by paulah | Mar 7, 2013 | About Mormons
According to a recently released study, Utah has the highest rate of “family belonging” in the United States. The high ranking could be attributed in part to the dense population of Mormon families in the state. The study also found that it would be an “error of historical proportions” if a state neglected the importance of marriage and family intactness.
The health of the family is a priority for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called Mormons. In 1995, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ issued “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” a declaration detailing the eternal nature of the family and the responsibilities of family members. Mormon families strive to fulfill the responsibilities outlined in this proclamation, including one that applies to this study: “Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity.” (more…)
by Guest Author | Nov 29, 2012 | About Mormons
In The Family: A Proclamation to the World, the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stated: “All human beings-male and female- are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and as such, each has a divine nature and destiny.”
Each child or youth is like a seed. Hidden within is divine potential, divine gifts and divine destiny. We, as teachers, leaders and parents must help our children and youth to develop their divine potential, divine gifts, and to fulfill their divine destiny. But these are not easy tasks.
We can find an example of individuality by observing an apple and an orange. Although they are both fruits, they are very different. We won’t compare an apple with an orange, or expect the orange to be like an apple. For this is simply insane. (more…)
by Terrie Lynn Bittner | Nov 24, 2012 | Mormons in the News
A group of Mesa, Arizona boys have started a new trend among Mormon boys. A leader for the Mormon teen girls, Jayme Bawden, was looking for something special to show the Mormon girls at their annual conference. She remembered another group of Mormons in her previous church organization who asked the boys to make a video for the girls to watch at this conference. She asked the boys in her new home to do the same and they did. They used a popular song called “What Makes You Beautiful” by One Direction and created a music video which was shown to the girls at their conference.
The video was very popular with the girls, who were touched that the boys had delivered this message to them. The video ended up on YouTube and other groups of Mormon boys began doing the same for the girls in their own congregations to watch at their conferences and camps. Some added additional features. For instance, in one, the boys were asked what they felt made a girl beautiful. The girls fell silent as they listened to these hard-to-access insights. In many camps, the girls requested the video time and again. (more…)
by Terrie Lynn Bittner | Nov 10, 2012 | Mormon Single Adults
When The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members are often called Mormons, announced a lowering of missionary eligibility ages for both men and women, many lives were instantly changed. Colleges, which had not known of the change before it was announced, also had to change many of their plans.
Previously Mormon men began their service at age 19. For most, this meant a year of college would be completed before they left. Women, who are welcome to serve missions but are not under the same sense of responsibility to do so, left at age 21, usually after graduating from college. Now, men may leave at 18 if they have completed high school and women may leave at 19. Young adults are not required to leave at the younger age, but may choose to do so if they desire.
Immediately following the announcement, young Mormon adults began sending text messages to schedule meetings with their clergy to begin the paperwork. In the first few weeks, applications increased dramatically. While a typical week netted about 700 applications, the Church began receiving about 4,000 per week, with just over half being women. (more…)
by ashley | Nov 8, 2012 | About Mormons
Does a culture determine what kind of food you eat? Of course it does! For many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes mistakenly called the “Mormon Church”) there is a certain way of cooking, a certain culture.
When Mormons gather together for parties, celebrations, funerals, etc. there is usually food. At these functions, people sign up to bring various dishes, sometimes with prescribed recipes, and other times “pot luck.” Typically the way it is organized is that when somebody signs up for an assignment they bring a lot of what ever they signed up for, be it a salad, main dish, dessert, or whatever (this idea makes my family dinners a lot less stressful on my parents when they host for their kids and grandkids)! Because Mormons tend to have large families, many recipes are family-oriented, things the kids will like, and easy on the budget. Many Mormons use whole grains and other healthy ingredients, and food they have stored for emergencies. (more…)
