by Keith L. Brown | Jun 19, 2012 | Meet Some Mormons
David Archuleta is a famous Mormon singer who has decided to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Before he left to serve as a Mormon missionary, he filmed a short video message for those wondering about what he will be doing while he serves a Mormon mission. [1] Missionaries are called by a modern prophet of God (Thomas S. Monson) to “invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end” (Preach My Gospel: A Guide to Missionary Service, 1). In other words, David has temporarily put his career on hold to preach the gospel to people in South America. David, like all other Mormon missionaries, had no choice as to where he was sent to serve. The Lord decides and reveals that information to His prophet and apostles. (more…)
by brady | Mar 15, 2012 | About Mormons
Mormon Beliefs: Living Frugally, Being Prepared, and Avoiding Debt
Living frugally is not a strictly Mormon belief or concept, but it is one that is heavily stressed and taught within the Mormon culture and is included in several instructional books for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called the Mormon church by friends of other faiths). Members who follow the advice and counsel of church leadership to live frugally are often considered thrifty and prepared.
A big part of frugal living is emergency preparedness, and there are often seminars, classes, and activities dedicated to learning how to prepare 72-hour kits and food storage. Such preparedness offers peace-of-mind should there ever be a natural disaster, and we believe it is also an important part of preparing for the second coming of Jesus Christ. However, this isn’t the only benefit. Such preparations leave members prepared to handle smaller personal “disasters” such as facing unemployment in these hard economic times. My parents went through a short period in which my father was unemployed between jobs, and they became heavily reliant on their year supply of food storage. (more…)
by brady | Jan 27, 2012 | Mormon Reflections
Connie is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“Mormon” woman).
Mormon Women and the Relief Society
The Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (which church is often mistakenly referred to as the “Mormon Church”) is the women’s organization of the church. It was organized in 1842, by the Prophet Joseph Smith. The mission and purpose of the Relief Society is to increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and seek out and help those in need.
Being a member of the Relief Society as a Mormon woman has been a great blessing in my life. We meet together every Sunday to discuss the principles of the gospel of Christ. We meet at other times, usually once a month, to help and encourage each other in strengthening ourselves, our families, and the other members of our ward (the people in our local congregation). We provide service in our neighborhoods and communities; we also serve each other. The Relief Society has a visiting teaching program where the women visit with one another on a very individual basis to build friendships and encourage each other to live the gospel. Relief Society is a great boon to all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (or “Mormons”). Those of other faiths who wish to belong to this sisterhood of service are welcome and invited to attend. (more…)
by brady | Jan 18, 2012 | About Mormons, Mormons in the News
When people search for reasons why organizations, teams, bands, religions or families are successful, there is no question that one of the most important attributes is commitment. With commitment you are not only saying what you believe, you are taking action to follow through with those beliefs. In a recent survey by the Pew Research Center Forum on Religion & Public Life, ‘Mormons in America,’ there was quite a bit of evidence that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes erroneously called Mormons) are committed. According to the Deseret News in their third article titled “LDS religious commitment high, Pew survey finds,” we find out just how committed the Mormons are to their beliefs.
The article starts off with a staggering statement and number stating, ‘ the highest, most overwhelming numbers are these: 98 percent of respondents said they believe in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and 97 percent say their church is a Christian religion.” In order for people to feel this way, there has to be commitment and people are taking notice that the Mormons are committed to their religion. It is interesting to compare those numbers with a recent survey the article refers to, stating, “32 percent of non-LDS U.S. adults say the LDS Church is not a Christian religion, and an additional 17 percent are unsure of the LDS Christianity.” (more…)
![Mormons Say Polygamy Morally Wrong]()
by brady | Jan 16, 2012 | About Mormons, Mormons in the News
By Amy Choate-Nielsen
Deseret News
Published: Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012 7:00 p.m. MST
David Letterman knows how to get a laugh.Like most comics, he riffs on the day’s news, deadpans the camera and revels in audacity.”Oh, did you hear about this?” the host of CBS’ Late Show with David Letterman asked his audience recently. “A campaign staffer on the Newt Gingrich campaign was fired because he was making negative comments about Mormons. I thought, now, wait a minute — isn’t Newt in favor of multiple wives?”
Laughter rumbled from the audience followed by applause. The polygamy punch line is a familiar one when it comes to poking fun at Mormons — as though Mormons and polygamy are synonymous in mainstream media. Ironically, the practice that’s most linked to Mormons is a practice most Mormons oppose, according to a groundbreaking new study of Mormons in America released Thursday by the Pew Research Center‘s Forum on Religion and Public Life. (more…)
