Losing temple recommends?

mandii · #1 (**permalink**) 10-28-2009, 11:20 AM

This may seem strange, but the reason I first began to investing the LDS church is because a lot of the blogs I read are written by members and I was not understanding a lot of the church-related terminology. Now that I am fairly well-versed I understand most of what I am reading.

I know that in order to attend the temple one must obtain a temple recommend. I also know that there are a number of things one can do to lose a temple recommend. On one of the blogs I read, the writer mentions that she and her husband are no longer worthy to attend the temple (although does not explain why) but that they are trying very hard to get back. However, she has posted many recent pictures of herself in which you can tell she is not wearing garments because she is wearing immodest clothing. So my question is, when you lose your temple recommend do you also have to stop wearing garments? If this is too much information to divulge, I completely understand. I was just curious because as I understood it, you make covenants in the temple involving wearing the sacred garments and I figured that if you were trying to get back to the temple you would be trying to keep those covenants. However, I thought that perhaps losing a temple recommend makes one unworthy of wearing the garments.

I am just curious and I completely understand if this is a matter too sacred to discuss. As someone who grew up outside the church I am not entirely certain which topics are off-limits. I definitely don't mean to offend anyone at all.

ryanh · #2 (**permalink**) 10-28-2009, 11:29 AM

To partially answer your questions from a reverse perspective - one does not have to have a temple recommend in order to continue wearing garments. Any member that has received their temple ordinances, and continues as an official member of the church, can in fact purchase garments whether or not they currently have a recommend.

The photos you reference may be more of a "symptom", not an "effect".

Just_A_Guy · #3 (**permalink**) 10-28-2009, 11:56 AM

FWIW, one of the temple recommend interview questions, for members who have already received their endowments, is whether or not they continue to wear the garment in accordance with the instructions they received in the temple.

The claim to be "trying very hard to get back" to the temple is simply not compatible with dressing immodestly.

mnn727 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-28-2009, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mandii

. So my question is, when you lose your temple recommend do you also have to stop wearing garments?.

No, the only time you would stop wearing your garments would be if you have your name withdrawn as a member or are excommunicated.

allredcon · #5 (**permalink**) 10-28-2009, 03:11 PM

I thought this was a question about physically losing it like, it's missing. I'll still add a funny story though and a little information.

Two weeks ago I attended the temple (AMAZING!) and received my own endowments. On our way out, I lost my recommend. Yep, don't even worry about it, I threw it down a laundry chute. But! I learned something cool; if you do lose it it has a barcode so if you get a new one, the old one gets deactivated. Sweet! after two days of getting back to the temple and them telling me they haven't found it I interviewed for a new one. 20 minutes after I got home from having my stake pres sign my new one, the tmple called.... They found my recommend :S hahaha.

THis totally has nothing to do with the question at hand. but I thought it was funny / interesting.

Soul_Searcher · #6 (**permalink**) 10-28-2009, 04:32 PM

I thought it meant that too!!

Incidentally, what happens if you dont get asked the question? My hubby didnt get asked if he worse garments so does that mean he doesnt have to wear them?! (Bit of a flippant question Im not totally serious but still....)

john doe · #7 (**permalink**) 10-28-2009, 04:54 PM

It's one of the manadatory questions fron the list. If he wasn't asked, whoever was doing the asking did it wrong.

Soul_Searcher · #8 (**permalink**) 10-29-2009, 04:28 PM

I didnt get asked all the questions by the Stake either. My Dad didnt get asked any, it was more of a chat.

Mahone · #9 (**permalink**) 10-29-2009, 04:37 PM

The person conducting the interview may be a little forgetful. The question regarding garments is only asked if the person has previously been endowed (for obvious reasons) so they may forget they have to add this in on some interviews. It's easily done.

Mahone · #10 (**permalink**) 10-29-2009, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soul_Searcher

I didnt get asked all the questions by the Stake either. My Dad didnt get asked any, it was more of a chat.

Does your dad know the stake president/bishop well, or hold a prominent position by any chance?

Here, I'd assume the person conducting the interview felt he already knew the answers to the questions or felt embarassed asking them. Either way, he has to ask them regardless of who it is he is interviewing.