by Keith L. Brown | Nov 7, 2012 | About Mormons, Meet Some Mormons
It’s not unusual for President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon or LDS) to talk lovingly of his homeland, Germany. But when he was presented the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany on October 30, 2012, he was surprised and humbled to “receive this unexpected distinction.”
The award is the only federal decoration of Germany. It is given as a tribute to those who have achieved exceptional accomplishments of service, charitable work and distinctive social, political and scientific contributions.
German Consul General Dr. Bernd Fischer presented the award and praised President Uchtdorf for his lifetime of service and leadership, according to an article in the Deseret News. (more…)
by Keith L. Brown | Sep 18, 2012 | About Mormons
There is a lot of “buzz” going on about the Mormons as of late. Some people learn about Mormons from sources that aren’t reliable—aka not the source itself. I am here to give you some statistics and facts; and I am a Mormon, so you can consider what you learn here “from the source.” To begin, we are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—we are commonly called Mormons because of our belief in the Book of Mormon. Now for some interesting facts:
Facts on How Mormons Worship
Mormons are Christians. Mormons believe the Bible and the Book of Mormon to be the word of God—both testifiers of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon actually mentions Jesus Christ 3,925 times, which is an average of every 1.7 verses. Other interesting facts about Mormons:
- 100% of sacramental services focus on Jesus Christ.
- 9 of 10 members pray weekly and over 80% pray daily.
- According to an independent study, Mormons are among the most knowledgeable of the Bible.
- The LDS Church is the 4th largest religious body in the U.S.
- A recent PEW study showed that 77% of Mormons attend church weekly, as opposed to the 39% U.S. average. (Mormon Newsroom)
What does the LDS Church offer its Mormon members?
With a membership of 14,441,346 (end 2011) and total of 28,660 congregations, you can formally worship as a Mormon most anywhere in the world—in fact the Church is found in 185 different countries, nations and territories. You can also find more members outside of the United States than within. Some congregations are small, sometimes only a family or two; these congregations are called branches. Most congregations, however, range from three hundred to eight hundred members; these are called wards. (more…)
by Keith L. Brown | Sep 12, 2012 | Black Mormon
There are many people who know very little, if anything, about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly referred to as the Mormon Church), and quite a bit of what they do know about the LDS Church and its teachings and beliefs has come from critics of the Mormon religion. One of the main issues that critics of The Church of Jesus Christ tend to focus on is the relationship that exists between Blacks and Mormons, and whether or not the LDS Church is racist.
The fact that Latter-day Saints of African American descent were not permitted to be ordained to the Priesthood for a long period of time has triggered, and continues to trigger, uncertainty in the minds of some people, in particular, those of the Black race, who view this action as a sign of prejudice or racism on the part of the LDS Church. This one fact becomes even more complex for some to understand and accept as there has never been an official statement released by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as to why those of African American descent were not permitted to be ordained to the Priesthood, which in turn also restricted them from participating in the sacred ordinances of the Holy Temple. (more…)
by Keith L. Brown | Sep 3, 2012 | Mormon Beliefs: Christian Values
A simple phrase that is used with some regularity in mainstream Christianity is, “What Would Jesus Do?” There are Christians of all ages who wear wristbands and apparel that have the familiar slogan WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) embroidered on them. These emblems of their faith remind them of not only who they are, but as Christians – whose they are, and how they should govern their conduct as they go throughout their daily lives.
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have a very similar slogan. Realizing that the real question is not so much, “What Would Jesus Do?”, but rather, “What would Jesus have me do?”, the all-important answer to that question is found in the three word phrase, “Choose the Right!” (more…)
by Keith L. Brown | Sep 1, 2012 | About Mormons
Because of the country’s political climate, people in the United States are discovering that voluntary service and charitable donations go hand in hand with being a Mormon (a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also called LDS or Latter-day Saint). As the story of the private life of presidential candidate Mitt Romney has unfolded, so has his personal commitment to both causes.
Now, two independent studies confirm that members of the Church of Jesus Christ not only “talk the talk;” they actually spend the greatest amount of time and money bolstering the LDS Church and their community, despite being only about 2% of the national population. One study reveals that Utah, which is 60% Mormon, is the most generous state, while the other study indicates that Mormons donate “significantly” more time and money than the average American. (more…)
