by paulah | Jul 10, 2013 | About Mormons
In April 2013, people bustling through Charing Cross Station in London were greeted with pictures of smiling people on brightly colored backgrounds, with the phrase “I’m a Mormon.” When they looked down, the floor tiles read, “Ask a Mormon” and “mormon.org.uk.”
A press release from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes inadvertently called the Mormon Church) said that the Charing Cross mainline station, 10 tube stations, and 250 double-decker buses featured the advertisements during the month of April 2013. Internet advertisements will appear through the end of the year. The campaign features members of The Church of Jesus Christ talking about their lives and their faith.
The intent of the media campaign in the United Kingdom and Ireland?: Give the public a chance to know the Mormons better. (more…)
Paula Hicken was an editor with the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship from 2000 to 2013. She earned her BA degree in English from Brigham Young University. She edited Insights, the Maxwell Institute newsletter, and was the production editor for Faith, Philosophy, Scripture, Hebrew Law in Biblical Times (2nd ed.), Third Nephi: An Incomparable Scripture, and was one of the copy editors for Analysis of the Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon. She also helped manage the Maxwell Institute intellectual property and oversaw rights and permissions. She has published in the Ensign, the Liahona, the LDS Church News, and the FARMS Review.
by paulah | Jul 10, 2013 | About Mormons
Judy Nelson Ward, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes inadvertently called the Mormon Church), was recently named Arizona Mother of the Year at the American Mothers, Inc., convention held in New York City. The organization recognizes mothers each year and selects a national winner during the convention. Women are selected based on nominations by the community.
Ward, who lives in Mesa, Arizona, is the mother of seven children and grandmother to 34 grandchildren. She was a little embarrassed by the award, but said she is thankful to “stand up for motherhood.”
How Mormons View Mothers
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ respect motherhood and the role of women to nurture children. They believe that motherhood is part of a woman’s divine nature and designation, even if she does not bear children during her life on earth. They believe that motherhood is a divine role given by God to all women.
There is nothing in this world as personal, as nurturing, or as life changing as the influence of a righteous woman. . . . All women have within their divine nature both the inherent talent and the stewardship to mother.1 (more…)
Paula Hicken was an editor with the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship from 2000 to 2013. She earned her BA degree in English from Brigham Young University. She edited Insights, the Maxwell Institute newsletter, and was the production editor for Faith, Philosophy, Scripture, Hebrew Law in Biblical Times (2nd ed.), Third Nephi: An Incomparable Scripture, and was one of the copy editors for Analysis of the Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon. She also helped manage the Maxwell Institute intellectual property and oversaw rights and permissions. She has published in the Ensign, the Liahona, the LDS Church News, and the FARMS Review.
by Terrie Lynn Bittner | Jul 10, 2013 | About Mormons
The three most powerful women in Mormon leadership came together recently to speak openly about their roles as leaders in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are sometimes called Mormons. They spoke about what it means to be a Mormon woman, particularly one with great leadership responsibility, and about how they felt the Church treats female leaders.
Mormon Women Serve at all Levels in The Church of Jesus Christ
The women head up the Relief Society, which is the official organization for Mormon women, the Young Women’s program for teen girls, and the Primary, which is for children. Their positions, like all positions in the Church, are served without pay, but unlike most, are full-time for a number of years. These are not meant to be lifelong callings. Each woman has two counselors and a secretary to assist her. The president of the Young Women’s organization, Sister Dalton, has been released since the interview occurred. (more…)
The late Terrie Lynn Bittner—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend—was the author of two homeschooling books and numerous articles, including several that appeared in Latter-day Saint magazines. She became a member of the Church at the age of 17 and began sharing her faith online in 1992.
by Charlotte Wilson | Jun 27, 2013 | About Mormons
Since the qualifying age for Mormon missionary service has been lowered, more Mormon youth are postponing college attendance in order to serve missions.
Areas of the world where there are a lot of Mormons have noticed a change in some of the graduating high school seniors of the class of 2013. Many youth have been postponing their college education to serve missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (a faith often inadvertently referred to as the Mormon Church). This phenomenon was preceded by an official announcement by the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ in October 2012, where the age requirement for serving full-time missions was lowered for both men and women. As a result, many Mormon youth graduating high school this year have opted to serve missions before diving into their college careers.
The Church of Jesus Christ Lowered the Missionary Age
In October 2012 during the semiannual worldwide conference held by The Church of Jesus Christ, the prophet and president of the church, Thomas S. Monson, announced that the age requirements for missionaries would be lowered to 18 for men (previously 19) and 19 for women (previously 21). Soon after, local church leaders around the world fielded calls from excited prospective missionaries ready to begin the application process. (more…)
Charlotte graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor’s degree in English, with an emphasis in editing. During her education she interned with the Neal A.Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, BYU Publications, and the New Era magazine. Charlotte currently lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and son. She’s a stay-at-home-mom and has been able to keep up her writing through maintaining a personal blog (smallandtrivial.blogspot.com).
by Charlotte Wilson | Jun 21, 2013 | About Mormons
Thirty years ago The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often inadvertently referred to as the Mormon Church) began missionary efforts in Haiti. To commemorate that milestone and the progress made since then, The Church of Jesus Christ headed up a massive, nation-wide project that will bring beauty and life back into Haiti, a country still recovering from the devastating earthquake in January 2010.[1]
Tree-Planting Project Should Bring Hope to Haiti
The Church of Jesus Christ has organized a tree-planting project to help restore beauty back to Haiti after its shattering earthquake in 2010. The Church procured about 400,000 saplings and obtained the help of local Mormons to plant them all over the country. The planted trees include lemon, orange, papaya, and coconut, and will eventually be able to contribute both shade and food to Haitian communities. (more…)
Charlotte graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor’s degree in English, with an emphasis in editing. During her education she interned with the Neal A.Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, BYU Publications, and the New Era magazine. Charlotte currently lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and son. She’s a stay-at-home-mom and has been able to keep up her writing through maintaining a personal blog (smallandtrivial.blogspot.com).
by Delisa Hargrove | Jun 19, 2013 | About Mormons
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often inadvertently called the Mormon Church, has opponents who derisively refer to The Church of Jesus Christ as a cult. Latter-day Saints (Mormons) do not consider The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a cult or source of brainwashings, intimidation, or black magic often associated with cults.
Mormon Cult
Dictionary.com defines cult as:
- a particular system of religious worship, especially with reference to its rites and ceremonies.
- an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, especially as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult.
- the object of such devotion.
- a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.
- Sociology. a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.
- a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often inadvertently called the Mormon Church, has opponents who derisively refer to The Church of Jesus Christ as a cult. Though not correct definitions of cult, typically the term conotes images of brainwashings and participation through intimidation on one end of the spectrum and black magic on the other end of the spectrum, but most especially being in the thrall of a charismatic leader. Latter-day Saints (Mormons) know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not a cult.
What Do Mormons Believe?
Truly Mormons are “a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.” The Church of Jesus Christ’s 1st Article of Faith states, “We believe in God the Eternal Father and in His Son Jesus Christ and in the Holy Ghost” (1st Article of Faith). Members of the Church hold the Prophet Joseph Smith in high regard, but they do not worship him.
Mormonism is “a particular system of religious worship, especially with reference to its rites and ceremonies.” Every tenet and doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ reflects the mission and atoning sacrifice of the Savior Jesus Christ. The Savior revealed commandments, covenants (a two way promise of an obligation fulfilled by man and a promised blessing by God), and ordinances (ritual acts, like baptism, that teach literally and metaphorically of man’s journey back to God’s presence). (more…)
I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have moved 64 times and have not tired of experiencing this beautiful earth! I love the people, languages, histories/anthropologies, & especially religious cultures of the world. My life long passion is the study & searching out of religious symbolism, specifically related to ancient & modern temples. My husband Anthony and I love our bulldog Stig, adventures, traveling, movies, motorcycling, and time with friends and family.
