Changes to the Endowment ordinance A Look at the Church’s Change of Policy on Same-Sex Couples and their Children

Why Does the Church Change?

Asking Big Questions

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe “that God has revealed” and “will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God” (Articles of Faith 1:9). However, change can be unsettling after we have already gotten into a routine. Ordinances, policies, and procedures serve as a mechanism for us to have spiritual experiences. When these things change, it can be hard. So, why do Church policies and procedures change? Here are three reasons:

To align with an ongoing Restoration.
To accommodate the needs of a worldwide Church.
To center worship on Jesus Christ.

Aligning with an Ongoing Restoration

President Russell M. Nelson taught, “The Restoration is a process, not an event, and will continue until the Lord comes again.”^[1] Often, we think of the Restoration as a time period that ended after the pioneers crossed the plains, when, in reality, we are in the middle of it. The word restore means to bring back what was lost or taken away. The Restoration isn’t just about bringing back correct doctrines and ordinances; it’s ultimately about bringing us back into the presence of our Heavenly Father. To reach this heavenly destination, we must make frequent course corrections as individuals and as a Church. God shows us the way home through living prophets and apostles, “line upon line, precept upon precept” (2 Nephi 28:30).

Wilford Woodruff’s Experience

For example, while serving as a counselor to Brigham Young in the First Presidency, Wilford Woodruff was tasked with organizing and writing down the script for the endowment ceremony. After visiting the newly constructed St. George Utah Temple, he recorded:

“[I] looked over the rooms to see how we would organize to prepare for Endowments. I wrote the ceremony . . .
for the work in the temple.”^[2]

Holding certain priesthood keys enabled Wilford to be a tool in God’s hands as He revealed His will to His children. The process of receiving revelation from God comes through distinct channels directly to His servants. While we are all entitled to receive personal revelation for our own lives, only the prophets and apostles hold the keys necessary to receive revelation for the entire Church (see Doctrine and Covenants 28:2, 7).

Accommodating the Needs of a Worldwide Church

Every member could fit into a single room on the day the Church was organized on April 6, 1830. In 2022, the Church reported its membership number as roughly 17 million. While the fundamental doctrines of the gospel of Jesus Christ have not changed over time, policies and procedures have. Many of those changes have occurred to adjust to the Church’s growing membership, particularly in how we perform temple ordinances worldwide. President Nelson shared, “We seek guidance regularly on how to ensure worldwide accuracy and consistency of temple instruction, covenants, and ordinances despite differences in language and culture.”^[3] With 153 new temples announced in the last five years, it has become necessary to streamline how ordinances are performed and recorded. The Lord’s direction to change policies and procedures proves His love for all of us.

Centering Our Worship on Jesus Christ

Ordinances are God’s way of teaching us about our relationship with Jesus Christ and His role in the plan of salvation. Historically, ordinances in the Church have changed over time to become more Christ-centered. On October 12, 1883, Wilford Woodruff wrote the following excerpt in his journal: “I . . . went to the Endowment House at 9 o’clock to receive the washing of feet as it was done in Kirtland 47 years ago by the Prophet Joseph Smith as an Initiatory ordinance into the school of the Prophets.”^[4]

The washing of feet as Christ did for his disciples, recorded in John 13:3–10, is no longer a part of the initiatory ordinance, but whether it was performed today or in 1883, its purpose would be the same: to draw us closer to Jesus Christ. Changes to the endowment ordinance have been ongoing since it was first revealed to Joseph Smith. President Nelson taught, “Current adjustments in temple procedures . . . are continuing evidence that the Lord is actively directing His Church. He is providing opportunities for each of us to bolster our spiritual foundations more effectively by centering our lives on Him.”^[5] Continued changes to temple ordinances help to ensure that Christ is “the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

Conclusion

Change will always be part of our lives. The gift of change enables us to course-correct on our journey back to our heavenly home. The Savior taught that “there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:10). Should we not feel this same joy when the Church, a collection of committed yet imperfect people, makes strides to live more celestially? I hope that instead of allowing policy and procedural changes to shake our faith, we can instead be reassured that “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the Second Coming of the Messiah” (Introduction to the Book of Mormon).

Dig Deeper

About the Author

Scott Hansen is an intern with the content team for the Wilford Woodruff papers. Currently studying as a pre-med student at BYU, he loves being active and spending time with friends and family. Scott has always had an appreciation for Church history. Spending time in the Wilford Woodruff Papers has strengthened his testimony and helped bring the Restoration to life for him.

Endnotes

^[1] Russell M. Nelson, “The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation,” October 2021 general conference, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
^[2] Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, November 13, 1876, p. 191, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/journal/1876-11-13. Spelling and punctuation standardized.
^[3] Russell M. Nelson, “The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation,” October 2021 general conference, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
^[4] Wilford Woodruff’s Journal, October 12, 1883, p. 306, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/journal/1883-10-12. Spelling standardized.
^[5] Russell M. Nelson, “The Temple and Your Spiritual Foundation,” October 2021 general conference, ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

The Wilford Woodruff Papers Foundation’s mission is to digitally preserve and publish Wilford Woodruff’s eyewitness account of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ from 1833 to 1898. It seeks to make Wilford Woodruff’s records universally accessible to inspire all people, especially the rising generation, to study and to increase their faith in Jesus Christ. For more information, visit wilfordwoodruffpapers.org.