Never replace a user's mail template with a non-mail template. You run the risk of losing the contents of the inbox, if not other folders.
To do the double replace, replace the design with an older/different mail template, then again with the current.
However, what I found seems to work better is to use the Convert command to upgrade (repair) the user's mail file design - ie. 'load convert -u mail\taylor.nsf * dnawm853.ntf',
...where 'dnawm853.ntf' is the current mail template. Not only does it ensure the design elements are the correct level, but the folders as well. Since I started using 'Convert' a couple years ago or so, I haven't used the 'double replace' trick once.