How does a temple differ from a Latter-day Saint meetinghouse?

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, meetinghouses and temples serve distinct purposes in the religious life of members.

Meetinghouses are local facilities where members gather for weekly worship services and organize social, economic, and religious activities within their wards and stakes. These buildings are central to the daily religious life of the congregation.1

Temples, by contrast, are reserved for specific, sacred ceremonies known as ordinances. These include:23
* Baptism for the dead: Performed by proxy for those who died without knowledge of the faith.2
* Endowment: A rite of adult initiation involving the imparting of blessings and knowledge.2
* Sealing: The joining of husbands, wives, and children, which can also be performed by proxy for the deceased.2

Unlike meetinghouses, which host regular congregational worship, temples are dedicated spaces used exclusively for these essential rites. Access to temples is restricted to members who have met specific requirements of worthiness, determined through an interview process with church leadership.234