The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “Mormons” A synopsis of the history, beliefs, and practices of the LDS By: Stephanie J. Watson

How did the Mormon Church begin? The Mormon Church was founded by Joseph Smith in 1830 in Palmyra, New York.“Joseph Smith is perhaps best known for his translation of the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Some years after his First Vision, Church members believe that Joseph was led to a hill near Palmyra, New York, where he received an ancient record from an angel known as Moroni.

The record, engraved on metal plates, gave the history of a people who lived on the American continent during the time of Christ, including the appearance of the resurrected Christ to them. Joseph translated the record in about three months, and the resultant Book of Mormon was first published in New York in 1830. A volume of over 500 pages, the Book of Mormon is one of the great contributions of Joseph Smith and a foundational scripture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” http://www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=750de5c45d19f010VgnVCM100000176f620aRCRD&vgnextchannel=3e0511154963d010VgnVCM1000004e94610aRCRD

Smith’s encounter with the angel Moroni (the myth of how it began) The angel is responsible for Smith’s discovery of the gold tablets, which later translated into what we know as the Book of Mormon. http://www.bible.ca/mor-smith-plates.jpg

Exactly how big is the Mormon Church today? Current population: 12,560,869 (as revealed in their end-of-year statistical report for 2005) Current distribution: 5.7 million members in the United States, 3 million in South America, 1 million in Mexico, 448 thousand in the South Pacific, and 172 thousand in Canada; there are 122 temples in operation, 2,701 stakes, 643 districts, 341 missions and 27,087 wards and branches

Architecture of a typical Mormon Temple http://orpheus.ucsd.edu/va11/adamson/%7Fmormon4.jpeg http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcwphotos/166381499/

Describing Wards and Stakes A stake is a geographical location where Mormon churches are located, perhaps the “capital” of the Mormon community in that area. For example, Winchester, VA, has its own stake. A ward is the individual churches within the stake. There may be several wards within one stake. Using the example, Winchester has several wards within its stake.

A map of local stakes in the Shenandoah Valley http://www.gatheringofisrael.com/atlas/north_america/united_states/VA_north.gif

Various Sects of the LDS There are numerous Mormon fundamental sects—groups of people who broke off from the original Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints. These are the following sects: Apostolic United Brethren Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Latter-day Church of Christ (Kingston clan) Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days Centennial Park Group Neilson / Naylor Group United Latter-day Church of Jesus Christ Each of these sects has different leaders and tends to believe the same virtues as those of the Latter-day Saints, but with a few exceptions. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_fundamentalism

Important references of the LDS The Bible The Book of Mormon (another testament of Jesus Christ that goes with the Bible) Pearl of Great Price The Articles of Faith (a section within the Pearl of Great Price summarizing the beliefs of the LDS) Doctrine and Covenants

The Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon was created after Joseph Smith was directed by the angel Moroni to gold tablets in a hillside. The translation is what we call the Book of Mormon today. The Book of Mormon consists of fifteen books, sixteen including the introduction. The format of these books is much like that of the Bible. Each book is composed of numerous chapters—these chapters contain verses.

Pearl of Great Price “The first paragraph of the Introductory Note in the LDS edition of the Pearl of Great Price reads: The Pearl of Great Price is a selection of choice materials touching many significant aspects of the faith and doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These items were produced by Joseph Smith Jr. and were published in the Church periodicals of his day. The Pearl of Great Price contains five sections: Selections from the Book of Moses, The Book of Abraham, Joseph Smith—Matthew, Joseph Smith—History and The Articles of Faith. The Book of Moses and Joseph Smith—Matthew are portions of the Book of Genesis and the Book of Matthew (respectively) from the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible. Joseph Smith—History is a first-person narrative of Joseph Smith, Jr.'s life before the founding of the church including an account of the First Vision and other heavenly visitations.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_of_Great_Price_(Latter_Day_Saints)

The Articles of Faith The Articles of Faith is 13 key points which the Mormon believe in and live by. It is a guideline of what the religion is about, how the members are to set examples for non-Christians, and how to become saved through the Atonement of Christ.

Doctrinal Statement: The Articles of Faith   1 We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.   2 We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.   3 We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.   4 We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, repentance; third, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.   5 We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.   6 We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.   7 We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth.  8 We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God.

Continuance of The Articles of Faith    9 We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.   10 We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.   11 We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.   12 We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.   13 We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things. http://scriptures.lds.org/en/a_of_f/1

Doctrine and Covenants “The book originally contained two parts: a sequence of lectures setting forth basic church doctrine, followed by a compilation of important revelations, or "covenants" of the church: thus the name Doctrine and Covenants. The controversial "doctrine" portion of the book, however, has been removed by both the LDS Church and the Community of Christ. The remaining portion of the book contains many revelations on numerous topics, most of which were dictated by the movement's founder Joseph Smith, Jr., supplemented by materials periodically added by each denomination.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctrine_and_Covenants

Main Importance to the LDS Salvation http://www.gardenstreetbaptist.org/CrossSalvationHeaven.jpg

Salvation and how to obtain it Seeking salvation is the biggest concern in the Mormon church. They follow the Savior to become more like Him. By asking forgiveness for our sins, we are atoned by Jesus Christ. In addition to atonement, the Mormons believe that you must be baptized in the church to make your atonement official. Baptism is a major part of the salvation process.

Baptism http://biblia.com/jesusart/poster-baptism-43.jpg

The Importance of Baptism Baptism is an important ritual for the Mormons in the purification process. Baptism is the “gateway to salvation”—the second step after repentance. When a person is baptized in the Mormon Church, they become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Baptism is the “perquisite to receiving the Holy Ghost.” Mormons believe that baptism is the only way one can enter into Heaven. Baptisms are done by a Mormon priest worthy of doing the ritual. Mormons do not baptize babies—the age of accountability is eight, meaning that at eight years old, the child is interviewed and is then baptized. www.familiesforever.com/mormon_baptism.html

Understanding the Ultimate Reality The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that there is one God (in other words, they are monotheistic), much like other denominations of Christianity. God is part of a trinity. God is a personal god who is there for guidance. Those who help lost souls physically are known as “elders.” Elders are those individuals who go door-to-door to witness; they are usually young males. Mormons believe in serving others; they are extremely giving. Mormons believe that each of us has our own unique plan that God has arranged for us—God has a divine purpose for us. “We were sent to this world to gain experience, to distinguish good from evil, to learn and grow through the choices we make as we "act and are acted upon" in mortality.” http://www.mormonbeliefs.org/mormon_beliefs.html

In the Beginning… The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints believes that the universe came into being from the Hand of God. Much like the traditional Christian belief, the Mormons believe that God created the world and everything around us in a period of seven days. God created man and woman. The Mormons often question the Bible’s reference to the “beginning.” The beginning could be anything from the beginning of time, to the beginning of life on earth. The Bible never gives us an exact answer to this puzzling question. The Mormons also believe that God put man and woman on this earth to procreate and follow His plan. http://www.14lds.com/earth.htm

The Human Condition: How do the LDS understand the nature and meaning of human life in this world? God has a plan for us and guides us through our life We were sent to this earth to gain experience, to distinguish good from evil, and to learn and grow from the choices we make as we “act and are acted upon” in morality We have the gift of agency, which allows us to choose who or what we want to follow http://www.mormonbeliefs.org/mormon_beliefs.html

The Afterlife The Mormons believe that once you die, your spirit enters Heaven (or a spirit world). What you learned on earth stays with you and you learn more and progress in the spirit world. Sometime after death, your spirit and physical body reunite—this is referred to as a resurrection. They believe that if you follow Jesus Christ before you die, then you will remain at peace once you enter the spirit world. http://www.mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/heavenly-father-s-plan-of-salvation/life-after-death

Sacred symbols The Beehive The Nauvoo Pentagram  "The hive proper denotes man's physical body. The honeycomb signifies that which is interior to the physical, the astral body. And the honey is symbolical of the spiritual body, which is composed of the choicest nectars and aromas of earthly experience." (C.C. Zain, Ancient Masonry) http://www.inplainsite.org/html/masonic_and_mormon_symbols.html The Nauvoo Pentagram Throughout the history of LDS, they have been criticized for the symbol of the pentagram. In early years, it was compared to evilness; to this day, it still causes controversy between Mormons and the “outsiders-looking-in.” At one point, the pentagram represented the five wounds of Christ. However, skeptical minds have concluded that the symbol somehow represents evil.

The Beehive and Nauvoo Pentagram http://www.utlm.org/images/masonictemplearticle/ldshistoricalmuseumpentagram.jpg http://www.utlm.org/images/masonictemplearticle/thesaltlaketemple_p172.jpg

April 6—the anniversary of the founding of the Church Mormon Holidays Like most Christian denominations, the Mormons celebrate Christmas and Easter. Other special days include: July 24—Pioneer Day (celebrates the journey to Salt Lake City to avoid persecution) April 6—the anniversary of the founding of the Church

Rites of Passage: Marriage Marriage ceremonies are done privately within the Mormon Church. Mormons believe that husband and wife are as one flesh and meant to be together. “A marriage in the Mormon temple is meant to seal man and woman together forever, to be one far beyond the end of their lives.” The marriage is never broken if the husband and wife stay true to each other and God. Although eternal marriages may end in divorce, many do not because of the amount of responsibility they have made to the Church and God. http://www.familiesforever.com/eternal_marriage.html http://www.thevideoman.com/images/LAtemple.jpg

Morality and Ethics: The Mormons views on homosexuality “The Church of Latter Day Saints has strict laws on chastity, and the church believes that homosexuality is in violation of those laws. They believe that homosexuality is a distortion of loving, family relationships, making it a serious sin. They also believe that homosexuality prevents people from receiving the blessings of family life. However, the LDS church does not limit the sin to homosexual behavior. They encourage members struggling with same-sex attraction to resist temptation by praying and seeking help to overcome their homosexuality. They do believe that homosexuals can repent for their sins, but discourage members from committing the sin of homosexuality thinking that they can just ask for forgiveness later.” http://christianteens.about.com/od/homosexuality/f/LDSHomosexualit.htm

In Conclusion… The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was founded by Joseph Smith in 1830 The LDS Church is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States. Baptism secures salvation. There is a Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. LDS believe that we live on this earth to serve God and learn from our mistakes. We have the right to choose our destiny.

Works Cited/Annotation www.lds.org. 2007. This is the official website for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It includes brief history, current news about the LDS, and basic beliefs. There are two official websites—this one includes a “newsroom—the official resource for news media, opinion leaders, and the public.” “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-day_Saints . 2007. Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia with vast information on the LDS. This website does not have a right/wrong opinion about the Church, and was a very helpful source.

Works Cited/Annotation “Mormon Beliefs.” http://www.mormonbeliefs.org/ . 2007. This website is a Mormon website (insider site) and explains the beliefs of the LDS, gives the complete list of The Articles of Faith, and explains the history of the Church beginning with Joseph Smith. http://familiesforever.com/family_resources_mormonism.html 2007. This website is a Mormon website that is devoted mainly to the concerns of family issues. It explains the Mormon’s views on marriage, parenting, and the values of family.

Works Cited/Annotation www.mormon.org . 2007. The official website for the LDS that is created to answer questions you have about the LDS religion. There are search engines for you to locate a church near you, along with a section for email for you to ask a question. Issues such as welfare, holidays, and missionary work is discussed on the site.