Female Episcopal Priest Visits a Mormon Temple

As I stood in front of the new Mormon Temple in Liberty, Mo., it struck me as ironic that close to 175 years ago, Mormons were forced out of this same state.

Whereas the Missouri public once urged their governor to force Joseph Smith and his followers out of the area surrounding Kansas City, Mormons began to return to the region in the 1900s, eventually gathering in such large numbers that the Church organization decided the region needed a temple.

Latter Day Saints restrict temple access to members of their denomination who have proven themselves to be faithful and dedicated adherents. Because Mormons believe temples are the most sacred places on earth, one needs to be prepared to enter them by being an active member of the Church. (In contrast, chapels, where Mormons hold Sunday worship, are open to everyone. Temples are used only for certain rituals and are not open on Sunday so that Mormons can be at their chapel services.)

When a new temple is built, anyone may enter prior to its dedication. So, always curious to learn about the faith of others, I didn't want to miss an opportunity to see a site normally closed off to an Episcopal priest like myself.

My visit seemed all the more timely because Mormons have been in the news a lot lately, and so have their temples. Elizabeth Smart recently married her husband in a temple in Hawaii during a ceremony called a sealing, in which the couple and close Mormon friends and family gather together to witness God joining the couple together for time and all eternity. In less complimentary news, Elie Wiesel took Mitt Romney to task for his faith's practice of baptisms of the dead, which also take places within temple walls.

These headlines, in addition to my own curiosity, motivated my visit to the new temple in Kansas City, and with my curiosity came some questions:

Would I feel God's presence in this space, even though it's not a space that's sacred for me?

Before I go any further -- and because I know it's the question at the front of your mind, dear reader -- no one tried to convert me. In fact, everyone was very welcoming. Members volunteered en masse, clad in pressed suits and dresses. They offered guided tours, bent down to put protective boots onto my feet so my shoes wouldn't dirty the carpeting, and offered me a chewy snickerdoodle at the end of the tour. They showed me every space from changing rooms to sealing rooms where marriages take place and answered every question I asked, no matter how challenging or controversial.

Mormons go to temples to be close to God. Much like the ancient Jewish people believed God lived at the heart of the temple in Jerusalem, Mormons believe that followers can meet God most intimately in the temple. The reasons they visit temples vary: In addition to having their marriages sealed in the temple, Mormons also have sealing ceremonies that unite parents and children for time and all eternity. Others come to participate in baptisms of the dead, which are intended to be used only for deceased family members of active Mormons, though the Church acknowledged in the wake of Elie Wiesel's comments that others -- such as Anne Frank -- have had baptisms performed on their behalf. These baptisms are not intended to convert the deceased but rather to give them a choice in the afterlife to embrace the revelation of Mormonism: Assuming an afterlife exists, the baptized deceased are free to say yes or no as they please. Finally, Mormons come to the temple to receive their endowment, a ritual ceremony where followers make promises to God and receive knowledge about God.

Unlike a cathedral, which is primarily composed of one large worship space, a Mormon temple has a variety of smaller rooms that serve different purposes. There are sealing rooms and rooms for men and women to change into white clothes (every male or female Mormon who enters a dedicated temple wears the same white clothing) and instruction rooms where individuals learn about God in preparation for receiving their endowments.

It was in these rooms, and the final Celestial Room, where I caught a glimpse of God.

You see, as part of our final stop on the tour, our guide took us to a room with a mural of the Missouri countryside painted by a local artist. The room had earthy colors, browns and greens and rows of cushioned seats. This was the first instruction room. From there, we took a step up -- as if ascending closer to heaven -- and entered a second room, similar to the first in shape and size but all white. This was the second instruction room. When we left that room, we took another step up and entered the Celestial Room, a space designed to give those who sit in it a foretaste of heaven.

It was a simple room yet ornate at the same time, all white with sparkling crystal chandeliers, large mirrors, and plump sofas and chairs reminiscent of those that must have existed in Joseph Smith's day. Our guide asked us to be silent and said we were welcome to sit wherever we liked and take a moment to pray. So I sat down on a sofa that seemed to envelop me, folded my hands on my lap and closed my eyes.

Like Dante, who saw God face to face but had no words to describe the encounter, I have few words to describe what I felt in that moment. But I can say this: While it did not convert me, nor did it make me want to be a Mormon, the silence and peace I felt reminded me of the many other times I've felt close to God, whether in an Episcopal cathedral, in a clear, warm ocean or in my ratty old car. And because of that, I came to understand why temples exist and why they are so important to Mormons across the world.

And along the lines of Mormons being across the world: As I wrote earlier, Mormons were ironically driven out of Liberty, Missouri and the surrounding region nearly 175 years ago. It cannot be lost on those who visit the new temple that almost two centuries later, Mormons are often still held in suspicion by society, but they are far from being as vulnerable as they were in their early years. They are building stronger foundations every day, and striving, as they do so, to catch a glimpse of heaven.

Then WHY are you in this thread; carrying their water?

I don't agree with Catholic Dogma but I defend their right to believe it and consider them Christian by their confession. The same with many churches. Actually though there are indeed some churches in the U.S. that though they believe in GOD do not believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. LDS is not such a church.

What I am talking about goes back several hundred years to England and a group coming to this new world called Deist. Among the most well known of their sect was the man who penned our nations Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson. He also edited what is commonly called The Jefferson Bible. It basically was called IIRC the Parables of Jesus Christ with absolutely all references to His Deity as Lord and Savior removed. Today we know that church as Universal Unitarians.

Funny thing is I don't see threads bashing Thomas Jefferson or a considerable number of that sect who followed that doctrine. Sad to say Deism can not bring Salvation nor the notion GOD created the heavens and earth and abandoned it.

I do not see such rejection in LDS. You might but I don't. I'll also point out to you that in the earliest days after the Resurrection of Christ there was some very sharp theological difference between ones like Peter and Paul. It took The Holy Spirit to resolve that issue. I believe in the same manner when Christian Churches are not quite in line with The Will Of GOD but seek Him in earnest heart their correction comes through The Holy Spirit. That is true for any church and not aimed as such to Mormons, Catholics, Charismatics, Snake Handlers, Holy Rollers, etc.

There are those walking around in perfect PHYSICAL health that are marching straight to hell. You know what is more important.

GOD has been shaping my life since as IIRC a 12 year old I surrendered my life to Jesus as Lord and Savior. I've fallen may times since especially in my youth. GOD forgives. My life changed radially when I was 26. I was very happily married and all seemed right the morning I kissed my wife 23 at the time and said I'll pick you up[ at your moms on the way home. She was riding to her moms with my dad as it was on his way too work and way out of the way for me.

I got to work and had to go to another facility {nursing home{ to do a walk in cooler repair and the part I was working on was on the roof. I had gotten there and got set up when a co-worker pulled up and said hey come down here a second. I climbed down and he said call your dad. Somethings you just know in your heart before you are told. I called him and he said you need to come home. I asked him how long ago he said right after you left she collapsed in the driveway and I couldn't bring her back. My dad and I were so close we could almost know what the other was thinking. When I got home the ambulance was still there and the coroner was on the way but she was gone from a massive heart attack.

I took some time off a couple of weeks and went back to work. My boss after two days asked me if I would take a job at another facility where their HVAC guy had quit. I said I'll call you tonight and let you know. It was on a Friday. I thought about it and figured I like the crew I'm with now so I'll stay. I called my boss and said Yea I'll take the job. I said it so I did it. The most irrelevant choices in your life can become the choice that changes your life forever.

Monday I was at my new work place working on A/C units and doing electrical work. After a month or so I became friends with a Nurses Aide. Her husband had left her and her two kids a couple years earlier and she was in the final part of her divorce. We ate lunch together every day and then I was calling and talking to her after work. She had been abused all her life. We started going to the movies and we took the kids. I didn't mind. It was on a day we both were off our life together changed forever.

We were to meet at the mall to see a couple of movies. The day before we had been to the lake and had a fun day out with the kids walking the lank bank. She was late getting to the mall and when she pulled in I sensed something wasn't right. The kids were upset also.

WE went inside and sat down at the food court. I asked her what was wrong was her ex stalking her again she said NO. She got up and went somewhere a minute and came back. She said I feel real sick. I said OK were going to the hospital. She tried to stand and collapsed too the floor. I ran out and got her car {I had an open Jeep} and carried her out of the mall to her car. A cop pulled in behind me and asked which Hospital? I told him and he said stay close to me. He ran lights and siren with us behind him. On the way there she was describing to me what can only be her process of passing form this world into the next.

We got to the ER. Her arms were at her chest and would not come down. The doctors didn't think she would make it. Next day they still had no answers A week in ICU no answers. Two preachers from a church she had gone too but left to go to another one came by and laid hands on her for healing.

I can not adequately describe what happened next. I was overcome with a peace I have never before or sense felt and a presence of a being in Spirit. I heard a voice telling me "It's going to be OK". She felt the presence but only I heard the words.

Now some may say GOD is giving her a miracle of healing. Yet in the days to come only her hands, arms, neck, and trunk came back. In spinal cord injuries or issues after six months that is generally it the extent of healing has already happened.

During the first month I asked her to marry me and she said yes. We married in the chapel of a Catholic Hospital with her preacher doing the ceremony. I took the girls with me too my parents until she was ready to come home which was four months away and after rehab.

Our first year was the hardest. She was having to deal with being a quadriplegic and I was learning to be a caregiver and a dad. This was in 1985 BTW. My first wife died in May. I was married again in November. It wasn't how we wanted to start a life together but it was what was handed us.

For the first ten years more things happened including her nearly dieing twice, our daughter in a serious car accident where upon arriving on scene I thought she was dead, my own car accident where I thought a baby died but had simply slept through it after the baby's mom rear ended my 78 Blazer. Then came my own health issues in 1994.

So what was that I heard? "It's going to be OK" right? Yes. Sometimes persons are lifted out of their troubles or adversities. When they aren't so it is when Christ appeared in the furnace in the Old Testament HE IS THERE WITH YOU.

It's 2012 and were still happily married. Through the Grace of GOD we beat many odds. My wife never had anyone but her grandmother in her life who loved her unconditionally for who she is. The rest abused her or abandoned her. As for me? It made me far more closer to My Lord and Savior count on His guidance and strength. While the answers we sought were not the answers we were given we have had a great life together and It's been OK. Without that happening without that assurance at that point in my life I could have well bolted out the door and never looked back. GOD had a plan for peoples lives including the girls and their kids that followed.

Learning about GOD and your relationship with Jesus Christ is within your heart not within the walls of a church. Our bodies are Temples. Our Spirit in which The Holy Spirit ministers truth too for those whom He loves and will listen and obey.

Peter's deeds or policies toward unconverted Jews and his still hanging on to being Jewish. Galatians 2 tells what happened. Paul had to correct Peters behavior.

That then is not a doctrinal difference, but a personal failing on Peter's part. Peter feared those of the 'circumcision' sect (2:12) The doctrine was taken care of in 2:9 as well as in Acts, with Peter being the one who first broke the barrier of evangelization to the Gentiles. Paul in his rebuke notes that Peter didn't have problems UNTIL the circumcism sect showed up, then Peter withdrew.

But looking deeper were the chosen twelve immediately after The Resurrection doing what they were actually told in The Great Commission? Not really. They were staying in Jerusalem living and dwelling with each other until the death of Stephen which began the persecution in earnest and which resulted in The Gospel reaching far places.

Yet it was your claim that the deep divison in DOCTRINE occured in this time frame. How so - Paul was not an apostle until AFTER the death of Stephen.

But your analysis is still flawed. for instance, Peter was in Joppa and went to Caesarea in the break through with the Gentiles (Acts 11:2) thus the assertion that all they did was sit around in Jerusalem is not entirely correct.

pay closer attention to the Great Commission. While the ultimate goal was to reach all nations, Jesus gave further instruction in Acts 1:8 ". . . and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. " Thus Jesus outlined the sequential growth of evangelism. Further, in Acts 2, the world came to Jerusalem and the converts took it back with them to their homes outside of Israel. Phillip converting the Ethopian eunich - with the message carried there as a result. The Holy Spirit guided and directed, but the persecution was not a correction by the same - unless you can prove specifically from the bible that that was specifically stated as the case.

What ??? No mention from the Book of Acts where God Himself had to correct Peter’s behavior ??? and that God had to smite Paul with blindness to get him to behave ???

I didn't mention it happening ACTs and that's why you could not find it there. I said it could be found in Galatians chapter 2. The disciples both in the time with Christ and afterward had their own struggles and disagreements. Their knowledge was not immediate it was life long obtained for the most part like the rest of us. Granted GOD did before the cross reveal to Peter some things as Christ mentioned and some was given them in the first chapters of The Acts. But it was a life long process as we see in The Revelation of Jesus Christ shown to John sometime close to his death. At times throughout their lives they had their own all too human problems including jealousy in their earlier times. The jealousy seem too prevail during their time Christ was on earth with them.

But here is what many are missing. Their difference in certain things they did or did not believe or their attitude toward another at times {Paul-Barnabas} lead to the ones separating for a time and preaching the Gospel to more people as a result. The personal rift between Paul and Barnabas over John Mark was later resolved. But in the mean time Paul and Silas as well as Barnabas and John Mark reached many people as a result.

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