Do Mormon Families Celebrate Memorial Day?
Do Mormons Celebrate Memorial Day? Yes, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called the “Morman Church” by others) celebrate local and national holidays. Mormon families (in the United States of America) celebrate Memorial Day, which commemorates and honors all American soldiers, especially those who have given their lives in war. It is also a day to honor the deceased, whether they have been soldiers or not.
Mormon families celebrate Memorial Day in their own way and have their own traditions. Many LDS families enjoy the time off of work. Some Mormon families may reflect upon their religious freedom, visit graves of their ancestors or loved ones, or write letters to soldiers. Youth worldwide have volunteered in activities in preparation for the Memorial Day holiday. Examples include weeding the cemetery (Jeanette Waite Bennett, Service of Sorts, New Era, February 1996) and mapping the “planned roads and sections for the cemetery, so unmarked graves would not be disturbed” (FYI: For Your Information, New Era, July 1982). (more…)
The fact that I am Black and a Mormon should not be a major issue; however, there have been a few instances when some family members and friends have asked why I decided to become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (errantly called by the media, the Mormon Church). They do not understand why a Black person such as me would want to be associated with a Church that some people view as being prejudice and racist.