A Question About The Temple

[inquiringmind]

I've read of Presidents and General Authorities meditating in the Temple, but can ordinary members do that?

I mean if I were a member with a Temple Recommend, and I did Temple work, could I also spend some time there in a quiet room, just to be alone with myself and God?

Edited November 22, 2011 by inquiringmind

[Storm Rider]

The temple is open to all worthy members of the Church. There is no need to feel that the temple is only to be used for specific ordinance work. Take time to use the Celestial room for as long as you like.

Each temple presidency operates their temple slightly differently than another; however, in general, they all run similarly. Always feel comfortable to talk with a member of the temple presidency to ask questions or clarifications.

At times during the day you will find waiting rooms near the sealing rooms that are not used. They can be used for quiet reflection, contemplation, and personal prayer. I would discourage any attempt to enter a sealing room for such a purpose. Those are sacred rooms that have specific purposes.

There will be exceptions to many things; when in doubt ask a member of the presidency. The House of the Lord is a great place to spend time. In doing so, your spirit will be refined and you will find a greater hunger to emulate the example of our Master, Jesus Christ.

[altersteve]

I've read of Presidents and General Authorities meditating in the Temple, but can ordinary members do that?

I mean if I were a member with a Temple Recommend, and I did Temple work, could I also spend some time there in a quiet room, just to be alone with myself and God?

Absolutely. There is no greater place to spend with the Lord than in His House.

[cdowis]

There are rooms which are used for meeting at the beginning of a shift for the ordinance workers. Otherwise they are usually available.

For myself personally it is not so much the physical location, being in the temple, but the fact that I have set aside time to be with the Lord. When I arrive at work, I sometimes take time in my car to meditate before I go inside the building. I feel that same spirit in the temple or in the car.

Edited November 22, 2011 by cdowis

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

I've read of Presidents and General Authorities meditating in the Temple, but can ordinary members do that?

I mean if I were a member with a Temple Recommend, and I did Temple work, could I also spend some time there in a quiet room, just to be alone with myself and God?

You can remain in the Chapel as long as you like waiting until the next secession. If the Temple is crowded your time in the CK room will be limited. But a room all your own...no.

[Freedom]

Not all temples have meeting or sitting rooms. The Vancouver Temple, located in Langley BC, has a small chapel for gathering before entering a session, and another near the baptistery but they are not conducive to quite reflection. Visitors are welcome to remain the celestial room for as long as they wish however.

[Duncan]

The Regina Saskatchewan Temple has no chapel or anything beyond the dressing area and the endowment room, so if you want to meditate you can do so in the celestial room or outside

[mfbukowski]

I think these answers have been confusing to one who has never been in a temple.

The easiest answer is that you can contemplate as long as you like in the celestial room- it would be like meditating in a typical "church" in that there will be quiet whispering around you sometimes, and sometimes total silence. (I am thinking of Catholic Cathedral type structures between masses, if that makes any sense to you)

As far as being totally by yourself- probably not unless perhaps the temple president has suggestions to allow you to do so.

[Saints Alive]

I'd say the celestial room would be the best place for quite meditation and prayer. For an unendowed temple worthy person would you be allowed to sit in the baptistry?

[Sky]

One of my favorite things to do is listen to the soft, peaceful organ music playing the church hymns in the chapel prior to the start of an endowment session. This is the Denver Temple – I don’t know if this happens in all of the temples.

[Saints Alive]

One of my favorite things to do is listen to the soft, peaceful organ music playing the church hymns in the chapel prior to the start of an endowment session. This is the Denver Temple – I don’t know if this happens in all of the temples.

My temple doesn't have a chapel

Edited November 22, 2011 by Saints Alive

[LeSellers]

I'd say the celestial room would be the best place for quite meditation and prayer. For an unendowed temple worthy person would you be allowed to sit in the baptistry?

I suppose it would depend on the Temple President.

In Denver we had many people who'd come into the baptistry and observe the ordinances there. Usually, they'd be patrons who had asked the youth to stand as proxies for some of their ancestors, but if they're in the Temple, I always assumed they were there legitimately (I didn't need to see their recommends, for instance) and never asked what they were doing there. As long as there was room they were welcome.

Lehi

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

Not all temples have meeting or sitting rooms. The Vancouver Temple, located in Langley BC, has a small chapel for gathering before entering a session, and another near the baptistery but they are not conducive to quite reflection. Visitors are welcome to remain the celestial room for as long as they wish however.

Yes, I forgot. Atlanta does but Birmingham that we had to use for a year had nothing but a small foyer.

[mfbukowski]

I'd say the celestial room would be the best place for quite meditation and prayer. For an unendowed temple worthy person would you be allowed to sit in the baptistry?

Good point.

Yes, within a few months of baptism as determined by the bishop you could have a "limited use recommend" which would allow you to enter the baptistry and do baptisms for the dead- or simply sit in one of the waiting rooms or even one of the chapels available there depending on the configuration of the particular temple.

Again though, you would not be alone completely.

[mfbukowski]

I've read of Presidents and General Authorities meditating in the Temple, but can ordinary members do that?

The Salt Lake temple is configured a bit differently than most- there are actual offices and small chapels all over the place designed specifically for meetings with and between General Authorities, primarily, I would imagine for temple administrative functions. After all, real planning, memos, etc have to be generated which are to be used in temples throughout the world.

For example, new temple workers need to learn the ordinances by memorization and so there are materials available for them to do so, and places for them to study etc. Those areas exist in all temples to my knowledge. Perhaps that would be a solution- you could eventually become a temple worker and have access to those areas, which are not unlike a library-- but you still would not be alone because others are studying there too.

But those materials which have information available only in temples have to be created and printed etc for the world wide church. So there must be places designed for those kind of projects- I don't know this for a fact, perhaps some here do, but I imagine most of that kind of activity would happen in the SLC temple in dedicated areas. There are also many underground areas in the SLC, annexes etc which provide extra square footage in addition to the older sections of the temple which everyone not acquainted with them think of as "the temple".

The LA temple was, for years, the "largest" temple in square footage until all the underground annexes etc were added to the SLC temple, and now the SLC temple is much larger in square footage, but LA is still the largest above-ground structure.

[mfbukowski]

The Regina Saskatchewan Temple has no chapel or anything beyond the dressing area and the endowment room, so if you want to meditate you can do so in the celestial room or outside

Inquiring:

That would be another option available to you now; many people find quiet spots on temple grounds for meditation.

[inquiringmind]

Thank you all.

[Peppermint Patty]

The temple is a great place for meditation. It's the only place in our Church where you can go and quietly meditate and are guaranteed not to hear the constant noise of crying babies.

[Libs]

I'd say the celestial room would be the best place for quite meditation and prayer. For an unendowed temple worthy person would you be allowed to sit in the baptistry?

I was going to say, the baptistry is often quiet and that is where I used to sit and meditate or read the Book of Mormon. I mostly did this on my breaks, when I was a Temple worker. I worked in the L.A. Temple for a year. It has many nice quiet places (nooks and crannies) in which to meditate.

Edited November 24, 2011 by Libs

[ERMD]

When a reference is made about a President of the Church or one of the Twelve meditating in the temple, it many times refers to doing so in the Holy of Holies.

There is one in every temple.

[mfbukowski]

There is one in every temple.

Are you sure about that one?

[Storm Rider]

Are you sure about that one?

There is one in every temple to my understanding. If there is not a room set aside for it, then a sealing room is designated to serve as needed.

[mfbukowski]

There is one in every temple to my understanding. If there is not a room set aside for it, then a sealing room is designated to serve as needed.

OK that makes sense- because I knew that there was not a specifically named "Holy of Holies" in every temple. SLC to my knowledge is the only one.

[ERMD]

Are you sure about that one?

Pretty sure. The newer, smaller temples certainly do.

I served on the temple committee when the San Antonio temple was being built, as well as during the open house and dedication. I know that building pretty well.

Edited November 26, 2011 by ERMD

[reubendunn]

I'd say the celestial room would be the best place for quite meditation and prayer. For an unendowed temple worthy person would you be allowed to sit in the baptistry?

No. The baptistry is used as an ordinance room, there will be groups of men and women waiting to do baptisms for the dead.

Meditation and prayer can be done in the celestial room.

I'd ask a question here: Do you think that your prayers would be heard better, more clearly in the House of the Lord, than in your own home? Do you think you'd be able to meditate better, and, perhaps recieve more impressions/revelation from Heavenly Father in the temple than anywhere else?

Consider this: A fourteen year old farm boy goes into the woods for a heartfelt prayer. A prophet of God goes into the woods, initally to hunt. Both however have one of the sweetest prayer moments, and bursts of revelation ever recorded. Joseph Smith and Enos didn't need a temple to draw closer to God.

As far as the House of the Lord is conerned, there IS an ordinance room where an unendowed, non temple recommend holder can go to medittate and pray. Any LDS meeting house will have a chapel. I've spent time there before and after the church meetings, spending time alone with my thoughts and prayers.

Heavenly father will hear you just as plainly in your home, as He would in the Temples of God.