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I don't think we get a lot of flack per se for the work we do in our temples, but those who don't know, don't understand. Like the saying goes, "When you're not up on something, you're usually down on it." So, it's imperative that one understands the reason behind the activity in order to comprehend it.
Besides the holy ordinance of eternal marriage and the sealing of families and their posterity together for eternity (see Luke 1:17), baptism is performed for those deceased by proxy; or in other words by someone on their behalf for those who have died without the privilege of hearing the Gospel. This is not a compulsory thing for those in the spirit world to accept. Whether they want to receive these ordinances or not is strictly up to them. Their agency still exists. You may want to refer to an answer I gave regarding this on another page.
Revelations clarifying this doctrine have been given from time to time. For instance, this ordinance was practiced in the New Testament era: "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 Corinthians 15:29) This was the apostle Paul's debate against those who denied a future resurrection. (see 2 Timothy 2:18) He refers to a practice of vicarious baptism. Paul clearly refers to a distinct group within the Church, a group that he accuses of inconsistency between ritual and doctrine.
When Jesus was crucified, he turned to the criminal hanging next to him and said, "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43) He went to the spirit world for the benefit of those who had died without hearing the gospel or the fullness of it; "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)
The knowledge that we have of temples or holy sanctuaries before the days of Moses is small. We do know that as soon as Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt, detailed instructions were received to build and use a kind of "portable temple" or "tabernacle," not for general meetings, but for the performance of holy ordinances. Temples are not places we go to on Sunday. As a matter of fact, the temples are closed on Sunday and Monday. Monday, because that is the day the church has set aside for the family to have Family Home Evening-a night when just the family can be together and enjoy each other's company.
So, in summary, the temples are holy sanctuaries where sacred ordinances are performed that pertain to salvation and exaltation in the kingdom of God. They are very sacred places of worship; each one is literally a House of the Lord, a house where His Spirit can dwell, where He can come, or send His messengers, and to give revelation to His people.
Sincerely,
Donny Osmond
Sincerely,
Donny Osmond
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