Ordinance: In the Church, an ordinance is a sacred, formal act performed by the authority of the priesthood. Some ordinances are essential to our exaltation and are called saving ordinances. These include baptism, confirmation, ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood (for men), the temple endowment, and the marriage sealing.
While other ordinances—such as naming and blessing children, administering to the sick, and father's blessings—are not essential to our salvation, they are valuable for our comfort, guidance, and encouragement.