“Every activity, every lesson, all we do in the Church, point to the Lord and His holy house,” Elder Russell M. Nelson said in a 2001 Ensign article. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we are constantly reminded to prepare ourselves for the temple.
This preparation includes striving to be worthy and always keeping the temple in our minds as our goal. However, once the time to enter the temple arrives, either through mission or marriage, more serious preparation should be considered. Bishop Kip Harris of the BYU-Idaho 40th Ward recommends that couples make an appointment to see the bishop as soon as they have made the decision to get married. He can then serve as a guide through temple preparation so that you will get the most out of the temple.
Most wards offer a temple preparation class for those getting ready to go through for the first time. Harris advises all couples preparing to enter the temple for marriage to take that class, even if they have already taken out their endowments.
“Learn all you can about the temple,” Stephen Hart, who teaches a temple preparation class, said. “Sometimes people are surprised– the temple is not what they expected”
Some readings recommended by Elder Nelson to “provide a firm foundation” are explanatory paragraphs in the Bible Dictionary listed under the following topics: Anoint, Atonement, Christ, Covenant, Fall of Adam, Sacrifices and Temple.
It is also important to keep an open mind when entering the temple. “Be prepared to learn from those who have been called to work in the temple,” J. Duane Dudley said in a 1974 Ensign. “Be teachable.”
On the more practical side of preparation, there are a few things many youth forget to think about on their first visit. “A lot of kids forget to call and schedule the endowment with the temple,” Harris said. “They usually have certain times that they do first visits.”
You should also call and find out how early they would like you to arrive. According to Hart, they usually have you arrive a few hours before the session is scheduled to start so that paperwork can be filled out and procedures explained to you. Make the temple appointment in advance and try to allow a little time between receiving the endowments and the wedding.
“It’s a lot to absorb. It’s best to break it up a bit,” Harris said. On a similar note, it’s best not to have it too far in advance. “No more than a couple of weeks, but definitely not the same day.”
Harris also said it could be a good idea to visit a distribution center and look at the types, styles, sizes and fabrics of garments. “The church really gives us a lot of variety of choice where that is concerned, and I don’t think a lot of kids realize that,” he said.
The last thing to remember is to pay attention to the spirit of the day. Hart, who also works in the temple every week, recommends not getting too stressed out by trying to remember absolutely every little detail of the first day. “Hopefully that will be the first of many, many visits. Don’t be so worried about what you’re doing that you don’t enjoy the experience.”
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