Work in the temple

     I thought it might be interesting to try to describe exactly what goes on in our temple here. LDS temple work is pretty much the same all over the world in about 145 temples currently open. Because of differing circumstances and building size and configuration, the procedures for accomplishing things like baptisms for the deceased, blessings, marriages for eternity, and sealing children to parents for eternity may be slightly varied. Here there are two shifts of temple workers each day running from around 6am-2pm and 2pm-10pm. Even though Nauvoo is considered one of the LDS Church's "smaller" temples, it gets very busy in the summer months because of the historic significance of this area to Church members. There are a number of members living in the area who volunteer time to serve in the temple, some more than once a week and some only once a month. The number of "tourists" who come here and flood the temple justifies having the church send about 50 missionary couples for the spring-summer part of the year and fewer during the rest of the year when tourism drops off. People do not come to the temple to get a tour to see inside. It is a religious building devoted to sacred work which can be done by any worthy Latter Day Saint, all of whom are lovingly welcomed into the temple. Each shift comprises about 35 women and 35 men, not including the temple presidency, recorders, laundry staff, security,office staff, or engineers (like Russ). The only personnel who are paid, working year-round fulltime, are one office secretary, a couple of groundskeepers, a handful of laundry workers, 3 engineers (3 are missionaries like Russ), and a couple of custodial staff. All of these people have a support crew of volunteers, either fulltime missionaries or local members. Every night a team of local members from a different church unit in the temple district comes into the temple to clean.
     As for temple missionaries, you will find us throughout our shifts doing all sorts of things: refilling toilet paper or paper towels in the rest rooms, greeting and guiding people who come to the temple, performing ordinances for "patrons", serving as coordinators to assign workers and try to keep things running smoothly, folding towels and other things in the laundry, answering phones to take reservations or answer questions in the office, recording sacred ordinances that are performed, renting special clothing to those who did not bring their own, and sometimes we take the opportunity to act as patrons for several reasons: to do our own family members's work or because there are few people in the temple at a particular time or just to help fellows workers have practice performing ordinances. Most of us rotate our tasks every hour, going from arriving on the first floor, going up to the 4th floor to dress, back down to the first floor, or 2nd floor, or 3rd floor then maybe to the laundry or baptistry in the basement level, up and down and all around all day long.

  This isn't the most flattering picture I have ever had taken but my only purpose is to show you what I look like all day every day. I'm only lacking my name tag which I left in the temple on my outfit I wore there today. All temple workers wear white- even custodial workers, laundry workers, and engineers (like Russ), all purchased on our own (although I only bought a slip and two pairs of shoes because I had so many generous people in Sun City help by giving me or buying me temple clothes). We can purchase some clothing through the church and there are some stores that cater to LDS members for temple attire or we can just find white clothes wherever. The only requirement is that they be modest and ALL white, including footwear. White is a symbol of purity and when we work in the Lord's house, we strive to be pure in thought and definitely in word and deed! Actually, we strive for that whether we are in the temple or out, it's just more important IN the temple. We speak in hushed, reverent tones, which can sometimes be difficult for the hard of hearing! Sometimes when we are short-staffed due to illness or other reasons workers may be absent, we have to scurry around covering task positions. I am so grateful that I am finally getting more confident in my knowledge and abilities so I can serve wherever I am needed. Today it felt like we were having a Chinese fire drill in the temple all day- reverently, of course. I should sleep well tonight.