Las Vegas Mormon Temple

What Do Mormons Believe?

Any religion has a set of beliefs which reflect their understanding of God and their relationship to Him. At the root of what Mormons believe is the statement that “we believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.” This is the first of thirteen basic beliefs that Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon Church, once wrote in response to a reporter’s questions. We believe in an all-knowing, all-powerful God who loves us (His children) and wants us to succeed. He created us and He has a plan for us to one day return to live with Him.

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Mormon Temples to ‘Dot the Earth’

Mormons believe that temples are very sacred, very special places. The blessings available through temples are held in the highest of esteem by Mormons, and they want those blessings to be available to all people. While it is possible for everyone to qualify to enter the temple, it may not be possible for all people to physically make it to the temples, particularly if they live in areas that are far from a temple. For instance, before the Las Vegas temple was dedicated in 1989, faithful Mormons needed to travel hundreds of miles to visit a temple.

To make the burden of travel easier on members, the Church continually tries to build temples all over the world so that the blessings of the temple can be available to the largest number of Mormons. It is expected that the building of temples will continue, as part of the Church’s preparation for the return of the Savior at the Second Coming:

We expect to see the day when temples will dot the earth, each one a house of the Lord; each one built in the mountains of the lord; each one a sacred sanctuary to which Israel and the Gentiles shall gather to receive the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Perhaps they will number in the hundreds, or even in the thousands, before the Lord returns. [Bruce R. McConkie, The Millennial Messiah: The Second Coming of the Son of Man (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1982), 277.]

The Las Vegas Mormon temple is not, therefore, the only Mormon temple. There are over 125 other temples, all over the world. Here are just a few sites where you can get information about specific temples:

• Oakland Temple (California, USA). Nestled in the Berkeley Hills, overlooking the San Francisco Bay, the Oakland temple has become a well-known area landmark.
• San Diego Temple (California, USA). This dazzling white temple provides a breathtaking sight for travelers down I-5 just north of San Diego.

To find out more about temples in general, consider visiting the general temples site sponsored by the Mormon Church.

Mormon Secrets

Some people claim that there are “secrets” within Mormon temples because of the unwillingness of faithful Mormons to discuss what goes on inside temples. While this claim is understandable, it is grounded in a misunderstanding of the nature of temples; it does not reflect how Mormons actually view the temple. In fact, most Mormons will quickly point out that the temple is not really secret. Prior to a temple’s dedication, there are a series of public open houses where anyone can visit the temple and see everything there is to see. It is not uncommon for thousands of visitors to tour a temple during these open houses—the Las Vegas temple had over 300,000 people who attended the open house during the latter part of 1989. These visitors were not just from among the faithful, but from those of other faiths who are interested in why Mormons build temples.

If you attend an open house, you would see a building adorned with thick carpets, beautiful furniture, and ornate fixtures. You would see beautiful artwork, some commissioned exclusively for that particular temple. (The Las Vegas temple, for instance, uses the desert lily as a unique adornment that is not found in other Mormon temples.) Mormons believe that a temple, as the house of the Lord, should reflect the very best the people have to offer. Everything is designed to be inspiring, respectful, and reverent.

After the public open houses are completed, a Mormon temple is dedicated to the Lord. The Las Vegas temple was dedicated in ceremonies during December 1989, in the weeks before Christmas. During these ceremonies Church members gathered together to offer prayers to God and sing praises to the Lord. Gordon B. Hinckley, at the time a member of the Church’s First Presidency, offered the prayers in which the temple was formally dedicated to the Lord.

Once a temple is dedicated, it is designated or “set apart” as a holy place, dedicated to the Lord. Mormons believe that temples are sacred, holy places; they believe that the buildings are literally the house of the Lord. From the time it is dedicated ,the temple is open only to those faithful members who meet minimum religious criteria that are in keeping with the sacred nature of temples.

When Church members enter Mormon temples, they promise they will not openly discuss certain aspects of the temple outside of the temple doors, even with other members of the Church. This is not an attempt to hide anything that is being done, but rather an effort to keep what is done in temples sacred and special. While a detailed discussion of what goes on in temples is inappropriate, it is fine to provide general information on Mormon temple activities, as is done on this Web site.

About the Las Vegas Temple

One of the distinctive features of the Las Vegas Mormon temple, noticable to anyone approaching the building, is its huge copper roof. This unique feature is offset by six huge spires made of white, cast stone. The combination provides an architectural presence that is unmatched in its simplicty and elegance by any other structure in the city. Designed by architect George Tate, the building integrates many touches that draw from the native Southwest area. For instance, the desert lily can be found on the edges of each spire and in places throughout the temple.

The temple is located on ten acres nestled in Frenchman Mountain, along the eastern side of Las Vegas. The site is surrounded by residential area. The location and surrounding area provide a quiet, peaceful atmosphere that makes the temple seem more secluded from the city than it actually is. The hustle and bustle of the huge valley are left far below as people ascend to the temple—in a symbolic way moving closer to God and leaving the world behind.

Mormon temples are definitely religious buildings, but they should not be confused with regular churches. Temples are special places where faithful members of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can participate in special ritual ordinances. The sacred nature of these ordinances means that they can only be performed in places like the Las Vegas temple; places that are dedicated and consecrated as holy places. According to Mormon belief, the ordinances performed such temples bring participants closer to God and Jesus Christ through instruction related to the how man may progress to become more like God. These sacred ordinances include the temple endowment, temple sealings, and baptism for the dead.

Consistent with the fact that the Mormon temples are not regular houses of worship, they are typically open every day of the week except Sunday. Temples can be very busy places during the time they are open, depending on how many members come to participate in the ordinances offered in the temple. The spiritual and physical affairs of a Mormon temple are administered by a temple presidency, along with a small staff and a large number of volunteers.

Inside Mormon Temples

One of the purposes of the Mormon church is to help “perfect the Saints.” In other words, one of the Church’s goals is to help members (Saints) be as good as they can be. The Church does this by helping members in their personal efforts to follow the perfect example set by Jesus Christ.

Mormon temples are key in this goal of the Church. There are two important ways that the temples help: by providing a holy place apart from the world and through sacred ordinances.

A Holy Place

Temples are designed to be “set apart from the world,” thereby creating an atmosphere where God’s Spirit can have greater influence on faithful Church members. Those members of the Mormon church who keep minimum standards of conduct and have a strong faith in Jesus Christ are permitted to enter the temple. This is similar to ancient temples, where only those who went through a process of purification were permitted into the inner courts of the temple. As in ancient times, those who have prepared to enter the temple—those who meet the minimum standards—are able to participate in temple activities and receive the blessings available there. This concept was stated quite clearly by James Faust, a member of the Church’s First Presidency:

“The days our our lives will be greatly blessed as we frequent the temples to learn the transcending spiritual relations we have with Diety. We need to try harder to be found standing in holy places. [James E. Faust, "Standing in Holy Places," Ensign (May 2005), 67.]

To those who are prepared, the temple is a “holy place” where the Spirit of the Lord can freely dwell. In this way Mormon temples serve as a kind of sanctuary to those who attend them, providing a place that is holy and has been set aside as a house of the Lord. They are places for prayer, thought, reflection, and revelation.

A Place for Ordinances

The second way in which temples help to perfect the Saints is through holy ordinances that can only be performed within the temples. These special ordinances are ritualistic ceremonies performed as a way to signify covenants made between the member and God.

One common temple ordinance in Old Testament times was the sacrificing of animals to God. The sacrifice itself did nothing for the people; it served as a symbolic reminder of the sacrifice that would one day come through the Lord Jesus Christ. While the need for animal sacrifice was removed after the death and resurrection of the Jesus Christ (the Eternal Sacrifice), the New Testament indicates that ordinances and the covenants they represented did not cease. The Gospel of Matthew provides the following account:

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matthew 26:26-28)

The apostles ate bread and drank water that as a symbol of the sacrifice which Christ was about to make. This same ritual, or ordinance, is practiced by many Christians to this day. The ordinance goes by many different names, such as the Lord’s Supper, the Eucharist, or (in the Mormon church) the Sacrament, but it is essentially the same ordinance instituted in New Testament times.

Not only do ordinances remind us of an event, but they are a sign of covenants made with the Lord. A covenant is a two-way promise. Those who are baptized make a covenant with the Lord to strive to follow the example of Christ and repent of their sins. In return, the Lord promises that if the person keeps his or her part of the covenant, He will forgive that person of their sins when he or she comes to Him with their mistakes and a sincere heart, with a real desire to change.

Inside Mormon temples there two primary ordinances performed. The first is known as the temple endowment and the second as the sealing ordinance. The first ordinance is designed for individuals, and the second is designed to create eternal families. These ordinances are very sacred and holy, so faithful Mormons don’t discuss their details outside of the temple, even with each other.

Ordinances for Others

Not only are temples provided so that ordinances can be done for the living, but ordinances in Mormon temples can also be done for those who are dead. Mormons believe that earthly ordinances must be performed, even for those who are no longer capable of performing those ordinances for themselves. Billions of people have lived on this earth without ever hearing the name of Christ, or coming to understand the sacrifice He made for them. Would a loving or just God consign His children to hell for not believing in someone of whom they had never heard?

Ordinances offered in the temple for living members of the Mormon church are also performed for those who have passed on. Temple marriage, sealings, and endowments are performed with someone symbolically standing in for the person who is deceased. Baptisms are also performed by proxy (with someone standing in) for these people who have passed on.

We have no way of knowing who will or will not accept the gospel of Jesus Christ, so temple ordinances are performed for everyone who has passed on. To have someone who has passed on baptized by proxy does not commit that deceased person to accept a “Mormon baptism.” Instead, it merely gives that person the opportunity to accept or reject the ordinance as they choose.