“We are beloved spirit daughters of God, and our lives have meaning, purpose, and direction. As a worldwide sisterhood, we are united in our devotion to Jesus Christ, our Savior and Exemplar. We are women of faith, virtue, vision, and charity who: Increase our testimonies of Jesus Christ through prayer and scripture study. Seek spiritual strength by following the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Dedicate ourselves to strengthening marriages, families, and homes. Find nobility in motherhood and joy in womanhood. Delight in service and good works. Love life and learning. Stand for truth and righteousness. Sustain the priesthood as the authority of God on earth. Rejoice in the blessings of the temple, understand our divine destiny, and strive for exaltation.”

This declaration focuses on the most important aspects of Christianity, particularly for women. Mormon women focus on learning the teachings and example of the Savior, because, as Jesus taught Mary and Martha, women also have a responsibility to learn the gospel. They take those teachings and put them into practice in their own lives, regardless of the life they find themselves living.

While the world puts motherhood down as unimportant, Mormon women know it is the greatest honor God gives to women. They understand that if they are blessed with children, they are being given responsibility to raise one of God’s own children. Is there any higher honor than this? God loves each of His children and wants the best for them—it is a mother’s primary responsibility to make sure that happens. One of the Savior’s last actions before being hung on the cross was to make sure His mother would be cared for. He knew family mattered, and Mormon women make an effort to do the same. If they don’t have children, they are encouraged to support mothers or to help children in other ways.

Mormon women are encouraged to set high moral standards and to live them even when it’s hard or the world mocks them for it. They understand that this life is a small part of the eternal life we’ve been given and we have to live with an eye toward the eternal. The things of this world are temporary and the world’s standards are always changing. God’s standards do not change and Jesus Christ taught a moral standard that could withstand the test of time. Mormon women try to live their lives to those eternal standards because they love and trust the Savior. Through this, as the declaration states, they gain eternal strength.

The declaration calls on Mormon women to understand their destiny. Their destiny is not honor, praise, wealth, or popularity in this world. It is to live the life the Savior called them to live. Mormon women are followers of Jesus Christ.

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.

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 ” 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.

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

As Sisters in Zion

Visiting Teaching: Getting to the Heart

Although Mormons don’t participate in a formal ceremony, they do teach the principle behind it. As Pope John Paul II said, we must stand beside the Savior.

In the April 2009 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , whose members are often called Mormons, Jeffrey R. Holland gave a powerful talk on this subject, called “None Were With Him.” He spoke of how the Savior was abandoned during much of the challenging last days. He spoke of the abuse and denial not just of those who did not personally know and love Him, but also of the treatment from those within His personal circle, beginning with Judas, who knew Him, traveled with Him and taught the gospel. Peter, James, and John slept while the Savior atoned for the sins of everyone who ever had and ever would live, including those who slept outside the Garden after being asked to stay awake. In the final moments, Elder Holland wrote:

“Thus, of divine necessity, the supporting circle around Jesus gets smaller and smaller and smaller, giving significance to Matthew’s words: “All the disciples [left] him, and fled.”¹⁵ Peter stayed near enough to be recognized and confronted. John stood at the foot of the cross with Jesus’s mother. Especially and always the blessed women in the Savior’s life stayed as close to Him as they could. But essentially His lonely journey back to His Father continued without comfort or companionship.”

There was a spiritual purpose to this loneliness, as Jesus came to understand completely how it felt to be alone amidst suffering. However, Elder Holland offered this plea to Christians everywhere:

“Brothers and sisters, one of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path-the merciful care of our Father in Heaven, the unfailing companionship of this Beloved Son, the consummate gift of the Holy Ghost, angels in heaven, family members on both sides of the veil, prophets and apostles, teachers, leaders, friends. All of these and more have been given as companions for our mortal journey because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the Restoration of His gospel. Trumpeted from the summit of Calvary is the truth that we will never be left alone nor unaided, even if sometimes we may feel that we are. Truly the Redeemer of us all said, “I will not leave you comfortless. [My Father and] I will come to you [and abide with you].”²⁰

My other plea at Easter time is that these scenes of Christ’s lonely sacrifice, laced with moments of denial and abandonment and, at least once, outright betrayal, must never be reenacted by us. He has walked alone once. Now, may I ask that never again will He have to confront sin without our aid and assistance, that never again will He find only unresponsive onlookers when He sees you and me along His Via Dolorosa in our present day. As we approach this holy week-Passover Thursday with its Paschal Lamb, atoning Friday with its cross, Resurrection Sunday with its empty tomb-may we declare ourselves to be more fully disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, not in word only and not only in the flush of comfortable times but in deed and in courage and in faith, including when the path is lonely and when our cross is difficult to bear. This Easter week and always, may we stand by Jesus Christ “at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in, even until death,”²¹ for surely that is how He stood by us when it was unto death and when He had to stand entirely and utterly alone. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

It could be said then, that Mormons carry out the Stations of the Cross every moment of every day, standing by the Savior, defending Him, serving as witnesses of Him, and making sure they give meaning to the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Their leaders teach them that ours is not a religion that can be lived only on Sundays for a few hours. It must be lived at all times in order to be meaningful.

One way Mormons stand by Jesus Christ is to set an example of Him. When we’re baptized we take on His name, and even young children, who can be baptized at age eight, are taught that this is a sacred responsibility. When we take on His name, we have a responsibility to represent what He believes as much as possible, and to make the word Christian a meaningful and positive word. We try our best never to degrade His sacred name. While no one but the Savior was ever perfect all the time, we have a responsibility beyond that of others when we call ourselves Christians.

The Lord does most of His work through other people. When someone needs to be fed, He points them out to a person who has food. When a child of God needs a home, it’s provided through inspired service of another human being. When Jesus makes us aware of another person in need, it is our responsibility to pay attention. If we look the other way, make excuses, or waste time analyzing whose responsibility it really is, we leave the Savior alone. When we study the commandments on Sunday, but forget them on Monday, we leave Him alone. When we falter and choose not to repent, we leave Him alone.

Stations of the Cross is a lovely way to remember the sacrifices Jesus made for us, strengthening their ability to do so all year. While Mormons don’t participate in this ritual, they have a sacred obligation to remember those sacrifices every day of the year, even without the reminder of ceremony.

“Strictly speaking, the Law of Moses consists of the first five books of the Old Testament-what the Jews call the Torah. These five books of Moses (Genesis; Exodus; Leviticus; Numbers; and Deuteronomy) are also called the Pentateuch, but in the New Testament they are usually just “the Law.” Sometimes the term “the Law” was used for the whole Old Testament, but usually a distinction was made between the books of Moses (the Law) and those of subsequent prophets (the Prophets); hence, the custom in Jesus’ time of referring to the Hebrew scriptures as “the Law and the Prophets” (for example, Matt. 5:17; Matt. 7:12).

The Law was revealed by God to Moses on Mount Sinai and came to be respected even by the gentiles for its antiquity and its comprehensive fairness. By the time of Jesus, it had stood as the criminal, civil, and religious code of the Jewish people for well over a thousand years. It had guided them in every aspect of human activity for so long that Jews found it difficult to conceive of life without “the Law” (Stephen E. Robinson, “The Law after Christ,” Ensign, Sep 1983, 69).

Robinson, who was at the time the article was written, an assistant professor of religion in Pennsylvania, explained that many Jews were angry at Jesus for teaching that the law of Moses was a temporary and lesser law, because it had become for them, “identified as the divine will itself-perfect, absolute, forever unchanging and unchangeable. The Law was thought of as the will of God exactly, precisely expressed; therefore, any deviation at all from the letter of the Law of Moses was also deviation from God. There was no room for flexibility or “extenuating circumstances.”

Jesus lived the Law of Moses and taught his followers to do the same until the atonement was fulfilled. He said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled (Matthew 5:17-18 in the New Testament of the King James Bible).

When Jesus atoned for our sins, the Law of Moses was fulfilled and the people could take on a higher law.

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets,” Jesus said. “I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil” (Matt. 5:17). The meaning of this verse may be amplified by an alternate translation: “Don’t think that I have come to abolish the Torah or the Prophets, I have come not to abolish but to complete, to make their meaning full.” 1 The Hebrew word Torah, which literally means “teaching or doctrine,” is rendered in the New Testament by the Greek word nomes, which means “law.” Therefore, what Jesus was conveying is that whenever He spoke of or taught from the law of Moses, He would render a fuller or more complete meaning. The law had been given to Moses by Jehovah, who was now upon the earth in His mortal ministry as Jesus Christ; therefore it was His prerogative to make the meaning of the law, the teachings, and the doctrine “full” and “complete.”

Jesus used the law of Moses as it was intended to purify lives and teach of salvation through the Messiah. The law of Moses, correctly understood and applied, would raise the natural man to a spiritual level and fortify him against the cunning of the devil. (See Thomas F. Olmstead, “The Savior’s Use of the Old Testament,” Ensign, Jul 2002, 47.)

Olmstead also pointed out that Jesus used the law to help explain his own actions, such as healing on the Sabbath. He taught the law. Olmstead explains, “Jesus did not reject the Law of Moses-the Torah-as found in the Old Testament. Rather, He used it to affirm its own truthfulness and give a more complete meaning.” Mormons refer to the more complete meaning as the higher law.

For the Jewish people of the time, this was difficult to understand. Robinson explained, “Furthermore, most Jews of Jesus’ day had come to believe that salvation came only by observance of the Law of Moses as the highest possible expression of God’s will, and in no other way.”

In contrast, James Faust, a former Mormon leader in modern times, said, “…the intent of a person alone becomes part of the rightness or wrongness of human action. So our intent to do evil or our desire to do good will be a freestanding element of consideration of our actions. We are told we will be judged in part by the intent of our hearts.” (See James E. Faust, “The Surety of a Better Testament,” Ensign, Sep 2003, 2-6.) This was the law introduced by Jesus during his ministry. Although obedience is required, so is intent and faith. A person must also believe, not just carry out the appropriate actions. This is a change from what was taught in Jesus’ day.

Jesus taught his followers to obey the law and then to take it a step higher. He taught that the law said that to commit adultery was a sin, and that the higher law was that it was a sin even to contemplate adultery or to think about someone other than your spouse in an inappropriate way. It was no longer enough to be just physically faithful to your spouse-you had to be emotionally faithful as well. While the law taught not to kill, Jesus added the requirement to avoid anger at the person. It was no longer enough just to avoid killing him. Each law was taken to a higher level, requiring more faith on the part of believers.

One important part of the law was the law of sacrifice. The Israelites were required to sacrifice their animals. Christians today are taught instead to sacrifice themselves. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice by dying for our sins, and each Sabbath, we take a sacrament of bread and water to remember that sacrifice. But we are also required to make personal sacrifices. God asks of us to give up our worldly desires and focus our lives around Him. The greater our faith, the better able we are to sacrifice for God.

Elder Ballard taught, “While the law of Moses was fulfilled, the principles of the law of sacrifice continue to be part of the doctrine of the Church. The primary purpose of the law of sacrifice still is to test us and assist us in coming unto Christ. After the Savior’s ultimate sacrifice, two adjustments were made in the practice of this law. First, the ordinance of the sacrament replaced the ordinance of sacrifice; and second, this change moved the focus of the sacrifice from a person’s animal to the person himself. In a sense, the sacrifice changed from the offering to the offerer.”

What does the Law of Moses mean to a Mormon? In the early days of the church, Robinson says this was a major issue of concern to those who belonged to the church, particularly to those who converted to Judaism. They wanted to know the restored gospel was an addition to the law of Moses or if it was an entirely new law. Jesus had answered that question quite clearly in his earthly ministry. It was a law designed to lead people to Jesus and to help them understand the sacrifices He would make for them. The law was fulfilled by the atonement of Jesus. Aspects of it, including sacrifice, continue to be a part of the gospel, but in a more personal way, through personal sacrifice of selfishness and worldliness, not animal sacrifice. The law of Moses did not have the power to save us-only the atonement could do that. Despite this, it was an important step in the progression of man.

I believe this is a very profound question that has undoubtedly been asked by millions of people from the beginning of time. Life can seem unfair at times as we experience our own personal suffering, and witness through our own eyes or through the media, the incredible suffering that seems to be such an integral part of the daily lives of people all over the world.

I had to come to grips with this question on a personal level when 19 years ago I broke my neck, severed my spinal cord, and became paralyzed from the neck down and ventilator dependent.

Approximately 6 years ago I had an experience with my son-in-law that I believe will shed some light on this fundamental question about life.

One morning I received a phone call from my son-in-law, Matt. He was enrolled in the MBA program at UC Irvine which is about 20 minutes from our home. The Dean of the MBA program had just announced to all the students that were there that day that one of their classmates by the name of Michael Johnson, had drowned in a swimming accident in Northern California the day before. Michael was one of the brightest students and leaders in the MBA class. He was very charismatic and his future as a leader in the business world appeared to be limitless. His fellow classmates, including my son-in-law, were just stunned when they received the news regarding Michael. After conferring with the Dean and several classmates Matt volunteered me to come to UC Irvine to speak to the 50 or 60 students who were there that day for just a few minutes.

Matt came home, loaded me into my modified van, and drove me up to the campus. As we went into the room where the students were gathered together you could just feel the spirit of sorrow, and I could sense that many were asking themselves, “Why did something like this happen to such a good, wonderful, person like Michael Johnson? Couldn’t God have prevented it from happening?”

As I looked at these students it was impressed upon me very strongly to share with them the conversation I had with Dennis Praeger almost 15 years ago when I appeared on his talk radio show in Los Angeles. Toward the end of the hour he said “Jack, what brings you the most peace and comfort — to believe that God brought the wave that broke your neck or to believe that it was just an accident?” I, in essence, told him that I had spent very little time asking myself why the accident took place. The only thing I knew for sure was that there was a loving and kind God that would help us get through anything life would bring our way if we had sufficient faith and trust in Him.

I told the students that afternoon that each one of us has our agency and that we are not puppets of deity. We live our lives exercising our agency as we choose to do so, but there is also at play natural law. Oftentimes in exercising our agency we hit natural law head on and then experience the consequences for our actions. When I went body surfing at Laguna Beach that beautiful August day, it was something I chose to do. I firmly believe that a loving God could have protected me but he doesn’t interfere with our agency and natural law. In my own mind the “Why” question is absolutely the worst question we can ever ask ourselves when something like this happens. God could prevent every disaster or catastrophe from happening, but he doesn’t, because of his love for us and his understanding of the importance of agency.

And so things happen in life like swimming accidents, cancer, tsunamis, earthquakes, murder, abuse, and etc. — the list is endless. God doesn’t cause these things to happen and he could certainly prevent them, but in doing so we would lose the priceless gift of agency.

Mortality brings to us a variety of experiences — some wonderful and some not so wonderful. However, through all of the experiences we have we gain knowledge, and a wise and loving God, the Father of us all, will never rob us of the priceless gift of agency. The students seemed to respond to this line of reasoning.

Life is so very precious and yet it can be taken in an instant. I am very impressed that in most countries in the world there is such a desire to preserve life. You see it every day reported in newspapers and on TV where hundreds and thousands will seek to recover a lost or kidnapped child for example. If someone is injured in a car accident or stranded on a cliff and etc. many caring people are willing to risk their lives to save the life of another. Medical science can do so much to preserve and improve the quality of human life. I believe this is pleasing to God and hopefully through an extended life we can fulfill the measure of our creation and be prepared to take the next step forward in our eternal progression.

There is no price we can put on mortal life. What a gift a loving and kind Heavenly Father has given to each one of us. Each day is precious and priceless!

We also do not see what happens after people pass through this portal of life. It is not an end but a continuation of life and service. We don’t know how one’s ministering from the other side of the veil, or beyond this life, will impact their earthly friends and families as well as those they meet in their spiritual resting place. A benevolent and perfect God has factored all of that in, and has seen to every need of every individual. He hasn’t let something slip by him, or work to a unused end. There is no waste and no incidental event that won’t turn to someone’s glory. Our not seeing those results should not cause us to waiver in knowing that God is in control, and that death and suffering are not in vain, but will work towards God’s perfect loving design for each of us–while granting us our agency on the way.

Some buildings are used for administrative needs, such as the Mormon Church offices built on every continent. Other buildings are used for the weekday education program of the Mormon Church, including Brigham Young University campuses at Provo, Utah; Rexburg, Idaho; and Laie, Hawaii and the seminary and institute programs that sometime are located near public schools, colleges and universities. Additionally, the Church’s welfare services department constructs a variety of buildings to store and distribute food and goods and to provide employment training as part of the Church’s worldwide humanitarian outreach. The Mormon Church also builds visitors’ centers and museums that preserve the history of the Church so members and nonmembers can learn about its history and beliefs. In seventeen countries, including the Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Columbia, Dominican Republic, England, Ghana, Guatemala, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Philippians, South Africa, Spain, and United States the Mormon Church built Mission Training Centers (MTC) where Mormon missionaries begin their training, including language education, before dedicating themselves to preach the Gospel full time for eighteen, twenty-four, or thirty-six months.

However, the primary focus of the Mormon Church’s building program is to provide members a place to worship on Sunday. Worship services are generally held in a chapel, a special feature in local church building or meetinhouse. In a chapel, members and interested nonmembers of the Mormon Church gather to worship the Lord through prayer, scripture readings, preaching, singing, and partaking of the sacrament (Lord’s Supper). Additionally, chapels are also used for funeral services that are generally held on weekdays or on Saturday.

Often local Mormon Church buildings include more than a chapel. Such multi-use buildings include classrooms, administrative offices for local lay-leaders (bishop and clerk’s offices), a library, a kitchen, and a cultural hall. Mormons sometimes call these local buildings the “meetinghouse,” “church” or “chapel,” but they generally refer to the building itself instead of some specific section. Most LDS meetinghouses display the Church’s logo, meeting times and a “Visitors Welcome” sign somewhere on the building or on a small marquee in front. Additionally, there is the ubiquitous spire or steeple associated with such buildings that tend to reflect, despite architectural nuances, a sense of familiarity and connectedness no matter where they are found throughout the world.

The classroom part of the local building is used on Sundays for various gospel-centered classes for young people and adults. Additionally, these same classrooms are used during the week for early-morning seminary classes (a weekday religious education program held before the beginning of the local public school day) Boy Scout programs, other youth programs for young men and young women, and other organizations of the Mormon Church. A modest library in the building has material that teachers can use in their lessons, such as visual aids and scriptures.

The cultural hall is often used on Sundays as another teaching station, but its main purpose is for non-Sunday activities, including hosting sporting events sponsored by the Mormon Church; social gatherings such as special dinners for various church organizations; humanitarian service, such as Red Cross sponsored blood drives; cultural art activities, such as plays and talent shows; and wedding receptions. In emergency situations, the Mormon Church opens local buildings to shelter people and as meeting places when a community has special needs during a disaster or tragedy.

In one sense, the local Church meetinghouse is a religious building principally dedicated to Sabbath worship but is also used for social, educational, and community activities during the other days of the week. However, the building is not used for any political purposes such as voting or political party meetings.

Finally, the Mormon Church builds structures of a very special and dedicated nature called temples. The first Mormon temple was dedicated in 1836 in Kirtland, Ohio, USA. Like the biblical temples of Solomon and Herod, which were reserved only for Israelites who were ritually clean, modern temples are reserved for practicing members of the Mormon Church. In temples, Latter-day Saints participate in the most sacred ordinances of the Mormon Church, including temple marriages, which Latter-day Saints believe can survive death into eternity. More than 125 Mormon temples stand around the world so members of the Church can participate in temple worship as often as possible. Between eight and ten temples are in planning or under construction each year.

In areas where the gospel is just beginning to spread the Mormon Church usually leases a space for worship services and in time eventually builds a meetinghouse. Additionally, the Church has developed many multi-use buildings that incorporate various needs. For example, a temple, meetinghouse and seminary and institute space are shared in one building as in New York City or Hong Kong. All Mormon Church buildings are paid for before they are dedicated to the Lord, which usually happens shortly after they are finished, through a general Church building fund so that even in the most economically challenged areas of the world, Saints and their neighbors can enjoy the benefits of having such buildings within reach when they need them. This is one of the distinguishing features of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Additional Resources

MormonWiki Article on Church Wards & Meetinghouses