24. What is the Mormon Temple Endowment ceremony?

Before a person serves a full-time mission for the LDS Church or before his/her temple marriage he/she will be required to participate in the Endowment Ceremony (where they will be "endowed" with special knowledge). When an adult Mormon attends the temple he/she only goes through the ceremony once for him/herself. After that, the person will attend the temple on behalf of a dead person of the same sex. The live Mormon stands in the place of a particular dead person and goes through the entire endowment ceremony in that person's name.

The person enters the temple, goes to a locker room, dresses in the temple undergarment covered with a white poncho. He/she will then receive the washing and anointing ritual, performed by members of the same sex. At this point they will be given their new name for eternity (i.e. Paul, Timothy, etc. for men, Rachael, Deborah, etc. for women). The person then dons a white temple dress or shirt and pants (over the special underwear). Each will carry a small bag containing a long piece of white material, gathered in the middle, that will be draped over one shoulder, a white sash, green apron and a hat or veil. These will be put on later in the ceremony. The person then joins a group of several dozen people in the auditorium, men on one side and women on the other. They then watch a film depicting the creation of our world, the fall and expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. Then Peter, James and John appear to instruct them in certain handshakes and pass words necessary to gain admittance to the Celestial Kingdom. At the end of the ceremony they are tested on their knowledge by one playing the part of God. After this ceremony the couple will be given a temple marriage ceremony in an adjoining room. These rituals are considered necessary for one to gain the highest level of heaven, exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom.

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