If you live in the Washington, DC area and drive the Capital Beltway, you’ve seen this golden-spired temple from a distance. It looks like a fairy tale castle in the skyline as you travel from Silver Spring to Bethesda, MD on the outer loop of interstate 495.

The temple, owned and operated by  Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was opened to the public earlier this year. It was the first time non-members were permitted inside since 1974 when the building was first constructed.

The facility closed in 2018 for renovations. The rededication will take place on Sunday, August 14, 2022. It is a custom of the faith that before a temple is dedicated (or in this case, rededicated following renovations) the general public is allowed inside for curated, well-supervised tours.

I’ve always called the building the Mormon Temple. However in 2018, Russell M. Nelson, the Prophet and President of the church, offered clarity for inaccurate names circulating among the masses about the church and its real estate. The correct name of the Church is: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). The proper name of the Kensington, Maryland temple is the Washington D.C. Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (The reference to saints is about the Apostle Paul’s use for people who try to follow Jesus Christ’s teachings.)

To the outsider, LDS is a secret society with many rules. Members are encouraged to abstain from coffee, tea, alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs. They are advised not to get tattoos and to limit body piercings to a single pair of plain earrings for women. A dress code is observed that teaches that modest dress not only shows respect for one's own body but also for God. Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus will return to earth to establish Zion, the paradisiacal promised land, on the American continent.

LDS Temples

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been building temples since the 1830s. LDS temples are holy sanctuaries where church members make formal promises and commitments to God. They also host the highest sacraments of the faith such as marriage (or the “sealing” of families for eternity) and baptism by proxy for the long departed.

Temples are closed on Sundays. Members go to meeting houses, which are open to any guest who wants to attend a Sunday service.

Baptism By Proxy

One of the first rooms I visited on the tour was the baptistry. LDS offers unbaptized individuals who have died the opportunity to be baptized by proxy. Because members assert that life continues after death, they also believe that those who have died are aware of the ordinances. A proxy goes through the baptism ceremony for the dead relative. On the other side, it’s his decision to choose whether or not to accept the ordinance. To Latter-day Saints, the spirit world is as real as this world.

The result of this practice is that the LDS Church is a leader in genealogy. FamilySearch.org is one of the most popular genealogical resources in the world. It’s free and available to the public. Since launching in 1999, more than 150 million people have used the service to learn more about their families. I was surprised to find my parents in their database.

Eternal Sealing

A floor in the temple is dedicated to sealing. LDS marriages are considered eternal because a husband, wife and children are officially bound together (or sealed). A sealing ceremony is a solemn ordinance performed in specially dedicated rooms of a temple. There is an alter in each sealing room where the couple to be married or the family kneel during the ritual. The officiator has received the sealing power under the highest priesthood authority in the Church.

I asked one of the tour guides if members can get divorced. Her reply was yes, but divorce LDS-style is more complicated than a court-appointed divorce. Just as a civil marriage doesn’t automatically translate into a temple sealing for a LDS couple, a civil divorce doesn’t unseal them. If a divorcing couple wants to be unsealed, they must receive a cancellation of sealing, which requires approval from high-ranking church officials. A LDS woman must receive a cancellation of sealing prior to remarrying if she wishes her next marriage to be sealed in the temple. However, because men are permitted to be sealed to more than one woman, they do not have to cancel a previous sealing in order to remarry in the temple.

White Magic

Many years ago, I attended an industry hard hat tour of the Kensington temple during the summer. It was a typical hot and humid day, so I wore a white sundress to beat the heat. I didn’t know about the significance of white clothing in the LDS church. A few members thought my white outfit meant I was interested in joining the church.

LDS teachings assert that white symbolizes purity. Wearing white also makes everyone equal. The most senior apostle and the newest member are indistinguishable when dressed the same way. A quick google search found a variety of LDS online clothing shops that provide modest (mostly long) dresses for women. Men are expected to wear white button down shirts (think Broadway cast of the Book of Mormon).

2022 Open House Stats

I received a thank you email from the church stating that 350,000 attended their open house during its ten-week run. Church officials were grateful for the interest, understanding, respect and good feelings that resulted during this eventful time.

The LDS faith isn’t for everyone, but I see its appeal. If bad things keep happening in your life and you’re looking for answers, the church has them. (However fantastical the answers are, the Church of Latter-day Saints has an explanation for everything.) If you’re lonely and seeking a community, LDS members will welcome you with open arms.

In the research I did for this article, I found that LDS members are not secretive, but private. In this time of social media overload, a little privacy isn’t such a bad thing.