Why Does Mormonism Produce So Many Leaders?

Why Does Mormonism Produce So Many Leaders?

Why Are So Many Mormons Good Leaders?

Mormonism—an informal term some people use to describe the beliefs of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—is garnering some attention for its members who exhibit leadership skills in politics, business, and other aspects of everyday life. Many have speculated, often incorrectly, as to why that might be.

Latter-day Saints (“Mormons”) have extensive training in leadership, which gives many of them skills which they may choose to also help them in the business world. Some Mormons become very comfortable speaking in front of groups, an essential skill for leaders of all kinds. For many, this skill begins in childhood, as they have the opportunity to give brief “sermons,” which they call “talks,” in their Sunday school classes. They also have the opportunity, from a young age, to offer public prayers or to recite scripture verses in a yearly children’s program. Their talks last about two and a half minutes and, at the younger ages, usually involve a parent or leader helping them.

Leadership Skills at a Young Age

Leaders can best teach others how to be true followers by their personal example - Living what you teachFrom the age of twelve, Mormons may be asked to give brief sermons in the regular Sunday worship service. Mormons have a lay church, which means everyone pitches in to do what needs to be done. The bishop, who is a lay pastor who serves an average of 5 years and who is not paid, does not give the weekly sermon. Instead, two to four members of the congregation are asked to speak each week. Teenagers speak for about five minutes and adults for ten to twenty minutes, depending on the number of speakers. Even the children speak once a year when they do their special program, although for many, it is only a sentence or two. (more…)

More Than a Mormon Moment

More Than a Mormon Moment

Long after the presidential election that saw the first Mormon candidate for a major political party has ended, people are still trying to figure out what the Mormon moment really meant for Mormons and for people who have an interest in the religion. Mormon is a nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mormon familiesThe Mormon moment, as it has been called, has had several rounds, including the Winter Olympics that were held in Utah and were rescued by Mitt Romney. Romney also set off the other Mormon moment when he ran for president. From time to time, Mormons surface as a hot news topic and this isn’t going to change.

What did the last Mormon moment accomplish? A study showed most people don’t think they learned much about Mormonism during the Romney campaign. However, referrals to missionaries were strong, suggesting that although huge numbers didn’t convert, a significant number did take advantage of the opportunity to learn more and many did join the Church after studying the truth about the faith. (more…)

The Mormon Bachelor: Searching For Eternal Love

The Mormon Bachelor: Searching For Eternal Love

The single adult members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are a diverse group of individuals. They face life’s challenges the same as married members of the LDS Church, with one of the main differences being that they often face those challenges alone.

Young single mormon dating going for ice creamIn an address delivered on 22 September 1996 at the Salt Lake Tabernacle titled “A Conversation with Single Adults,” President Gordon B. Hinckley, the 15th President of The Church of Jesus Christ, made these remarks:

You are a diverse group. I understand that all of you are over 30. In a sense that is the only thing you have in common, other than your membership in the Lord’s Church. (more…)

Do Mormons Celebrate Thanksgiving? Reflections on Gratitude

Do Mormons Celebrate Thanksgiving? Reflections on Gratitude

Valerie Steimle, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“Mormon” woman) has been writing as a family advocate for the past 20 years. She is the mother of nine children living in southern Alabama and is the author of four books and a weekly newspaper column, Thoughts from the Heart.

Do Mormons Celebrate Thanksgiving? Reflections on Gratitude

As the season of Thanksgiving is upon us, contemplating Thanksgiving causes me to reflect on what I am thankful for in my life. As I ponder the Thanksgiving season, these thoughts help me to be more thankful.  Thanksgiving helps me remember to be thankful for living in a country with hard fought freedoms including the freedom to express ourselves in the written word, on radio or television. I am thankful for the opportunity to choose where I live and what church I attend.  My choice of church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths, the “Mormon Church”) and part of our belief system is that we need to be thankful for the lives we live.

Mormons celebrate ThanksgivingA thought on thankfulness from President Thomas S. Monson who is President, and Mormon prophet, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints says: “We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude.” (October 2010) (more…)

About Mormons: Mormon Lifestyle

About Mormons: Mormon Lifestyle

Learning about Mormons (a nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) includes learning about the Mormon lifestyle. After all, doctrine is meaningless unless it’s put into practice. Someone once told me they didn’t understand why anyone would want to live by the strict rules of Mormonism. A look at the Mormon lifestyle will help make it easier to understand some of the reasons Mormons choose to live as they do.

The Mormon lifestyle is very family-oriented.Have you ever studied sonnets or tried to write one? They have a strict set of rules that have to be followed, and yet there are millions of completely individual sonnets in existence. This is because the form only sets the pattern for the sonnet. The content can be played out in as many different ways as there are writers. While Mormons have a strict framework, that framework leaves open so many variations there is no duplication. If you visit the I’m a Mormon campaign on Mormon.org, you’ll see how those variations play out in real life.

Mormons live all over the world and they tend to live as their neighbors do, in many ways. They live the culture of their nation. They live in ordinary communities, not Mormon-only complexes, have jobs in the general world, and educate their children any way they choose. They wear ordinary clothing and live in ordinary families. However, there are some differences and people often notice those differences. (more…)

Copyright © 2024 AboutMormons. All Rights Reserved.
This website is not owned by or affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church). The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the position of the Church. The views expressed by individual users are the responsibility of those users and do not necessarily represent the position of the Church. For the official Church websites, please visit churchofjesuschrist.org or comeuntochrist.org.