Choosing when to receive the endowment is an important and personal decision in the lives of Latter-day Saints. A new addition to the Church’s General Handbook offers guidance for members—and their church leaders—on making this decision.
The handbook states, “The decision to receive the endowment is personal and should be made prayerfully” (see section 27.2.2).
The following conditions are listed for members who wish to receive the endowment:
• “They are at least 18 years old.”
• “They have completed or are no longer attending high school, secondary school, or the equivalent.”
• “One full year has passed since their confirmation.”
• “They feel a desire to receive and honor sacred temple covenants throughout their lives.”
In a videoreleased in December 2020, Elder Kevin R. Duncan, a General Authority Seventy serving as Executive Director of the Temple Department, emphasized the personal nature of the decision: “Local leaders should not use specific criteria such as reaching a certain age or leaving home to serve in the military or for a job when they’re trying to decide when to go to the temple. It’s really an individual choice.”
According to Church News, three of the six newly rewritten chapters in the digital-only handbook are specific to temple work. To learn more about these updates, including a list of the specific covenants Latter-day Saints make in the temple, see the Church News.
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