This is part of My Story focused on temple experiences as they played heavily into my life as a young adult convert.

I have a whole collection of strange, funny, weird, odd experiences in the temple

It was the oddest place! I never knew what was going to happen next.

The temple is probably the most peculiar of all Mormon experiences and I have had several really strange, funny and horrible experiences while attending. They began the day I was married and never quit.

Just something simple like women stepping on the short train of my wedding gown while going from room to room, stopping me in my tracks, ruining my gown and nearly tearing it off me, and then losing track of my disabled mother were very unsettling and nerve racking the first time I attended the temple.

Then there was a big discussion about the shoes I brought. They had a teeny-tiny heal was accepted, rejected, accepted, rejected and finally accepted! They sent me back and forth finally letting me wear them.

Second time going to the temple, less than a year later.....

No one explained to me that my husband would not be taking me through the "veil" at the end of the session (with the five points of fellowship, which I found totally inappropriate) on subsequent visits. So, when I went to the temple the second time, I waited and waited and wouldn't leave my seat because I was waiting to be taken to my husband! I couldn't figure out what was going on with people getting up and going out in rows. What was I supposed to do? So, I stayed put.

A temple worker approached me an I explained my dilemma to her, she first tried to show me who was behind the veil and assured me it would be okay.

Well... naturally, I assumed it was going to be my husband, instead, it was a huge South Pacific man (Samoan?) standing there grinning.

That did it! I started to cry. I couldn't understand what had happened to my husband and who was that man??? She thought I was prejudiced and tried to assure me that he was okay, lost her patience and fussed at me about not going through the veil.

But, I refused to leave my seat! When I continued to refuse to up to the veil and do the five points of fellowship with that strange man, , another patron chastised me for "making a scene" stomped off in a huff. I sat there and cried.

Finally, when I wouldn't budge and was holding up the session, someone asked me for my husbands name and went and got him so he could do the "officiating" at the veil! That experience left me so shaken that I refused to go for a year. But, then I relented and went again!

It never occurred to anyone that it would be a good idea to let people know they would be acting out death oaths in the temple either. Another example of no full disclosure. I was only 21 years old at the time and would like to have known ahead of time about that little part of the ritual. The only thing that kept me from being terrorized was the HOPE that they were figurative, and I was in such a state of surprise and shock over the whole temple experience, I couldn't remember what it was I was not to divulge anyhow. :-)

SLC Temple:

On one visit to the Salt Lake City Temple, we were waiting in the chapel for the rest of our group of friends when I saw them in another area. I got up and left the chapel to tell them where we were. When I returned, a male temple worker stopped me by put his hands out completely blocking the isle and said I couldn't go through the session because I had left my place and the session was closed. He continued to stand there and block my passage. No amount of explaining that my husband was still there and I left for a minute would budge him from his position.

I saw my bewildered husband at the back of the room, and noticing another door, left and came in the back door and joined my husband and friends. Then I tried to get out without the temple worker seeing me. I was sure he was going to grab me and refuse to let me by again. But, I guess he forgot because he didn't even notice when I walked by him.

Another strange experience:

One of the most disturbing things happened as I came out of the washing and anointing area, clothed in that silly tunic wrapped shut over my long temple garments. I was in a new, unfamiliar new temple (I forget which one), when I had gotten turned around and lost my way. I walked past several temple workers standing at their posts and walked in the wrong direction and opened the door to the big waiting room with people in their street clothes.

Fortunately, one of the workers woke up as I opened the door and stopped me before I walked out there. I can still see the bewildered looks on the faces of that crowd!:-)

LA Temple:

Another time, while waiting for my party to leave, I was approached by a temple worker who, completely out of the blue, grasped my hand in a death grip after the session and asked if I had done the temple work for all of my family. When I mentioned that I did not know who my father was, he told me that I would never be able to enter the Celestial Kingdom, etc., etc., until I "forgave him."

Well, I tried to explain that I didn't even know my father and had nothing to forgive, however, this information fell on deaf ears and he proceeded with his mission of instructing me, all the while continuing to hold fast onto my hand with both of his. Fortunately, a male friend in our party got him to release his grip and got me away from him. That was just too weird! I never did figure out why he grabbed me, a total stranger and went on a tirade. Senile maybe?

Remember the female workers with their little pockets full of emergency supplies? I got a chewable vitamin C one time when I was having an allergy attack.

This one I won't forget!

Sometimes a little humor lightens the mood of a dull, repetitive temple session.

Many years ago, I attended the temple with a group from our Ward. One of the ladies was a very small spry (probably about 80 yr old) widow, who had recently lost her large built 90+ year old husband

She arrived with us at the temple , carrying her matching suitcase with the temple garb. Remember those!?

When she opened it, she realized she had her deceased husbands suitcase!
Laughingly, she remarked that she probably gave them the wrong suitcase for her husband's burial, and she wondered if he was buried in her temple clothes. (Not likely as those are different - but she probably didn't know that.)

Not to be deterred, she put on his one piece men's garments! She didn't have quite enough clothes in her size, so one of the matrons brought some for her.

The three of us women, who knew what happened could barely keep our faces straight through the session knowing she was wearing her deceased husbands, very large, men's garments, which she later remarked were more comfortable than her own!

I remember those sashes and especially how much trouble some of the "old geezers" had keeping them in the right place. When he pulled on it it went whosh... came completely out!

It was not uncommon for the whole temple session to be held up while someone helped the guy re-thread his string into his robe! :-) The solution was so simple. Sew them in!
But NO .... that didn't happen!


Then there was the time the pregnant woman threw up on me in the session! YUP! She did! GAG! It was awful! We were standing up for some part of the session, and she said that she was going to be sick! Well, I should have believed her and moved away. That was the only warning I got. Splat! I got it full force. Why do pregnant women who throw up a lot feel they have to go to the temple in the first place?

She was more upset by my comment of "OH MY GOD" when it happened than the fact that she completely ruined my temple clothes for the rest of the session. I had to stay there and finish. There is NO leaving. Well, I guess she got to leave, but not me! I just got a Kleenex from one of the female temple workers.

Where else can you go to a temple and watch a movie with God and his son/savior--Jesus with white curly hair, bare foot, standing in the air in white robes, dressed and coiffed exactly the same! That is why I like deities! Human beings create the most fascinating, unique deities!

I don't know about anyone else, but I was one surprised temple attendee the first time I saw the Elohiem and Jehovah in the temple movie. I couldn't believe my eyes, or the bold audacity. Actors playing the roles? SAY WHAT? What happened to just the voice of God. Wasn't that good enough? I guess not. We needed a visual!

And we won't go into the lines that are supposed to be too sacred to repeat that sound dirty like " we will go down," uttered by the apostles; Peter, James and John. Gordon Jump, the Maytag Man as an apostle was a little hard to get used to!

Somehow, I managed to stick it out. I was never comfortable with "playing dress ups" as that is how I saw the whole 1800's temple play.

My sessions were much more snoozeworthy, and I never even got to do the death oaths! (They changed it right before I went).

A young girl in the ward here got up and bore her testimony yesterday. She just finished her freshman year of college, went through the temple on Saturday, and is getting married this week. She said "I can't tell you what happens there, but it's WEIRD...and wonderful. There were some parts that were SO amazing. I definitely felt the presence of my grandmother that passed away several years ago. I'm so excited to be married in the temple this week...I'm sure it will be strange, and amazing as well." This girl is still 18. I'm sure she would have been running for the exits if she hadn't been there for and with her RM fiance.

Anon_for_this Wrote:
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>......... This girl is still
> 18. I'm sure she would have been running for the
> exits if she hadn't been there for and with her RM
> fiance.

That is so true and I had a good laugh!!
The "Hook" ...!! She is stuck!

When I was first pregnant and had really bad morning sickness (later found out I was pregnant with twins and the doctor told me it made my morning sickness worse)--I had volunteered to do washing and annointings on a Saturday morning. I was SO SICK and I called and told them I couldn't come.

My "ex" was furious at me for calling and telling them I couldn't come.

I'm sure the women were happy I didn't vomit on them.

Oh ya.... for some reason LDS folks seem to think being pregnant is so normal, everything in their life needs to stay the same.
Sometimes only a note from the doctor will get a reprieve!
My husband was a little more understanding. I did not attend the temple when pregnant or nursing. Period! And I had his complete support.

The narrator was literally speaking to me every time he said, "Adam, awake and arise!"

The first time that I realized that the presentation of the endowment had been changed was on my mission (1982). My companion and I were talking to the sister missionaries in our district. One of the sisters was a 60+ year-old widow. We were talking about the endowment when she shared that she wished that the initiatory still included a full body wash.

Leaving Wrote:
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> . One of the sisters was a 60+ year-old
> widow. We were talking about the endowment when
> she shared that she wished that the initiatory
> still included a full body wash.

I have not confirmed when that was discontinued but it was long before 1962 when I went through the temple.

I'd be interested in confirming when that changed. I know there were different ceremonies in the 30's and before.

told me that there were bathtubs in the SL temple in the early days. (She would have gone there in 1930 or so) where you would bathe before the initiatory. I don't know if they would grab you just as you got out of the tub, or if you were just cleaning off. She said that many of the farmers, etc. came there and needed to get clean.

When I was receiving materials from the Tanners, they once sent an article about this with an photo. The tubs were huge enough for at least four naked participants. The officiators stood by the tubs and said the words as they smeared oil and water on the nude temple participants.

The farmers had tubs of their own at home and for use when they traveled. They didn't go to the temple to bathe.

......sitting right up against the mens' knees for the confirmations, dreadful and a terrible breaking of personal space boundaries.


......the old male worker who came out of the male changing room into the corridor area dressed only in the towel shield thing and who just stood there smiling strangely before just going back into the changing room. No-one else was around so I don't like to think what he was thinking he was doing.


......having to wear a stained garment given to me for baptisms, before I was endowed. Fortunately it was too small, so I got to change it and the next one was clean at least. Feeling I could not just ask for a clean one and I actually had that other one on me for a while. Horrific.

Jesus Christ that's awful. Oh my God, I just can't.

To experience strange experiences, a temple goer needs more spunk and personal awareness than the average TBM but not enough to actually refuse to participate.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/03/2014 09:51AM by Cheryl.

I only went through the temple once...on my wedding day. It was my husband's first time through also. Until reading your post--right now--I had no idea that the five points of fellowship at the veil could be done by anyone other than your husband. I honestly thought that was part of us being married!? I don't blame you for being upset. It is quite intimate, even with a veil separating the individuals.

My mother kept saying how wonderful the temple workers were to make special accommodations for us on our wedding day. I thought the whole temple experience was miserable and didn't understand what "special accommodations" had been made. I guess that was one of them!

visiting Wrote:
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The husband did take me through on my wedding day. That is how it was done then. That was when I was very shy I was so confused and upset when I went back the second time!
I thought that continued. Hmmm...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/03/2014 06:01PM by SusieQ#1.

I can see why you were reluctant. I'd be afraid they were marrying me to another man!

The weirdest thing that happened to us in the temple was after we got married. We had momentarily stepped outside have pictures taken and then came back inside to change clothes for our 6 hour car trip home. We were escorted to a single room with table and chairs and told not to have sex while we were still in the temple. It was bizarre.

I once was assigned to do proxy sealings. Although I was never married myself they stuck me together with another single guy from my stake I was dating at that time and there were a bunch of people who wanted to see us married though. We both had to act as proxy husband and wife for around 50 couples. It was so awkward to do it with him especially because some comments like: "Isn't it awesome that you can excercise for your own sealing with him now? Can you name any other church were you can excercise for your wedding?" were dropped. After the awkward sealingsession one sister took us both by hand and dragged us both in front of the mirrors linked our hands together and said "isn't it wonderful to see your own future - how you can muliply?" I felt like someone put his hands on my throat and pushed.
Since the temple was some hundreds miles away we used to stay for several days (Tuesday to Saturday) The other day this said guy and me were for a walk around the temple in the evening sun - he dared to kneel down on the fountain. ..... he felt the spirit superstrong during yesterdays session and now knows that I'm the one for him and proposed. I said it was awkward he is awkward too for thinking this was not awkwardly, propose based upon an awkward experince is awkward and so - NOOOO WAY!!!!

Another time I was going for the pre ordinances. It was still the openshield Touch you time - I did it 20 times. 20 times I hop in the G's and out the G's. 20 times the lady fondled my body. 20 times I received the same new name - this was the first time I realized what a scam it is.


Oh...when I went the first time for my own endowment a few days before I was reported to Provos MTC I was so unprepared and scared off when I was waiting for the washing and anointing and being naked just covered with that shield I had panic a male will do it because of the consecrated Penishoodpower and when my friend said I will be touched slightly I wanted to runaway. That it finally was done by an elderly sweet lady left me confused anyway.
My first session I ended up in tears because all felt so cultish to me when I was in the prayer of circle I cried a river under my veil and thought what the fuck is wrong with ME that I am scared off and don't feel the spirit.
But I fall in love with good ol' Satan that day. The new movie sucks. The Satan become so tamed....
I was so disappointed that the Celestial Room was nothing but a room full of ugly inventory that even retarded octogenarians would like.

After my mission I was at SLC Temple and the presentation of it with crappy temple work actors finally gave me a laughter I hardly could repress.

Thankfully, I left early and married a never-Mormon. I'm sorry these things happened to you.

the very last time I went to the temple, they pulled me aside to do sealings as someone hadn't shown up. They didn't pull my husband aside--just me. He went on to do an endowment. I was sealed to some "odd" guy who kept smiling at me the entire time I was "sealed" to him over and over and over again. It was very disturbing. I had about 40 minutes to wait in the foyer while my husband finished his session, the only time I was ever allowed to meditate in the temple, and I never went back.

As for our husbands taking us through the veil, at the time I got married (1984), if you took your endowment out more than a week before the wedding (which I did--a week and 1 day), then someone else takes you through the veil. Then, on the wedding day, they do a veil ceremony (if you don't do another session) and your husband takes you through the veil to learn your new name.

In reply to someone's post below--one of my mother's neighbors keeps telling my very longtime inactive sister that when she was at the temple, she felt my mother there. I told my sister to tell her to quit trying to hijack our relationship with our mother. No way in hell my mother would be there in the temple with a neighbor and not with her own kids wherever they might be. My mother has 2 disabled sons. If she can be with them, that is where she will be. Mormons disgust me with this type of attitude.

I just missed the new movies, but I must say Michael Ballam (the dark-haired Satan in the old movies) made a good Satan, particularly the "reign with blood and horror" line.

corwin Wrote:
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> I just missed the new movies, but I must say
> Michael Ballam (the dark-haired Satan in the old
> movies) made a good Satan, particularly the "reign
> with blood and horror" line.


oh ya..he had the best part in the play!! And he got into the role! :-)

Mhmmm I loved Michael Ballam so much. He is my forever satan.

The new movie is just as the satan only snoozeworthy.

Some might say they improved it - ya better music, wideangleshots a lot of fog, they even improved the creation of the material process- MORE MODESTY! you see nothing but a straight neckline. the parafise has become more tropical...and Eve has become more human. More emotion is shown... - there is a closeup to Adam when he eat that fruit and a huge tear drops from his eye while he ate (soooo drama) and it is I guess 10 minutes longer although the dialogues/script are the same. It's the same level as the mormonmessages for the youth.

Saw it twice and can't recognize any changes - but satan has become a forgettable sidekick. no charisma, no personality no drama in his acting. He sneaks around and only hisses instead of dramatic overacting. But I guess the geezers get aware that the people remind the Satan more than anything else and he was the secret star in the movie, so they changed him into a shallow actor. It's lulling you. Especially since you don't have to move up.

I got my endowment for the first time the day before my wedding. I was really uncomfortable and kept looking across the aisle at my convert fiancé wondering what he could be thinking. We were in SLC, so the live version vs. movie and I was struggling to follow what was happening.

They then had my fiancé bring me through the veil, as I was walking through to the other side, the older Elder making sure we did not mess up the magic passwords put his arms around us and said "Now you are married"

What??? I was totally taken aback at the time thinking I still had 24 hours to figure out what just happened?? When I told him we were not getting married until the next day, he said, "this is the most important part"...total mind #$%^

My dad passed away 5 years ago. And they had this OLD kooky HT who they had had for years.

Well a few weeks after my dad passed away, he went and told my mom that he saw my dad while in the temple. And that my dad was doing well.

OMG I was SO PISSED! Even as a TBM, I knew he hadn't seen shit! But whats worse is my mom believed it fully! And was upset and wondered why this random ht got to see her husband in the Temple but she didn't.

I think the strangest part of the costuming for me, personally is wearing that ridiculous head peace they called a veil that we covered our faces with for the prayer circle.

I didn't mind the white long dress. I did mind having sleeves down to my wrists so I made my dresses with elastic in the sleeves and pushed them up.

And all the fussing over ear rings. I finally just put studs in my pierced ears and told them I couldn't take them out!

Too many ridiculous rules that made no sense. Too much nit picking.

The last time I went to the temple I got to the veil and said the name they gave me at the beginning. Suddenly an old geezer pulled me backwards by the elbow and hissed at me, "Where did you get that name? That was yesterday's name!"

OMG, sound like a horrible twilight zone episode. That's what exactly all of these posts sound like. twilight zone episodes. I have never been to the temple and I'm BIC. thank god I spared myself this horror.

My wife and I went through the temple in St. George back in 1968. It was old school. There was no movie and the guy who played Satan made him real. We had the old oaths and I thought that if you screwed up the Danites would be there to shed your blood so you could atone for your misdeeds. Well times change and we have both left the church. After sticking around for thirty years we finally got smart and left. After we left my wife finally told me that the temple was creepy and freaked her out from the very first time we went. I wish she had told me before we left the church but she was afraid of what her TBM husband would think and do. I feel so bad that she put up with her doubts and bad vibes for thirty years until I came around. We left nineteen years ago and things are better now than they ever were in the church.

The first time I went through the temple, I was traumatized! I couldn't believe that this was the church that I grew up in. I was so angry and confused about so many things. I wanted my fiance (at the time) to look at me from across the aisle, because I was going to motion to him for us to leave when they give you your last chance. Funny that you have to commit to going through before you even know what the hell you're committing to. Anyway, by the time we got through to the Celestial room I was bawling. Everyone else was looking at me, but I couldn't hold back. My husband was a convert, so he just expected it to be weird. He kept asking why he had to wear a bakers hat.

On our wedding day, I didn't know that I had to wear all of the crazy clothes over my dress. I was so disappointed! I looked stupid in front of all of my closest friends and family. The eternity mirrors, which had been so hyped up all my life, were completely unimpressive and my husband and I were holding back laughing the entire time because we both looked so ridiculous. The little old man who did our sealing came up to me afterward while everyone was still paying attention. He leaned in REALLY close to my face and I thought, Oh wow, he's going to kiss me! but, nope, he didn't kiss me...he rubbed his nose against my nose and gave me an Eskimo kiss...WTF!!! my husband was dumbfounded.

I never went back. Even though we were active for the next five years, I never wanted to step foot in there again.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/03/2014 10:39PM by lexaprosavedme.

Those stupid infinity mirrors. No matter how thin a woman is, with all those layers of synthetic fabric piled on, she still looks like a polyester marshmallow clasping hands with the Pillsbury Doughboy.

Seeing ONE reflection of how equally dorky my very handsome husband and I looked in those get-ups would have been plenty, but the never-ending reflection was anything but inspiring.

My friend's husband, who I didn't know very well, came over and gave me a big kiss ON THE MOUTH after the ceremony.

cl2 Wrote:
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> My friend's husband, who I didn't know very well,
> came over and gave me a big kiss ON THE MOUTH
> after the ceremony.


OH MY GOSH! I never got a kiss on the mouth in the temple! I fell left out! .....well..not really!! :-)

OMG reading these stories...you couldn't make this stuff up. As I'm reading, I'm struck by how incredibly bizarre, stupid, and horrible an experience the temple is.

I hated going to the temple but of course couldn't admit that to anyone. It's such a stupid, time wasting thing to do, it's a wonder anyone keeps going back. It was the first major crack in my shelf.

Playing dress up, barfing, eskimo kisses, you all are cracking me up. Thanks!

My strangest but most fun experience was when one of my dear friends went through the temple for the first time. I just knew she thought it was weird, but she was so damn serious that it struck my funny bone and I could not stop giggling for the life of me. It was almost painful to laugh like that, but makes me laugh out loud now. My friend.....still in the cult.....not so much my friend anymore. Damn cult.....

One of my friend's was a research scientist. When she went through for the first time, she vomited in the celestial room. Wish she would have recognized that for what it was then. She's still in too..........Damn cult......

Most of the time I thought it was just all soooooo boring. After going through all the nonsense and finally getting into the celestial room, I wanted to chill and chat softly with friends, but NO, on you go so the next dorks can enter,....

I have to admit I got an evil thrill watching newbies come through and to witness the weirdness on their faces and them trying to act like all of this craziness was normal or something. How brainwashed I was though in the midst of it, still believing somehow it was all part of God's plan.


Oh the cult mind control..........

I went through about a month before entering the MTC, mid 80's. I must have been a slow day because I was interviewed by the temple president (a courtesy I suppose), given the shield and left alone on a cold marble bench in a cool dressing room, I formed an erection with a blank mind (go figure); probably a result of not masturbating for some time to "be worthy". The freaky moment came when an old man, dressed in a rubber coated apron and rubber gloves appeared, holding his hands like a surgeon does after gloving, walking to the OR table. The washing and anointing involved too much oil and the endowment was a blur. I remember my parents seated together in the celestial room, smiling. Dad asked if I had any questions. I said "no" and walked out. Kirk Bestor's music helped the after mission endowment sessions. I never achieved an erection in the temple after the first time. The last visit was for a wedding in 2000. My only regrets are for wasted time, wasted years, wasted questions never asked family about the crazy copied Masonic rites and crazy Masonic simbols on some of the Utah temples.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/04/2014 02:53AM by flyindoc.

When strange,weird things happened to me in the temple, I assumed I was the only one that had these experiences.

Whenever I post a thread like this, it's clear that I was not alone. Other people were having similar or more bizarre experiences.

The LDS Church really needs to make some major changes in the temple ceremonies, especially the costuming.