For Latter-day Saints, the temple is the pinnacle experience on the “Covenant Path”, or road to salvation in the Celestial Kingdom. Dozens of new temples are being announced each year, and members around the world are gaining access to these holy structures, and yet a shroud of secrecy still hangs over the details of the ceremonies that occur therein. The oft heard idiom repeated whenever questions are posed about the temple is that it is “sacred, not secret.” This stigma has unfortunately led to many members feeling confusion, discomfort, lack of connection, or even not being adequately prepared to make the covenants they are there to make, as they were not aware of the terms of the covenants beforehand. We can do more to prepare our members for the temple experience, and we can start by talking about it.

In this book, Derek Hutchins endeavors to clearly prepare readers for and walk them through temple ceremonies, step by step, without using direct quotes from temple ceremonies and avoiding those few key words which members covenant not to reveal. The other covenants of salvation are explored as well, for example many male church members make the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood — but do they truly understand what they have committed to do? The book also delves into the history of temple ordinances and how they have evolved over time, helping those preparing to go through the temple understand the ancient context from which these ceremonies were born. With this unofficial temple preparation text, Latter-day Saints can learn what to expect within temple walls and build a foundation of temple service that will last the rest of their lives — and beyond.

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Derek Hutchins is a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served a two year mission in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and is currently serving as the Elders Quorum President in his ward. He writes primarily fiction. His Mormon Horror novella, The Resurrection Box, published under the alias Declan Hyde, was nominated for Best Novel by the Association for Mormon Letters in 2022. This is his first nonfiction book.

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