Today I am going to be sharing a talk givin by Elder Mark E. Petersen in the January 1972 Ensign.
Why do the Latter-day Saints build these temples? How are they used? Are they for worshiping assemblies or for ritualistic purposes? Just what takes place in them? Why have the Latter-day Saints made such investments in time, effort, and money in such projects as these?
For more than a century they have carried on the work of temple building. It began with the Prophet Joseph Smith, who erected two of these buildings and projected two more, all in the midwestern part of the United States.
Following the pattern of biblical days, the Lord again in our day has provided these ordinances for the salvation of all who will believe and directs that temples be built in which to perform those sacred rites.
Anciently, to obtain the saving blessings of the Lord, it was necessary for an individual to do two things:
1. Live the righteous life described in the commandments of the Lord.
2. Participate in the saving ordinances administered by the Lord’s truly authorized servants.
Although some of these ordinances could be performed wherever the people found themselves, others were so sacred that the Lord required that they be performed in a specially built edifice, such as the tabernacle or temple, as at first, or the great temple which replaced it. There the priesthood ministered in solemn rites. Not everyone could enter—only those of proven worthiness. Unauthorized officiators suffered the wrath of God. The holy ordinances were never fully made known to the world at large; they were too sacred, but the chosen and faithful participated in all solemnity.
But how could a temple be so essential to one’s salvation? Was it so in ancient times? What part did the temple in Jerusalem play in the religious life of ancient Israel? That the temple in Jerusalem was more than a synagogue is well established. That it was a sacred place in which only the priesthood could minister is also recognized. That its “Holy of Holies” was reserved for the most faithful is well known. That sacred ordinances not in any way related to the usual synagogue worship were administered there is likewise a fact. And that they were not open to the view of the curious and the uninitiated is also admitted. The temple in Jerusalem was desecrated by the unworthy who came there and made it a marketplace in the days of Jesus, as will be remembered. It was that which so angered the Savior that he drove them out of the temple with the words, “It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.” (
Matt. 21:13.) Temples built in latter days are equally sacred, and therefore, they too are reserved for only the most faithful members of the Church.
But what goes on in a temple? Naturally there is curiosity about that which is kept from the public view.
As the temples have been built, they have been opened to public inspection and thousands have visited them and admired their beauty. After the buildings are dedicated and the usual activities of temple work are begun, no interruption is permitted to accommodate tourist groups. When visitors have gone from room to room prior to the dedication of these temples, explanations have been given concerning the work done there.
Always a center of interest is the baptismal font. In each of the temples this font rests upon the backs of twelve stone or bronze oxen, following in this, as in other particulars, the pattern given by the Prophet Joseph Smith as he instituted temple building in his day under the direction of the Lord.
Why is there a baptismal font in the temple? Cannot people be baptized anywhere?
The living, yes. But the font in the temple is for vicarious baptisms performed in behalf of the dead.
Baptism for the dead? Is that a Christian doctrine? In the Epistle to the Hebrews we read about the forefathers of the faithful, and then the author declares “that they without us should not be made perfect” (
Heb. 11:40), showing a definite relationship between the salvation of the living and the dead.
Many peoples believe in some form of vicarious work for the dead and burn candles or say prayers in their behalf. The atonement of the Christ himself was a vicarious work. He died for us, that we might live. His suffering atoned for our sins. His was a vicarious sacrifice. “… God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (
John 3:16.)
“He was wounded for our transgressions … with his stripes we are healed.” (
Isa. 53:5.) He gave his life as a ransom for us (
Matt. 20:28), a vicarious offering. His blood cleanses us of all sin. (
1 Jn. 1:5–7.) By his being slain, he redeemed us. (
Rev. 5:9–10.)
Vicarious work for the dead is a biblical and a Christian doctrine. If men are to participate in it, they should determine what kind of service is acceptable to God. Obviously every form devised by man could not be approved. To arrive at an answer to this question, we should ask ourselves what is required to save a living person and then inquire if the Lord sets up something different to save the dead.
What does the Bible say may be done by the living to help save the dead? Is it the burning of candles? Is it the saying of prayers? Is it bringing food to the tomb as in the Orient, or equipment for travel, or implements of war? People who die without having been taught the gospel may yet be saved in the presence of God. This is made clear in the scriptures. But how? That is the question. Jesus preached to the dead. The apostle Peter taught this in his day, saying that after the death of the Savior, and while his body lay in the tomb, the Lord, as a Spirit, went to the realm of the dead and there preached to the spirits of the people who previously had lived on the earth. (
1 Pet. 3:18–20.) Then he gives us the reason for this preaching: “For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.” (
1 Pet. 4:6.)
These remarkable passages then make it known that—
1. Jesus was a personage of both spirit and flesh, like all of us.
2. When Jesus went to the realm of the dead, he was still himself, an individual, the humble “carpenter from Nazareth,” although a spirit divested of his body of flesh and bones which had been crucified.
3. The dead—even those who died in the flood—also were intelligent persons, still individuals, although spirits like Jesus himself.
4. These dead were so much in possession of their reason and their faculties that they could hear the gospel like men in the flesh although they lived in a world of spirits, and they were alive and alert and could use discretion in accepting or rejecting the teachings of Christ.
5. Jesus taught them the gospel, which was their opportunity for salvation.
6. Having heard the gospel, they might accept it or reject it and thus be “judged according to men in the flesh.” As they did accept it, they could then “live according to God in the spirit” just as the scripture indicated.
Now, what are the requirements made by the gospel for the salvation of living persons? They must “live according to God” while they are in the flesh, conforming to both the laws and the ordinances of salvation, including, for example, such ordinances as baptism in water. Is baptism that necessary? Jesus considered it so and was baptized himself in order “to fulfil all righteousness.” (
Matt. 3:15.) Can mankind do less than he?
Jesus’ disciples baptized even more than did John the Baptist. (
John 4:1–2.) And it was Jesus who taught, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (
Mark 16:16), making baptism as essential to salvation as faith itself. Then can we ignore baptism? If baptism is so essential for the salvation of the living, is it less essential for the salvation of the dead? Can we reasonably suppose that some other rite would replace baptism, such as, for instance, burning candles or saying prayers? But how can the dead receive baptism? History teaches that the early Christians baptized living persons in behalf of their dead. It was a customary practice. It was so in Paul’s day. In fact, he used this early Christian practice as evidence of the resurrection of the dead. To those who had doubted the resurrection he said, “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?” (
1 Cor. 15:29.) This then is the real Christian doctrine of salvation for the dead. The same ordinance that was used for the living was used also for the dead. Nothing new was introduced. God did not require one thing for the dead and a different thing for the living. He treated them all alike and could therefore in all consistency judge the dead according to men in the flesh as Peter said, even while they lived in the spirit world.Inasmuch as the gospel was preached to the dead, its ordinances were made available in their behalf. Since baptism was an ordinance requiring immersion in water for all, whether living or dead, and since there was no way in which to baptize the dead personally, living people were properly baptized for and in behalf of the dead. As part of the restoration of the gospel in these last days, the Lord revealed this doctrine and practice to the Prophet Joseph Smith and commanded him to build temples in which these rites could be carried on.
After we have built our house there will be storms and damage to it which is like when we sin, We learn from the scriptures "Nevertheless, he has sinned; but verily I say unto you, I, the Lord, forgive sins unto those who confess their sins before me and ask forgiveness"(D&C 64:7). 
If we have sinned which we all do at some point the Lord is willing to forgive us of our sins and the way that we can have them removed from us is by first being baptised, after we are baptized we can come to church every Sunday and partake of the sacrament. When we partake of the sacrament it is like repairing the house and making it look as good as new after a storm.
