Solving the Mormon Puzzle

Who are the Mormons?

Official Name: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Founder & 1st President: Joseph Smith, Jr. ( ) 2nd President: Brigham Young ( ) Current Leader: Gordon B. Hinckley (b. 1910) Headquarters: Salt Lake City, Utah

Membership: 13 million in more than 160 countries, about half in N. America 27,000 Congregations called “Wards” or “Branches” Adding 2 new meeting houses each day worldwide Missionaries: 61,000

Annual Converts (not including children of Mormon Families): thousand Mormon membership has doubled in the southern U.S. since 1980 Membership is expected to exceed 65 million by 2080 (conservative est.) Membership may even reach 500 million by 2040 if present growth rate is sustained (optimistic est.)

Temples Worldwide: more under construction Total Assets: 30 billion dollars Annual Offerings: 5 billion dollars If LDS Church was a U.S. corp., it would fall in the middle of the Fortune 500

Mormon History

Joseph Smith, Jr Born: Dec. 23, 1805 Near Sharon, VT Raised: Palmyra, NY

Joseph’s God Vision Foundational Event Spring of 1820 In the “Sacred Grove” Joseph unsure about which Church to join Father & Son appeared bodily Son said all churches are false and apostate

Moroni Visions Deceased Book of Mormon character, Moroni, appears to Joseph 5 times First appearance, Sep. 21, 1823 Moroni informed Joseph about Golden Tablets hidden in the Hill Cumorah

Moroni Visions Moroni showed the Golden Tablets to Joseph the next day Moroni appeared 4 more times over the next 4 years Joseph permitted to remove the tablets and began to translate them on Sep. 22, 1827

John the Baptist Vision Spring 1829 John the Baptist appears to Joseph Smith & Oliver Cowdery John’s father was a temple priest in the line of Aaron (Levi) John conferred the Aaronic priesthood on Joseph & Oliver

Peter, James & John Vision Summer 1829 Peter, James & John were the First Presidency of the Apostolic Age They conferred the Melchizedek Priesthood on Joseph & Oliver

Restoration of the True Church April 6, 1830 Peter Whitmer’s Farmhouse in Waterloo, NY True Church restored by Joseph after 1600 years of apostasy Constituted as “Church of Christ” with six members

More Historical Events and Dates Main body migrated to Kirtland, OH Mission outpost established near Independence, MO First latter-day Temple dedicated in Kirtland Main body forced out of Ohio and migrated to Missouri Mormon-Missouri Wars

More Historical Events and Dates Forced out of Missouri & migrated to Nauvoo, Illinois (on Miss River) June 7, Mormon dissidents published the one and only edition of the Nauvoo Expositor charging Mormon leaders with polygamy June 10, Joseph influenced the City Council to order the destruction of the N.E. press because it was a “public nuisance”

June 27, 1844 Joseph and Hyrum Smith are killed during a gun battle by rogue militia in the Carthage Jail Joseph & Hyrum Smith & several other Mormon leaders were arrested for the destruction of the printing press and taken to jail in Carthage

Brigham Young 2nd President Leads westward migration from Nauvoo July 24, Brigham Young founds Mormon settlement in Salt Lake City, Utah

What Do Mormons Believe?

What Do Mormons Believe About God? The Heavenly Father is an Exalted Man with a physical body of flesh and bones God is not a Trinity in the historic sense The Father, Son and Holy Ghost are three absolutely separate Gods God is NOT one in essence, but in purpose only

What Do Mormons Believe about the Scriptures and Authority? Revelation is continuing In addition to the Bible “translated correctly,” three other Standard Works are regarded as authoritative –The Book of Mormon –The Doctrine and Covenants –The Pearl of Great Price

What Do Mormons Believe about the Scriptures and Authority? All other official comments by any general authority” are authoritative as well “General Authorities” include… –The President-Prophet –Councilors of the First Presidency –The Twelve Apostles –Members of the Quorum of the Seventy

What Do Mormons Believe about Man? All men are the spiritual offspring of the Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother in the first estate All men are begotten of heavenly parents and reared in heavenly mansions prior to coming to the earth in temporal bodies Man is born basically good, “a god in embryo”

What Do Mormons Believe about Man? “As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become” (Pres. Lorenzo Snow) –A Man is a baby God –A God is an mature Man –Deity and Humanity are not different natures, only different degrees

What Do Mormons Believe about Sin? Sin is disobedience to God’s laws and eternal life is given to those obedient to Mormon teaching Adam’s fall was a part of God’s redemptive plan Adam did not fall away from innocence but toward it

What Do Mormons Believe about Sin? The fall was necessary in order for man to advance toward deification through the knowledge of good and evil The fall was also necessary in order for man to be fruitful and multiply (a necessary condition for Godhood)

What Do Mormons Believe about Salvation? Exaltation (godhood, or entrance into the celestial kingdom) is only available to Mormons by means of obedience to Mormon teachings... Faith Baptism and reception of Holy Ghost Endowments (Temple ceremony) Celestial marriage Tithing

What Do Mormons Believe about Salvation? The Fullness of Salvation, or Exaltation includes these blessings... Eternal presence with the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ Deification (becoming very God) Eternal family relationships (husbands, wives and children “sealed”) Fullness of joy

What Do Mormons Believe about Life After Death? After death, all men go to an intermediate place of the dead to await the resurrection There are three “Levels of Glory” after the resurrection The Telestial Kingdom (lowest level that is superior to the earth) is the abode of the wicked and ungodly

What Do Mormons Believe about Life After Death? The Terrestrial Kingdom (middle level) is the abode of non-Mormons who were honorable, but deceived by crafty preachers; and Mormons that were not entirely obedient The Celestial Kingdom (highest level) is the abode of Exalted Ones reserved only for the most obedient Mormons

What Do Mormons Believe about Life After Death? In addition to the three levels of glory, “Perdition” is the abode of Satan, Demons, Mormon Apostates, and Murderers who did not atone by a bloody execution for their murder –Perdition may not be an eternal state

What Do Mormons Believe about the Church? The LDS Church is the ONLY one true church on the face of the earth It is the restored church of Scripture Jesus told Joseph Smith that all other churches were wrong in belief and practice... …their creeds were an abomination and all who professed those creeds where corrupt