If I may be bold, why are you no longer “in good standing”? What exactly does that mean? Is it like being a lapsed Catholic (such as myself), who shouldn’t really take Communion anymore, or is it something else?
Ah, Arizona. That explains it. --I too am stunned by Utah. The funny part to me is that there are meetinghouses every 4 blocks, but the parking lots are full of cars. Why do they drive to church? 
OK, so, reasons why we have fairly strict ward boundaries.
–Ease of administration. We keep more thorough records than most churches, so knowing where everyone is makes that simpler. The whole “house of order” thing.
–Callings. Pretty much everyone in the Church has a ‘calling’ or job. For example I teach the teenage girls on Sundays. There are a couple of hundred jobs in any ward, and people are constantly being shifted around in them; we change callings every few years on average. You don’t get to pick your favorite job–the leadership people just ask you if you want job X or not. This way we all learn different skills and stuff. You can imagine the complexity of running such an operation, and if people hopped around whenever they pleased, it would be nightmarish.
–My favorite: that we are supposed to learn to get along with, and love, our neighbors. Nobody gets to say that they think this ward is filled with nicer people than that one, or choose a ward that fits their socio-economic/social/racial comfort level. You just have to get along with whoever is there, and learn to love them and work with them as one body, even though they drive you crazy. This may not be as fun, but it is certainly good for the soul.
It is possible to change wards without moving if your circumstances demand it, but that isn’t all that common.
And hey, thanks for that link; it’s what I couldn’t find earlier. The Manhattan temple is new, and very exciting for us, since it makes it so much easier for New Yorkers. I don’t know how the elevator works, but I bet it goes all the way up and you have to show your recommend in a lobby-esque place–that’s usual for most temples anyway.
And to duffer: the family’s farm is somewhere around Jamestown. But I couldn’t find any Edinburgh on googlemaps.
About how many temples are in other countries?
Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus’ work encompasses more than the Cross. The Nativity itself is a major event, as is the Atonement in the Garden of Gethsemane, suffering the scourges, dying on the Cross at Calvary, descending to the spirit world, being resurrected, teaching the disciples, visiting and instructing the Lamanities, and ascending to Heaven.
Another reason is because in the Latter-day Saint’s mind, Jesus is seen more as living than dying or dead. Pictures of Jesus in Gethsemane are common, as are portraits of Jesus. Pictures of His crucifixion are not as common.
A verse very cherished by Latter-day Saints states: “And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:22.) When the leadership of the Church issued a proclamation regarding Jesus Christ, they entitled it “The Living Christ.” (This can be found here.)
Again, as stated before, ordinances by proxy are conditional upon the deceased’s acceptance of it. There is no guarantee whatsoever that the work done for anyone will be accepted. But we believe that everyone should have the chance to accept it.
Latter-day Saints believe that the soul exists and lives in he spirit world. We also believe there is missionary work in the spirit world as well: spirits who never heard of the Restored Gospel are introduced to it and given a chance to accept it and its ordinances. Perhaps it is a radical belief that Latter-day Saints have that there is learning, improvement, and development even in the spirit world.
Regarding your question about architectural qualities, I would just like to say that Temples look very different from meetinghouses. I once knew someone who said that Jim McMahon was a Latter-day Saint and “went to the big meetinghouse in Glenview” (in Illinois). I just had to chuckle to myself. First, the building she was referring to was not a meetinghouse but the Temple. Second, members attend meetings in the ward they are in, in the meetinghouse wherein the ward meets. Status does not determine where one goes. If Brother Joe Shmoe and Brother Donny Osmond and Brother Orson Scott Card belonged to the same ward, they would go to the same meetings, in the same building, with the same people.
Temple recommends are valid for two years upon the recommend becoming valid. (This is a new policy: a few years ago, they were valid for only one year. I clearly remember being elated when the policy changed, and the training Temple workers were given in adapting to the new policy.) Abbreviations for all twelve months are printed on the recommend. The month when the recommend was issued is circled, the year when it was issued is written in. The temple recommend expires on the last day of the month circled, two years from the year written in.
In order to get a recommend, one attends an interview with a member of the bishopric (the bishopric presides over a ward, a ward being roughly equivalent to a parish) and a member of the stake presidency (the stake presidency presides over a stake, a stake being roughly equivalent to a diocese). After meeting each, the interviewer signs the recommend. Once the member of the stake presidency signs the temple recommend, it becomes valid. (The member for whom the temple recommend is also signs it; three witnesses certify the member’s legitimacy to hold the recommend: the bishopric, the stake presidency, and the member himself/herself.) During the interview, the interviewer asks questions pertaining to the member’s observance of commandments incumbent upon him/her as a member of the Church. The member answers. (Most questions are answerable with “yes” or “no.”) If any explanation needs to be given, it is. The very last question is very telling: it asks whether the member believes he/she is worthy to enter the House of the Lord. Again, details are not sought. It’s simple question, then answer, then question, then answer. The interviewer does not try to verify the member’s answers. After all, if the member lies it is to his/her spiritual detriment.
There are special recommends for certain ordinances. When one goes to the Temple to have ordinances done for oneself, one needs to have a special form in addition to having a valid temple recommend. For someone going through the Temple for the first time, his/her interview is for two recommends: one regular Temple recommend and one special recommend. A special recommend is needed for when a sealing is done. (In addition, one must schedule with the Temple to have the ordinance done. One cannot simply show up, for if ordinances are done for a living member certain other arrangements must be made, such arranging for the member to meet with the Temple’s presidency and making sure someone is there to guide him/her.)
Here are the types of recommends:
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Limited-use recommend. These are issued especially for youth and converts. This permits them to go to the Temple for certain ordinances for the dead.
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Regular temple recommend. No explanation needed.
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Recommend for living ordinances. These are the special recommends issued when one goes to have an ordinance (or ordinances) done for oneself (or with another if it’s a sealing, or with others if it’s a family sealing). This is valid only for that visit and for the ordinance indicated thereon.
I should also state that temple recommends are property of the Church. At a certain point, I violated a key commandment, and submitted to my bishop my limited-use recommend. (This was way before I went through the Temple.) If I had not, he would have asked me to do so at some point. I also remember when someone on eBay put up his/her temple recommend for auction. It roused a storm: eBay was deluged with emails from Latter-day Saints demanding the auction be taken down. Before eBay finally did take it down (after being contacted by the Church’s legal department), it was up to around $10,000. Most of this was because of Latter-day Saints bidding on it so they could get it and return it to the Church.
No proof is given or asked. The member’s word is trusted.
WRS
Because I am inactive (I do not go to meetings, as I live with my parents, who are hostile to the Church) and do not pay my tithing regularly. I keep all the other commandments (including the law of chastity) and the Word of Wisdom. A number of months ago, my bishop told me that not being able to attend meetings was a problem but not something that could not be worked around. He signed my temple recommend anyway: he did not see why someone complying with all the Church commandments except for one should be denied the blessing of going to the Temple. My stake president was a bit more hesitant but he signed it: he impressed that I should attend meetings whenever possible.
When my folks were gone in December for a vacation, I became such a rebel: I went to Church on Sunday! (That was such a refreshing experience.)
One of these days, I will able to practice freely the faith I believe in despite everything.
This website might help. It includes chronological, geographical, and alphabetical listings of Temples.
WRS