by brady | Nov 18, 2011 | Do Mormons Celebrate Holidays?
Keith L. Brown is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and serves as a the Ward Mission Leader in the Annapolis, Maryland Ward.
Thanksgiving Daily in Our Hearts
Traditionally, every fourth Thursday in November is celebrated as Thanksgiving Day. However, Edward Sanford Martin, a graduate of Harvard University and a founder of the Harvard Lampoon, and also the first literary editor of Life Magazine, had a totally different perspective about Thanksgiving Day. He said, “Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.”
For a majority of people, Thanksgiving Day is a joyous time when family and friends from both near and far gather together for a day of feasting and celebration. As they enter the home of their hosts they are greeted with the savory aroma of the delectable victuals that have been prepared for the banquet that will soon be set before them. In addition to the bounteous meal, there will be Thanksgiving Day parades and football games to watch, and of course, a time for catching up on all of the latest family gossip. But amidst all of the joy and excitement, do families remember to take the time to bow their heads and give thanks for the many blessings, both small and great, that the Lord has bestowed upon them? Or, is this just another family gathering and an opportunity to partake of a delicious meal and sit back and watch football games? In other words, is Thanksgiving Day truly a day of Thanks Giving? (more…)
by brady | Nov 16, 2011 | Do Mormons Celebrate Holidays?
Valerie Steimle, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“Mormon” woman) has been writing as a family advocate for the past 20 years. She is the mother of nine children living in southern Alabama and is the author of four books and a weekly newspaper column, Thoughts from the Heart.
Do Mormons Celebrate Thanksgiving? Reflections on Gratitude
As the season of Thanksgiving is upon us, contemplating Thanksgiving causes me to reflect on what I am thankful for in my life. As I ponder the Thanksgiving season, these thoughts help me to be more thankful. Thanksgiving helps me remember to be thankful for living in a country with hard fought freedoms including the freedom to express ourselves in the written word, on radio or television. I am thankful for the opportunity to choose where I live and what church I attend. My choice of church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths, the “Mormon Church”) and part of our belief system is that we need to be thankful for the lives we live.
A thought on thankfulness from President Thomas S. Monson who is President, and Mormon prophet, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints says: “We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude.” (October 2010) (more…)
by | Nov 4, 2011 | About Mormons
THANKSGIVING: Mormons Celebrate Thanksgiving
Yes, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (nicknamed “Mormons”) do celebrate Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is an opportunity for families to gather and acknowledge the blessings God has given us, particularly in providing religious freedom to America and an abundance of His daily grace. Of course, as we recognize His hand in our lives, we become thankful every day for the blessings provided, in addition, Thanksgiving is a day set aside a day specifically for that purpose.
The Book of Psalms, in The Holy Bible tells us to “give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever (Psalms 118:1).” The Book of Mormon, a volume of scripture which complements the Bible, teaches us to “live in thanksgiving daily (Alma 34:38).” Thanksgiving gives us an opportunity to do just that. (more…)
by | Nov 3, 2011 | Mormons in the News
Mormon Helping Hands, a relief organization organized by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths, the “Mormon Church”) recently had a service project in Berlin Germany to help children who are suffering from cancer. The project was open for all those on the street who wanted to stop by and help with the service project.
The project included sewing and assembling small “Broviac” catheter bags, which deliver life-saving medicine into the child’s body. The portable nature of the catheter enables a child suffering from cancer to move about freely. One-thousand bags from the project will be donated to children’s hospitals. (more…)
by Terrie Lynn Bittner | Sep 28, 2011 | About Mormons
Mormon is a nickname sometimes given to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Most Mormons trying to shorten the name use LDS instead of Mormon, although the term is found within the church, including in the name of the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
The term comes from the Book of Mormon, a book of scripture Mormons use along with the Bible. It does not replace the Bible and is, in fact, a book that testifies of the Bible’s truthfulness and of the divinity of Jesus Christ. Mormons study the Bible two out of every four years. The Book of Mormon is studied only one year, with the fourth year covering church history and modern revelation.
Mormon was an actual person who lived in ancient times. He was one of the authors of the Book of Mormon. If you’ve read the Bible, you know it is a collection of books written by a variety of people. The Book of Mormon is the same type of book. Prophets over a long span of time wrote sections of the book. It was handed down from prophet to prophet. Eventually, Mormon, who was a prophet in what is today the American continent, where the majority of the book takes place, knew the time was nearing when the book must be completed and hidden. (more…)
