Sealing & Endowment Questions

[Lilac]

Greetings!

It has been a while since I have been here. To update, after 20+ years of being Fundamentalist Baptist, we converted and were baptized on 9/4/2011.

2012 was a rough year for us...my husband was diagnosed with severe depression & bipolar symptoms and our life spun out of control. I'm glad for the support the Church gave us...I think we are doing well now. It is NOT easy but our 20 year marriage will survive. Last year, we weren't so sure.

So...we took Temple classes but put off anything else due to all this chaos in our lives (it was really bad).

We are ready to go to the Temple. Finally. We are doing to do our Endowments and then be sealed with our five children.

Question:

Do we have to do the Endowments and Sealing in one day?

My concern: The Endowment ceremony is long (how long is it???) and the idea of the kids waiting for an extended period of time stresses me out. I don't think I will enjoy anything worrying about my little one. It's a 2 hour drive to the Temple with parking issues. The whole thing feels very overwhelming to me. Stress is not something that we need in our family.

Can we do the Endowment and then a few weeks later do the sealing?

thanks so much!

[jerome1232]

Yes, you can do them separate.

Congratulations on getting to the temple!

[Vort]

You can do them separately, but there is no real need. The endowment itself will take around two-and-a-half or three hours, all told. After that, the sealing is a pretty brief ceremony. The sealer typically will try to make it a relaxed, unrushed time, but even with his loving parental advice and everything, the sealing itself takes only a minute or two, and the sealing of children to the parents another minute.

If you're going to have a lot of people at the sealing and it's going to be a big deal, it might make sense to have the endowment the day before and the sealing the next day. That is typically how young couples just getting married do it. Otherwise, it's probably easier all the way around to do them together.

[Lilac]

Its the "two or three hours" of my children (one with special needs) waiting that really REALLY stress me out.

I can't tell you how much EASIER doing the endowment would be and then calmly bringing the kids for a sealing in another week or so...I can get everyone ready and enjoy the moment rather than be all exhausted. Not to mention my husband does not respond well to stress.

[Vort]

Can you bring a relative or friend to act as a sitter and entertain the child during the endowment?

[applepansy]

They have child care facilities for the children and temple workers who will take care of the children. There really isn't a need to feel stressed out about that time away from them. Of all the places in the world I would leave my children and NOT be stressed is in the Temple.

However, Yes, you can do the endowment and sealing separately.

Congratulations!

[beefche]

They have child care facilities for the children and temple workers who will take care of the children.

Not all temples are equipped for this. So, if this is what you want to do, be sure to call the temple ahead to find out.

Congratulations. I remember some of your journey to baptism. I'm very happy to hear that you and your family are doing better.

[applepansy]

Not all temples are equipped for this. So, if this is what you want to do, be sure to call the temple ahead to find out.

Congratulations. I remember some of your journey to baptism. I'm very happy to hear that you and your family are doing better.

Beefche, I'm curious which temples don't provide child care while the parents are in an endowment. I would think that if child care isn't available that the Bishop could find a couple of sisters in the ward would would be willing to help with the children. In that case, the parents would have some input into which sisters were asked, which I would think would make a parent more comfortable.

[beefche]

Louisville Temple does not provide child care. I don't think the Columbus Temple provides it either. We have messages from the temple presidency read about once a year that the temple does not provide childcare and that the church building next to the temple is not available for childcare.

Yes, I'm sure people in the ward can help, but to rely on the temple isn't wise unless she confirms it with them.

[Lilac]

It's the special needs child that concerns me.

Getting five kids and two parents in the car, on time, neatly dressed and showered, for a long 2 hour car ride and figuring in traffic and then them waiting 2 to 3 hours??? That is a nightmare. By the time we get sealed, they will be so over the whole thing that the moment will be ruined. I will get "when are we going to eat" and "that took at long time" instead of enjoying the special time. Plus the crabby special needs toddler. oh yeah...very relaxing...

I am so thrilled I can do this in two visits you have no idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I told my husband and he was beyond relieved also.

[selek]

It's the special needs child that concerns me.

Getting five kids and two parents in the car, on time, neatly dressed and showered, for a long 2 hour car ride and figuring in traffic and then them waiting 2 to 3 hours??? That is a nightmare. By the time we get sealed, they will be so over the whole thing that the moment will be ruined. I will get "when are we going to eat" and "that took at long time" instead of enjoying the special time. Plus the crabby special needs toddler. oh yeah...very relaxing...

I am so thrilled I can do this in two visits you have no idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

I told my husband and he was beyond relieved also.

First and foremost Lilac, I sympathize with everything you've posted thus far.

On the other hand, I feel compelled to point out that having a Temple a mere two hours away is a considerable blessing- one that only a priveleged fraction have enjoyed throughout history.

Even today, a trip to the Temple is an alll but once-in-a-lifetime for far too many.

As you prepare to make and keep these sacred covenants (and as you have already discovered), you will face opposition. There are forces that will use any means to slow your trip, halt your progress, and throw up any obstacle to delay your efforts.

They cannot stop you unless you let them.

I know it sounds hard (been there, done that), but do not lose the focus and the understanding of what you are doing.

You are making covenants with your Heavenly Father which will allow you to return to him- and to remain a family throughout all eternity.

These pains and stresses are but a little moment- but the rewards are beyond anything you can now imagine.

I am thrilled for you- and will add my prayers that angels will smoothe your path on that day.

Relax and be grateful for all that you have- it will do wonders, I promise.

[Lilac]

I totally agree! I know that all the forces are working against us...to keep us from getting to the temple.

I promise you we will be getting sealed asap. I'm not going to procrastinate and loose our opportunity for blessings! My kids are looking forward to it also.

The commute to the temple is not a big deal to me...my husband commutes 2 hours each way to work so driving is not the issue. When I work, I commute also.

It's the whole entire day plus the commute and the kids etc, that is overwhelming. This past year has really knocked me out...I need some peace and sweetness not chaos.

I certainly know what you mean...and I take your advice. Get there and get it done!