Following is the first hand report from someone who did Washings and Anointings on the afternoon of January 18, 2005:

First, you are given a one piece pair of "Garments" (with zipper in the front) and are told to “PUT THIS ON FIRST”. You are instructed to then put the "Shield" on over the garments. The first thing I noticed was the shield is no longer open on the sides....AT ALL. It's sealed up all the way down to your ankles. Sure, they've got armholes and a big zipper in the front, but it NEVER comes open during the Initiatory.

No more icky naked feeling because, well, you're not practically naked while doing Initiatories anymore. Where the old "Shields" had massive slits up both sides, the new Shields have no opening on the sides at all. That's because the old men (and old women for the ladies) no longer reach under the Shield and touch you all over your naked body. Now, if you want to have an old man dab oil all over your body, you'll have to pay for your perversions like everyone else.

Then, you go into the first cubicle (about 4 feet by 4 feet) and sit on a little stool. The worker then lays his hands on your head and says:

"Brother______, having authority, I lay my hands upon your head for and in behalf of_______, who is dead, and confer upon you the Melchizedek Priesthood and ordain you an Elder in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen."

THEN, he reads from what is labeled, "PREFACE" and says,

"Brother__________, the temple washing, anointing and clothing ordinances were given anciently, as recorded in the Book of Exodus: "And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water. And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him..." (Exodus 40:12-13)

"We likewise administer these ordinances in our day, but you are washed and anointed only symbolically, as follows."

THEN comes the washing. The temple worker dabs his finger tips into water and sort of draws an imaginary line across your forehead with his wet fingers, getting your forehead slightly damp. He does NOT touch you anywhere else on your body other than when he places his hands on your head and says,

"Brother _______, having authority, I wash you preparatory to your receiving your anointings (for and in behalf of [Patron gives the name. Then officiator repeats the name]________, who is dead), that you may become clean from the blood and sins of this generation.

"I wash your head, that your brain and your intellect may be clear and active; your ears, that you may hear the word of the Lord; your eyes, that you may see clearly and discern between truth and error; your nose, that you may smell; your lips, that you may never speak guile; your neck, that it may bear up your head properly; your shoulders, that they may bear the burdens that shall be placed thereon; your back, that there may be marrow in the bones and in the spine; your breast, that it may be the receptacle of pure and virtuous principles; your vitals and bowels, that they may be healthy and strong and perform their proper functions; your arms and hands, that they may be strong and wield the sword of justice in defense of truth and virtue; your loins, that you may be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, that you might have joy in your posterity; your legs and feet, that you might run and not be weary, and walk and not faint."

THEN comes the "Sealing of the Washing". A second man comes into the booth and they BOTH put their hands on your head and the second guy says:

"Brother _______, having authority, we lay our hands upon your head (for and in behalf of [Patron does NOT repeat the name]_______, who is dead), and seal upon you this washing, that you may become clean from the blood and sins of this generation, through your faithfulness, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen."

THEN you move to the second booth (where the guy that just sealed the washing came from) and the guy that just sealed the washing has you sit on a stool and he drips a drop of oil on the top of your head. HE DOESN'T TOUCH ANY PART OF YOUR BODY EXCEPT YOUR HEAD as he puts his hands on the top of your head and says:

"Brother _______, having authority, I pour this holy anointing oil upon your head (for and in behalf of [Patron gives the name. Then officiator repeats the name]________, who is dead), and anoint you preparatory to your becoming a King and a Priest unto the Most High God, hereafter to rule and reign in the House of Israel forever. I anoint your head, that your brain and your intellect may be clear and active; your ears, that you may hear the word of the Lord; your eyes, that you may see clearly and discern between truth and error; your nose, that you may smell; your lips, that you may never speak guile; your neck, that it may bear up your head properly; your shoulders, that they may bear the burdens that shall be placed thereon; your back, that there may be marrow in the bones and in the spine; your breast, that it may be the receptacle of pure and virtuous principles; your vitals and bowels, that they may be healthy and strong and perform their proper functions; your arms and hands, that they may be strong and wield the sword of justice in defense of truth and virtue; your loins, that you may be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, that you might have joy in your posterity; your legs and feet, that you might run and not be weary, and walk and not faint."

THEN another guy steps into the booth and does the "Confirmation of the Anointing". He (and the guy that did the Anointing) puts his hands on your head and says,

"Brother _______, having authority, we lay our hands upon your head (for and in behalf of [Patron does NOT repeat the name]_______, who is dead), and confirm upon you this anointing, wherewith you have been anointed in the Temple of our God, preparatory to becoming a king and a priest unto the Most High God, hereafter to rule and reign in the House of Israel forever; and seal upon you all the blessings hereunto appertaining, through your faithfulness, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen."

THEN, you step into the LAST partition and the guy that just said the Confirmation prayer says:

"Brother _______, under proper authority, the Garment placed upon you is now authorized (for and in behalf of [Patron gives the name. Then officiator repeats the name]________, who is dead), and is to be worn throughout your life. It represents the Garment given to Adam when he was found naked in the Garden of Eden, and is called the Garment of the Holy Priesthood. Inasmuch as you do not defile it, but are true and faithful to your covenants, it will be a shield and a protection to you against the power of the destroyer until you have finished your work on the earth."

That’s it. For those who used to HATE doing Washing and Anointings, the worst part of it is GONE. Now, the only major drawback (besides the fact that you’re in a cult doing asinine works for people that are dead and could care less) is the fact that you go home with VERY oily hair.

First, in 1990, they got rid of the “Penalties” that included pretending to CUT YOUR OWN THROAT AND DISEMBOWEL YOURSELF. Now they get rid of the VERY uncomfortable NAKED part of the Initiatories.

For those that read this, whether you're LDS or not, you might be saying to yourself, "Why does this guy care if they change some of their ceremonies? They can change what they want, it's their church."

Sorry, but according to any good Mormon, it's the Lord's Church and "the Lord", according to men that all Mormons believe to be inspired men of God, have said time and time again that "the Lord's" ordinances are "eternal" and are never to be changed.

For example, From the August 2001 Ensign (page 22), in big bold print above a large colorful portrait of Joseph Smith, we read:

"The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, "Ordinances instituted in the heavens before the foundation of the world, in the priesthood, for the salvation of men, are not to be altered or changed.""

To back up the Joseph Smith quote used in the August 2001 issue of the Ensign Magazine one need only look at the History of the Church:

"Now the purpose in Himself in the winding up scene of the last dispensation is that all things pertaining to that dispensation should be conducted precisely in accordance with the preceding dispensations.... He set the temple ordinances to be the same forever and ever and set Adam to watch over them, to reveal them from heaven to man, or to send angels to reveal them." - The Prophet Joseph Smith, History of the Church, vol.4, p. 208

Also consider the following quotes that clearly indicate that sacred ordinances, such as those performed in the temple, should never be changed:

"...the endowments have never changed and can never change; as I understand it; it has been so testified, and that Joseph Smith Jr., himself was the founder of the endowments." - Senator Reed Smoot, Reed Smoot Case, vol. 3, p. 185

"...God is unchangeable, the same yesterday, today and forever... The great mistake made down through the ages by teachers of Christianity, is that they have supposed they could place their own private interpretation upon scriptures, allow their own personal convenience to become a controlling factor, and change the basis of Christian law and practice to suit themselves. This is apostacy." - The Prophet's Message, Church News, June 5, 1965

"As temple work progresses, some members wonder if the ordinances can be changed or adjusted. These ordinances have been provided by revelation, and are in the hands of the First Presidency. Thus, the temple is protected from tampering." - W. Grant Bangerter, executive director of the Temple Department and a member of the First Quorum of Seventy, Deseret News, Church Section, January 16, 1982

"...build a house to my name, for the Most High to dwell therein. For there is not a place found on earth that he may come to and restore again that which was lost unto you, or which he hath taken away, even the fulness of the priesthood.... And verily I say unto you, let this house be built unto my name, that I may reveal mine ordinances therein... For I deign to reveal unto my church things which have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world, things that pertain to the dispensation of the fulness of times. And I will show unto my servant Joseph all things pertaining to this house, and the priesthood thereof, and the place whereon it shall be built." - Jesus Christ Himself, Doctrine and Covenants 124:27-28, 40-42

"The Gospel can not possibly be changed.... the saving principles must ever be the same. They can never change.... the Gospel must always be the same in all of its parts.... no one can change the Gospel... if they attempt to do so, they only set up a man-made system which is not the Gospel, but is merely a reflection of their own views.... if we substitute 'any other Gospel,' there is no salvation in it.... the Lord and His Gospel remain the same--always." - The Prophet's Message, Church News, June 5, 1965

The fact of the matter is, Mormonism is a constantly evolving faith that bends to the will of society and outside pressure. Shortly before the significant changes made to the temple endowment ceremony in 1990, the Office of the First Presidency actually sent out a survey to hundreds of Mormons asking what they liked (or disliked) about their first visit to the temple. Coincidentally, a short time later, virtually every offensive part of the temple endowment was removed (including the grossly disturbing "penalties").

Once again, we see that the Mormon leadership has bowed to the demands for change. The Initiatories were typically the only part of the temple that had to be assigned out. That's because no self respecting person would actually want to have a stranger (usually a very old man for the men and an old woman for the women) touch them all over their naked body with water and oil and watch them put on their underwear.

I suspect that it will be much easier for Mormon leaders in the future to get members to volunteer for Initiatories (a.k.a. Washings and Anointings) now that they don't have to stand nearly naked while they do it.

Next, mark my words, they will get rid of the stupid handshakes that they believe Mormons must know to get into Heaven. The handshakes that Mormons learn in the temple are the last part of the temple that the average convert to Mormonism would find beyond the realm of normal. They are also, directly lifted from Free Masonry. That's right, if you're a member of the Masonic Lodge, you already know the four handshakes Mormons think you need to get into Heaven. However, you must also have the passwords. Don't worry, they can be found online as well.