Hi,

    My husband showed me your message and we felt it would be more appropriate for me to answer. As a new member, you only need at this moment in time to concentrate on your own baptism, and testimony. Other people may wear trousers to church on Sunday because they have a heavy period, or are chasing after young children, or have unsightly varicose veins, etc., the reason why does not matter, we are not supposed to judge others and church consists of people who aren't perfect but are trying to live the gospel to the best of their ability.  My first calling as a new member was relief society secretary, and I couldnt understand why everyone wasnt at church every week!  Once I could accept this as normal, I got another calling whwre I learnt something else.  I would advise you to pray about whether the Book of Mormon is true, if you have received a witness of this from the Holy Ghost then you will desire to enter the waters of Baptism. As to the temple, once you are ready for this honor and privelege you will have lessons, in our ward they are taught by the bishop and his wife, where you will learn everything you need to know. Heavenly loves you as a precious daughter, and he would not make you do anything that would make you feel cheap or dirty,  Faith is called that because we dont know everything, you sometimes need to trust in the Lord, pray for the Holy Ghost to let you know that this is the right thing to do, and take the plunge.

        If you are still worried, ask if you can talk to some sister missionaries, who may be better able to explain these things to you.

Dear Pete

What I read ( and I can't locate it again online or I would send the link to you) was that until a few years ago , for the Temple Ordinances, people would unrobe and dress is some sort of almost sandwich board style robe ( open sides) and that someone of the same gender would anoint with oil on various areas and on ly then would they be handed their garments to wear. The article said this had now changed and that the person put on the garments before the ceremony and is now only anointed on the head. It said that many of the membership did not agree with this. My LDS friend thinks maybe they only do this new form for people standing in as proxy.

The women I saw in trousers were not investigators as they were all signed up to a Trip tp Preston Temple and were talking about this with each other. I imagine they had been converts but it would have been rude of me to have asked at that stage.

I am originally from London but moved via Exeter where I did live for a time, to the isle of Whithorn which is in SW Scotland over looking the Solway Firth and the Isle of Mann!  The nearest Branch which only seemed to have at most 40 people including children is in Stranraer.  There is no Bishop there. My friend, who I mentioned was born under the covenant and has always been a member said it was a most unusual church. They didn't have Sunday school at all, just Priesthood/Relief Society and the Sacrament Service. It is connected to Dumfries Ward , I have passed that church when there on shopping trips and it seems fairly large. I look forward to going there when my friend gets back. He lives part time in Canada .  He and I are exploring a relationship but early days. Thanks for your help. I appreciate that there are strict rules about what may and may not be disclosed to non members but there is so much information online about every aspect that I am familiar with much of what happens in the Temple. I reassure you that I do not read such information as a voyeur  but because I was interested and at the time of reading it had not realised that it was supposed not to be discussed

  I am not sure that I can help much in the debate which you speak of, in my case it was only symbolic.  As far as I am aware the full anointing took place in ancient times when Aaron and the Levites were ordained.  Since May I have been to the temple twice, and will be goiing next thursday 29 July.  I will make descrete enquireies then and get back to you.  However as far as I am aware it has always been symbolicly that the anointing has taken place.

Sorry I am not much help at the moment.  in our ward all the sisters ware dresses or blouses and skirts, but some of the female investigators do ware trousers or jeans.  I am sorry that no-one enquired if you were a member of the church. at our chaple I can't remember that happening.  Having said that we are quite a large ward, and we are the stake center.  as far as jew;eru os concerned, i can only imagine that it comes down to personal choice. 

May I enquire what part of Scotland you come from?  My father came from Kirkcaldy if Fife. My wife's father came from Glasgow, she still has family living there.  May the Lord bless you Take care

Dear Pete, I am still not sure how to use this site but I am going to check something out with you, which my LDS friend was unaware of and he has been a member for life!  I read some stuff recently about Temple ordinances and how it said they no longer do the full anointing as they used to but do it symbolically, just on the head. I read that lots of members were unhappy about this and said it had been decided outside of general discussion.  As you have recently been to the Temple for yours, you would be in a position to know if this has been changed. You don't need to worry that I am asking you to tell me details because I am not. It is only because I am considering baptism that I know more or less what used to happen at the Temple and just want to know if it has changed. My friend is of the Highest Priesthood and leads the music at church and he has no knowledge of this happening. He assumes it only refers to those who do the proxy baptisms and ordinances. His mother goes weekly to Temple for the Proxy baptisms and she hasn't heard of it either so whether the debate I read about on line means there has been a change or not everywhere he doesn't know.

Things do change culturally, I went to my first LDS service here in SW Scotland, and I was the only one in a dress. The other women were in trousers and some had crossed and chains on. It seems very much like Evanglical services I have attended. This is a remote area, and only a branch, though more of a Twig I would say. When my friend returns from holiday we are going to go to a bigger church although the nearest one is 150 miles return so not something one could  do weekly. At the service I went to no one asked if I was a member, I was asked to read at the Relief Society meeting and offered the sacrament which I declined because I read I shouldn't accept it unless I was baptised. I am not in the least bothered about what the RC church might say to my involvement here!