On December 5,2011, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are sometimes called Mormons, announced a new website devoted to free online videos about Jesus Christ. The first videos are now available and teach the Christmas story in the exact words of the King James Bible.

The project is the first of many films to be produced on a film set near Goshen, Utah. 830 acres have been turned into a replica of ancient Jerusalem and other New Testament locations. It is not a re-creation of the city of Jerusalem. It is a collection of settings that can be used and re-used for the needed scenes. Digital imaging will create some aspects of the city, such as the temple, that are not being built. Researchers went to Jerusalem, studied it, and photographed it. They also studied the scriptures to understand how things needed to look. The goal was to create as authentic a set as possible. Months of searching finally led them to a large piece of land that included sand dunes, desert, and even a river. The mountains in the background looked appropriately Biblical.

The set was designed to be highly efficient. Columns and windows are interchangeable so they can be altered to fit the time period needed, since future films may cover other scriptural times. Draining the pool of Bethesda, where Jesus healed a man who was lame, and covering it, allows them to use the same space to film the wedding at Cana.

The project will create thirty brief scenes from the New Testament to be used in classes, at church visitor’s centers, and online. The initial project focuses on the life of Jesus Christ and of His apostles.

Currently on the site are videos about Mary learning from an angel that she is to become the mother of Jesus Christ, a scene of Mary and Elisabeth talking about their miracles, the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, the shepherds coming to worship the baby, the presentation of Jesus at the temple, and the later arrival of the Wise Men, who did not arrive until Jesus was a toddler. A mobile app is available, and one for I-Phone is coming soon.

Mormons worship Jesus Christ as their Savior. The Book of Mormon, which the Mormons use along with the Bible, says, “And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins” (2 Ne. 25:26). Mormons teach that only through Jesus Christ can we be saved and receive the gift of eternal life.

Mormon beliefs teach that Jesus Christ was born the son of Mary, who was a virgin at the time of His birth, and of God. They do not claim any understanding of how the conception occurred, despite gossip to the contrary. They do believe it was done in a way that was respectful of Mary and that God, not the Holy Ghost, is the Father of Jesus Christ.

Mormon beliefs teach that Jesus Christ is the only Begotten Son of Jesus Christ and that He was baptized despite having no sin of which to repent. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus Christ voluntarily took on Himself the sins of the world, a very personal and individual gift to all of us, one that brought powerful suffering and yet is often overlooked by the Christian world. He died on the cross and was resurrected in three days. Through this act, He broke the bonds of death.

Jesus’ atoning sacrifice allowed all mankind to be resurrected, to live forever, and to repent of their sins. It also allowed them to activate the gift of eternal salvation if they chose to do so, by accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior, being baptized, and keeping the commandments. However, everyone receives the great gift of grace, since all are resurrected regardless of their acts. Eternal life, however, is a choice each person must make. The Bible tells us that just saying we believe in Jesus Christ is not enough; to be saved we must keep the commandments.

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).”

Mormons worship Jesus Christ in their weekly worship services, in their Mormon temples, and in their everyday lives. Little children are taught a song called, “I’m Trying to Be Like Jesus” and in their classes, they learn how Jesus lived and are taught to emulate Him. This continues into adulthood and is an eternal goal for Mormons.

The new website is part of a continuing effort of the Mormons to help the world come to know Jesus Christ.

Visit the website: The Life of Jesus Christ Bible Videos. There is no charge and you do not need to register to view them.

Watch a sample video:

In preparation for the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the Twin Towers, the Washington Post asked a number of the world’s greatest religion leaders and thinkers to comment on what we’ve learned from those tragic events. Thomas S. Monson was one of the people asked to blog. He is the prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are sometimes nicknamed Mormons. He is possibly the first Mormon prophet to do a blog post. Excerpts of his blog post can be found on LDS News.

President Monson reminded us of the power reactions that followed the attacks. People came together, putting aside petty differences. They prayed and turned back to God, remembering the faith they had forgotten or taken for granted. They instinctively understood they, and their nation, needed God’s help to get through it all.

But then something changed.

“Sadly, it seems that much of that renewal of faith has waned in the years that have followed. Healing has come with time, but so has indifference. We forget how vulnerable and sorrowful we felt. Our sorrow moved us to remember the deep purposes of our lives. The darkness of our despair brought us a moment of enlightenment. But we are forgetful. When the depth of grief has passed, its lessons often pass from our minds and hearts as well.”

Thomas S. Monson,

Thomas S. Monson reminded us that God is always there. His commandments, though sometimes seemingly hard, are designed to give us the best possible life. Unfortunately, God’s children sometimes forget all of that. We forget to pray, forget to keep the commandments, and forget to take care of the poor. President Monson reminds us this is never good for us.

“If there is a spiritual lesson to be learned from our experience of that fateful day, it may be that we owe to God the same faithfulness that He gives to us. We should strive for steadiness, and for a commitment to God that does not ebb and flow with the years or the crises of our lives. It should not require tragedy for us to remember Him, and we should not be compelled to humility before giving Him our faith and trust. We too should be with Him in every season.”

President Monson asked that we remember that we need God all the time, not just when there is a tragedy. We need to always be praying and serving. “We will mourn the lives we lose, but we should also fix the lives that can be mended and heal the hearts that may yet be healed.”

The spiritual lessons of 9/11 must not be forgotten. The anniversaries can serve as a reminder that we need God all the time. Don’t wait for a tragedy to pray.

Read the entire post

Personal Response by Karen Trifiletti

Mormon Beliefs: Holy Trinity: The Father, Son and Holy Ghost Are Three Separate Beings

I’m so glad you asked; I remember wondering about the Godhead before I became a Mormon (member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). I scratched my head every time we recited the Athanasian creed, trying earnestly to get my mind around the notion of a three-personed God of one version of  the Holy Trinity. Try as I might, I just couldn’t assimilate it. And yet I had to know. I finally determined to ask God. In the middle of a hotel room in London, I dropped everything, knelt in prayer and asked Him to please dispel my confusion about the Godhead, specifically about the Holy Trinity–how three Gods could possibly be one essence and in any way personal. As I prayed, it was as if the lights turned on immediately. I received a message, through the Spirit, like this: “It’s simple: “I’m your Father, Jesus is my Son, and the Holy Ghost bears record of both of us.” I got up from that prayer as if with a new pair of glasses. I knew for myself that God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost were separate Beings. This unity is spiritual rather than physical. I now had dissolved, by revelation, the traditional notion of the Holy Trinity as I’d been taught it in the faith of my upbringing.  A unity of purpose and will makes sense among the members of the Godhead. Later, I learned that not only this concept, but all other pure and perfect truths about my relationship to God and Jesus Christ, are actually taught in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (errantly called by the media, The Mormon Church).

Is There a God?

I don’t know if you’re wondering if there is even a God. If so, I’ve been there. There was a time in my life when I didn’t know if God lived. I felt alone and unsure of my purpose. At one particular point in my life, I began to despair that I would never know my purpose or the answers to the questions of my heart. Without those answers, the desire to live waned. The world looked cold and senseless. Maybe it does to you, too. I wondered how I could carry on from day to day without knowing why I was even on the earth.

Lacking some key to the universe, I sat despondently on the edge of my studio bed, staring at a bottle of pills. At that time, though, I was caught by surprise-by a gently but profound strain of impressions from a loving Father through what I now recognize as His Spirit. I was told, through those welcome whisperings, that “every moment of love and discovery in my life had not been wasted” and I must have the courage to live on. I was also told, in fact, spiritually guaranteed, that I would find the purpose of life. I accepted with confidence those impressions though I didn’t quite comprehend their appearance on the screen of my soul.

I spent the next months contemplating my life. On one remarkable occasion, as I was jogging around the neighborhood under the exquisite light of a full moon, I received what I can only describe as an injection of truth-a stunning, indelible witness that God lived I recall sitting down on the curb, sobbing, tears of joy. I was changed instantly. I felt loved, and I felt an overwhelming inclination to love like never before I knew there was a God which I hadn’t known for myself just moments before. I knew, at last, I had a purpose. It was incredibly sweet.I know you can know that God lives for yourself as well.

I longed to know more about God, his plan for me and my duty and responsibility towards Him and others. For the rest of the story, please view this video clip.

Related Scriptures

Acts 17: 29: This scripture affirms that we are children of God the Father. D&C 130: 3 The Lord Himself testifies of the separateness of members of the Godhead, and dispels the notion that they will only dwell in our hearts.

John 14:23 The Father and the Son will personally appear to those who have proven faithful and through every hazard and mortal trial.

Moses 1:3-6, 39 God’s purpose is to bring about our happiness and eternal life.

Matthew 3:13-17 At Jesus’ baptism, each member of the Godhead is represented separately and distinctly.

John 14:6-10 We come to know the Father as we obey His Son, Jesus Christ. They are separate Beings.

Acts 7:55-56 Stephen sees Jesus Christ at the right hand of God the Father.

2 Nephi 31:18 This scripture specifies the role of the Holy Ghost, and distinguishes His role from that of the Father and the Son.

D&C 76:20-24 Joseph Smith sees the Savior at the right hand of the Father, and bears record of them.

Additional Resources

For official websites of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, visit www.mormon.org and www.lds.org.

“What Do Latter-day Saints Believe about the Godhead?” LDS FAQ Web Site, BYU Studies

Articles:

• The Holy Trinity:“Rejoice in Our Knowledge of the Godhead”

Liahona, Feb. 2005, 25; or Ensign, Feb. 2005, 65 What do we know about the nature of the Godhead? How can our knowledge of the Godhead draw us closer to Them?

• The Holy Trinity: “The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost”

Gordon B. Hinckley, Liahona, Mar. 1998, 2-9; or Ensign, Mar. 1998, 2-7 It is that perfect unity between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost that binds these three into the oneness of the divine Godhead.

• Mormon Beliefs About Truth: “Apostasy and Restoration”

Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, May 1995, 84-87 In common with the rest of Christianity, we believe in a Godhead of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. However, we testify that these three members of the Godhead are three separate and distinct beings.

It’s been 150 years since the Civil War and many who have ancestors who lived in that era are especially interested this year to find them. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are often referred to as Mormons, offer a variety of free resources and training on the internet to help with that work. The material is also of interest to writers, historians, and students studying that time period.

FamilySearch.org is a free website for genealogists of any faith or none at all. The website has a special anniversary site on the Civil War. Sixteen collections help genealogists locate their Civil War era ancestors. Some of the collections include:

The United States Civil War Soldiers Index

The Civil War Pension Index Cards

South Carolina, Civil War Confederate Service Records, 1861-1865

United States, Navy Widows’ Certificates, 1861-1910

The Faces of the Civil War presentation introduces you to famous people from both sides of the war. It offers background information, photos, and genealogical or historical records for researchers. A wiki introduces researchers to places, regiments, and events from both sides. The historical background articles offer extensive resources to documents, websites, and books about each topic. For instance, the wiki includes an article on United States Colored Troops in the Civil War (USCT), which were organized in 1863. The article explains the importance of these regiments to the success of the war, explanations of abbreviations found in records, listings with links to regiments by name and number, information on regiment burial grounds and a list of links and books for further study.

The site offers five free courses on Civil War era research, including four sponsored by other organizations. These do not require registration and are videos placed online. The courses are:

Civil War Genealogical Research Sponsored by the Midwest Genealogical Center

Basic U.S. Military Records Sponsored by the Midwest Genealogical Center

Finding the Slave Generation Sponsored by the Midwest Genealogical Center

U.S. Military Records: Civil War

African American Genealogical Research at the Library of Congress Sponsored by the Library of Congress

There are currently about ten thousand records indexed, which means they are transcribed and put into a form that can be searched when you access the site on your computer. The Mormons anticipate focusing on this project for several years and there are many more records waiting to be indexed.

The indexing work is largely done by volunteers working from home on their computers. They work whenever they have time to do so, without a formal commitment, making it an ideal volunteer project for people who are in especially busy periods of their lives. After registering as a volunteer and taking a brief online training class, they select a project that interests them from those available. They have a week to finish the project, which usually only requires thirty to sixty minutes to complete. If they are unable to complete it, the project automatically returns to the site for another volunteer to finish. Each project is done by two volunteers. If discrepancies are found, an arbitrator evaluates them and decides which is correct. This protects the transcriptions from errors. Volunteers have access to training and advice as needed. Many of the volunteers are not Mormon. They are simply genealogy fans who want the records made available as soon as possible. Because they have access to these records at no cost, they volunteer to help transcribe records for others. Once downloaded, the projects can be done offline, so many volunteers work on them during train commutes or in places without internet access.

Read more about the Civil War genealogy project.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are informally called Mormons, have just opened their second environmentally-friendly meeting house. It is the second of three prototype buildings and is expected to earn sivler LEED certification, as did the first building. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is earned by creating an environmentally-friendly building according to strict guidelines. It measures performance in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality and is difficult to attain.

Mesa, Arizona

“For decades we have looked for innovative ways to use natural resources in our meetinghouses that reflect our commitment as wise stewards of God’s creations,” explained H. David Burton, the presiding bishop of the Mormon Church.

The second prototype building is in Mesa, Arizona. It is solar-powered and is designed to produce the same amount of energy over the course of one year as it will use in that same time frame. Studies of the first LEEDS certified meetinghouse shows this is a realistic goal; in twelve months it saved 5,000 dollars in energy costs and reduced the building’s carbon footprint. The building converts solar radiation into electrical current. It also has windows that block 78 percent of the sun’s heat energy, improved insulation, high efficiency furnaces, lighting that is 20 percent more efficient, light switches that turn off when a room is empty, and landscaping and automated irrigation sensors that cut water usage by 50 percent. In addition, internet monitoring allows facility managers to know when there is a problem.

A timeline of Mormon Church environmental practices goes back to the 1950s, encompasses everything from the non-scientific use of verandas and overhangs to reduce heat load to the use of rain water collection and storage to reduce water use in the Pacific . Over the years, the Mormons have instigated a great many environmentally friendly practices based on the needs and local opportunities of the specific building. Following is a sampling of these projects:

In the 1980s, the church began satellite broadcasts of many meetings in order to reduce carbon emissions. They estimated a savings of up to 100,000 gallons of fuel for every broadcasted meeting.

In the same decade, a new chapel in Susanville, California was discovered to have a hidden stream. They quickly made use of the stream to provide geothermal energy for the building.  They pumped hot water into the building to provide heat.

The Church office buildings in Salt Lake City also got a water-based system in the 1970s. There, they used four wells to circulate water through a heat exchanging process. It could heat or cool the water. The unique process prevented the need for water purification chemicals and also prevented evaporation loss. The building also has an alpine garden on the roof that uses a recycled river system for watering.

Chapels in Latvia are heated with radiant flooring, which saves 30 percent in energy usage.

Tahiti actually had the first solar-heated Mormon Church meetinghouse. This building was built in 2007.

The Church History Library received LEEDS certification and international attention when it was built in 2009. It reduced allergens inside the building, especially important to workers. Those same filters also protect the records kept in the building. The wood for the buildings came from forests that are responsibly harvested and are replanted. The building contains a recycling collection center. The landscaping was designed to use less water and the insulation allows the building to use less heat or air conditioning.

Mormons believe God and Jesus Christ created the earth as a gift for mankind. He then gave them stewardship over that land, which means we are responsible for taking care of the planet God created for us. Gordon B. Hinckley, a previous Mormon prophet, said,

Here is the Creator of all that is good and beautiful. I have looked at majestic mountains rising high against the blue sky and thought of Jesus, the Creator of heaven and earth. I have stood on the sand of an island in the Pacific and watched the dawn rise like thunder—a ball of gold surrounded by clouds of pink and white and purple—and thought of Jesus, the Word by whom all things were made and without whom was not anything made that was made. I have seen a beautiful child—bright-eyed, innocent, loving and trusting—and marveled at the majesty and miracle of creation. What then shall we do with Jesus who is called Christ?

This earth is his creation. When we make it ugly, we offend him. (See Gordon B. Hinckley, “What Shall I Do Then with Jesus Which Is Called Christ?,” Tambuli, Apr 1984, 1.)

Mormons consider it disrespectful to abuse any gift God has given us and so the Church feels a special obligation in building its many buildings to be mindful of wisely using the resources needed.

Joan Hackley attends an environmentally friendly LDS meetinghouse in Pahrump, Nevada. She loves her new building:

We started meeting in the Manse Street Building late January 2011 – it’s a beautiful new meetinghouse and of course has garnered many wonderful comments and questions from our non-member friends and neighbors. At the open house, many of the details of the building were highlighted and explained. The lights, turn on and off as we enter and leave rooms, and bathrooms, so no light ever stays on longer than needed as people leave that area. The climate control has been wonderful! We are never too hot or too cold, like in the older building! Audio and Visual connections, hookups as well as equipment is, of course, top of the line. We belong to the Las Vegas South Stake, about 65 miles from Pahrump – however, now we attend most of our stake meetings via, an internet feed, right in our own building. A wonderful saving of time and gas for us! Some of the building is solar powered and so saves energy and money as well. The right and left sides of the chapel pews are set at a slight angle instead of the usual ‘straight’ making it easy to see and hear. The building itself has been built with growth in mind, and has Stake Offices, so that it will serve as our Stake Center, as we expand into that in the Pahrump Valley! We truly feel blessed to have such a marvelous up to date facility to meet and worship in!”

In 1830, the first copy of the Book of Mormon was published. Recently the 150 millionth copy was printed. Today, it is translated into 82 languages and is selections have been translated into 25 more languages.

The Book of Mormon does not replace the Bible for Mormons. It is used with the Bible and its purpose is outlined in the subtitle: “Another Testament of Jesus Christ.” In the Book of Mormon, we learn that a few small group of Jews were sent to the American continent by God. In just a brief time, the primary group, known as the Nephites, were forced to move away from another group, the Lamanites. The leaders of these two groups were brothers, but one was evil and one was a prophet of God. The Lamanites had as their goal to destroy the Nephites and all memory of them.

Throughout the generations, the Nephites had prophets, as did the people of the Old Testament. They learned that God loves all His children, not just those who lived in the Holy Lands at that time. They were even promised Jesus would visit them sometime after his crucifixion and resurrection, which He did. The wicked were killed and the righteous remained to greet their Savior. During this visit, the people learned of the Savior’s great love for them. Unfortunately, after a few generations, the children who had not been alive at this time stopped believing Jesus had ever really come or stopped caring what He had taught. They became progressively more wicked and again divided into two groups.

Eventually too many of the Nephites had forgotten the promises they had made to God. God had promised they could not be destroyed as long as they were righteous but the time came when there were few who were righteous. A great war ensued between the two groups and large numbers of people were killed, with the greatest number on the side of the Nephites. The Lamanites continued to hunt down and kill the surviving Nephites until there was only one man left, a teenage boy named Moroni. He was the son of the prophet Mormon, who had been commanded by God to begin abridging the records each prophet had left behind and handed down from prophet to prophet. When he died, Moroni, now the only righteous person in his personal world, went into hiding and finished the project. He was in constant danger of being murdered as the Lamanites continued to search for him. So bloodthirsty they could not stop fighting when their enemies were dead, they were now killing each other, but they were anxious to finish off the remaining Nephite.

Once Moroni finished the editing, he hid the book and left the area. He returned after a time, briefly, and added more to it. We don’t know what happened to him after that. He did report that the Lamanites were still fighting, so it is likely they became a fairly small population by the time their internal wars ended.

The purpose of the Book of Mormon is to testify of Jesus Christ. It refers to Him and to His ministry more often than does the Bible. It contains many of the great Biblical themes: grace, atonement, charity, service, faith, and repentance, for example.

Following are a few verses from the Book of Mormon that relate critical doctrine:

8 And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary (Mosiah 3:8).

For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do (2 Nephi 25:23).

26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. (2 Nephi 25:26)

26 And after that he came men also were saved by faith in his name; and by faith, they become the sons of God. And as surely as Christ liveth he spake these words unto our fathers, saying: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is good, in faith believing that ye shall receive, behold, it shall be done unto you (Moroni 7:26)

The Book of Mormon came into our modern lives through Joseph Smith, the first prophet of modern times. God often said in the Bible He would do nothing but through the mouth of His prophets. There had been brief (from an eternal standpoint) periods of time in which prophets were withdrawn from the earth due to the refusal of God’s children to listen to them and to obey them. But always God returned the prophets to the earth. In these final days, as we prepare for the Second Coming, we can look around and see there has never been a greater need for a prophet. It is clear people are confused about what is true and what is not. Without a prophet like Noah or Moses to guide them, it can be very difficult to stay the course. God loves us too much to let us flounder when the stakes are high.

With this in mind, God called Joseph Smith to be the first prophet in modern times. He was shown the location of the Book of Mormon by Moroni himself, now an angel. The Bible often refers to angels and they are an essential part of God’s work. Moroni tutored Joseph until he was ready to receive the plates on which the book was recorded. Although at the time no one had ever heard of records being kept on metal plates in ancient times, today archaeologists have indeed found such records.

When the Book of Mormon was published, the church was officially restored. Mormons would read both the Bible and the Book of Mormon to gain a greater understanding of God’s work and the Savior’s mission. Over the years, the Book of Mormon has been loved and read by many, named among the nation’s most influential books even by organizations not associated with the Church.

How did this book, whose power to change lives, come to be accepted as scripture by so many people? The Bible has had the gift of time. We are more inclined to accept the old, even when there is insufficient proof. For instance, many “experts” believe Abraham never existed because the story doesn’t fit the facts as they have determined them. And yet, Christians accept the reality of Abraham even without physical proof. We don’t need proof. God said Abraham existed and we trust God.

The Book of Mormon, although newer, also requires a measure of faith. The Bible tells us how to find out if it is true. In James 1:5, James told us if we lack wisdom, we can ask God with faith and pure intent and He will answer our question. With this promise, we can know the Bible is true. The Book of Mormon offers a similar promise. In Moroni 10:4, near the end of the book, Moroni promises that if we study the book with pure intent and a sincere desire to know if it’s true, we can pray and receive an answer to our request to know.

Mormons are taught to put this to the test. Most Christian churches don’t require their members to pray about the Bible prior to joining their church. Mormons teach even their young children that they are to pray to know if the scriptures are true and if the church is true. Before baptism, they are asked about the results of this inquiry by their leaders. Each member of the Mormon church is expected to gain a personal testimony of the Book of Mormon and the Bible, rather than trusting the words of others.

The Book of Mormon has reached such a high level of readership because so many people have put the book to the test and received confirmation that it is true. It has withstood all its critics, all those who mock it, and all those who discount it and has continued on to give people what is often their first testimony of Jesus Christ.

Latter-day Saints, like other Christians, accept both the Old and New
Testaments as Holy Scripture. Additionally, members of the Church of
Jesus Christ accept the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and
the Pearl of Great Price as part of their Standard Works (canonized
scripture). The Pearl of Great Price received its names from Jesus‘
parable (see Matthew 13:44-46). Compiled after the death of Joseph
Smith (1805-44), the current book contains several different types of
inspired documents including extracts from Joseph Smith‘s translation
of Genesis and Matthew, known as the Book of Moses and Joseph Smith–
Matthew; Joseph Smith’s translation of ancient Egyptians papyri, known
as the Book of Abraham; Joseph Smith’s 1838 history of the Church, and
the Articles of Faith-thirteen declarations highlighting LDS central
beliefs composed by Joseph Smith in 1842.The Pearl of Great Price discusses the great questions and issues of
human existence, including the existence of suffering, evil and death
in the world and the nature of fallen humanity and its redemption by
Jesus Christ. Additionally, this sacred book provides more details
about the life and ministry of Adam, Eve, Enoch, Moses and Abraham.
Additionally, the Pearl of Great Price includes a brief personal and
institutional history written by Joseph Smith which provides an
important account of the First Vision (1830), the visit of the Angel
Moroni (1823), the coming forth of the Book of Mormon (1827-1829), and
the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood (1829). Finally, this
collection includes the Articles of Faith, which identify Mormon core
beliefs, including a witness of the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost
and the central role of the atoning death of Jesus Christ. Covering a
breath of sacred history from the beginning of time through the
beginning of the nineteenth century, the Pearl of Great Price is
exactly that, “a pearl of great worth.”

The Mormon Church in the Seattle area of Washington State in the United States is helping the Red Cross with a special project known as “Yes, We Can.” This project makes use of surplus produce that would otherwise be thrown away. The Red Cross has no way to store or preserve this food and can’t give it away quickly enough. Now, the Mormons are helping them to can it so it can be stored for up to three years.

Mormons have canneries they use for their own membership. Members can come in, and for the cost of supplies, can food to be stored for emergencies like unemployment or a natural disaster. In addition, the Mormons can foods to be given to church members who are in need of a little help in hard times. Surplus food is given to community food banks.

Mormon beliefs state that they should do whatever they can to be self-sufficient. They store food for emergencies, avoid debt, build savings, and live modestly. However, even a person’s best efforts are sometimes not enough and anyone can find himself in a position of needing help at some point in his life. To this end, Mormons have programs that allow them to help each other. Once a month they go without food or drink for twenty-four hours and donate the money saved to a special fund that goes to help those in need. In addition, they volunteer at the canneries and food banks, known as bishop’s storehouses. The storehouses, unlike most food banks, are not filled with random donated items. Instead, they have a specific inventory of purchased or church-produced food. Mormons in need meet with church leaders to determine there is a need and then select foods from the list, enough to meet their needs, not necessarily all their desires, although the list does include desserts and treats. They then take that order and fill it at the storehouse. The storehouse normally resembles a grocery store without a cash register.

Instead of paying in cash, Mormons volunteer their time, working a few hours in the storehouse or filling other church needs. In addition, when times are better, they donate to others in need. This makes it a program that is not a handout. By volunteering their time and helping others, they are preserving their self-esteem and worth, as well as their self-sufficiency. The work seldom would have paid enough to cover what they received, but it shows a desire to work for what is received and helps make members feel more comfortable accepting service.

Because Mormons provide the storehouse only for their own members, they are able to give them more than they could otherwise. A person will receive essentially everything they need to get through the two-week period, including hygiene supplies, cleaning supplies, and baby care materials. They do not need to take from any community resources, leaving those resources for those who do not have a church to assist them. Of course, the Mormons donate what is left over to the community food banks to help others. In times of crisis, such as Hurricane Katrina, the church donates storehouse supplies to help people outside the church.

Service is an integral part of the Mormon faith. They have several programs to assist people in need, both inside and outside the Church. One such program is the Humanitarian Aid program, which serves people world-wide regardless of religion or even lack of religion. This program strives to provide meaningful and sustainable assistance. For instance, clean water projects are instigated in which local residents are trained to maintain the program and shown how to afford what is needed to keep it going. This allows the village to become self-sufficient after the initial service, which means they won’t find themselves without what they need when the church moves on and it means the Mormons can then helps another village.

Another humanitarian aid program involves providing wheelchairs to those who need them and can’t afford them, usually in developing nations where they aren’t easily available through other organizations. They also provide immunization programs, microfarming instruction, Neonatal Resuscitation Training, vision treatments, and hygiene supplies. In China, they set up employment centers for women. In Bulgaria, kitchen equipment was given to a kindergarten. In Romania, washing machines were provided for street children. Shoes and backpacks were given to Chilean children after an earthquake. In Nairobi, victims of political violence were given emergency relief. In Uganda, emergency relief was provided for refugees. These types of projects go on world-wide.

In addition to formal projects, local groups provide Helping Hands assistance. Wearing the well-known yellow Helping hands vests or shirts, volunteers participate in a variety of service projects in their own communities, doing everything from painting to cleaning up. Congregations hold frequent service projects to meet the local needs of their communities.

Read about Mormon Humanitarian Aid.

Watch a video about the Yes We Can Project:

Today, when people want to learn about something, they frequently turn to the Internet for information. Of course, that can be an overwhelming experience when a search engine returns thousands of places to search for that information.

A responsible researcher knows that sources are not equally reliable. Anyone can post on the Internet, and while that is a wonderful thing, it also means there are more opportunities for people to intentionally or unintentionally mislead others.

The best place to learn about a person or organization is to turn to the actual source. To learn about Christianity, we don’t go to an atheist website. We go to the Bible or to Christian websites. Our goal is to learn what Christians teach about themselves, both to other Christians or to non-Christians. Moral researchers aren’t interested in pursuing gossip. They want truth and knowing what  the members of that church really believe—not what atheists think they believe—is how you find the truth about Christianity.

The same process leads to truth about a specific Christian denomination. What does the denomination tell the outside world about themselves? What do they tell their own members? What is taught in Sunday School or in services? This gives you the most accurate look at any denomination. If no one in the church knows the doctrine, then it is not having an impact on the membership and is not what the church actually teaches.

With that in mind, here are some places you can learn about the Mormons. While there are missionaries who will be happy to visit your home and teach you, and the Mormons you know will be happy to answer your questions, you may be more comfortable studying them privately first. Then you can take what you’ve learned to real people and ask your questions.

Official Sources of Information About Mormon Beliefs:

Mormon.org: This site was created for people who are not Mormon but want to know more about it. It is an official website with basic information about the Mormons. There is also a chat room where you can talk to a missionary. It is not a place to argue or to debate, but to get information.

LDS.org: This is the official Mormon website for people who are Mormon. Most of it is public. The parts that aren’t are for specific congregations, with information about their activities, or for people who have specific church jobs and may need more training. These are open only to those who belong to that congregation or have that position. You will be able to access the same information as any Mormon who does not live in your area or who doesn’t have that job.

On this website, you can read the actual lesson manuals used to teach Sunday School and other classes. You can read both the student manual and the teacher’s manuals, if both exist. You can also read the official Mormon magazines at no cost and in entirety, including the most current editions. Find out what is said at each of the General Conferences (annual meetings broadcast publicly and internationally.) Visit the LDS Newsroom to learn the latest news, official positions on political issues, and commentary. The A to Z index lets you research specific Mormon doctrine in more detail, since this index is used by Mormons to prepare lessons and sermons, or just to learn more about their faith. You can also read the King James Bible and the Book of Mormon, as well as other LDS scripture and publication, free online. You’ll get a rather complete look at Mormon beliefs from the point of view of believing Mormons. This website is for people who are already Mormon, so you may find the vocabulary a little confusing, but the index mentioned above can help with that.

Mormon Channel: This is a radio station dedicated to Mormon programming. Most of it is aimed at current members of the Church. Some of the programs are non-denominational and include uplifting stories from people of other faiths. You can listen online.

Church History: A website for Mormons about the history of the Mormons. Learn more about Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and other aspects of the worldwide Mormon Church’s history.

Humanitarian Services: Have you ever wondered about those yellow Mormon Helping Hands vests that appear at service projects, or about the reports of Mormons working at disaster zones? This is the place to learn about the Church’s humanitarian arm. This division works on a non-denominational basis. Other funds help Mormons internally.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God: An official Mormon website dedicated to teaching what the Mormons believe about Jesus Christ. The site includes beautiful artwork, many articles by church leaders, and a selection of online multimedia materials.

Mormon Messages: An official YouTube channel with uplifting videos, some of which are non-denominational.

More Good Foundation: Ordinary people share their personal knowledge about Mormon doctrine, how they live it, and how they feel about it. If you want an unofficial but reliable source of information, this is the place to go.