending the temple but they know damn well that the leaders are constantly begging and nagging members to attend. One guy said that those who don't like it just don't "get it." In his condescending tone he claims they aren't spiritually mature...reminds me of the whole town claiming they saw the beautiful robes of the King until one "immature" lad said, "But he ain't got no clothes on!" Maybe you should take another look at how spiritually mature you really are.

I wonder if he's ever thought that telling yourself over and over that the International House of Handshakes is stimulating and interesting is a good indicator that you still haven't "gotten it." What's to get? That Joseph Smith could make up such a silly cult show and people are still going and acting like its not the biggest weird out of their sheltered little Mormon lives!

On the Jungle weird scale its an 11! Our ceremonies go to 11! (ala Spinal Tap)

Answer 6

whats up, ******, why do no longer you get your information rapidly in the previous you're saying something frigging absurd on the information superhighway the place anybody can see how stupid you're. i ensue to be mormon, and if i ever capture you stompin on my floor i will bust you up. ... haha, in basic terms kidding bro, yet heavily, in the previous you're saying something stupid, why do no longer you get your information rapidly, 'reason its kinda offensive. contributors of the lds church do no longer talk brazenly the endowment ceremony simply by fact we evaluate it a sacred area of our faith that could exceptionally lots in basic terms get made exciting of by ability of the people like this guy up above if we informed anybody approximately it. EDIT: and btw, i can not take you heavily whilst your avatar has a cranium on its face and you're speaking approximately 40 12 months previous adult males raping 12 12 months olds. paedophile lots??

Answer 7

Here's a transcript:

http://www.irr.org/mit/endowment.html

Answer 8

learning more of God's plan of salvation and making sacred covenants. More I will not tell.