Are there times when it’s okay not to wear temple garments?

Question

Gramps,

What is this trend with LDS women wearing workout gear when not working out and using it as an excuse to not wear their garments?  I have noticed a LOT of people I know from church who are endowed doing things (and posting pictures on social media) like planting a garden, hosting a birthday party, out to dinner on a cruise, etc. and they are wearing tank tops or other “workout” clothes when clearly not working out.  I am not trying to be judgmental; I guess it is just confusing to me.

Annabelle

Answer

Hi Annabelle,

Thank you for your question. To help answer your question, we will refer heavily to the Latter-day Saint Church Handbook, specifically the section titled “Temple Clothing and Garments”. Here, we all receive wonderful insight and instruction into the sacred nature of the Garment and its purpose. It states:

“Church members who have been clothed with the garment in a temple have taken upon themselves a covenant obligation to wear it according to the instructions given in the endowment. The garment provides a constant reminder of the covenants made in a temple. When properly worn, it provides protection against temptation and evil. Wearing the garment is also an outward expression of an inward commitment to follow the Savior.”

What a wonderful blessing! When properly worn… it provides protection against temptation and evil. The garment is for our benefit, not our hindrance. Wearing the garment bestows blessings. By electing to remove it unnecessarily, we are effectively temporarily forfeiting those promised protections. I would suggest that faithful members of the Church should look for reasons to wear their garments rather than to remove them.  The Handbook continues:

“The garment of the holy priesthood reminds us of the veil in the temple, and that veil is symbolic of Jesus Christ. When you put on your garment, you put on a sacred symbol of Jesus Christ. Wearing it is an outward expression of your inner commitment to follow Him. The garment is also a reminder of your temple covenants. You should wear the garment day and night throughout your life. When it must be removed for activities that cannot reasonably be done while wearing the garment, seek to restore it as soon as possible. As you keep your covenants, including the sacred privilege to wear the garment as instructed in the initiatory ordinances, you will have greater access to the Savior’s mercy, protection, strength, and power.”

Members should not adjust the garment or wear it contrary to instructions in order to accommodate different styles of clothing.”

While the church intentionally leaves some answers vague so we can find our own path, we have been given very specific instructions in this regard. Ultimately, all choices are made individually. The Handbook follows by saying:

“Members who have made covenants in the temple should be guided by the Holy Spirit to answer for themselves personal questions about wearing the garment.”

I would suggest that, given the instruction received both in the temple and in the Handbook, if a worthy endowed member actually heeded the promptings of the Holy Spirit, they would feel less comfortable removing their garments, especially for activities in which garments could have been easily worn in the first place. Electing to remove the garments for reasons of mere fashion or perceived comfort does not appear to fit with the spirit of the garment or with the suggested guidelines.

Elder Carlos E. Asay shared his thoughts, which I feel summarize things beautifully.

“I believe there is a critical body of knowledge relating to the temple garment. When that knowledge is obtained, Latter-day Saints filled with faith wear the garment and wear it properly, not because someone is policing their actions but because they understand the virtues of the sacred clothing and want to “do good and be restored unto that which is good.” On the other hand, when one does not understand the sacred nature of the temple garment, the tendency is to treat it casually and regard it as just another piece of cloth.”

Thank you again for your question, Annabelle.

Gramps