Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the "LDS Church" or the "Mormon Church", is the largest and most well-known denomination within the Latter Day Saint movement (a form of Restorationist Christianity). The church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, and its current president is Gordon B. Hinckley.

Members of the church—known as Latter-day Saints—regard Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Savior, who overcame death, atoned for the sins of all humanity, and invites everyone to be redeemed through him. They believe that Jesus Christ appeared with God the Father to Joseph Smith, Jr. and called him to be a prophet and to organize the original church established by Jesus Christ on Earth through a restoration which included the return of priesthood authority and the calling of new Twelve Apostles. They also believe that Jesus Christ, as head of the church, is actively leading them through ongoing revelation. They accept additional writings such as the Book of Mormon as inspired scripture, and do not consider the canon to be closed. Thus, they consider themselves Christians, but not part of the Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant traditions.

History

Members believe their church to be the divine restoration of the church established by Jesus Christ in New Testament times. They believe that following the ascension of Jesus into heaven, He continued to direct His church through His Apostles, but that as men rejected them and began to kill them, the authentic Christian church, along with its authority and many of its teachings, began to disappear. This led ultimately to the Great Apostasy. The original teachings of Christ were thereafter corrupted by Hellenistic philosophy and false doctrines which led to the misinterpretation and misteaching of many scriptures. By the fourth century, the Priesthood — or the authority to act in the name of God — had been lost from the Earth completely, meaning that no man thereafter had valid authority from God to baptize, and so the growth of the "true" church came to a halt, despite continued teaching about Christ in the world. Thus, in the Latter-day Saint view, a restoration was required to bring back the true Church of Jesus Christ.

According to the founder of the church, Joseph Smith, Jr., when he was 14 years old, in Palmyra, New York, in the spring of 1820, he became concerned with which of several competing churches had the truth. He went into the woods near his house to pray for an answer. He reported that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him in response, and that Christ commanded him to join none of the existing churches. Smith claimed that through this and other revelations God called him to be a prophet. On April 6, 1830, Smith and five associates established the Church in the company of some 56 men and women in Fayette, New York.

In the process, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believe that Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery received authority to perform baptism and other ordinances from resurrected beings who held the authority anciently. These included John the Baptist (May 15, 1829, Aaronic Priesthood), the apostles Peter, James and John (May or June 1829, Melchizedek PriesthoodBrigham Young University's LDS FAQ), and the ancient prophet Elijah (April 3, 1836).

In the Church's first decade, the main body of Saints moved from New York, to Kirtland, Ohio, to western Missouri, to Nauvoo, Illinois, due at least partly to persecution. In Missouri, the governor, Lilburn W. Boggs, even issued an official extermination order. Smith was eventually killed by a mob on June 27, 1844 in Carthage Jail, Carthage, Illinois. Brigham Young, then President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, was later sustained by the majority of the church as the next Prophet and President of the church (see also succession crisis). Faced with continuing harassment in Nauvoo and surrounding towns, most members of the church eventually followed Young to the Salt Lake Valley, and settled a large area of the western United States.

Today, the church is led by its current Prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley. The church reports a worldwide membership of 12,560,869 as of December 31, 2005Statistical Report 2005, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints., with 6.7 million members residing outside the United States. It is the fourth largest religious body in the United States2005 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches, National Council of Churches. See article by Information Please® Database, Pearson Education, Inc.. The church membership report includes all baptized members, and also "children of record", i.e. unbaptized children of baptized members. Members living in the US and Canada constitute 47% of membership, Latin America 36%, and members in the rest of the world 17%. (See membership distribution and growth history)

Name of the Church

When the church was organized in 1830 it was called the "Church of Christ". It was also referred to as the "Church of Latter Day Saints" to differentiate the church of this era from that of the New Testament, and was generally known by that name between 1834 and 1838. In April 1838, the full name was stated as "the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints", according to . When the church was incorporated in 1851, the legal documents used the current standardized spelling and punctuation, capitalizing the first article, "The", and hyphenating "Latter-day": The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There is some dispute as to whether or not this was the official name prior to 1851, since there was no standard spelling or punctuation in church publications prior to that time and legal documents of the pre-incorporated (but legally organized) church are not readily available. The church currently uses the word "The" as part of its official name, as opposed to a modifying article.

The church is also commonly referred to as the "LDS Church" and the "Mormon Church". Church members are often known simply as "Mormons" or "Latter-day Saints," both being appelations accepted among Latter-day Saints themselves. The nickname "Mormon" arose soon after the publication of The Book of Mormon in 1830. Although originally used pejoratively to refer to the church or its members, the term came to be used widely within the church.

In a style guide issued in 2001, the church requests that the official name, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, be used where possible, stating: "This full name was given by revelation from God to Joseph Smith in 1838." It also encourages the use of "the Church" or "The Church of Jesus Christ" as shortened references although "LDS Church" is commonly used within the church's own publications and the Church officially uses "Mormon" as a descriptive term for itself in the name of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. When referring to members of the church, it suggests "Latter-day Saints" as preferred, although "Mormons" is acceptable. Despite the church's efforts, the Associated Press continues to recommend "Mormon Church" as a proper second reference in its Style Guide for journalists.

Within the church, members are referred to as "saints", which reflects the belief that anyone who becomes converted to the gospel and covenants by baptism to follow Christ is a saint. The term "saint" is frequently used in this context by Paul and other apostles in the New Testament.

Major Beliefs

First Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel

The Church's Fourth Article of Faith states: "We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Faith

Latter-day Saints believe that faith in Jesus Christ is a fundamental requisite to salvation. Having faith in Jesus Christ means accepting Him as the Son of God and the Savior of the world, and attempting to obey His commandments. Joseph Smith taught, “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 121).

Latter-day Saints are encouraged by church leaders to develop personal faith through study, prayer, service, and obedience to God's commandments.

Latter-day Saints often refer to their personal faith as their "testimony" and refer to telling others about their faith as "bearing testimony."

Repentance

Latter-day Saints believe in the principle of repentance, which includes a sincere regret, or "godly sorrow", as well as restitution when possible and then abstinence from the sin committed. Key to the repentance process is a person's personal, prayerful confession to God, which includes asking for forgiveness and resolving not to repeat the mistake. It is important to confess serious sins to a Bishop, who can offer advice and encouragement. Bishops can also take other actions. Consistent with the meaning of the Hebrew and Greek words from which it is translated, repentance denotes "a change of mind", a turning of the heart and will to God, and a renunciation of sin to which we are naturally inclined. Thus, a return to sin shows that the repentance process is not truly completed. Repentance is for small and large sins and is an ongoing process.

Baptism

The Church of Jesus Christ practices baptism by immersion in water. Baptism is symbolic of burial and rebirth as a disciple of Jesus Christ. A person who repents and is baptized has all prior sins remitted.

In Latter-day Saint families, children are typically baptized soon after their eighth birthday. The age of eight was given in latter-day revelation as the age when children become accountable for their sins, that is, they are able to discern between right and wrong. If a person is unable to discern between right and wrong (e.g. those with severe intellectual impairment) they are not baptized regardless of their age; they are viewed as fully saved through the Atonement of Christ. The Book of Mormon and modern revelation specifically forbid the practice of infant baptism. (See and .) Baptism is recognized only when performed by one holding at least the office of a Priest in the Aaronic Priesthood, thus baptisms from other churches are not accepted because they have not been performed by those holding the restored priesthood of the New Testament.

Because they believe all people must be baptized to be saved, Saints also practice baptism for the dead. This ordinance is a baptism by proxy, performed in a temple. The baptism is believed to only take effect if the deceased person accepts the ordinance.

Gift of the Holy Ghost

Following baptism by immersion, individuals are confirmed members of the church and given the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands by priesthood-bearers. This blessing entitles the newly confirmed recipient to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost as a guide and guardian so long as the recipient lives worthy of the gift. Members believe that those who have not been confirmed may still receive inspiration and a witness from the Holy Ghost but are not entitled to constant companionship available through the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Enduring to the End

Church members are taught to "endure to the end", which includes continuing actively to exercise faith in Jesus Christ, to repent, and to honor their baptismal covenant throughout their lives. (See also the article describing The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ for a partial list of other important doctrines and beliefs.)

The Godhead

LDS theology maintains that God the Father (Heavenly Father), Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three separate and distinct beings who together constitute the Godhead. Though the LDS sometimes use the word Trinity to describe this belief, it is different from the traditional doctrine of the Trinity, which maintains that the three are one being. All three members of the Godhead are eternal and equally divine, but play somewhat different roles. While the Holy Ghost is a spirit without a physical body, God and Christ do possess distinct, perfected, physical bodies of flesh and bone. Although Mormon theology sees the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost as separate beings, they are considered to be "one God" in purpose. Because they are omniscient and have the same purpose, Jesus Christ speaks often in the scriptures as though knowing perfectly the will and the words of the Father,,. (In a similar way, many times Biblical prophets speak in the first person as though they are the mouthpiece of the Lord,,,). God the Father is the spirit father in premortal life of the spirits of all people who are or have been born on this earth. He is also both the spirit Father and the Father in the flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is thus the Only Begotten Son, inheriting from His Father power over death.

Mormon theology refers to God the Father as Elohim. The God of the Old Testament is considered to be a different being; he is referred to as Jehovah or Yahweh and is considered to be pre-earth identity of Jesus Christ.

Mormonism generally posits the same attributes to the members of the Godhead that mainstream Christianity posits to the Tribune God: omnipotence, omniscience, omnibenevolence, eternality, immutability, immortality, and immanence in the universe although not transcendence of it.

Although it is not stated in the canonical scriptures, Joseph Smith and other church leaders have taught that God the Father is an exalted man who once lived mortally, like His Son Jesus Christ. Joseph Smith reportedly said:

These are incomprehensible ideas to some, but they are simple. It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the Character of God, and to know that we may converse with him as one man converses with another, and that he was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ himself did; and I will show it from the Bible . . . Jesus treads in the tracks of his Father, and inherits what God did before; and God is thus glorified and exalted in the salvation and exaltation of all his children . . . It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave. (Joseph Fielding Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 345-48.)

To a Latter-day Saint, the study of theology or the characteristics of God involves focus on the mortal human state as a brief stage in an eternal life cycle. The ability to return to live in Heaven with God the Father and Jesus Christ is seen as paramount. Church leaders teach that each and every human soul is a spirit child of God, with divine potential and capacity to become as God and dwell with Him and Jesus Christ. This echoes some teachings of early Christian groups, such as the Cathars, who are categorized as Gnostic philosophies. To some, these teachings are seen as evidence that LDS Church doctrine is indeed a restoration of ancient, original teachings.

Latter-day Saint theology also allows for the existence of a Heavenly Mother, which many members believe exists. She is not referred to in doctrine, scripture, or other Church canons, but there is some support for Her existenceO My Father, LDS hymn #292, refers to a mother in heaven. The Family: A Proclamation to the World mentions "heavenly parents". Various LDS curriculum materials refer to a Heavenly Mother, for instance see the conclusion of The Latter Day Saint Women, Lesson 9. She is not worshipped nor is made the object of prayer.

Though other gods or divine beings may exist, Mormons do not consider them relevant to salvation or to this earth.

Scriptures

Under the Church's doctrine of continuing revelation (see the Ninth Article of Faith), the Church has an open scriptural canon which thus far includes The Holy Bible, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price. These scriptural writings comprise the Standard Works of the Church.

English-speaking members typically use the King James Version of the Bible. Joseph Smith also began translating selected verses of the Bible, by subject. His incomplete work is known as the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible (or Inspired Version). Although this Bible translation is not generally quoted by members of the Church, the Bible issued by the Church contains cross references to the Joseph Smith Translation (JST), as well as an appendix containing major excerpts from it. Though the Bible is part of the canon and members believe it to be the word of God, they believe that omissions and mistranslations are present in even the earliest known manuscripts. They claim that the errors in the Bible have led to incorrect interpretations of certain passages. Still, they believe the majority of the Bible to be correct.

The introduction of The Book of Mormon describes the book as follows:

"The Book of Mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible. It is a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas and contains, as does the Bible, the fullness of the everlasting gospel. The book was written by many ancient prophets by the spirit of prophecy and revelation. Their words, written on gold plates, were quoted and abridged by a prophet-historian named Mormon. The record gives an account of two great civilizations. One came from Jerusalem in 600 B.C., and afterward separated into two nations, known as the Nephites and the Lamanites. The other came much earlier when the Lord confounded the tongues at the Tower of Babel. This group is known as the Jaredites. After thousands of years, all were destroyed except the Lamanites, and they are among the ancestors of the American Indians.

The crowning event recorded in the Book of Mormon is the personal ministry of Jesus Christ among Nephites soon after his resurrection. It puts forth the doctrines of the gospel, outlines the plan of salvation, and tells men what they must do to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come."

According to his record, Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon by the power of God through the Urim and Thummim. Eleven witnesses signed testimonies of its authenticity, which are now included in the preface to the Book of Mormon. Three witnesses testified to having seen an angel present the gold plates, and to having heard God bear witness to its truth. Eight others stated that Joseph Smith showed them the plates and that they handled and examined them.

The Doctrine and Covenants is a collection of revelations, policies, letters, and statements given to the modern Church. This record contains Church doctrine as well as direction on Church government.

The Pearl of Great Price contains: (1) excerpts from Joseph Smith’s translation of Genesis, called the book of Moses, and of , called Joseph Smith—Matthew; (2) Joseph Smith’s translation of some Egyptian papyrus that he acquired in 1835 (and subsequently lost, although some pages were purportedly rediscovered in 1967), called the Book of Abraham; (3) an excerpt from The Documentary History of the Church containing a letter written by Joseph Smith in 1838, called Joseph Smith—History; and (4) an excerpt of another of Joseph Smith's letters called the Articles of Faith, thirteen statements of belief and doctrine.

When prophets and general authorities speak as "moved upon by the Holy Ghost", their words are considered modern-day scripture. This is particularly true of the president of the Church. Members are encouraged to ponder and pray to determine for themselves the truthfulness of doctrine.

Latter-day Saints believe literally in the principle of revelation from God to his children. Individual members are entitled to divine revelation for confirmation of truths, gaining knowledge or wisdom, meeting personal challenges, etc. Parents are entitled to revelation for raising their families. Divine revelation for the direction of the entire Church comes from God to the president of the Church, who is viewed by Latter-day Saints as a prophet in the same sense as Abraham, Moses, Peter and other biblical leaders.

Church Leadership and the Priesthood

The leader of the church is termed President, whom the members revere as the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator. He is entitled to receive revelation from God to guide the church and the world as His mouthpiece. Other general, area, and local authorities of the church include Apostles, Seventies, Mission Presidents, Stake Presidents, Bishops, and other quorum presidents. The president of the church serves as such until death, after which the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will meet, pray, and receive revelation as to whom the next prophet should be. Although not specified by revelation, the senior apostle has historically become the new President of the church. General Authorities work full-time for the church, and those who need it receive a stipend from the church.

The church has no general salaried ministry. Area and local authorities are unpaid and continue in their normal occupations while serving in leadership positions. Some positions are limited to priesthood holders, with qualifications usually related to the particular calling.

In 1978, an official declaration of the First Presidency reported that a revelation had been received by church President Spencer W. Kimball directing that all worthy men be allowed to receive the priesthood. From 1849 until 1978, men of African descent had not been permitted to receive the priesthood or marriage in the temple, although they could become members and serve within the church. (Persons of other dark-skinned ethnicities not of African descent, such as the Māori, could receive the priesthood prior to this time, provided they were called by revelation. See Blacks and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)

See Priesthood (Mormonism); First Presidency; Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; General Authority; Apostle (Mormonism)

The Plan of Salvation

The term Plan of Salvation is used to describe how the gospel of Jesus Christ is designed to bring about the immortality and eternal life of mankind.

The first element, immortality, is believed to be a gift freely given to everyone, made possible by Jesus' resurrection. (See )

The Book of Mormon teaches:

The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt.

Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil. ()

The second element, salvation from sin and spiritual death, is also believed to be made possible only by the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which washes clean the stains of one's imperfections and justifies and sanctifies one for admission into the kingdom for which that person has qualified. Therefore, one's eternal reward is conditional upon acceptance of, and true faith in, Jesus Christ as the Savior and Redeemer of mankind, which is demonstrated through baptism and obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel, including repentence.

The Church teaches that after judgment, there are three main kingdoms to which men may be assigned: the Celestial Kingdom, the Terrestrial Kingdom, and the Telestial Kingdom. Their glory is compared by analogy to the brightness of the sun, moon, and stars in the sky, respectively.

The Celestial Kingdom is the highest kingdom, where the righteous will live with God and with their families. As mentioned above, accountable individuals must repent, be baptized, and follow Jesus Christ to gain entrance to the Celestial Kingdom; all children who die before the age of accountability automatically inherit the celestial kingdom. This kingdom includes multiple degrees of glory, the highest of which is exaltation. Exaltation is the reward which Latter-day Saints believe is given to the righteous. Through exaltation, a person can eventually become like Jesus Christ, or as it is expressed in scripture, a joint-heir with Him. (See .)

The Terrestrial Kingdom is for those good people who are not valiant in following Jesus and those who do not accept the Gospel. This kingdom is one of great glory, but without the presence of God the Father. An ultimate willingness to keep the Ten Commandments is considered essential to enter this kingdom.

The Telestial Kingdom is the kingdom for murderers, adulterers, and others who do not accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is also considered a kingdom of glory and has been described as being much better than even earthly life. All those who do not qualify for a higher degree of glory will enter this kingdom unless they deny the Holy Ghost, a sin it is believed very few people are able to commit.

Those few people who do, after gaining a full knowledge of the Gospel, willfully deny and contend against the Holy Ghost, inherit no glory. Most members of the Church refer to this state as Outer Darkness (not to be confused with traditional Christianity's definition of the term). An individual so banished is called a Son of Perdition. Forgiveness is not possible for these souls, though they will be resurrected.

Before people dwell eternally in their assigned kingdom of glory, they go through resurrection and judgment. Those who have not been offered the chance to hear the doctrines of Jesus Christ during life on Earth will have the opportunity to do so prior to the judgment.

Meetings

Weekly worship services, including sacrament meetings, are held on Sundays, in meetinghouses, also referred to as "chapels" or "stake centers", although the chapel is actually only one component of the meetinghouse. All people, regardless of belief or standing in the church are welcome to attend. The sacrament (similar to Communion, the Lord's Supper, or the Eucharist in other churches) is offered weekly. Latter-day Saints come together in meetinghouses for various activities throughout the week (except Mondays, which are reserved for family time).

Sunday Services

Congregations for Sunday services are grouped geographically, with larger (~200 to ~400 people) congregations known as wards, and smaller (2 through ~200 people) congregations known as branches.

Sunday services consist of a three-hour block of time divided into three segments. The primary Sunday service is sacrament meeting, which is slightly more than an hour in length, and attended by the combined congregation. The foremost purpose of sacrament meeting is the blessing and passing of the sacrament — consecrated bread and water in remembrance of the body and blood of Christ — to members of the Church. After the sacrament, the service usually consists of two or three "talks" (lay sermons) prepared and delivered by members of the congregation. Hymns (accompanied by piano or organ) are sung throughout the service, as a form of worship through music. Once a month, usually on the first Sunday, instead of prepared talks, members are invited to bear their testimonies about gospel principles. These testimonies are generally impromptu statements of personal faith. During the other two segments, the congregation divides into smaller groups based on age and gender. The church publishes manuals for each type of class, usually including a teacher's manual as well as a student booklet for youth and adult classes.

Sunday School classes are grouped by age and sometimes by background. The most common adult Sunday School class is Gospel Doctrine, which meets each week and consists of a teacher presenting gospel messages drawn from the Scriptures, with participation from class members. A second adult class is the Gospel Essentials class, designed for new members and non-members who are interested in learning more about the Church (often referred to as "investigators"). Additional adult classes are held at various times, depending on the specific needs of each congregation. These classes include topics such as Family Relations, Family History, Teacher Preparation, and Temple Preparation. Youth Sunday School classes are divided by age (12-13, 14-15, and 16-18). These classes may be combined if class sizes are small.

In addition to Sacrament Meeting and Sunday School, a third block of meetings is held where attendance is based on age and sex. Men and boys age 12 and up attend priesthood classes, women attend Relief Society, and girls ages 12-18 attend Young Women. The Young Women group is further divided into Beehive (ages 12-13), Mia Maid (ages 14-15), and Laurel (ages 16-18) classes. Although all men and boys meet together briefly at the beginning of the hour for a prayer, hymn, and announcements, they then separate into classes. The men separate by priesthood office to attend Elder's Quorum or High Priest's Group, the latter usually being older men and/or those who have held leadership positions in the Church. Youth are likewise divided into priesthood quorums: Deacons (ages 12-13), Teachers (ages 14-15), and Priests (ages 16-18). Classes may be combined if class sizes are small.

Children younger than 12 attend Primary, which spans the two time blocks described above. Primary is divided into two large groups: Senior Primary (ages 8-12) and Junior Primary (ages 4-7); young children from 18 months to 3 years of age attend nursery class. Primary classes generally consist of all the children who were born in the same year. Usually one half of the Primary meets in separate classes while the other half meets together in sharing and singing time, and at the end of the hour, the two are reversed.

Women usually attend wearing skirts or dresses, while men wear suits or dress shirts (preferably white) and ties. However, this dress code is not required; people in different attire are also welcome.

Young Men/Young Women

Young men and women, aged 12 to 18, often have an additional meeting during the week (previously referred to as Mutual or MIA, which were short for Mutual Improvement Association), which can involve an activity, game, service project, or instruction. The young men and women may meet separately or take part in a combined activity. Usually, the young men participate in Scouting, including efforts to gain the Duty to God award. Young women participate in a program titled Personal Progress.

Home, Family, and Personal Enrichment

Four times a year the adult women (members of the Church's Relief Society) attend a Home, Family, and Personal Enrichment Meeting (formerly known as Homemaking Meeting). The meeting may consist of a service project, or of attending a social event, or of various classes being offered. In addition, Enrichment activities are offered (weekly, monthly, or as determined by ward Relief Society leaders) for women with similar needs and interests.

Other Meetings and Chapel Uses

In addition to these regularly scheduled meetings, additional meetings are frequently held at the meetinghouse. Auxiliary officers may conduct leadership meetings or host training sessions and classes. The ward or branch community may schedule social activities at the meetinghouse, including dances, dinners, holiday parties and musical presentations. Other popular activities are basketball, family history conferences, youth conferences, youth dances and various personal improvement classes. Church members may also reserve the building for personal or family use, to accommodate such events as music recitals, family reunions, wedding receptions, birthdays, or funerals.

Temples

In addition to Sunday worship, faithful members of the church are encouraged to attend temples and participate in ordinances there, such as baptisms for the dead. The Church teaches that certain temple ordinances, including being married in the temple, are necessary for eternal life. The Church also regards the temples as places of peace and refuge that are set apart from the world. Adult members who have performed a temple ordinance called an endowment also receive a temple garment, which they wear under their daily clothing. The Church considers the temple ordinances exceptionally sacred, and does not discuss them publicly.

Culture and Practices

Practices more or less distinctive to Latter-day Saints include following the Word of Wisdom (a health code which forbids alcohol, tobacco, tea and coffee, and illicit drugs; and encourages caring for one's body by eating healthy foods and eating meat sparingly), tithing, chastity, modesty in dress and behavior, lay leadership (including service without pay), family home evenings (families are encouraged to meet weekly for prayer and other activities - typically on Monday), and home and visiting teaching (members regularly visit one another in their homes for prayer and study). Tattoos and body piercings (except for one pair of earrings for women) are strongly discouraged. Church members are encouraged to marry and have children, and as a result, Mormon families tend to be larger than average. All sexual activity, both heterosexual and homosexual, outside of the marriage covenant is considered a serious sin. Same-sex marriages are not performed or supported by the LDS church. Mormons are counseled not to partake of any form of media that is obscene or pornographic in any way, including media that depicts graphic representations of sex or violence.

The church emphasizes the moral standards taught by Jesus Christ, including personal honesty, integrity, obedience to law, chastity outside of marriage and fidelity within marriage. The church puts notable emphasis on the family, and the distinctive concept of a united family which lives and progresses forever is at the core of Latter-day Saint doctrine. The church opposes abortion, pornography, and gambling.

Latter-day Saint fathers who hold the priesthood typically bless their babies shortly after birth to formally give the child a name and a blessing and generate a Church record for them.

The LDS Church does not formally support any one political party or ideal, leaving such matters of state for individual consideration.

Education

Latter-day Saints believe that one of the most important aspects of life on Earth is the opportunity for individuals to learn and grow. Accordingly, the Church strongly emphasizes education and subsidizes Brigham Young University, Brigham Young University-Idaho (formerly Ricks College), and Brigham Young University-Hawaii.

All members twelve and above attend Sunday School classes, which emphasize personal scripture studies and other forms of spiritual education and self-improvement.

High school students attend Seminary, which is usually scheduled for before or after school hours. In some areas with large LDS populations, provisions are made by the high school to allow students to attend Seminary (off-campus) during the school day. The provision is not considered a school-recognized class. No credit is awarded by the school, nor is any grade or achievement listed on the school's official transcript. Attendance at Seminary is voluntary, although it does help when applying to Church-run universities. The Church Educational System administers the seminary program and also an Institute of Religion program for college-age Church members. (Note: The word "seminary" commonly refers to graduate level ministerial programs, with which the LDS seminary program should not be confused.)

In addition, the Church sponsors a low-interest educational loan program known as the Perpetual Education Fund. This fund is designed to benefit young men and women from international areas of the world who need further education to become productive citizens in their respective countries. Many of them have served a mission, returned to their home, and lack needed funds to improve their standard of living. As they finish their education and enter the work force they pay back the funds, which are then loaned to other individuals.

In Buena Vista, Virginia, a group of LDS businessmen bought out a failing college in Virginia and renamed it Southern Virginia University. It is not owned by the Church, nor does it receive any funding, but depends heavily upon donations from Church members and friends. The school enforces an honor code, such as that at Brigham Young University

Genealogy

Genealogical or family history research is an important aspect of Latter-day Saint tradition, stemming from a doctrinal mandate for church members to research their family tree and perform vicarious ordinances for their ancestors. Church members are able to do genealogical work in various Family History Centers located throughout the world usually in Latter-day Saint chapels. In addition to the more common events that genealogy records typically contain (such as births, deaths, and marriages), church records also contain details regarding the dates of baptism, endowment, and sealing to spouse, parent, and child, as well as the temple in which each vicarious ordinance occurred. The advent of personal computers prompted the church to create a specialized file format known as GEDCOM for storing and exchanging these records. Since then, GEDCOM has become a de facto standard that almost all genealogy programs support. The church also created and maintains a website for searching genealogical records called FamilySearch.

Missionaries

The LDS Church has one of the most active missionary programs of any world church. As of 31 December 2005 there were in excess of 52,000 full-time LDS missionaries serving without pay around the world. They serve for up to two years, frequently learning another language.

Missionary work is a fundamental principle of the Church, and has become one of the most readily identifiable characteristics of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Church headquarters assigns missionaries to their area of work, which can be in any part of the world where governments allow them. It also directs the missionary whether to focus on proselyting, humanitarian work, or family history work.

Polygamy

At one time in its early history, the Church endorsed a form of polygamy called "plural marriage" in order to aid stuggling widows and their children with the crossing to Utah (see History above). Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and other early members and leaders of the Church were married to more than one wife. Although many uninformed non-members believe polygamy to be a defining practice of the Church, it was officially withdrawn in a declaration called "The Manifesto" which was given by President Wilford Woodruff in 1890 (see ), and which advised Church members to obey the marriage laws of their land. After the Manifesto, LDS Church members living in Mexico and Canada, some in communities with a high percentage of polygamist families, continued the practice of plural marriage as they were under little or no legal pressure in those countries. The Church's position was reiterated and clarified in 1904 (commonly referred to as "The Second Manifesto") by President Joseph F. Smith, with an additional request that no Church members enter into any form of plural marriage, regardless of their location, local customs, or legality. Today, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints found to be engaging in multiple marriage relationships are excommunicated. Converts from areas where polygamy is an accepted practice typically must end such relationships.

For some years now, both widows and widowers qualified to enter the temple may have her or his subsequent marriage(s) sealed to them. Not all of these marriages will remain forever, but LDS doctrine suggests that the final choice of a single spouse may be made sometime in the future (millennium or eternities) and with an eternal perspective. Although not practiced at the moment, a revelation on the doctrine of plural marriage is still part of the LDS scriptures in Doctrine and Covenants section 132, and many church members still believe that the principle of plural marriage is an eternal truth and may be practiced in the afterlife.

The church has repeatedly stated that members who engage in multiple simultaneous marriages will be excommunicated. Excommunication is the most severe disciplinary action the church undertakes. The church has made it clear that it is the prerogative of the government to enforce marriage laws and the church does not involve itself in this endeavor.

Prayers

Formal public and personal prayers are addressed to "Heavenly Father" and offered in the name of Jesus Christ, followed by amen. When a prayer is given in public, it is customary for all attending to say "amen" at the prayer's conclusion. English-speaking members are encouraged to use "thee," "thou," "thy" and "thine" when addressing God, as a form of both familiarity and respect. Members who speak other languages use similar familiar, respectful syntax in prayer. Most prayers are extemporaneous and may be said while kneeling, standing, or sitting or in any other position.

Certain prayers associated with ordinances are defined and must be delivered verbatim, while others must follow a certain pattern. For example, the prayer to bless the sacrament is a set prayer which is delivered the same way each week. The priesthood holder kneels to say the prayer; if he accidentally deviates from the form, he is instructed to repeat the prayer until it is correct. Likewise, the prayer for baptism must be given verbatim prior to immersion; the priesthood holder stands in the water beside the person to be baptized, raises his right arm to the square, and pronounces the blessing. Other ordinations and blessings have a pattern, for example, in a confirmation prayer, the priesthood holder is to address the individual being confirmed by his or her full name, state the priesthood authority by which the ordinance is given, confirm that person as a member of the Church, and bestow the Holy Ghost with such words as "receive the Holy Ghost." This is usually followed by an extemporaneous personal blessing as directed by the Spirit.

Preparedness

The LDS church strongly encourages every family to be prepared for disasters. Members are encouraged to plant gardens and to store a year's supply of food. The Church is well-equipped with necessities on-hand and available for quick distribution. The Church's excellent response to emergencies or disasters is directed through the bishop's storehouse.

The bishop's storehouse system is a network of Church-owned and operated commodity resource centers. They work much like retail stores with the difference that goods cannot be purchased: they are given charitably to those in need, either to entire areas (such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami) or upon an individual/family basis. Recipients are invited to work or render service to others in various ways in exchange for the goods to avoid the evils of the dole.

The concept of the storehouse and the Church Welfare Services emerged from scriptural principles, elucidated by a series of revelations given to the Prophet Joseph Smith beginning in 1831, a year after the Church was organized. In one revelation, Church members were directed to "remember the poor, and consecrate properties for [the poor's support".

The implementation of the mutual help program has varied considerably according to the economic conditions of the members and the organizational structure of the Church. Utilization of the storehouse concept received intense emphasis during the United Order effort of the 1870s. From that time forward, most wards or congregations maintained their own storehouse until the introduction of regional storehouses (1934-1936). These storehouses figured prominently in the Church's effort to care for its people during the economic depression of the 1930s and formed the basis for a more systematic approach to shared assistance.

After World War II, the Church Welfare system, centered on the storehouse, evolved into an integrated and complex Church-wide production and distribution system. A higher level of coordination between Welfare farms, dairies, and canneries was established, and a wider range of goods became available. The Church established central storehouses to supply regional storehouses. In the 1970s, with the maturing of the storehouse system, the Church selectively introduced local production and storehouses in areas outside the United States where need and resources warranted.

Presently, the entire Bishop's Storehouse Resource System operates with efficiency and quality equal to commercial commodity activities, effectively assisting thousands of people every year with material necessities. Like other Church operations, the storehouse remains an operation based on volunteer work. Anyone, whether a member or not, has the chance to give their time to the storehouse. Often, youth groups will go to work in a local storehouse cannery as a service activity.

Public Speaking

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a long and rich tradition of public speaking. Many of the early Church members -- and especially leaders -- were gifted orators and many were skilled in debate. Public speaking was common for both leaders and other lay members. This speaking tradition continues today. For example, during worship services on the first Sunday of each month, members of the congregation are invited to share their testimonies of the gospel, faith-building experiences, and other uplifting messages with the other members of the congregation.

On each of the other Sundays during the month, members of the congregation are selected in advance to give a "talk" (the LDS equivalent of a "sermon") on a particular Gospel principle or topic. Often the congregation will hear from one or two youth speakers and one or two adult speakers during these meetings. Children under age 12 are given the opportunity to give short talks in their Primary meetings, while teenagers are encouraged to contribute to church lessons.

Church leaders and missionaries are also encouraged to speak boldly and freely about the Gospel, and are often given opportunities for extemporaneous public speaking on various Gospel subjects.

Since the early days of the Church, talks given by leaders (especially those given in the Church's biannual General Conference meetings) have been recorded and widely distributed in written format. A digitized collection of these talks dating back to 1971 is available on the lds.org website, and talks dating back to the 1800s are available in printed format through various University and community libraries. In recent years the LDS Church and Brigham Young University have also made audio and video versions of selected talks freely available on their websites. See lds.org, byu.edu, and ldsvoices.com for a collection of audio and video resources.

Symbols

The LDS Church does not use the cross or crucifix as a symbol of faith. This is seen as avoiding emphasis on Jesus' death as opposed to his life and resurrection. No pictures or icons are depicted in the chapel proper, as policy, to avoid an image becoming the focus of worship rather than the reality of God. Images such as paintings of Christ and photographs of LDS temples are common in the foyers of church buildings.

One of the most commonly used visual symbols of the Church is the trumpeting angel Moroni, proclaiming the restoration of the true gospel to the Earth (usually identified as the angel mentioned in Revelation 14:6–7); and a statue depicting the angel often tops the tallest spire of LDS temples. Other common symbols associated with the Church are the letters CTR, meaning "Choose the Right", often depicted in a shield logo; and images of the Salt Lake City temple. However, when questioned on the subject, Gordon B. Hinckley has said that the Latter-day Saints themselves are the best symbols of their religionGordon B. Hinckley, The Symbol of Our Faith, Ensign, Apr. 2005.

Titles

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints address each other as Brother or Sister and then usually append the last name (such as Brother Smith, or Sister Young). Additionally, those that hold specific leadership positions may be addressed by their title and then their last name (such as President Kimball). Some frequently-used titles follow.

Bishop - The local Bishop of a ward is addressed by the title of Bishop. He is assisted by two counselors who are not addressed by title. The title "Bishop" is also used when referring to anyone who formerly served as bishop; that is, even after the bishop has ceased serving as the active leader of the ward he retains the title. There is a position in the LDS church referred to as the Presiding Bishop. He and his counselors are addressed as Bishop. The Presiding Bishop oversees the welfare services of the entire Church.
Elder - While most adult male Church members hold the office of Elder in the Melchizedek Priesthood, only full-time male missionaries, members of any of the Quorums of the Seventy (General & Area Authorities), and members of the Quorum of the Twelve are properly addressed with this title.
President - In a Ward, the Elders' Quorum President may be addressed as President. The Teachers or Deacons Quorum President may be addressed with this title also, although they usually are not. Other presidents within the ward, such as Sunday School President, Relief Society President, etc., are generally not addressed by title. In a branch, the branch president is referred to as President. All members of a Stake (or District) Presidency, a Temple Presidency, a Mission Presidency, the Presidency of the Seventy, and the First Presidency are referred to as president.

Finances

The financial status of the Church has been the focus of two investigative reports: a 1991 report by the Arizona Republic and a 1997 report by Time Magazine. Both claim the Church is the most prosperous American religion, with Time estimating $5.2 billion in tithes during 1996. The Church has holdings in real estate, as well as for-profit businesses managed through Deseret Management Corporation. Time estimated assets in 1996 at more than $30 billion.

It is difficult to determine the exact financial status of the Church because it is not required to disclose financial information. Some of the Church's known holdings include:

AgReserves Inc, Salt Lake City, Utah - the largest producer of nuts in America.
Beneficial Life Insurance Co. - assets of $1.6 billion.
Bonneville International Corporation - the 14th largest radio chain in the U.S.
Deseret Morning News - a daily Utah newspaper, second-largest in the state.
Deseret Cattle and Citrus Ranch in Orlando, Florida - the world's largest beef ranch at 312,000 acres (1260 km²). The land alone is worth an estimated $858 million.
Farmland Reserve, Inc - recently purchased 88,000 acres (356 km²) in Nebraska bringing its total in Nebraska to 228,000 acres (923 km²) second in Nebraska to Ted Turner's 290,000. Farmland Reserve owns land east of Orlando, FL, appraised at $10 million.
Polynesian Cultural Center, Hawaii - the leading for-profit visitor attraction in Hawaii.

The Church uses its financial resources to provide social welfare and relief, build facilities, maintain the missionary program, and support Church sponsored programs.

Provide for Social welfare and relief -

The Church operates a welfare distribution system, as it encourages members to seek financial assistance from family and church first before seeking public or state-sponsored welfare. AgReserves Inc., Deseret Cattle and Citrus Ranch, and Farmland Reserve, Inc. are part of its welfare distribution system. Welfare resources are distributed by local bishops but maintained by the Presiding Bishop. (See Preparedness above.)

Build facilities -

The Church builds additional chapels and temples as wards and branches of the Church are organized. The church built about 40 smaller temples between 1998 and 2001, but that pace has since slowed. The church currently has 122 temples around the world with 11 additional temples either announced or under construction. See chronological list of temples.

Maintain its missionary program -

Although the families of missionaries generally pay $400 a month for missions, additional general funds of the Church support missionaries unable to pay for their own missions. Additionally, the Church provides a mission office and mission home for each of its 300 missions and pays for television advertising offering free copies of the Book of Mormon, the Bible, videos, etc.

Support Church sponsored programs -

The Church owns and subsidizes education at its three Universities (see Education above). It also supports Boy Scout programs for young men and Seminary and Institute programs.

Criticism and controversy

Many doctrines and practices of the church, both past and present, are viewed by many as controversial:

The church claims to be the exclusive restoration of the church founded by Jesus Christ and the sole source of priesthood authority necessary for ordinances of salvation (such as baptism). This has led to extensive criticism from Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox Christians, some of which label it a "cult", "sect," or "heretical", or dispute that it is truly "Christian". (Report criticizing as a human rights violation, The Lutheran Church characterization of the LDS Church as a sect.) For more information, see Mormonism and Christianity.
The historical legitimacy of the Book of Mormon: there has been much contention over the accuracy of some of its archaeological and historical elements. (See "Archaeology and the Book of Mormon", "Linguistics and the Book of Mormon", and "Genetics and the Book of Mormon".)
Polygamy has arguably sparked the most controversy. Some people still practice it today and consider themselves Mormons. However, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints officially ended the practice with the 1890 Manifesto, and since 1904 it has excommunicated any members known to practice polygamy, and prohibited polygamists from joining the Church.
The Church's belief structure involves topics that are now of a political nature, such as Prohibition, Communism, euthanasia, and same-sex marriage. The Church will occasionally release an official statement pertaining to such topics, and has provided financing for activism in opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment, expansion of abortion rights, and legalization of gay marriage. However, individual members are free to agree or disagree with these positions, provided they do not claim to represent the Church in the process.
Previous withholding of the priesthood from black members. Though baptism was always open to people of all races and worship took place in unsegregated congregations, and the Church gave the priesthood to African Americans without regard to race during Joseph Smith's lifetime, the Church later taught that those of African descent could not be ordained to the priesthood or participate in temple marriage, and that interracial marriage was wrong. On June 9, 1978, a new revelation was announced, permitting any "worthy" male to receive the Priesthood. (See Blacks and Mormonism for more complete discussion of this issue.)
Cultural preservation and educational programs including the Polynesian Cultural Center and the Indian Placement Program.
A Proclamation to the World is an official statement from 1995 that some people find controversial. The proclamation calls for the preservation of the traditional family, sometimes referred to as the nuclear family, consisting of a father and a mother who assume the traditional roles of provider and nurturer, respectively. It has been labeled as a homophobic statement by some LGBT rights activists. Others believe this statement to be openly against feminism. (see Women and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)
Although Latter-day Saints use the word Trinity to describe their view of the Godhead, it differs substantially from the doctrine of the Trinity accepted by other Christian churches. Under LDS doctrine, the Godhead is three distinct and separate beings: God, the Father; Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost; most of Christianity follows the Nicene creed and consider God to be one being.

References

External links

Official websites of the Church

LDS.org - the official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — with links to Gospel Library, Church History, Family Home Evening programs, and more
Mormon.org - information on basic beliefs, a meetinghouse locator, and a place to email questions
FamilySearch.org - A church sponsored genealogical research site where anyone can search for ancestors
JosephSmith.net - the official web site on Joseph Smith by the Church
ProvidentLiving.org - spiritual and temporal welfare provided by the Church

Additional websites

Church-friendly websites, unaffiliated with the Church:

- LDS Today - news related to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Meridian Magazine - webzine for Latter-day Saints; updated every weekday
- Mormon wiki - wiki for and supported by Latter-day Saints
- Nauvoo.com - a gathering place for Latter-day Saints, including discussion forums, owned by LDS author Orson Scott Card
- LDSFAQ at byu.edu - a comprehensive index answering many common questions. Uses large portions of The Encyclopedia of Mormonism
- About Mormonism - Advice and presentations on Mormon belief and practice
- Weaver Research - Scientific Based Scriptural Research
- feastupontheword.org - wiki for LDS commentary and discussion of Standard Works

Scholarly Forums
- FARMS - Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (BYU)
- FAIR - Foundation for Apologetic Information & Research
- Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought Read 40 years of the best Mormon studies by top LDS Scholars, Researchers, and Writers on all topics that relate to the Mormon experience.
- Mormon Social Science Association
- The Association for Mormon Letters
- The Mormon History Association
- Essays on Mormonism
- SunstoneOnline.com - for open, frank approaches to contemporary Mormon experience, scholarship, issue, and art
- BYU Studies

Mormonism | Christian denominations | Latter Day Saint denominations | Churches in the United States

Gourt Home::Gourt :: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints