Sher Stephens, a continuing education teacher and mom of three, wanted to teach her teens about the temple, but she wasn’t sure where or how to start, or what details would be appropriate to share. Then she came across the new book Your Guide to the Temple Endowment by John Hilton III.
“I had been looking for a book like this for a little while,” Sher says. “As an educator, I’m always looking for things that help to take the guesswork out of procedures.”
The book has a clear and candid explanation of the endowment ordinance, as well as a walk-through of the initiatory, an overview of covenants made inside the temple, and a description of the ceremonial clothing. It also includes a list of things to bring with you for your first time and answers to commonly asked questions.
“The whole book is just designed to make [the temple] experience so approachable,” Sher says.
How Sher Is Using the Book
When each of her children was seven years old, Sher spent the next year helping them prepare for baptism. They talked about covenants, read books together, and went to baptisms.
Now that her oldest child will be a senior in high school, Sher wants to give her children a similar experience preparing for the temple. She’s been reading a few pages of Your Guide to the Temple Endowment with her kids during lunch over the summer. Even though her youngest is only 12, Sher believes that involving all her children in preparing for the temple will only help them feel more excited to make covenants.
“It’s become this catalyst for discussions,” she says. “We’ll read a little section from the book, and along the way, we’ll pause, we’ll ask questions, we’ll clarify. I’ll share some of my experiences, they share some of their insights, and it’s just become this really great way for us to have the temple in our home.”
During this lunchtime study, the family connects over more than just the temple. They’ll talk about the highs and lows of their day and make plans.
“It becomes part of [our lunchtime conversation] in a really natural and normal way,” Sher says.
‘Why Would We Be Nervous about Going to the Temple?’
As Sher has helped her kids learn about the temple, she’s noticed that they’ve expressed no trepidation about eventually receiving their endowment. In fact, it’s been the opposite.
“Recently, as we finished our discussion for that day, I asked, ‘Do you have anything that you’re feeling nervous about or like you still have a lot of questions about going into?’ And they all gave me this funny look and said, ‘Why would we be nervous about going to the temple?’ And that just made me so happy to hear.
“These discussions had helped them so much. They’re all so excited to go to the temple, and it just feels like they’re being welcomed home.”
Sher has similarly been blessed from these study sessions, expressing that they’ve brought a good spirit into her home.
“It’s really helped increase my testimony of the love that our Heavenly Father has for each of us and the love that we can see in His plan … and the love that our Savior has for each of us,” she says. “There’s nowhere that’s more evident than in the temple.”
Confidently prepare for the temple
Check out two excerpts from the book below:
▶ A step-by-step guide for every first-time temple goer
▶ Share this summary of the endowment video with first-time temple goers
