Temple Endowment

The temple endowment is given using the ancient mystery tradition which was designed so that secret information could be given and only those who were ready to receive it would see it. Those who were not ready to receive the secret information would not see the real message. Instead, they would see something that seemed to support a common view of the world with a few confusing bits that hopefully would trigger the seeker to eventually see the secret meaning.

The fact is that everything Adam and Eve do in the temple endowment is wrong or incorrect until Jehovah finally tells them that they got something right saying, “that is correct”. Nothing else they learn or do is “correct”. For example, Adam builds an altar and prays which the average unprepared person sees and thinks, “Yes, Adam is doing a good thing and building altars and praying is good. I will learn to pray like Adam prayed and that will be part of the true order of prayer.” They completely miss the point that Satan appeared to Adam in response to his evil prayer. They miss the point and mimic Adam. What makes Adam’s prayer evil? (Matt 6:7, 3 Nephi 13:7, D&C 5:24, D&C 67:1)

It is evil because he gives us the perfect example of how NOT to pray. He is speaking with his mouth and not his heart or desire, and he is praying in vain repetitions.

Why didn’t God respond to Adam’s prayer of vain repetition when he spoke the words of his mouth? Because God said that unless we pray with real intent he will not receive our prayers.