The following is an excerpt of an email sent to the bishop the Young Single Adult ward in our stake explaining why a temple candidate he sent to me was delayed. I wanted to save this in case it might form the foundation for a future email:
Here are some key points to consider in preparing and recommending young people to receive their own endowments:
1. Age - the handbook specifically says young people in their early 20's should not receive their own endowments unless they are leaving on a mission or engaged to be sealed in the temple.
2. Motivation - does their interest in going to the temple come from others or from within?
3. Time in activity - a new convert can't receive her/his endowments until a year after baptism; that's a good rule of thumb for those returning to activity; before going to the temple for their endowment, everyone needs time to demonstrate a "Godly walk," as the scriptures describe.
4. Understanding of the gospel - new converts and newly returning members need time to "catch up" on the gospel understanding they've missed out on growing up in the church; spiritual maturity is very important.
5. Love for the temple - the limited use recommends, now available for individuals and not just groups, give young people a chance to demonstrate how much they love the temple; if they don't use their recommend to perform proxy baptisms a number of times on their own, then we shouldn't be surprised if they don't go back on their own after being endowed.
6. Tithing faithfulness - make sure the person has had adequate time to demonstrate tithing faithfulness, one of the true tests of a person's desire to sacrifice and consecrate.
7. Personal devotion - a person's devotion to regular, even daily, scripture study and personal prayers is an excellent indicator of their ability to place the Lord first in their life; without that level of devotion, a covenant to live the law of sacrifice may be pretty meaningless.
