How Latter-day Saints Can Improve Temple Worship
More Frequent Temple Attendance for Busy Mormons
Sep 12, 2009
To members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the temple is a holy place for members to take a break from worldly concerns, remember and recommit themselves to their temple covenants, as they re-focus priorities.
Many busy Latter-day Saints want to go to the temple more often, but find that life gets in the way. How can Mormons visit the temple more often?
Setting LDS Temple Attendance Goals
Most Latter-day Saints make it a goal to visit the temple once a month, but there is no official "quota" for number of times someone has to attend the temple.
People should prayerfully set their own goals depending on their own individual circumstances. Retired adults in good health may be able to attend more frequently; parents with a household full of young children may have to attend less often.
Planning for Frequent LDS Temple Visits
Many well-intentioned Latter-day Saints make the mistake of thinking they'll go the temple when they've got the free time, but don't set a specific date. The nature of life is such that something always comes up, so this strategy rarely (if ever) works.
The best time to plan for temple attendance is during the first family home evening of the month. Write it on the family calendar, make all the necessary arrangements, and call the temple to make an appointment. When the specified date arrives, don't let anything short of an emergency get in the way of the plans.
Free Child Care for Attending the Temple
The expense of finding a babysitter deters many parents from visiting the LDS temple more often, but it doesn't have to. There are many sources of free childcare for the temple. Parents can look to:
- Their ward or branch's young women organization. Providing free child care so parents can attend the temple counts toward necessary personal progress requirements, so many ward young women may be happy to babysit.
- Other ward families. When it comes to temple attendance, all LDS parents are in the same boat. Finding another family to swap babysitting for the temple once a month is a great arrangement for everyone.
- Each other. Most couples attend the temple together, but some LDS parents find it easier to trade off and handle the child care themselves. Dad watches the kids while mom goes to the temple, and vice versa.
Having children definitely makes temple attendance more difficult for parents, but not impossible if they use all the resources for babysitting available to them.
Going to the temple doesn't just happen; it requires planning, goal-setting, and advance arrangements for child care. Some Latter-day Saints find it difficult to fit regular temple attendance into their busy schedules, but it can be done with the right attitude and planning.
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