Jesus Christ’s Church Carries His Name

Brian is a BYU student and member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes known as the “Mormon Church” by the media). He is currently taking a religion course at Brigham Young. Below is a paper that he wrote after being inspired concerning the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the ushering in of that Gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith.

What does the name of the Mormon Church, better known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints really mean? Well, lets’ take a few minutes, and analyze it. We will come to see after reading a few New Testament passages, especially those contained in Matthew chapter 24, that this name is much more significant than most people think.

To the well-read lector of the New Testament, it is common knowledge that the people who followed Jesus Christ were referred to as saints. In his epistle or writings to the Romans, chapter 15, Paul writes, “But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.”

Now the true question is, was there a defined organization of saints? How were they governed? Again, we can turn to the writings of Paul and read that Jesus Christ actually organized a church. “And he gave some, apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints,” (Ephesians 4:11-12).

Later in Matthew 24, we learn that something was to happen to this church, and that it would be lost. So what would happen to the saints? … Let’s find out.

The chapter of the New Testament takes place in the final week of the life of Jesus Christ. He is alone with his 12 apostles, and some begin to ask him questions concerning the end of the world. Knowing beforehand what would happen to his church in the future, Jesus begins to answer these questions. The following are some of the most important verses of scripture every recorded.

Referring to his 12 apostles Jesus says, “Then shall they deliver you (the apostles) up to be afflicted, and shall kill you, and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake” (Matthew 24:9). In other words, Jesus foretold the future murders of the leaders of his church, but what did He say about the saints?

In Matthew 24:11, Christ says, “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” If we take a moment to analyze the history of Christian churches, we will come to find that all of this has taken place.

All of the 12 apostles and authorized leaders of the original church of Jesus Christ were killed. It is common knowledge, that Peter was crucified in Rome, and that the rest of the apostles were hunted down. For a while, the church still existed. Other apostles were called to replace those that had died, for example Mattias and Paul were both called to be apostles to fill vacant spots in the organization that Christ created.

Sadly around, 80 AD all of the apostles were murdered. And just as Christ said, false teachers and prophets started to arise. Without true leaders, confusion spread and unison was lost. The true teachings of Jesus Christ were changed and altered by false prophets. Please take a few moments to think, what happened to the original church of Jesus Christ?

Around 1500, people in the world started realizing that something wasn’t right. The Bible was finally printed and introduced to the common man; what was contained in the Bible didn’t concord with the structure of current religious teachings.

Reformers started to stand up and give their lives to publish the truth to the people. And thus the “protestant churches” were introduced to the world. People like Martin Luther understood that something had been lost. Evidence of the precious statement was shown when Luther, a former Catholic, nailed a long list of doctrinal discrepancies to a Catholic church in Germany.

Although “protestant churches” were started to bring people closer to the truth, they still weren’t able to agree on the exact doctrines of Jesus Christ. Today there are thousands of different protestant churches, each with different doctrines and structures. So the million-dollar question is, which church is the true one?

In 1830, after the world had been prepared to have religious freedom, in the United States, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes that the one, original, true, church was restored to the earth by Jesus Christ himself. Once again, a Prophet and 12 apostles were called and given authority to lead and guide the church.

The “Latter-day Saints” sincerely believe that the Lord speaks again with man, and that he talks directly with his apostles and prophets today, just as the Church was lead originally. Through this Church, the Latter-day Saints affirm that all of the plain and precious truths that were lost have been restored.

An honest seeker of the truth will start to question, could all this be true? Why are there so many churches today, when Christ only formed one? The answer can again be found in Matthew 24, when Christ said, “whoso readeth, let him understand.”

Matthew 7: 7 “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he hat seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.”

Additional Resources:

Read/watch/listen to a talk by M. Russel Ballard (an Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) titled “The Importance of a Name“.

Mormons believe that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.

Request a free Book of Mormon.

The Mormon Apostle Jeffrey R. Holland spoke on March 20, 2012 to students of the Harvard University Law School as part of the school’s annual “Mormonism 101″ series. Elder Holland (Mormon leaders are traditionally addressed by the title, “Elder”) explained about the history and beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are often called “Mormons.” He then engaged in a question-and-answer session with members of the audience. Elder Holland’s remarks helped shed some light on the Church, which has received a lot of media attention lately due to the presidential candidacy of Mitt Romney.

Elder Holland began his remarks by congratulating the students on their openness to discussions of religious belief. ”In the western world religion has historically been the basis of civil society as we have known it, and if I am not mistaken, men and women of the law are committed to the best—that is, the most just—civil society possible,” Elder Holland pointed out. “So thank you for taking religion seriously. You will not only be better attorneys but you will be closer to the truth in your own personal lives.”

Mormonism: The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ

The origins of Mormonism were the first topic addresses by Elder Holland. Mormonism is a restoration of the original gospel established by Jesus Christ during his earthly ministry. Following Christ’s ascension into heaven and the deaths of the original twelve apostles, the primitive Christian Church entered a long period of confusion:

So what ensued was a millennium and a half of destroying Paul’s hope that there would be a “unity of the faith, and [a] knowledge of the Son of God, . . . that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” It is commonplace to note that in the Christian world we now see anything but “a unity of faith” or any real Christian cohesiveness that could remotely be called “the building fitly framed together”that would reaffirm “one Lord, one faith, one baptism.”

The Mormon Prophet, Joseph Smith

By the time of Joseph Smith, who was a young man during the time of religious contention and revival during the early 1800s in the United States known as the second “Great Awakening,” huge divides of doctrine separated the different Christian sects from one another. According to Elder Holland,

This young boy-prophet lamented that his region was “a scene of great confusion and bad feeling . . . priest contending against priest, and convert against convert; so that [any] good feelings . . . were entirely lost in a . . . war of words and tumult of opinions.” “A war of words and tumult of opinions.” That says so much about post-New Testament Christianity.

Mormonism: Basic Beliefs

Mormons are Christians

We are not fourth-century Christians, we are not Nicene Christians, we are not creedal Christians of the brand that arose hundreds of years after Christ. No, when we speak of “restored Christianity” we speak of the Church as it was in its New Testament purity, not as it became when great councils were called to debate and anguish over what it was they really believed. So if one means Greek-influenced, council-convening, philosophy-flavored Christianity of post-apostolic times, we are not that kind of Christian. Peter we know, and Paul we know, but Constantine and Athanasius, Athens and Alexandria we do not know. (Actually, we know them, we just don’t follow them.)

Doctrinal Differences Between Mormons and More Recent Christianity

A few doctrinal differences between Mormon doctrines and post-fourth-century traditions were pointed out:

• God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, are separate and distinct beings with glorified bodies of flesh and bone. As such, we stand with the historical position that “the formal doctrine of the Trinity as it was defined by the great church councils of the fourth and fifth centuries is not to be found in the [New Testament].”…However, having affirmed the point of Their separate and distinct physical nature, we declare unequivocally that [God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ] were indeed “one” in every other conceivable way—in mind and deed, in will and wish and hope, in faith and purpose and intent and love. They are most assuredly much more alike than They are different in all the ways I have just said, but They are separate and distinct beings as all fathers and sons are. In this matter we differ from traditional creedal Christianity but agree with the New Testament.
• We also differ with fourth and fifth century Christianity by declaring that the scriptural canon is not closed, that the heavens are open with revelatory experience, and that God meant what He said when He promised Moses, “My works are without end, and . . . my words . . . never cease.” We believe that God loves all His children and that He would never leave them for long without the instrumentality of prophets and apostles, authorized agents of His guidance and direction.
• …we are unique in the modern Christian world regarding one matter which a prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints called our “most distinguishing feature.” That is, divine priesthood authority to provide the saving sacraments—the ordinances—of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The holy priesthood, which has been restored to the earth by those who held it anciently, signals the return of divine authorization. It is different from all other man-made powers and authorities on the face of the earth. Without it there could be a church in name only, and it would be a church lacking in authority to administer in the things of God. This restoration of priesthood authority eases centuries of anguish among those who knew certain ordinances and sacraments were essential but lived with the doubt as to who had the right to administer them. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we can answer the question of “who laid hands on him” all the way back to Christ Himself. The return of such authority is truly “the most distinguishing feature” of our faith.

A recent study done out of the University of Pennsylvania found that Mormons (a nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) do more volunteer work than any other segment of society. Previous studies have shown that 30-50 percent of people in the United States volunteer and the average time of service is about three to four hours per month. Mormons, on the other hand, donate about 430 hours a year. 242 hours a year were devoted to religious activities. 96 hours were spent on volunteer work done to meet social needs of Mormons. They spent 56 hours a year helping people who were not Mormon but working through their church. An additional 34 hours per year were spent volunteering outside the church completely. This averaged to 8.2 hours per week, meaning Mormons did twice as much volunteer work in a week than most people do in a month.

This far exceeds the level of volunteerism found in other religions or in other groups. The researcher, Ram Canaan, stated that Mormons were the most pro-social people in America.

Mormons, at baptism, take on the name of Jesus Christ. They feel this means they must keep Jesus Christ’s commandments and follow His example. He taught that we must love our neighbors as ourselves and serve them. This motivates Mormons to serve others. They know it makes them more Christ-like and their goal is to become as much like Him as possible.

Some of the volunteer work, as shown, is done within the Church for other Mormons. Mormons operate a lay church, which means that everyone volunteers. Nearly every member of the church has a “calling.” This is a volunteer position serving the church. Generally, people do not select their own callings, however. The bishop—a lay pastor overseeing the congregation—offers them a specific position. Normally, the president of an organization will prayerfully select those they want in the position and then give their choice to the bishop. He and those who assist him pray and make a final decision. This is done because the bishop sometimes knows something about the person the other leaders does not, such as a family situation that limits the person’s time or that he or she is already in line for another calling. A member of the bishopric (a bishop and two assistants who are called counselors) offers the calling to the member. The member is free to refuse the calling—although few do—or to offer additional information that might affect the ability to do the calling.

After a person accepts a calling, he or she is sustained by the membership. To sustain the person means to promise to support and help them in any way the members can, which provides a powerful support network for each person.

While it may seem odd to some—the conference in which the volunteerism was discussed mentioned that it was a system largely unparalleled in other religions—the idea of callings is actually very inspired and reveals the wisdom in even the smallest aspects of God’s plan. If a member was to choose a calling, he or she would always choose within his or her own comfort zone. However, Mormons often find themselves called to do something they’ve never done before or that they think they aren’t good at. They are “set apart,” which means they are given a special priesthood blessing through the laying on of hands. Through this blessing, God gives them what they need to do it. Mormons find they can do things they never thought they could do, which improves their self-confidence. Through their callings, they learn new skills or overcome weaknesses. A disorganized person might find herself being a secretary and a shy person may find herself leading a large organization. Someone who always thought she wasn’t good with children finds herself teaching preschoolers. Some of the skills learned through callings are jobs members can take into their employment.

In addition to the skills learned, callings help to build a sense of community and belonging. A person who moves into a congregation meets people quickly through her calling and has a sense of ownership in her congregation. Her contributions make a difference to the success of the congregation, the Church, and God’s kingdom on earth.

Mormons also work through church programs to help those not of their faith. The Mormon Helping Hands program is an example of Mormon-organized community service. Many congregations do a large-scale community service project at least once a year in addition to smaller ones throughout the year. They also step in during a crisis, such as a hurricane, to help people in their community, regardless of faith, clean up after the storm. Teenagers attending their annual conference do projects and most do regular projects during the year as well. The children also perform community service through their Scouting and Activities Day programs. The Relief Society—the auxiliary for the women—runs literacy programs that are open to the public at no cost.

The Church’s Humanitarian Aid program also allows Mormons to help people who are not Mormon. The program runs a number of ongoing initiatives as well as emergency disaster assistance or short-term projects. The long-running initiatives include clean water, neonatal resuscitation training, wheelchair funding, efficient food production, and vaccinations. Mormons donate to this program and some retired Mormons volunteer to spend a year or two in a developing nation doing humanitarian work. These humanitarian projects do not involve missionary work and many of the recipients do not know the Mormons provided their help.

Of course, Mormons also serve in programs not run by the church. They are taught by their leaders to be involved in their communities, so many select worthwhile programs in their own towns to assist in. Mormon parents frequently volunteer in their schools and others serve in libraries, food pantries, community leadership and other programs.

All these projects, whether they help their own members or others, strengthen their relationship with Jesus Christ. Service is a critical part of the Mormon experience.

Read the transcript of the conference on Mormon volunteerism that discusses the study.

Learn more about the Humanitarian Aid program.

Learn more about Mormon Helping Hands.

Pop star David Archuleta surprised the world in December, 2011, by announcing that he had decided to serve a two year volunteer mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. David is a life-long Mormon, the nickname for members of this church.

In 2007, David Archuleta became famous for his appearance on American Idol, a popular talent show for pop singers. He was one of the youngest finalists in the history of the show, just sixteen years old. Following his run on the program, he launched a solo career, with his first album debuting in the number two spot at Billboard.

It is uncommon for popular singers to put aside their work to take a two-year hiatus out of the public eye. It is, in fact, considered a risky decision to make. However David explained that no one had told him to do it; it was a choice he made for himself. He explained in his farewell video that he wanted to set aside this time to build his relationship with God, something he hadn’t taken enough time for in the past. He asked his fans to be respectful of his need to be out of the public eye for a while.

What will David Archuleta’s life be like now? He left home in March, 2012 for the Missionary Training Center. Here, since he will be serving in South America, it is likely he will begin learning to speak Spanish in an intensive immersion program. He will also receive the training needed to learn how to share his beliefs effectively with others.

While on his mission, David will be known as Elder Archuleta. Elder is a title referring to his level of priesthood, not his age or seniority. Mormons confer the priesthood on all worthy males who are twelve or older. There are several levels and Elder is the title given to most young men after they reach adulthood. However, it is not used as a formal title unless someone is serving a mission or has a high-level full-time church position.

As a missionary, David will receive no special treatment due to his celebrity. During this time, he is expected to put away all worldly interests and activities, so he will not be performing, making movies, answering fan mail, or participating in other career-based activities. Nor will he be dating, listening to popular music, going to movies or watching television. For two years, Mormon missionaries are expected to live a life of strict focus on God. It is a time to build their own religious testimony, learn to sacrifice and to put others first, to mature, and to grow. Mormon missionaries make sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ the sole focus of their lives. They develop self-discipline that carries into their future lives and helps them to be successful both professionally and personally. Their lives follow a strict schedule of sleep, meals, exercise, religious study, work, and service.

Because missionaries are assigned companions—another missionary of the same gender—and the two spend all their time together, they also learn to get along with others. These partnerships are changed regularly and missionaries must learn to have a good relationship with each companion, regardless of differences in culture and personality. This is excellent preparation for marriage and probably contributes to the unusually high success rate among Mormons.

Mormon missionaries live in the communities to which they are assigned and live as do those around him. David Archuleta’s life as a missionary may include living in primitive dwellings without running water should he find himself assigned to such an area. This helps them to develop compassion and understanding for those who are less fortunate, to release their dependence on material comforts, and to learn to sacrifice for God. He will be expected to eat whatever is served to him when he is a dinner guest. He will speak the language and learn the culture.

The need to interact daily with strangers and to discuss religion, which is considered a touchy subject, helps missionaries develop poise. Because they are taught to look for opportunities to serve, they become acutely aware of the needs of those around them and train themselves to see needs even when no one is asking for help. This builds empathy and trains them to a life of service and love for others. They experience the culture of their temporary country in a way no tourist can because they are right in the heart of the country, visiting homes, talking to the people, and sharing in the lifestyle.

This is what is ahead for David Archuleta. When he returns home in two years, fans are likely to see a matured young man who is more attuned with what is important in his life. It is an experience that will change him forever and most young men and women who serve missions remember it as a defining moment.

Men may serve missions beginning at age 19 for two years. Women may serve for eighteen months at age 21—most women complete college first. In addition, adults of any age can become part-time missionaries serving at home while continuing their normal careers or educations. Retired couples often serve missions as well, either full-time or part time. Older missionaries are not held to the same strict rules as the younger missionaries, since they have already achieved the maturity and self-discipline the rules teach.

Many famous Mormons who take time out for a mission value two years away from their fame and the public eye. They begin to remember what it was like to be an ordinary person and this helps to humble them. For many, it is a key to avoiding the types of problems many young celebrities face, because they return far more grounded and less interested in the parties and immorality that can plague a person who achieves fame at a young age.

David intends to resume his music career at the end of his two years in South America.

William Tapscott Gillman was named after the ship upon which he was born, the S.S. William Tapscott. Alice Wickham, William’s mother, was crossing the Atlantic from England to America as a newly baptized Mormon. It was 1860. Over seven hundred new members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the “Mormon Church” by the media) were crowded into tiny berths on the refitted cargo ship. They were travelling to join the body of the Church in Zion, which is what they called the newly settled Utah territory where the rest of the Saints had gone to escape religious persecution. The crossing was long, thirty-five days, and the passengers were plagued by seasickness, measles, and smallpox. Four babies were born onboard, and five weddings were performed. Alice, who was unmarried, arrived in the Salt Lake with her new baby in the fall of that year, after months of travel by ship, steamboat, rail, and wagon. She married James Henry Gillman, who adopted the infant, in December of 1860.

The young couple eventually went to pioneer in the high desert country near Vernal, Utah, a place where the only thing green was the town’s name and the name of the Green River flowing nearby. The land was so remote that it became notorious as a location along the infamous “Outlaw Trail,” where various wild west outlaws could roam and hide freely during the late 1800s. Despite of, or perhaps because of, the heat and the cold, the dryness and the rough company, William Tapscott Gillman grew to be a strong, faithful Mormon man, and a successful farmer. He married Catherine McKowen in 1887 in Vernal, Utah. Together they raised ten healthy children, all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Catherine McKowen’s father, Philip, married her mother in Manchester, England. They, too, joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and travelled over sea and land to Vernal, bringing Philip’s Irish parents, Patrick and Mary Katherine, along. Patrick and Mary McKowen’s parents never saw their children again. Once, a distant relative of mine dreamed about Patrick’s father, watching the cold sea as the ship carrying his family away disappeared into the distance. As faithful Catholics, Patrick’s parents were persecuted in Ireland for their beliefs, and the state was forbidden to record their births, deaths, and marriages. What little information remained about them was burned in a fire. Even their names and birthdates have been lost. But their legacy came to America with their children and grandchildren.

William Tapscott and Catherine McKowen Gillman are the parents of my grandmother, Nora Gillman Moore. My name is Nora, too. I have grown up in physical prosperity and spiritual wealth, the beneficiary of the sacrifices and faithfulness of those who came before me. Although they have passed away, I often feel surrounded by their faith and concern.

On March 18, 2012, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang the following revivalist hymn on its weekly broadcast, “Music and the Spoken Word.” The words and music brought the memory of my ancestors’ sacrifices back to me:

Then We’ll Sing Hosanna

I have some friends before me gone

Who love to sing hosanna,

And I’m resolved to travel on,

For I love to sing hosanna,

For we have but the one more river to cross,

And then we’ll sing hosanna,

For we have but the one more river to cross,

And then we’ll sing hosanna.

Mormon Beliefs About Death: Eternal Spirits, Eternal Families

Mormons believe that death is just one more event along the way of our eternal lives. Every human being possesses an immortal spirit, which lived with God before being born here on earth. When we die, we retain our individuality, our loves, our skills, and our faith. Amulek, an ancient prophet who lived in the Americas prior to the time of Christ, taught that “that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world” ( Alma 34:34). Amulek’s teachings are recorded in The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, the religious history of his people.

The Prophet and Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints possesses the ancient “sealing” power given to Peter by the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 18:18. This power, restored to the founding prophet of Mormonism, Joseph Smith, in a visit from the ancient prophet Elijah to the Mormon temple in Kirtland, Ohio in the 1830s, allows those with proper priesthood authority to bind families together for eternity in ordinances performed in Mormon temples. My grandmother’s parents were sealed in the temple to each other and to their children, as were my grandparents and my parents. I have been sealed in the temple to my husband and children. The sealing power that has made its way through the generations to me gives my ancestors the right and responsibility to watch over me forever. Along with others of my progenitors who sacrificed their wealth, land, and health for the gospel of Jesus Christ, they form an army of faithful men and women, strengthening me. My children, in their turn, are beginning to form an army of my descendants, whom I am responsible watch over and teach, hoping that the gospel of Jesus Christ will make all the difference in their lives, as it has in mine:

One army of the living God,

We love to sing hosanna,

Part of the host have crossed the flood

Who love to sing hosanna.

For we have but the one more river to cross,

And then we’ll sing hosanna,

For we have but the one more river to cross,

And then we’ll sing hosanna.

I sing with a choir every Sunday morning; I have always loved to sing. Singing, for me, is my truest way to worship God, and to testify of Him. Sometimes, when we sing the old Mormon pioneer hymn, “Come, Come Ye Saints,” I think I can hear an Irish or English brogue, singing the words alongside me. I imagine it is Alice Wickham, or one of the Katie McKowens, singing along. I sense that they, along with my Grandma Nora, are aware of me in my joys and trials of life. Someday I, too, will “cross the river,” and meet them in the world of spirits. There we will continue together to fight for God and for right, as we have spent our lives doing here. I look forward to seeing them there.

Amen, amen, my soul replies,

I love to sing hosanna,

I’m bound to meet you in the skies

Where we will sing hosanna.

Hosanna, hosanna,

And then we’ll sing hosanna,

For we have but the one more river to cross,

And then we’ll sing hosanna.

Additional Resources:

The Family: A Proclamation to the World

The Salt Lake Mormon Temple

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes called the “Mormon Church” by the media, has been in the news a lot lately. Topics ranging from Mitt Romney’s payment of tithes to the Church (he is a practicing Mormon) to Mormons‘ practice of baptisms for the dead have prompted some to call this the “Mormon Moment.” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian church in America, and even more Mormons live abroad than in the United States. Yet many people throughout the world still have little understanding of how Latter-day Saints (Mormons) live and what they believe.

Mormonism 101

To help people understand more about Latter-day Saints, the Church recently published an article entitled “Mormonism 101: FAQ.” This article outlines Mormons’ basic beliefs, and answers some of the most common questions non-Mormons may have about the Church. It also addresses some of the more controversial topics related to the Mormon faith, hoping that accurate information can dispel some of the misconceptions and distortions about the Church that sometimes appear in the media. Questions addressed include:

• Introduction
• Are Mormons Christian?
• What do Mormons believe about God?
• Do Mormons believe in the Trinity?
• What is the Mormon View of the purpose of life?
• Do Mormons believe in the Bible?
• What is the Book of Mormon?
• What is a Mormon temple?
• Do Latter-day Saints believe in modern-day prophets?
• Do Latter-day Saints believe that the apostles receive revelations from God?
• Do Mormon women lead in the Church?
• Do Latter-day Saints believe they can become “gods”?
• Do Latter-day Saints believe that they will “get their own planet”?
• Do some Latter-day Saints wear temple garments?
• Do Latter-day Saints practice polygamy?
• What is the position of the Church regarding race relations?
• Do Mormons believe that the Garden of Eden is in Missouri?
• Why do you “baptize for the dead”?
• Why does the Church send out missionaries?
• Why don’t Mormons smoke or drink alcohol?

The Core Beliefs of Mormonism

The most important information contained in the “Mormonism 101″ article is a concise outline of the core beliefs of the Church. Since media attention often focuses on controversial issues, sometimes the picture painted of Mormons’ beliefs can be warped, dwelling on less important doctrines while leaving out the beliefs that Mormons themselves consider to be the most important. The article, “Mormonism 101,” states the following:

The founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith, wrote, “The fundamental principles of our religion are … concerning Jesus Christ that He died was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.”

It further states that “Latter-day Saints believe unequivocally that:”

1.    Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and the Son of our loving Heavenly Father.

2.    Christ’s Atonement allows mankind to be saved from their sins and return to live with God and their families forever.

3.    Christ’s original Church as described in the New Testament has been restored in modern times.

by Nora Hess

When I was 16 years old, I spent a few weeks at Cornell University attending a summer program for high school students. For the first time in my life, I left the safe, comforting environment of my home to spend time with people who were very different from me. The culture shock was enormous. As a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes called the “Mormon Church” by the media, I had grown up among people who believed as I did, who worshipped God, and who strove daily to keep His commandments. By contrast, the other young people with me at Cornell were largely agnostic: they did not pray, believe in Jesus Christ, or live the standards that I had been taught. Soon I realized that the way I saw the world was not the only way. I came face to face with the question: Why did I believe?

Faith: The Essential Questions 

There comes a time in each person’s life when certain questions loom large: What is the purpose of life? Is there a God, and if so, does He care about me? How can I find happiness? How can I know what is true?

I returned home from Ithaca deeply worried about those essential questions. Both the logic and the emotions upon which I had previously based my faith had been called into question by my peers. Was there a God? How could I know? I pondered for weeks as I looked at the world with new eyes, comparing different world views. What was true?

The Beginning of Faith: A Desire to Believe

The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, is the religious history of an ancient people who lived in the Americas long ago. Alma, a prophet whose teachings are recorded in The Book of Mormon, once taught a group of people about how to develop faith. The people he taught had been deeply humbled, as I had been, and were searching for answers. Alma counseled them:

Now, as I said concerning faith—that it was not a perfect knowledge—even so it is with my words. Ye cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge.

But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than a desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words (Alma 32:26-27).

Like Alma’s people, I did not have a perfect knowledge, or even much knowledge at all. But I knew one thing: I desired to believe. I desired to believe because when I looked at what my life would be like if I abandoned my faith and its teachings compared to the eternal life offered to me by Jesus Christ, there was no comparison. Even at my young age, I could see that a life of faith is full of unmatched goodness, richness of experience, and joy. I also could see that it was no more logical to disbelieve in God than to believe in Him; each choice was a leap of faith. So I chose to “give place for a portion” of the word, and see where it led.

Faith as a Seed: Enlarge My Soul, Enlighten My Understanding

Once Alma had encouraged the people to accept the possibility of belief in Jesus Christ, he taught them how to proceed:

Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me (Alma 32:28).

And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit (Alma 32:37).

Faith: Feasting on the Fruit

As I continued to act in faith, my conviction and knowledge continued to grow. Miracles of healing, both large and small, occurred in my life. Answers to my prayers would come as the Holy Ghost spoke to my mind and my heart. From time to time, my Heavenly Father would direct me to help someone else in just the way they needed. I felt the love of Jesus Christ for me and for those around me. Life became ever richer and more rewarding the more I acted in faith.

My life today is blessed beyond measure because of the choice I made, long ago, to believe. My faith is no longer weak, and my knowledge is no longer meager. Instead, the accumulated experience of my life helps me to know now that God does indeed live, and He loves me. Keeping His commandments leads to happiness in this life, and joy throughout eternity. My Savior, Jesus Christ, lives. He has atoned for my sins, and will sustain me through every trial. My life without God would have been an empty shell of what it is today. I believed then because I took a leap of faith and chose to experiment upon the word. I believe now because I know that what I believe is true. My life of faith brings me great joy.

But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.

And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst (Alma 32:41-42).

Additional Resources:

Faith: Study by Topic

Gordon B. Hinckley, “Be Not Faithless”

Clayton M. Christensen, “Why I Belong and Why I Believe”

By Keith Lionel Brown

Church services in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes inadvertently referred to as the “Mormon Church” in the media) are divided into three segments. The first and most important segment is Sacrament meeting, where members meet together to partake of the sacrament of the Lord’s supper and hear talks given by various members of the congregation. The second segment is Sunday School. During the third segment, members split into various groups and attend separate meetings: Priesthood Meeting for the men, Relief Society for the women, and Young Men/Young Women meetings for the youth. “Primary”activities and classes are provided for children 18 months to 12 years of age during both the second and third segments.

Mormon Women As Leaders and Teachers

Women are equal participants as teachers and leaders in every one of these church programs except for Priesthood Meeting. Along with the men, they pray and speak in Sacrament Meetings, conduct music, provide piano and organ prelude and accompaniment, and participate in choir and music programs. Similarly, both women and men teach and lead Sunday school classes. Women alone preside over the Primary program, although both men and women teach Primary classes. Women are the teachers and leaders of the Young Women, while men teach and lead the young men. Most importantly, however, the women of the church lead, teach, and comprise the Relief Society – their exclusive domain.

What is the Relief Society?

The Prophet Joseph Smith, the founding prophet of Mormonism, organized the Relief Society on March 17, 1842. A group of women had met together, desiring to assist the poor and suffering in the community, and had come to the prophet so that they might be organized under priesthood authority. Joseph Smith taught that the Relief Society was organized for “the relief of the poor, the destitute, the widow and the orphan, and for the exercise of all benevolent purposes” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 452). In addition, he taught that the Relief Society was “not only to relieve the poor, but to save souls” (Teachings: Joseph Smith, 453). Thus the Relief Society, which is by now one of the oldest and largest women’s organizations in the world, was born.

The Work of the Relief Society

In the Handbook of Instructions (Book 2) for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it states that the purpose of the Relief Society today is to prepare women for “the blessings of eternal life by helping them increase their faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and help those in need.” These purposes are accomplished in various ways. Mormon women teach and learn the gospel from one another in Sunday Relief Society meetings and other Relief Society meetings and activities. Weekday activities focus on additional ways to strengthen families. Humanitarian projects are regularly organized. And Visiting Teachers make sure that the Relief Society is aware of any special needs in the congregation, and that those needs are met.

Visiting Teaching

Visiting Teaching is a Relief Society program where each woman in the Mormon congregation is watched over and visited regularly by a pair of Relief Society members. Visiting Teachers care for, remember, strengthen, and teach the women to whom they are assigned. The women of Relief Society refer to one another as “sisters,” and try to fulfill that role for one another. Visiting Teachers are aware of any special needs the sisters and families they visit might have from time to time, and call upon the resources of the Relief Society as needed. Each woman in Relief Society has a pair of Visiting Teachers, and most are also Visiting Teachers themselves. In this way, each sister’s physical needs are met, as well as providing the opportunity for friendship, support, and spiritual instruction.

Humanitarian Work

Welfare and compassionate service are central to the work of the Mormon Relief Society. In addition to caring for one another, Mormon women are heavily involved in organizing and producing goods for the humanitarian arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The motto of the Relief Society is “Charity never faileth.” It comes from the scripture found in 1 Corinthians 13:8, which reads:

Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

gThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has an effective welfare system in place to provide for the needs of members who are experiencing financial difficulties. Mormons throughout the world also contribute goods and services to the humanitarian efforts of the church, which provide for people throughout the world who are suffering from poverty, illness, or natural disaster. Mormon women, members of the Relief Society, are key in organizing and producing whatever is needed.

Becoming a Member of the Relief Society

All adult women in the Church are members of the Relief Society. Normally a young woman advances into Relief Society sometime during the year following her 18th birthday. By age 19, most young woman are fully participating in Relief Society. The leaders of Young Women and Relief Society work closely together to ensure that a young woman’s transition into Relief Society is successful.

Adult women who serve in other auxiliaries of the Church such as Primary, Young Women, or other callings that prevent them from attending Sunday Relief Society meetings continue to participate in Relief Society. They are assigned Visiting Teachers, and they themselves serve as Visiting Teachers. In addition, they may be given assignments to serve others and to teach classes at other Relief Society meetings, provided that such assignments do not pose any undue burdens on them.

As Sisters in Zion

As Sisters in Zion, Mormon women join hearts and hands to minister not only to members of the Church, but also to non-members whom they have contact with. Membersof the Relief Society serve, following Paul’s admonition:

Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees (Hebrews 12:12).

Women of other faiths and denominations who visit and attend Mormon Relief Society are welcomed with open arms and are encouraged to be active participants. Come and join in as Sisters in Zion!

Keith L. Brown is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and serves as the Ward Mission Leader in the Annapolis, Maryland Ward.

Additional Resources:

Daughters in My Kingdom: The History and Work of Relief Society

As Sisters in Zion

Visiting Teaching: Getting to the Heart

It isn’t popular these days to say that you know the truth. Feel-good philosophies say that truth is relative to the individual, and that it isn’t important what you believe as long as you live a good life. In our desire to be tolerant, we may be ashamed to claim that any doctrine is true or false, or especially that any single church has the answers.

Yet the answers to some questions really do matter. They are basic:

Is there a God or not? What is He like? Does He care about individuals? Does He care what we do? Can we communicate with Him?

Why are we here on earth? What happens after we die? Did we live before we were born?

Was Jesus Christ really the literal Son of God in the flesh? Do we need His atonement? Was He literally resurrected, and will we be resurrected? Do we need to keep His commandments?

Are there prophets on the earth today? Can we receive personal revelation from God?

Will we be with our families after we die? How important are marriage and families?

Knowing the Truth is Important

Different religions throughout the world answer these questions differently. The answers are important to us because they govern how we live from day to day, how we choose to spend our time, and especially how we relate to other people. It is the small daily choices we make over time determine who we are. A person who believes they will continue to live as an individual after this life will be likely to make different choices than one who believes their existence ends at death. Those who follow the teachings of Jesus Christ as their ideal treat others differently than those who do not. If we believe that family relationships continue after death, we treat our families differently. Our beliefs color everything we do, and our choices affect the world around us.

Truth Can Be Found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes inadvertently referred to as “The Mormon Church” by the media, teaches many essential truths about the life and mission of Jesus Christ, the purpose of life, man’s role in God’s creation, the importance of families, and other doctrines. Joseph Smith, the founding prophet of the Mormonism, lived during a time of religious revival, when many different preachers actively sought converts to their different Christian faiths. Joseph, who was only 14 years old at the time, was so confused about their conflicting answers to his questions that he sought the answers directly from God through prayer. What God revealed to Joseph Smith in answer to his questions forms the basis of the doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mormon Doctrine: The Nature of God

Mormon doctrine answers the questions above in the following ways.

There is a living God, who is the Father of our spirits. We lived with Him before we came to earth. The Godhead consists of three separate and distinct individuals: God the Father; God the Son, who is Jesus Christ; and the Holy Ghost. Both the Father and the Son have bodies of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Holy Ghost is a personage of Spirit so that He can dwell in our hearts (see Doctrine and Covenants 130:22). God loves us beyond our capacity to understand, and is aware of the minute details of our lives. He desires us to communicate with Him through prayer, and will respond to us in our minds and hearts through the Holy Ghost. We are His greatest work:

For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (The Pearl of Great Price, Moses 1:39).

Mormon Doctrine: Our Purpose on Earth

We lived with our Heavenly Father in a loving family relationship before we were born. Jesus Christ, as the firstborn of God in the spirit, was our eldest brother there. God planned for us to come to the earth to obtain bodies of flesh like His, and to learn to choose between good and evil in an environment where we could be completely free to choose and to experience the consequences of our choices. This earth life is both a schooling and a test to see what we desire most. God’s ultimate desire is that we choose good, learn to be like Him, and return to live with Him after this life. Eternal life is God’s life, and is a life of ultimate joy and peace.

Mormon Doctrine: Jesus Christ

Because all of us sin, none of us is able to return to God on our own. Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God in the flesh.  He alone lived a perfect life. Before His mortal birth, He created the earth and all things in it. He came to earth to teach us and to show us by example how we must live to be like God. In Gethsemane and on the cross, Jesus Christ paid for all of our sins on condition of repentance. He also bore the burdens of our sufferings in mortality, so that through His atonement He is able to succor and sustain us through any mortal trial. He was literally resurrected from the dead, thus breaking the bands of death for all mankind. We will all be resurrected one day, and every human being will spend eternity in an immortal, perfected physical body like the bodies of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. If we choose to follow Jesus Christ and repent of our sins, striving daily to keep His commandments, the atonement of Jesus Christ will pay for our sins, and we can grow to be like Him and live with God eternally.

Mormon Doctrine: Prophets and Personal Revelation

Because God cares for us so profoundly, He will never leave us alone. Throughout the history of the world, God has called prophets to teach us His word and His commandments. From Adam until the present day, God has spoken to prophets to teach His children how they should live. He loves all His children equally, and has called prophets in every age and clime. When men have lost the truth through apostasy, God has called new prophets to bring the truth back again. Prophets lead His Church on the earth today, and continually reveal God’s will for us. The Church of Jesus Christ today teaches the same truths that were made known by Jesus Christ to His prophets throughout Old Testament times and to His apostles at the time of His earthly ministry.

In addition to the guidance of prophets, God has provided the opportunity for each individual to receive personal revelation through the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost helps us with personal problems, answers to questions, comfort, and peace. The Holy Ghost speaks to our minds and our hearts, giving us ideas accompanied by feelings of light and joy. We can feel the depth of God’s love for us through the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is often referred to as the “still, small voice.” In order to hear Him, we must first remove the darkness of sin and the distractions of the world from our lives. We must pray diligently

…to God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, …with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, [and] He will manifest  the truth …unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things (The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, Moroni 10:4-5).

Mormon Doctrine: The Importance of the Family

Family life is central to our lives on earth. In families we learn love and compassion for others, and receive love in return. Mormon doctrine teaches that families are central to God’s plan in the eternities as well. We lived as brothers and sisters, members of God’s family, before we were born. We are meant to live as families here on earth. After this life, those who have been sealed together in families through the ordinances of the holy temple, a place where members of The Church of Jesus Christ go to marry and make other sacred promises with the Lord, will continue to enjoy family life throughout all eternity. Our most important relationships do not end at death. It is God’s desire that they continue forever.

Oh Say, What Is Truth?

True doctrine matters. Mormon doctrine contains truths that change lives. It is important to know that there are true answers to basic questions. We should not let our desire to be tolerant of others’ beliefs keep us from finding and speaking the truth ourselves, because the truth is precious:

Oh Say, What is Truth?

Oh say, what is truth? ‘Tis the last and the first,

For the limits of time it steps o’er.

Though the heavens depart and the earth’s fountains burst,

Truth, the sum of existence, will weather the worst,

Eternal, unchanged, evermore.

(“Oh Say, What is Truth?“ Hymns #272, verse 4)

Additional Resources:

Our Eternal Life

 The Family: A Proclamation to the World

God’s Commandments

The Book of Mormon and Other Mormon Scripture

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