Temple Recommend

The Temple Recommend is a certificate issued to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints allowing a member to enter the temple. In order to obtain a recommend, the candidate must indicate worthiness and preparedness to enter the temple by answering specific questions pertaining to his or her faithfulness. The candidate must interview with both his or her Bishop, as well as his or her Stake President. A temple recommend is issued for a period of one year, at which time it can be renewed.

The Temple Recommend is a white slip, signed by the Branch President, and can be used as a bookmark in one's Quad Bible. Members are not allowed to run copies of the Recommend; if the Recommend is lost, the member should ask their Branch President to sign them a new one.

The interview for a temple recommend is guided by questions composed by the First Presidency of the Church. The questions are standard and universal. The first and overriding question is, "Do you believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost?"

Worthy Church members are expected to be honest in their dealings with their fellowmen, to pay an honest tithe (10% of one's "increase"), to deal kindly and lovingly with family members, to be morally clean, to live the Word of Wisdom (the health code of the Church), to have repented of past sins, to be willing to attend church services and serve in callings, and to uphold the doctrines of the Church.