On October 6, 2019, the First Presidency under the direction of President Russell M. Nelson issued a press release that explained the temple recommend questions asked by local Church leaders to members seeking to obtain a temple recommend would be made public. What follows are those questions for your consideration. Please note: The questions are more directed at individuals to ask themselves and are introspective in their nature.
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| Andrew and Jessica Goates |
The interview questions are made public so members of all ages can better understand the requirements for temple worship and prepare to enter the temple.
The interview questions for temple recommends are below. Verbiage in 11 questions has been modified. Questions 12 and 13 are omitted when youth are interviewed for a limited-use recommend.
1. Do you have faith in and a testimony of God, the Eternal Father; His Son, Jesus Christ; and the Holy Ghost?
2. Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and of His role as your Savior and Redeemer?
3. Do you have a testimony of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ?
4. Do you sustain the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the prophet, seer, and revelator and as the only person on the earth authorized to exercise all priesthood keys?
Do you sustain the members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators?
Do you sustain the other General Authorities and local leaders of the Church?
5. The Lord has said that all things are to be “done in cleanliness” before Him (Doctrine and Covenants 42:41).
Do you strive for moral cleanliness in your thoughts and behavior?
Do you obey the law of chastity?
6. Do you follow the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ in your private and public behavior with members of your family and others?
7. Do you support or promote any teachings, practices, or doctrine contrary to those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
8. Do you strive to keep the Sabbath day holy, both at home and at church; attend your meetings; prepare for and worthily partake of the sacrament; and live your life in harmony with the laws and commandments of the gospel?
9. Do you strive to be honest in all that you do?
10. Are you a full-tithe payer?
For new members seeking a limited-use recommend: Are you willing to obey the commandment to pay tithing?
11. Do you understand and obey the Word of Wisdom?
12. Do you have any financial or other obligations to a former spouse or to children?
If yes, are you current in meeting those obligations?
13. Do you keep the covenants that you made in the temple, including wearing the temple garment as instructed in the endowment?
14. Are there serious sins in your life that need to be resolved with priesthood authorities as part of your repentance?
15. Do you consider yourself worthy to enter the Lord’s house and participate in temple ordinances?
In the press release, President Nelson expanded his thinking in these words:
“The crowning jewel of the Restoration [the process of fully establishing the Church of Jesus Christ on earth] is the holy temple. Individual worthiness to enter the Lord’s house requires much individual spiritual preparation. But with the Lord’s help, nothing is impossible. In some respects, it is easier to build a temple than it is to build a people prepared for a temple. Individual worthiness requires a total conversion of mind and heart to be more like the Lord, to be an honest citizen, to be a better example and to be a holier person.”
We no longer need to worry, wonder or speculate about what might happen as we seek out a local leader for a temple recommend. The questions are now a matter of public record and can be accessed by anyone with an interest in knowing what might be expected of them as they prepare for the additional covenants available to them in the holy temple.
For young people today, there are now only three requirements to obtain a full-use recommend - 1) that you have the desire to go to the temple, 2) that you are eighteen years old, and 3) that you have graduated from high school.
Young men are now eligible for full-time missionary service at eighteen, and young women at nineteen. I salute this generation of Church members who are answering the Prophet's call to serve in record numbers.
As he stated above, he is seeking to prepare a people who are worthy to enter the temple while simultaneously building the physical temples globally.
I will teach the youth in our ward the second lesson in the temple preparation course this coming Sunday, where we will discuss temple worthiness. The bishop will be coming into our class to introduce these questions to the youth. I am so excited to help them catch a vision of the magnitude of the temple blessings that await them.
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