Washington D.C. Temple

Only members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with an active temple recommend are allowed to enter the inside the Washington D.C. Temple. Everyone, regardless of religion, background, or beliefs, is more than welcome to enjoy the peaceful fountains and gardens, take a tour in the visitors’ center, learn about the life of Christ through art and murals, attend devotionals and performances held in the visitors’ center auditorium, and join us on Sunday for uplifting worship services. 

Temples are literally houses of the Lord. They are places where individuals can go to make sacred promises with God, feel His spirit, and learn how “to overcome the temptations and challenges of mortality and to do and become good,” David A. Bednar taught in a General Conference address. Temples have been around for a long time. Moses had a tabernacle, Solomon built a beautiful temple, and Jesus taught at the temple in Jerusalem. Today, temples are built all over the world.  Inside temples, couples can be married for eternity, not just “’til death do you part.” Members of the Church can also perform baptisms and other ordinances for their loved ones who died without receiving these blessings within temples. We understand that those who have passed on and have had a baptism performed on their behalf in the temple then have the opportunity to accept or reject the promises made with Heavenly Father at baptism. Members of the Church worship in meetinghouses around the world, and visitors are always welcome to participate. These buildings might include a neighborhood chapel or even a rented space in a city building. In any case, these meetinghouses are where members of the Church gather together regularly for Sunday worship services and weekly activities. 

While you can’t go inside the temple itself, you’re more than welcome to enjoy the fountains and gardens, take a tour in the visitors’ center, learn about the life of Christ through art and murals, attend devotionals and performances held in the visitors’ center auditorium, and join us on Sunday for uplifting worship services. 

Take a look inside the Washington D.C. Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Learn more about how each person is truly a son or daughter of God, how families can live together forever, and how we all can be united with Jesus Christ. The tour is hosted by Elder and Sister Stevenson and Elder and Sister Renlund.

Temples are a place for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to worship, pray, and participate in sacred ceremonies called ordinances. One of these ordinances is baptism for the dead. These baptisms performed on behalf of our ancestors make it possible for those who didn’t have the opportunity to be baptized on earth to accept the Savior, Jesus Christ, too.

Temples are a place for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to worship, pray, and participate in sacred ceremonies called ordinances. The endowment ceremony teaches about God’s plan and His love for us. The word endowment means gift—in this case, blessings from God.

When members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints get married, or “sealed”, in the temple, that marriage is for eternity, not simply our time here on earth. This promise of an eternal bond between husbands and wives and parents and children is a source of joy and peace to many Latter-day Saints who have lost loved ones but have faith they will be together again someday.  

The temple garment helps members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints remember God and express their devotion to Him. These garments are worn by adult members of the church as a private, personal reminder of their commitment to God.

A common nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is “mormon.” Another common nickname is the “LDS Church.” Thus the Washington D.C. Temple is sometimes refered to as the “Mormon Temple” or “LDS Temple.” Calling it the Washington D.C. Temple is accepted and preferred. The nickname “mormon” stems from a book of scripture known as The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Learn more about The Book of Mormon. While the term “Mormon Church” has long been publicly applied to the Church as a nickname, it is not an authorized title, and the Church discourages its use. Thus, we ask all to please avoid using the abbreviation “LDS” or the nickname “Mormon” as substitutes for the true name of the Church. When referring to Church members, the terms “members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” or “Latter-day Saints,” are preferred.