What are temples?

“Temples are literally houses of the Lord. They are holy places of worship where individuals make sacred covenants with God. Because making covenants with God is such a solemn responsibility, individuals cannot enter the temple to receive their endowments or be sealed in marriage for eternity until they have fully prepared themselves and been members of the Church for at least a year. Throughout history, the Lord has commanded His people to build temples. The Church is working to build temples all over the world to make temple blessings more available for a greater number of Heavenly Father’s children.”

Who gets to go in temples?

“Only those with a temple recommend which is a certificate issued by local ecclesiastical leaders enabling a member to enter the temple. In order to obtain a recommend the candidate must indicate worthiness and preparedness to enter the temple by answering specific questions pertaining to his or her faithfulness. A temple recommend is issued for a period of two years, at which time it can be renewed.”

What is it like inside the temple?

“Many people are under the impression that the interior of a Latter-day Saint temple is like a great hall or cathedral. Actually, temples are made up of a number of rooms designed to accommodate certain functions such as marriages, baptisms and instructional sessions. Inside the temple, Church members change into simple, modest white clothing previous to performing their temple labors. The white temple clothing is symbolic of purity and reverence.”

How do I prepare to go to the temple?

Here are two great talks by Elder Russel M. Nelson about preparing to go to the House of the Lord.
Personal Preparation for Temple Blessings
Prepare for Blessings of the Temple

Why these temple?

Here is a talk by a former President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Gordon B. Hinkley. Click Here

What are the history of temples?

Here is a talk by Elder James E. Talmage a former general authority of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostle from 1862-1933.
Click Here

References

LDS Church (2010), Gospel Topics – Temples , Salt Lake City, Utah: LDS Church

LDS Church (2010), Question and Answers about Temples , Salt Lake City, Utah: LDS Church

LDS.org – The official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — with links to Gospel Library, Church History, Family Home Evening programs, and more