Mormons
The word “Mormon” is a nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If you live in the United States, you probably know someone who is a Mormon; if you live in Ukraine, where the Church was prohibited until the 1990s, you may not know one yet. But there are Mormons in Ukraine, and in nearly every country in the world.
Mormons are Christians
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is sometimes inadvertently referred to as the “Mormon Church” in the media, is a Christian faith, as it name implies. There are over 14 million Mormons worldwide. You can find Mormons in every profession and walk of life. Some Mormons are famous; others live quiet lives with their families. Some are young; some are old. Some are descended from generations of Church members; others are recent converts. But what all Mormons have in common is this: they love and worship the Lord, Jesus Christ, and strive to follow Him. Mormons are, above all, Christians. Jesus Christ is at the very center of their lives and their faith.
Mormon Beginnings: The Prophet Joseph Smith
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized in 1830 on a small farm in upstate New York, in the northeastern United States. Mormonism began when a 14-year-old boy named Joseph Smith prayed to God in the woods near his home, asking which church he should join from among the many seeking converts in his area. To his great astonishment, his prayer was answered with a vision of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, who instructed the young Joseph that he should not join any of the churches then in existence. God explained that over the centuries, many truths known to the ancient Christian church had been lost. Joseph Smith was to wait, study the Bible, and pray. Jesus Christ would soon restore His original Church, as it existed during and after His mortal ministry, to the earth. Joseph Smith would be called as a prophet, and God would restore His ancient doctrines through Joseph to the people of the earth.
The Book of Mormon
When Joseph Smith came of age, he received from an angel an ancient record, inscribed on plates of gold, which he translated by revelation from God. This record, known as The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, recorded God’s dealings with a group of people who lived in the Americas anciently. The people of The Book of Mormon were taught by their prophets about the mission of Jesus Christ, just as the people in the old world were, prior to His coming to earth. After His resurrection, Jesus visited the Book of Mormon people, teaching them His gospel. The entire religious history of this people, which spans many centuries, was abridged and recorded on gold plates by the ancient American prophet Mormon. It is from Mormon that The Book of Mormon got its name. Mormons acquired their nickname from the same prophet.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Joseph Smith established the Church of Jesus Christ by revelation from God. The Bible and the Book of Mormon together clarify many ambiguous points of doctrine, making it much easier to know what is true. The prophet Joseph Smith also asked questions of God, receiving many revelations from Him. Through study and revelation, Joseph organized a new Christian church that followed the same teachings and practices as the church Jesus organized during His ministry on earth.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has grown from its early beginnings to a world-wide organization, with its headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah, in the United States. More Mormons live outside of the United States than inside. The Church continues to be led by a modern-day prophet, Thomas S. Monson. President Monson has been ordained to his calling through the priesthood passed down from Joseph Smith, who was ordained by heavenly messengers in the 1800s. Twelve living Apostles of Jesus Christ lead the Church and bear witness of the Savior to the world.
Mormon Beliefs
The modern Church of Jesus Christ is known for its emphasis on traditional moral values. Mormons strive to follow Jesus by keeping His commandments as set forth in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible and The Book of Mormon. They believe in faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, and baptism by immersion for the remission of sins. They strive to follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost as it guides them in making decisions and serving others. When they break God’s commandments, Mormons believe they can repent by asking forgiveness from God through the atonement of Jesus Christ, by making restitution to the best of their ability, and by forsaking their sins. Through the atonement of the Savior, all human beings can repent, change, and be forgiven for their sins. We can be sustained through all our trials if we turn to Jesus Christ. The Savior has also conquered death, meaning that one day, all humanity will be resurrected, just as Jesus was resurrected. Those who have repented of their sins and followed the Savior can then return to live with Heavenly Father in joy and peace with their families.
The Importance of Families
Mormons believe that God has given us our families, and that they are central to our happiness both on earth and in the eternities. In Mormon temples, families can be “sealed,” or bound together, not just for this life but also after death. Faithful Mormon couples come to the temple to be married, so that their marriages will last beyond the grave. Children are also sealed to their parents in Mormon temples. The LDS Church teaches that building and maintaining a loving eternal family is the most important work we can do in this life. Our family will also be a large part of our joy and reward in heaven.
Mormon Missionary Work
Because it is imperative that all of God’s children have the opportunity to learn about and follow Jesus Christ, Mormons send missionaries throughout the world, just as Jesus did when He was on earth. Nearly every Mormon will serve a mission at some time during his or her life. Most missionaries serve as young men and women, giving up two years of schooling, work, and friends to teach, at their own expense, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Missionaries share messages about the Savior and about His Church as it has been restored through Joseph Smith and the prophets and apostles of our day. They encourage people everywhere to have faith in Christ, repent of their sins, be baptized, and follow Jesus’s example in their everyday lives.
Mormon Humanitarian Service: Followers of Christ
Most of all, Mormons seek to follow Jesus Christ in everything they do. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is known for its humanitarian efforts throughout the world. However, it is in their day-to-day choices that Mormons, like people everywhere, make the biggest difference. Just as the Savior healed the sick and cared for the needy, Mormons seek to help those around them every day in their families, neighborhoods, and communities. If someone is sick, they strive to be there to help; if someone is in need, Mormons attempt to meet those needs. The Church has a large network through which goods and services can be provided to those who are hungry physically, socially, or spiritually. Jesus reached out to all those around Him, sacrificing even His life so that we might live. As members of His Church on the earth today, Mormons strive to spread His gospel and dedicate their lives to His service. A Mormon is a follower of Christ.
Additional Resources:
The Family: A Proclamation to the World
The Book of Mormon and Other Mormon Scripture
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often nicknamed Mormons) believe that the Book of Mormon is scripture. This does not mean, however, that they do not accept the Bible as scripture as well. Most Christians accuse Latter-day Saints of having a “Mormon Bible.” This is not true. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints uses the King James Version of the Holy Bible as its English Bible all over the world. Obviously, different translations are used in different languages, but the KJV is considered the most accurate translation available in English. Latter-day Saints do have their own edition of the KJV published with footnotes and references to other scripture, but the translation is the same as any other copy of the KJV.
The Bible is considered to be the word of God by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, it has been revealed that many plain and precious truths have been lost from the Bible over the course of nearly two thousand years. Some things were lost through the translation and transmission of the text. Other truths were lost due to the wickedness of men who changed doctrine to fit their own preferences.
The Book of Mormon is a companion book of scripture to the Bible. It is a religious and historical record of two different groups of people who were led to the Americas by the hand of God. This record was kept for more than 1000 years before it was buried to protect it from being destroyed. For hundreds of years it sat buried until the time was right for it to come forward, and God led a young boy by the name of Joseph Smith to find the record. Joseph Smith was called of God to be the first prophet of our dispensation. A dispensation is a period of time when the fulness of the gospel is on the earth. Due to the wickedness of men, the fulness is eventually lost in each dispensation. Then a prophet must be called again in order to restore the fulness. After the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, His apostles were systematically martyred. The fulness of the gospel lost fairly quickly. In 1820, though, God and Jesus Christ visited the young boy named Joseph Smith and called him to restore the gospel in our day.
Joseph Smith was able to find and translate the ancient record that was then published in 1830 as the Book of Mormon. This book does contain the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a companion book of scripture to the Bible because it restores and clarifies doctrine lost from the Bible. It is another testament that Jesus is the Christ, the immortal Son of God. Reading the Book of Mormon brings a power into the reader’s life that cannot be gained in any other way. The Spirit of God can testify directly to the heart of whoever reads this sacred text.
Latter-day Saints believe there is other scripture in addition to the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Unlike most other Christians, “Mormons” believe that God has not ceased speaking to His people. Thus, He is constantly adding to our scripture. The Doctrine and Covenants is another book in the Latter-day Saint canon. It contains many modern revelations which were given in answer to questions asked about the gospel. Most of these were given to Joseph Smith, though some were given to other church leaders.
The Pearl of Great Price is the last of the four printed books which make up the Latter-day Saints’ standard works (or canon). However, as stated above, Latter-day Saints believe that God continues to speak to us today through His prophets. Thus, the words of modern-day prophets are also valued as scripture. Twice a year, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints holds a General Conference in which church leaders speak to members worldwide and share spiritual messages with them. These words are considered inspired and are also scripture.
Additional Resource:
Learn more about the Book of Mormon
Meet some Mormons