by miranda | Nov 6, 2012 | About Mormons
Last week my eight-year-old son, Mason, was baptized by my husband, Greg. Mason is now a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or as most people call us—Mormons or Latter-day Saints (LDS).
It was one of those special, emotional, spiritual moments that we wish would pour down on our lives, but normally are more like the desert rains—less frequent but bringing great beauty and refreshment.
We Mormons wait to baptize our children until they can begin to be accountable for their actions. The youngest a child may be baptized is eight, and this is pretty standard for most LDS families, although I knew other children growing up who were baptized later, as their family felt comfortable. (more…)
by ashley | Nov 1, 2012 | About Mormons
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes mistakenly called the “Mormon Church” by friends of other faiths) is politically neutral; members can choose which political stance they feel is best. While political liberal Harry Reid is prominent in Washington, conservative Mormon Mitt Romney is in the presidential race. During each Presidential election there is a Republican National Convention—but this year it was cut short because of Tropical Storm Isaac knocking at their doors. So what did the Utah delegation do during this time? They did what is typical of their state’s Mormon majority—they served! During this political gathering, they focused on the needs at hand and assembled 1,000 hygiene kits to be distributed by LDS Church (see Deseret News). Was this something done to get attention by the media? No way. Just your typical Mormon way of doing things.
Mormons believe that as human beings, we should be our “brothers’ keepers” (Genesis 4:9). Which is why there are so many Mormons gathering in efforts to serve others. How do we do it? Here is an example of an e-mail sent to a local Relief Society (the women’s organization in the LDS Church): (more…)
by ashley | Oct 26, 2012 | About Mormons
Are Mormons a Cult? No.
For decades people have bashed on the Mormons, or more properly labeled members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by calling this Christian religion a cult. Fortunately the truth is coming out, and many are coming to learn the truth of the LDS religion—simply put, that they are normal people living normal lives, aka not a cult. Yet still there are many under the delusion that Mormonism is a cult.
James T. Summerhays wrote an article in Meridian Magazine titled, “Seven Reasons Why the Mormon Faith is Not a Cult” published on 12 Oct. 2012. Summerhays explains the stigma behind the term cult, and teaches the reader why Mormons do not deserve the title. Below are excerpts from his seven reasons: (more…)
by janm | Oct 3, 2012 | About Mormons
When a group of new stake presidents from outside the United States attended the General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1961, they were able to hear words directly from the prophet and other general authorities in their own language–Dutch, German, Samoan or Spanish—for the first time.
Now, fifty years later, a worldwide audience will hear inspired messages in their own language during the October General Conference. Thanks to technology and efforts of LDS Church employees in the Translation Division and a huge volunteer force, at least one session of the two-day event will be available in 93 languages to more than 98 percent of church members. In contrast, the United Nations interprets to dignitaries in six official languages.
Even with a highly trained volunteer force and impeccable technology, interpreting sacred words becomes a matter of relying on the spirit of the Holy Ghost, according to Brad Lindsay, manager of Interpretation Services for the Church who was interviewed for a Newsroom article at lds.org. (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…)
