What You Need to Return to the Temple

By Alexis Tanner Lane

We were recently told that our temple was going to open to phase 3. Phase 3 is when those with temple recommends can enter the temple to do proxy work for the dead by appointment only. We didn’t know when it would happen, just sometime in June or July. I patiently waited for the announcement to come through my email and when it did, I was ready and was able to make an appointment for an endowment session for both my husband and I. Not everyone was able to get an appointment, so I wanted to share with you some tips to make sure you’re ready when your temple opens to phase 3 if it hasn’t already.

Current Temple Recommend

Since we haven’t been able to go to the temple in over a year, you may not have noticed that your temple recommend has expired.  Make sure to check the date to see if it’s current.  If it’s not, you can schedule an appointment with your bishopric and stake presidency to be interviewed and renew your recommend. 

Check Your Temple Status

If you aren’t sure what phase your temple is in or when it will open to phase 3, you can check this list on LDS Living where they keep updated information as it’s released. 

Check Your Email

The notification that your temple is changing phases comes through your email so make sure to keep an eye on it for when it’s time to start scheduling appointments. Once you receive the email, I would suggest making an appointment right away. Capacity will most likely be limited and many are anxious to get back to the temple. So being prepared by knowing what day of the week or what time works best for you will help you get the appointment you need before they fill up. Appointments will be made online on the Church website.

Mark Your Calendar

Once you have your appointment scheduled, you’ll receive an email confirming the date and time. Make sure to put it on whatever calendar or calendar app you have so you don’t forget.  One of my favorite ways to remember a temple appointment is to use a temple magnet that fits perfectly on my magnetic calendar. You can order magnets with your temple! These also make excellent gifts for Relief Society birthdays or activities or for Young Women classes. 

Print Family Names at Home

The temples are not currently printing family names that are ready to receive ordinance work. If you’ve been working on family history work over the last year or have names from before the pandemic, make sure to print those name cards at home and have them ready to take to the temple with you. 

Talk About the Temple

As the temples begin to open to everyone again, it’s important that we share our excitement with our family members. President Thomas S. Monson said, “The temple provides purpose for our lives. It brings peace to our souls—not the peace provided by men but the peace promised by the Son of God when He said, ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.’“ The world continues to be a place of confusion as we are beginning to come out of the pandemic. We could all use more peace in our lives. We are promised this peace when we go to the House of the Lord. I hope each of you will be able to get to the temple soon and share your experience with your loved ones.

Alexis Tanner is a mother of five, podcaster, and writer. She loves all things about summer, reading, family history work, taking her kids on adventures, and podcasting with her husband at the Parenting In Real Life Podcast. You can find Alexis on Instagram @alexistannerlane.