LDS Temple Prep: FAQ

Why did you make this course? Shouldn't we only use the Church manual?

The course is based off of the Church manual, and the outline is very much the same. When I was called to teach temple prep, however, I found that the manual was lacking in some different areas, such as openly (but still appropriately) discussing different aspects of temple worship. I created this course so that it could address these aspects while still following the manual's concepts.

Some may feel it is inappropriate to deviate at all from the manual's material, but I feel that the manual provides a good outline that should then be adapted based on the needs of your class. Some may disagree with me on this point, and I respect that. Hopefully, some of the concepts in my course will assist you in your class.

Shouldn't we refrain from talking about the initiatory, the events covered in the endowment, the covenants of the temple, etc.?

One of the main aspects of this course is that it openly, carefully, and appropriately discusses these and other aspects of temple worship. I felt this was appropriate for a few reasons:

1. Other Church leaders have talked about these aspects. The course has many quotes from different Prophets, Apostles, and other members that are openly published. I used these quotes on purpose, to show that it is OK to talk about these aspects of the temple in appropriate times and places. A temple preparation course should definitely be one of those appropriate times and places.
2. Those preparing to enter the temple will have a better experience if they have discussed these aspects. By knowing more about the ordinances of the temple, how they work, and what they symbolize, those who go through the temple will be able to focus more on the meaning of the ordinances, instead of getting caught up in the mechanics.
3. If those who want to learn more about the temple cannot find a place to talk about it in the Church, they may find it somewhere else. This course gives those who want to learn more about the temple a place to discuss and learn about it without resorting to the internet or other resources that may not provide a sacred, faithful perspective. If you have not gone through the temple and would like to learn more about its ordinances, this course is a faithful, appropriate way to learn more about them. People want to talk about the temple and learn more, and they need the appropriate venues to do so.

As before, I realize that not everyone may agree with me. I am not offended.

How could I use this course in my own class?

I am simply putting this course on the blog because I have experienced a lot of positive feedback from it. You  may wish to use the course as it is. You may wish to modify it by adding things you'd like to talk about or taking things out that you feel aren't necessary. Perhaps you cannot use PowerPoint in your class, but you'd like to follow the concepts of this course. Or perhaps you are quite comfortable with your own class, but would like to look around for other teachings you could include. I have put this course up on the site so that you can use it however it works for you, whether that's to enrich your own class or enrich your personal study.

If I want to use this course, how do I use it?

Each lesson has a PowerPoint presentation with images, quotes, and sometimes videos. Each slide includes lecture notes; you can view these in PowerPoint itself, or by looking at the PDF Lecture Notes included with each lesson. Questions are bolded; quotes or scriptures that should be read are italicized. You may want to practice going through with the PowerPoint beforehand to get more comfortable with it.

As stated in the previous question, you can really use this course however you'd like!