“Temples are literally houses of the Lord. They are holy places of worship where the Lord may visit. Only the home can compare with temples in sacredness” (True to the Faith, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, 2004, 170).
A distinction must be made between ordinary meetinghouses (chapels), and temples. Worship services are held on Sunday in chapels around the world. All are welcome to attend these services, where the ordinance of the sacrament of the Lord’s supper is blessed and passed to the congregation.
Temples are not open on Sundays, but are on other days of the week. Inside, the sacrament is not passed to a large congregation like it is in chapels. Other ordinances of salvation, however, are performed. These include baptism for the dead, the endowment, and eternal marriage. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) are encouraged to go to the Temple as often as they can.
“Every man or woman who goes into the house of the Lord leaves there a better man or woman than he or she was when he or she entered the house of the Lord. The house of the Lord will have a refining effect upon you. It will cultivate unselfishness within your lives. It will build righteousness. It will impress upon you the importance of doing what you ought to do. Go to the house of the Lord” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Inspirational Thoughts,” Ensign, Mar 2006, 2–6).
The following articles cover more specific aspects about the temple.
Who can enter a temple? In essence, anyone can enter a temple–they just have to be ready. Since “no unclean thing can dwell with God” (1 Nephi 10:21), and because the temple is the house of the Lord, “being ready” means keeping the commandments of God.
Why do Mormons keep so much of temple work secret? Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will say that “secret” is the wrong word to describe the temple; “sacred” is more accurate.
What is baptism for the dead? Because baptism is essential for salvation, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints get baptized for, or in place of, their ancestors who have died without having the opportunity to be baptized.
What is eternal marriage? One of the glorious truthes that has been restored through the prophet Joseph Smith is that a man and a woman may, through the power of the priesthood, be married not “until death do you part,” but for “time and all eternity.”
What is an endowment? An endowment is a gift. The endowment is a series of instructions and covenants that teach of and draw a person towards Jesus Christ.