The Salt Lake City temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest attraction in the city's Temple Square.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the "LDS Church" or the "Mormon Church", is the largest and best known denomination within the Latter Day Saint movement (a form of Christian Restorationism). The Church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah. Download high resolution version (453x650, 50 KB)Picture of the Temple, Temple Square, Salt Lake City. ... Download high resolution version (453x650, 50 KB)Picture of the Temple, Temple Square, Salt Lake City. ... The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Salt Lake Citys top tourist draw. ... Nauvoo Illinois Temple, dedicated in 2002, is one of the newest LDS temples. ... The temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located in Salt Lake City, Utah is the largest attraction in the citys Temple Square. ... Temple Square c. ... The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the Mormonism movement or the Mormon movement) is a religious movement beginning in the early 19th century that led to the set of doctrines, practices, and cultures called Mormonism and to the existence of numerous churches, the majority of which call themselves Latter... Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament writings of his early followers. ... Restorationism is an attitude that typifies a religious movement which sees itself as a rediscovery and establishment of the original form of Christianity in recent times. ... Aerial view of Temple Square of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake Citys top tourist draw. ...

Latter-day Saints are widely known for:

• Active proselytizing by full-time volunteer missionaries
• Belief in modern prophets, beginning with Joseph Smith, Jr., and continuing today with Gordon B. Hinckley
• Acceptance of both the Bible and the Book of Mormon as works of scripture
• A dietary code called the Word of Wisdom, which requires abstinence from alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and tea
• Belief in God the Father, the Son (Christ), and the Holy Ghost existing as three separate individuals
• Belief in a form of theosis called exaltation or eternal progression
• Formerly practicing polygamy (plural marriage)
• Wearing ceremonial temple garments under their daily clothes
• Performing baptisms for the dead, and other ordinances by proxy, in temples and doing attendant genealogical research.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regard themselves as Christians, but are not considered part of the Orthodox, Catholic, or Protestant traditions. Rather, they believe the Church to be the restoration of the church originally established by Jesus Christ on Earth. The Church has no association with several other denominations known as Mormon fundamentalists which teach the practice of polygyny. A missionary is a propagator of religion, often an evangelist or other representative of a religious community who works among those outside of that community. ... In numerous religions, including Abrahamic religions, Jah religions, Sikhism, and many forms of Paganism, a prophet is an intermediary with a deity, particularly someone who claims to speak for the deity or interprets the deitys will or mind. ... Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Gordon Bitner Hinckley (born June 23, 1910) has been President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church; see also Mormon) since March 1995. ... The holy Jewish scripture: The Torah. ... Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints edition) The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of Mormonism, first published by Joseph Smith, Jr. ... For the Pentacostal usage of this term, please see Word of wisdom. ... Christ is the English representation of the Greek word Χριστός (transliterated as Khristós), which means anointed. ... The Holy Spirit, from the Christian viewpoint, while related to Gods will, is not Gods will personified. ... In Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic theology, theosis, meaning divinization (or woodenly, deification or, to become god), is the call to man to become holy and seek union with God, beginning in this life and later consummated in the resurrection. ... Exaltation is the theological term for trance; although it is practiced by certain religious groups nowadays, it was seen as an alliance with the devil earlier in history. ... The term polygamy (literally much marriage in late Greek) is used in related ways in social anthropology and sociobiology. ... Plural marriage (also formerly known as spiritual wifery) is a type of polygamy that was practiced by Joseph Smith, Jr. ... In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and a few other sects of Mormonism, the temple garment (formally the Garment of the Holy Priesthood or informally, the garment or garments) is a set of sacred underclothing worn by male and female Latter-day Saints who... Baptism for the dead by proxy (or vicarious baptism) is an ordinance practiced by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (and schism churches), the Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran, some of the Neo-Apostolic congregations of Europe, and some Native American religions. ... Nauvoo Illinois Temple, dedicated in 2002, is one of the newest LDS temples. ... Genealogy is the study and tracing of family pedigrees. ... A Latter-day Saint is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). ... Orthodox Christianity typically comprises those Christian traditions which are centered in eastern philosophy, as opposed to those traditions centered in the west. ... Protestantism is a movement within Christianity, representing a split from the Roman Catholic Church during the mid to late Renaissance in Europe —a period known as the Protestant Reformation. ... Mormon fundamentalism is a conservative branch of Mormonism that believes or practices what its adherents consider to be the fundamental aspects of Mormonism. ... The term polygyny (neo-Greek: poly+gyne woman) is used in related ways in social anthropology and sociobiology. ...

Joseph Smith, Jr. and five associates established the Church on April 6, 1830 in the company of some 56 men and women in Fayette, New York. After the persecution of the Church and their expulsion from the state of Missouri, as well as the assassination of Joseph Smith by a mob in Illinois, Brigham Young was called to succeed Joseph Smith and led the Mormon pioneers to settle a large area now encompassed by the state of Utah and parts of Arizona, California, Nevada, Idaho, and Wyoming. Daguerreotype which some experts believe to be an original 1843 photograph of Joseph Smith, Jr. ... April 6 is the 96th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (97th in leap years). ... 1830 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Fayette is a town located in Seneca County, New York. ... Brigham Young (June 1, 1801 – August 29, 1877) was the second prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church; see also Mormonism). ... // History Early history Native Americans have lived in Utah for several thousand years; most archeological evidence dates such habitation about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. ... State nickname: The Grand Canyon State, The Copper State Other U.S. States Capital Phoenix Largest city Phoenix Governor Janet Napolitano (D) Official languages English Only State Area 295,254 km² (6th)  - Land 294,312 km²  - Water 942 km² (0. ... State nickname: The Golden State Other U.S. States Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Official languages English Area 410,000 km² (3rd)  - Land 404,298 km²  - Water 20,047 km² (4. ... State nickname: Silver State, Battle Born State (official) Other U.S. States Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Governor Kenny Guinn (R) Official languages None Area 286,367 km² (7th)  - Land 284,396 km²  - Water 1,971 km² (0. ... State nickname: Gem State Other U.S. States Capital Boise Largest city Boise Governor Dirk Kempthorne (R) Official languages none Area 216,632 km² (14th)  - Land 214,499 km²  - Water 2,133 km² (0. ... State nickname: Equality State Other U.S. States Capital Cheyenne Largest city Cheyenne Governor Dave Freudenthal (D) Official languages English Area 253,554 km² (10th)  - Land 251,706 km²  - Water 1,851 km² (0. ...

The church reports a worldwide membership of over 12 million, with at least 5.5 million residing in the United States. The church membership report includes anyone who has been baptized by the church (adults and youths), regardless of whether they still consider themselves to be members. This report also includes unbaptized children of record (between the ages of 0 and 8). The American Religious Identification Survey 2001 estimated an adult Mormon membership of approximately 2.8 million Americans.¹ According to statistics released by the church, 47% of its members live in the United States and Canada, 36% in Latin America, and 17% in other parts of the world. (See Membership Distribution) Baptism is a water purification ritual practiced in certain religions such as Christianity, Mandaeanism, Sikhism, and some historic sects of Judaism. ...

History

Main article: History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Members of the Church — known as Latter-day Saints — believe their faith to be the divinely appointed restoration of the Church established by Jesus Christ as depicted in the New Testament. They believe that after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the death of his apostles, and faced with organized persecution and hostility from within the pagan Roman Empire, the church that Christ had established and its authority began rapidly to change, leading ultimately to the Great Apostasy. As a result, new doctrine influenced by Hellenistic philosophy came to the fore, and by the fourth century, the Priesthood —or the authority to act in the name of God— had been lost from the Earth completely. Without the priesthood to guide the original church Christ established, spiritual leaders began to stray from the original doctrine of Christ. The early history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is shared by the larger Latter Day Saint movement, which originated in upstate New York under the leadership of Joseph Smith, Jr. ... In Mormonism, the Restoration was a period in its early history during which a number of events occurred that were understood to be necessary to restore the early Christian church as demonstrated in the New Testament, and to prepare the earth for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. ... The New Testament, sometimes called the Greek Testament or Greek Scriptures is the name given to the part of the Christian Bible that was written after the birth of Jesus. ... // Jesus, or Jesus of Nazareth, also known as Jesus Christ, is Christianitys central figure, both as Messiah and, for most Christians, as God incarnate. ... The Great Apostasy is a term of opprobrium used by some religious groups to allege a general fallen state of traditional Christianity, or especially of Catholicism, reformist Protestantism and (often merely by implication) Eastern Orthodoxy: that it is not representative of the faith founded by Jesus and promulgated through his... In Mormonism, priesthood is considered to be the power and authority to act in the name of God, including the performance of sacred rites and ordinances, and the performance of miracles. ...

Church members further believe that in the spring of 1820, God and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to a 14-year-old boy named Joseph Smith, Jr. in response to his prayer regarding which church was true. He was commanded to join none of the existing churches, and through other angelic visits was eventually called as the first prophet of the restored Church. This event is believed to have set in motion the events that led to the earthly restoration of the ancient Church of Jesus Christ with its truths and priesthood authority. Ten years later, after a series of other revelations and visitations to Joseph and others, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was officially organized on 6 April 1830, in Fayette, New York. In many religions, the supreme God is given the title and attributions of Father. ... Joseph Smith, Jr. ... April 6 is the 96th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (97th in leap years). ... 1830 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

In the process, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery are believed to have received the priesthood lost to the earth from resurrected beings who held the authority anciently, including John the Baptist, the apostles Peter, James and John, and the ancient prophet Elijah. Members believe that the restoration of the priesthood brought with it the restoration of the authority to perform baptism and other ordinances. Photograph of Oliver Cowdery, taken c. ... John the Baptist (also called John the Baptizer) is regarded as a prophet by at least three religions: Christianity, Islam, and Mandaeanism. ... Saint Peter, portrayed by Peter Paul Rubens in a papal chasuble and pallium holding keys, was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus and the first Pope of the Catholic Church. ... For people and places called Saint James, see the diambiguation page. ... John the Apostle (יוחנן The LORD is merciful, Standard Hebrew Yoḥanan, Tiberian Hebrew Yôḥānān) was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. ... Elijah (אֱלִיָּהוּ Whose/my God is the Lord, Standard Hebrew Eliyyáhu, Tiberian Hebrew ʾĔliyyāhû), also Elias (NT Greek Ἠλίας), is a prophet of the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament. ...

Church members (and others in the Latter Day Saint movement) believe in additional scriptural canon, making them unique among other christian religions. Chief among these is The Book of Mormon, which members believe is a record that was kept by ancient prophets who lived in the Americas and was engraved on gold plates, translated by the power of God through the Urim and Thummim. Eleven witnesses signed testimonies of its divine authenticity, which are now included in the preface to The Book of Mormon. Eight handled the plates when shown them, and three more professed to have seen an angel present them and to have heard God bear witness to its truth. A history of revelations given to the church primarily through Joseph Smith are also published as The Doctrine and Covenants. The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the Mormonism movement or the Mormon movement) is a religious movement beginning in the early 19th century that led to the set of doctrines, practices, and cultures called Mormonism and to the existence of numerous churches, the majority of which call themselves Latter... Book of Mormon (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints edition) The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of Mormonism first published in Palmyra, New York, USA, in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr. ... The Golden Plates is the name most frequently used to refer to the gold plates that Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Urim and Thummim For the ancient city of Urim see Ur. ... The Eight Witnesses were the second of two sets of special witnesses to the Book of Mormons Golden Plates. ... The Three Witnesses were the first of two sets of special witnesses to the Book of Mormons Golden Plates. ... The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes referred to as the D&C) is a part of the open scriptural canon of Mormonism, written by Joseph Smith, who reportedly had a severe alcohol problem and was an avowed homosexual, despite having several wives. ...

After Smith was killed by a mob, Brigham Young, then President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, was sustained by the majority of the church as the next Prophet and President of the Church (see also succession crisis). Faced with further persecution, members of the Church eventually followed Brigham Young to the Salt Lake Valley, where the Church is headquartered today. The Church is currently headed by President Gordon B. Hinckley. He is assisted by two counselors and twelve Apostles, each of whom are also sustained by members as "prophets, seers, and revelators". Brigham Young (June 1, 1801 – August 29, 1877) was the second prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church; see also Mormonism). ... In Mormonism, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Quorum of the Twelve, the Council of the Twelve, or the Twelve) is one of the governing bodies of the church hierarchy in many Latter Day Saint denominations, members of which are considered to be Apostles and special... The Succession Crisis in the Latter Day Saint movement occurred after the assassination of the movements founder, Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Gordon Bitner Hinckley (born June 23, 1910) has been President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church; see also Mormon) since March 1995. ... In numerous religions, including Abrahamic religions, Jah religions, Sikhism, and many forms of Paganism, a prophet is an intermediary with a deity, particularly someone who claims to speak for the deity or interprets the deitys will or mind. ... Seer has several possible meanings: A fortune teller or prophet The fictional character on the television series Charmed The Seasonal energy efficiency ratio standard for air conditioning appliances This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Name of the Church

Originally the Church was called the "Church of Christ" due to the belief that it is the restored Church of Jesus Christ. Four years later, in April 1834, it was also referred to as the "Church of Latter Day Saints" to differentiate the Church of this era from that of the New Testament. Then in April 1838, the full name was stated as the "Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" (see Doctrine and Covenants 115:3-4). In 1851, when the Church was incorporated in the United States, the official name changed slightly, picking up the additional corporate first article, "The", and the British hyphenation of "Latter-day". The Church of Christ was the original name given to the church formally organized by Joseph Smith, Jr. ... 1834 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1838 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

The Church is also commonly referred to as the "LDS Church", and sometimes the "Mormon Church". Occasionally, these names may bring about confusion, as other groups outside the Church are sometimes alluded to as "Latter-day Saints" or "Mormons". Generally speaking, however, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is likely the most referred to of any of these references. The nickname "Mormon" arose soon after the publication of The Book of Mormon in 1830. Although originally used pejoratively to refer to the Church or its members, the term came to be used widely within the Church. The term Mormon is a colloquial name referring to Latter Day Saints, derived in the 1830s from the Book of Mormon, one of their books of scripture, whose compiler was called the prophet Mormon. ... Book of Mormon (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints edition) The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of Mormonism first published in Palmyra, New York, USA, in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr. ... A word or phrase is pejorative or derogatory (sometimes misspelled perjorative) if it expresses contempt or disapproval; dyslogistic (noun: dyslogism) is used synonymously (antonyms: meliorative, eulogistic, noun eulogism). ...

In a style guide issued in 2001, the Church requests that the official name, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints", be used where possible, stating: "This full name was given by revelation from God to Joseph Smith in 1838." It also encourages the use of "the Church" or "The Church of Jesus Christ" as a shortened reference although the "LDS Church" is commonly used within the Church's publications. When referring to members of the Church, it suggests "Latter-day Saints" as preferred, although "Mormons" is acceptable. Despite the Church's efforts to encourage use of the official name, the Associated Press has continued to recommend "Mormon Church" as a proper second reference in its Style Guide for journalists. In contrast to the Associated Press Stylebook's guidelines which apply the term only to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, some scholars feel the term "Mormon" is also useful as a collective description for all those groups which claim to have descended from Joseph Smith. A new movement is underway to refer to the unique culture, social workings and doctrines of the sects that claim succession from Smith as Mormonism and historical underpinnings as the Latter Day Saint movement. Within the Church, members are collectively referred to as "saints", which reflects the belief that anyone who covenants by baptism to follow Christ is a saint, as members of the primitive church were also deemed. The term "saint" is not solely reserved for an exemplary Christian as in other churches. 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... 1838 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Associated Press logo This article concerns the news service. ... Mormonism (also called Latter Day Saint theology or Mormon theology and Latter Day Saint culture or Mormon culture) is a religion, ethnic group, movement, ideology and subculture originating in the early 1800s as a product of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... The Latter Day Saint movement (also called the Mormonism movement or the Mormon movement) is a religious movement beginning in the early 19th century that led to the set of doctrines, practices, and cultures called Mormonism and to the existence of numerous churches, the majority of which call themselves Latter... In general, the term Saint refers to someone who is exceptionally virtuous and holy. ...

First Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel

The fourth Article of Faith states that Latter-day Saints "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." Articles of faith are sets of doctrines or precepts, the belief in which is fundamental to the followers of a given religion and/or church. ... The Salt Lake City temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest attraction in the citys Temple Square. ... The Salt Lake City temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest attraction in the citys Temple Square. ... The Salt Lake City temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest attraction in the citys Temple Square. ... The Salt Lake City temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest attraction in the citys Temple Square. ...

Faith

Latter-day Saints believe that faith in Jesus is a fundamental requisite to Salvation. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 121). Salvation refers to deliverance from undesirable state or condition. ... Daguerreotype which some experts believe to be an original 1843 photograph of Joseph Smith, Jr. ...

The Lectures on Faith teach that faith is a principle of action and of power, in both the temporal and the spiritual realm. Ultimately, faith is “the first great governing principle which has power, dominion, and authority over all things.” (Lecture 1). For Latter-day Saints, the historical basis of faith comes from the record in the Bible, which leads to a personal Theophany. The holy Jewish scripture: The Torah. ... John the Baptist baptizes Jesus in The Baptism of Christ by Leonardo da Vinci. ...

The Lectures on Faith explain:

Let us here observe, that three things are necessary in order that any rational and intelligent being may exercise faith in God unto life and salvation:

First, the idea that he actually exists.

Secondly, a correct idea of his character, perfections, and attributes.

Thirdly, an actual knowledge that the course of life which he is pursuing is according to his will. For without an acquaintance with these three important facts, the faith of every rational being must be imperfect and unproductive; but with this understanding it can become perfect and fruitful, abounding in righteousness, unto the praise and glory of God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Lecture 3)

The character and attributes and perfections of Christ are Knowledge, Faith (or Power), Justice, Judgment , Mercy , and Truth. By the operation of the Holy Ghost, the miracle of the Atonement, and personal sacrifice, we can develop the same character and attributes of God, and become like Him. Knowledge is understanding soemthing or being able to do something. ... This article discusses faith in a religious context. ... Sociologists usually define power as the ability to impose ones will on others, even if those others resist in some way. ... JUSTICE is a human rights and law reform organisation based in the United Kingdom. ... A judgment or judgement, in a legal context, is synonymous with the formal decision made by a court following legal proceedings. ... Mercy is a term used to describe the leniency or compassion shown by one person to another, or a request from one person to another to be shown such leniency or compassion. ... // Truth in everyday life In everyday life, people distinguish between truth and falsehood as a matter of survival. ... The Holy Spirit, from the Christian viewpoint, while related to Gods will, is not Gods will personified. ... The Atonement is the central doctrine of Christianity: everything else derives from it. ... Sacrifice (from a Middle English verb meaning to make sacred, from Old French, from Latin sacrificium : sacer, sacred; sacred + facere, to make) is commonly known as the practice of offering food, or the lives of animals or people to the gods, as an act of propitiation or worship. ...

Faith in Jesus Christ means accepting Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Messiah. This includes two parts: 1) the belief that all who live on Earth are granted salvation from death (physical resurrection) through the Atonement, the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; and 2) that salvation from sin (or spiritual death) is obtained through sincere repentance, resulting in forgiveness for sin through his grace, and by following the teachings and commandments of Jesus Christ. Latter-day Saints are encouraged by Church leaders and the LDS culture to develop their faith through study, prayer, service, and obedience to God's commandments. Faith is a form of spiritual work, and character-shaping, in conjunction with the miracle of Christ's Atonement. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Messianism. ... In Western culture, skeletons are often the symbol of death. ... Resurrection of the Flesh (1499-1502) Fresco by Luca Signorelli Chapel of San Brizio, Duomo, Orvieto Resurrection is most commonly associated with the consisting of the reuniting of the spirit and the body of an individual, or the raising of a person from death back to life. ... Sin has been a term most usually used in a religious context, and today describes any lack of conformity to the will of God; especially, any willful disregard for the norms revealed by God is a sin. ... Divine grace is a Christian term for gifts granted to humanity by God, that God is under no need or obligation to grant. ...

Latter-day Saints often refer to their personal faith as their "testimony" and refer to telling others about their faith as "bearing testimony."

Repentance

Latter-day Saints believe in the principle of repentance, which for them includes a sincere regret, or "godly sorrow", as well as restitution when possible and abstinence from the sin. Key to the repentance process is a person's personal, prayerful confession to God, which includes asking for forgiveness and resolving not to repeat the mistake. It is important to confess serious sins to a bishop, who can offer advice and encouragement. Consistent with the meaning of the Hebrew and Greek words from which it is translated, repentance denotes "a change of mind", "a turning of the heart and will to God, and a renunciation of sin to which we are naturally inclined." Thus, a return to sin shows that the repentance process is not truly completed. Repentance is for small and large sins and is an ongoing process. Repentance is the feeling and act in which one recognizes and tries to right a wrong, or gain forgiveness from someone that they wronged. ... Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afro-Asiatic language family spoken by 6 million people mainly in Israel, parts of the Palestinian territories, the United States and by Jewish communities around the world. ...

Baptism

The Church of Jesus Christ practices baptism by immersion as Christ was baptized. Baptism is symbolic of burial and rebirth as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Like many Christians, Latter-day Saints believe that a person who repents and is baptized has all prior sins remitted. Baptism is a water purification ritual practiced in certain religions such as Christianity, Mandaeanism, Sikhism, and some historic sects of Judaism. ... A Christian is a follower of Jesus of Nazareth. ...

Baptism is never performed before the eighth birthday. The age of eight was given in latter-day revelation as the age when children become accountable for their sins, that is, they are able to discern between right and wrong. If a person is unable to discern between right and wrong (ie. those with severe mental retardation, etc.) they are deemed unaccountable for their sins and are not baptized, regardless of their age. The Book of Mormon and modern revelation specifically forbids the practice of infant baptism. (See Doctrine and Covenants 68:27 and Moroni 8:4-23.) Baptism is recognized only when performed by one holding the proper authority, contained in the office of a Priest in the Aaronic Priesthood or a higher office. Infant baptism (also called paedobaptism and pedobaptism), the baptism of the infant children of believers, is an ancient custom of much of Christianity, including the Roman Catholic church, the Orthodox churches, Anglicans, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Methodists, to name a few. ... The Aaronic Priesthood is the lesser of the two (or sometimes three) orders of priesthood recognized in Mormonism. ...

See Baptism for the dead. Baptism for the dead by proxy (or vicarious baptism) is an ordinance practiced by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (and schism churches), the Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran, some of the Neo-Apostolic congregations of Europe, and some Native American religions. ...

Gift of the Holy Ghost

Following baptism by immersion, individuals are confirmed members of the Church and given the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands by Priesthood bearers worthy to do so. Latter-day Saints believe that this blessing entitles the newly confirmed recipient to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost as a guide and guardian so long as the recipient lives worthy of the gift. Moreover, members believe that those who have not been confirmed may still receive inspiration and a witness from the Holy Ghost but are not entitled to constant companionship available through the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Spirit, from the Christian viewpoint, while related to Gods will, is not Gods will personified. ... In Mormonism, priesthood is considered to be the power and authority to act in the name of God, including the performance of sacred rites and ordinances, and the performance of miracles. ...

Resurrection and Judgment

Joseph Smith taught, “The Doctrines of the Resurrection of the Dead and the Eternal Judgment are necessary to preach among the first principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 149).

The Book of Mormon defines the Resurrection and Judgement as follows:

The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt.

Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil. (Alma 11:43-44)

Enduring to the End

Members of the Latter-day Saints also believe that life involves enduring to the end, and is not just a "one-time" religious experience. This is the daily spiritual maintenance, charitable works, and personal development — social, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual development. It also involves overcoming personal trials, attending church and temple, rearing families, and doing work for the dead. Ultimately, the goal is for sanctification, the process of having the same character that God has: perfect love, perfect mercy, and perfect truth. Sanctification or in its verb form, sanctify, literally means to set apart for special use or purpose, that is, to make holy or sacred (compare Latin sanctus holy). Therefore sanctification refers to the state or process of being set apart, i. ...

Church leadership and the priesthood

The head of the Church is the President, whom the members revere as the Prophet, seer, and revelator, and is entitled to receive revelation from God, and to guide the Church and the world as His mouthpiece on the earth. Other general, area, and local authorities of the Church include Apostles, Seventies, Stake Presidents, Bishops, and other quorum presidents. The president of the Church serves as such until death, after which the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will meet, pray, and under the leadership of the senior apostle, receive revelation as to whom the next prophet should be. Although not specified by revelation, the senior apostle has historically become the new President of the Church. General Authorities work full-time for the church, and those that need it receive a stipend from the church. In Mormonism, the President of the Church is the head of a Latter Day Saint denomination or church. ... In numerous religions, including Abrahamic religions, Jah religions, Sikhism, and many forms of Paganism, a prophet is an intermediary with a deity, particularly someone who claims to speak for the deity or interprets the deitys will or mind. ... In Mormonism, an Apostle is a person ordained to be a traveling councilor bearing witness of Jesus Christ. ... 70 (seventy) is the natural number following 69 and preceding 71. ... A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregrations in sects of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who, in certain Christian churches, holds a position of authority. ... In law, a quorum is the minimum number of members of a deliberative body necessary to conduct the business of that group. ... In Mormonism, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Quorum of the Twelve, the Council of the Twelve, or the Twelve) is one of the governing bodies of the church hierarchy in many Latter Day Saint denominations, members of which are considered to be Apostles and special...

Lay clergy has a strong tradition in the church, as area and local authorities are unpaid and continue in their normal occupations while serving in leadership positions. Some positions are limited to priesthood holders, with qualifications usually related to the particular calling (e.g., women for the Relief Society, men for the priesthood quorums.) In 1978, an official declaration of the First Presidency reported that a revelation had been received by Church President Spencer W. Kimball directing that all worthy men be allowed to receive the priesthood. From 1849 until 1978, men of African descent had not been permitted to receive the priesthood although they could become members and serve within the Church. (Persons of other dark-skinned ethnicities not of African descent, such as the Maori, could receive the priesthood prior to this time, provided they were called by revelation. See Blacks and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.) The Relief Society, or Female Relief Society, is a womens organization in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... 1978 was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ... Spencer Woolley Kimball (March 28, 1895 – November 5, 1985) headed The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormons, from 1973 until his death in 1985. ... 1849 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1978 was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ... Like many predominantly white Christian churches, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church; see also Mormon) has held controversial positions on the issue of race, and the LDS Church had a general policy of racial exclusion from their priesthood from 1849 to 1978, long after most...

As the Church has no general salaried ministry, thousands of Latter-day Saints around the world participate in leading their congregations in their spare time for a period of a few years, while they continue their normal employment.

See Priesthood (Mormonism) and Priesthood (Latter-day Saint); First Presidency; Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; General Authority In Mormonism, priesthood is considered to be the power and authority to act in the name of God, including the performance of sacred rites and ordinances, and the performance of miracles. ... In Mormonism, priesthood is considered to be the power or authority to act in the name of God. ... In Mormonism, the First Presidency (or the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church) is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy of several Latter Day Saint denominations. ... In Mormonism, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Quorum of the Twelve, the Council of the Twelve, or the Twelve) is one of the governing bodies of the church hierarchy in many Latter Day Saint denominations, members of which are considered to be Apostles and special... A General Authority is a priesthood leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints whose responsibility is at a church-wide level, rather than localized to a particular area or unit of the Church. ...

Scriptures

Under the Church's doctrine of continuing revelation (see Articles of Faith number 9), the Church has an open scriptural canon which thus far includes the Bible, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price, including The Articles of Faith. These scriptural writings comprise the Standard Works of the Church. In general, continuous revelation or continuing revelation is a theological belief or position that God continues to reveal divine principles or commandments to humanity. ... Articles of faith are sets of doctrines or precepts, the belief in which is fundamental to the followers of a given religion and/or church. ... The Biblical canon is an exclusive list of books written during the formative period of the Jewish or Christian faiths; the leaders of these communities believed these books to be inspired by God or to express the authoritative history of the relationship between God and his people (although there may... The holy Jewish scripture: The Torah. ... Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints edition) The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of Mormonism, first published by Joseph Smith, Jr. ... // Jesus, or Jesus of Nazareth, also known as Jesus Christ, is Christianitys central figure, both as Messiah and, for most Christians, as God incarnate. ... The Doctrine and Covenants (sometimes referred to as the D&C) is a part of the open scriptural canon of Mormonism, written by Joseph Smith, who reportedly had a severe alcohol problem and was an avowed homosexual, despite having several wives. ... The Pearl of Great Price refers to a parable told by Jesus in explaining the value of the Kingdom of Heaven. ... Articles of faith are sets of doctrines or precepts, the belief in which is fundamental to the followers of a given religion and/or church. ... The Standard Works of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) consists of several books that constitute its open, scriptural canon, and include the following: The Holy Bible (King James version)* The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ The Doctrine and Covenants The Pearl...

Many of the pronouncements of general authorities, particularly the president of the Church, are also often viewed as uncanonized scripture—particularly official written pronouncements signed by the First Presidency and/or the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, such as "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" (1995), which defined the Church's vision of the ideal family (which resembles the typical nuclear family), and "The Living Christ" (2000), which commemorated the birth of Jesus. Latter-day Saints are also encouraged to accept the most recent statements from prophets and general authorities as modern-day scripture. Latter-day Saints are encouraged to pray to know the truthfulness of the doctrine contained in their various scriptures, especially if they have trouble living a certain principle. A General Authority is a priesthood leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints whose responsibility is at a church-wide level, rather than localized to a particular area or unit of the Church. ... In Mormonism, the First Presidency (or the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church) is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy of several Latter Day Saint denominations. ... In Mormonism, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Quorum of the Twelve, the Council of the Twelve, or the Twelve) is one of the governing bodies of the church hierarchy in many Latter Day Saint denominations, members of which are considered to be Apostles and special... The Family: A Proclamation to the World is a statement issued by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1995, which defined the churchs official position on gender roles, human sexuality, and the family. ... 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year 2000. ...

English-speaking members typically use the King James Version of the Bible; Joseph Smith also translated a version of the Bible, known as the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible (or Inspired Version), and although this Bible translation is not generally used by members of the Church (because the copyright is owned by The Community of Christ, previously called the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), the Bible issued by the Church contains cross references to the Joseph Smith Translation (JST). Though it is part of the canon and members believe the Bible to be the word of God, the Church also acknowledges that numerous omissions and mistranslations from the original autographs occur in even the earliest known manuscripts, though the relative majority of what remains is believed to be correct. These errors have led to incorrect interpretations of the meaning of certain passages. This page is about the version of the Bible; for the Harvey Danger album, see King James Version (album). ... The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, also called the Inspired Version of the Bible or the JST, is a version of the Bible dictated by Joseph Smith, Jr. ...

The introduction of The Book of Mormon describes the book as follows:

The Book of Mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible. It is a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of the Americas and contains, as does the Bible, the fullness of the everlasting gospel. The book was written by many ancient prophets by the spirit of prophecy and revelation. Their words, written on gold plates, were quoted and abridged by a prophet-historian named Mormon. The record gives an account of two great civilizations. One came from Jerusalem in 600 B.C.E., and afterward separated into two nations, known as the Nephites and the Lamanites. The other came much earlier when the Lord confounded the tongues at the Tower of Babel. This group is known as the Jaredites. After thousands of years, all were destroyed except the Lamanites, and they are the principal ancestors of the American Indians.

The crowning event recorded in the Book of Mormon is the personal ministry of Jesus Christ among Nephites soon after his resurrection. It puts forth the doctrines of the gospel, outlines the plan of salvation, and tells men what they must do to gain peace in this life and eternal salvation in the life to come.

The Doctrine and Covenants is a book of revelations, policies, letters, and statements from Church presidents, starting with Joseph Smith. This record contains Church doctrine as well as direction on Church government. The Americas (sometimes referred to as America) is the area including the land mass located between the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean, generally divided into North America and South America. ... For the genre of Christian-themed music, see gospel music. ... In the Book of Mormon, the Nephites (BoM Arabic نافيين Nāfiyyīn) are a people descended from or associated with Nephi, a prophet who traveled with his family from Jerusalem to the Western Hemisphere circa 600 B.C. at the urging of God. ... In The Book of Mormon, a Lamanite (BoM Arabic لاماني Lāmānī) is a member of one of three main tribes described in the book. ... The Tower of Babel by Pieter Brueghel the Elder According to the narrative in Genesis Chapter 11 of the Bible, the Tower of Babel was a tower built by a united humanity in order to reach the heavens. ... In the Book of Mormon, specifically the Book of Ether, the Jaredites are described as the descendants of Jared and his brother. ... Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, Amerindians, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ... Resurrection of the Flesh (1499-1502) Fresco by Luca Signorelli Chapel of San Brizio, Duomo, Orvieto Resurrection is most commonly associated with the consisting of the reuniting of the spirit and the body of an individual, or the raising of a person from death back to life. ...

The Pearl of Great Price contains: (1) excerpts from Joseph Smith’s translation of Genesis, called the book of Moses, and of Matthew 24, called Joseph Smith—Matthew; (2) Joseph Smith’s translation of some Egyptian papyrus that he acquired in 1835 (and subsequently lost, although some pages were purportedly rediscovered in 1967), called the "Book of Abraham"; (3) an excerpt from The Documentary History of the Church containing a letter written by Joseph Smith in 1838, called Joseph Smith—History; and (4) an excerpt of another of Joseph Smith's letters called the Articles of Faith, thirteen statements of belief and doctrine. Articles of faith are sets of doctrines or precepts, the belief in which is fundamental to the followers of a given religion and/or church. ...

Church members, known as "Latter-day Saints," believe literally in the principle of revelation from God to his children. Individual members are entitled to divine revelation for meeting personal challenges. Parents are entitled to revelation for raising their families. Divine revelation for the direction of the entire Church comes from God to the president of the Church, who is viewed by Latter-day Saints as a prophet in the same sense as Abraham, Moses, Peter and other biblical leaders. A Latter-day Saint is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). ...

See also: Scriptures online [1].

The Godhead

LDS theology maintains that God the Father (Heavenly Father), Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are three separate and distinct personages who together comprise the Godhead (as distinct from the traditional doctrine of the Trinity, which maintains that they are three persons but one in essence). All three members of the Godhead are eternal and equally divine, but play somewhat different roles. While the Holy Ghost is a spirit without a physical body, God and Christ do possess distinct, perfected, physical bodies of flesh and bone. Although Mormon theology sees the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost as separate beings, they are considered to be "one God" in most every other possible sense — most importantly they are one in purpose. The Holy Spirit, from the Christian viewpoint, while related to Gods will, is not Gods will personified. ... In Mormonism, depending on the era and the denomination within the Latter Day Saint movement, the concept of the Christian Godhead has included a diverse range of views including forms of modalism, binitarianism, tritheism, henotheism, and trinitarianism. ... The Trinity is God, according to the teaching of the churches which represent the majority of Christians. ... In many religions, the supreme God is given the title and attributions of Father. ...

Mormonism posits most of the same attributes to the members of the Godhead that Trinitarian Christianity posits to the Trinity: omnipotence, omniscience, omnibenevolence, eternal, immutable, immortality, and immanence in the universe but not transcendence of it. However, the meaning held for some of these attributes differ significantly. For example, Mormonism holds that: as the creator, God is the organizer of the universe since in Mormonism all matter (including sentient beings) that exists has always existed and will always exist; God's omnipotence does not transcend logic, or the basic laws of physics, though mankind may not necessarily understand those laws fully; and God's immutability concerns primarily His creations and His future status, not His status prior to that time. The Trinity is God, according to the teaching of the churches which represent the majority of Christians. ... Omnipotence (literally, all power) is power with no limits or inexhaustible, in other words, unlimited power. ... Omniscience is the capacity to know everything, or at least everything that can be known about a character/s including thoughts, feelings, etc. ... Omnibenevolence is the property of being perfectly good, attributed by some religions to God. ... Eternal links here. ... In computing, immutable refers to: the immutable design pattern in programming an immutable object in object-oriented programming This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Immortality is the concept of existing for a potentially infinite or indeterminate length of time. ... Immanence is a religious and philosophical concept. ... Wikimedia needs your help in its 21-day fund drive. ... Logic (from Classical Greek λόγος (logos), originally meaning the word, or what is spoken, but coming to mean thought or reason) is most often said to be the study of arguments, although the exact definition of logic is a matter of controversy amongst philosophers (see below). ... Since antiquity, people have tried to understand the behavior of matter: why unsupported objects drop to the ground, why different materials have different properties, and so forth. ...

Although it is not stated in the canonical scriptures, Joseph Smith and other church leaders have taught that God the Father is an exalted man who once lived on an earth similar to this one, like His Son Jesus Christ. Joseph Smith reportedly said:

These are incomprehensible ideas to some, but they are simple. It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the Character of God, and to know that we may converse with him as one man converses with another, and that he was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ himself did; and I will show it from the Bible. (Joseph Fielding Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 345-46.)

It is implied that God may have lived a mortal life and passed through death, being resurrected and eventually progressing to godhood. The creation story in Genesis would begin sometime after this point. Joseph Fielding Smith (July 19, 1876 – July 2, 1972) was the tenth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1970 to 1972. ...

Latter-day Saints generally also believe, although it is not canonical, that God is eternally married to a Heavenly Mother. Heavenly Mother is believed to be entirely equal in status to Heavenly Father, a celestial Goddess and God, respectively, forever married to one another and preserving differing yet complementary roles of deity, although She is not explicitly referred to in doctrine, scripture, or other Church canons. Her existence is referred to briefly in the Church hymn titled O My Father (Hymn number 292), and it is presumed from Church teachings proclaiming that each person is a "spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents" (See The Family: A Proclamation to the World). Thus, Her existence is simply acknowledged by Church members and leadership, but She is not worshipped nor is made the object of prayer. It is commonly surmised that She is deliberately and safely protected in anonymity by Heavenly Father, whereby no human knows Her name. In some sects of Mormonism, Heavenly Mother (also called Goddess, Mother in Heaven, or God the Mother) is the wife and feminine counterpart of God the Father. ... A goddess is a female deity, in contrast with a male deity known as a god. A great many cultures have goddesses, sometimes alone, but more often as part of a larger pantheon that includes both of the conventional genders and in some cases even hermaphroditic (or gender neutral) deities. ... O My Father is a Latter-day Saint (LDS or Mormon) hymn written by Eliza R. Snow who felt inspired to write it after Joseph Smith, Jr. ... The Family: A Proclamation to the World is a statement issued by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1995, which defined the churchs official position on gender roles, human sexuality, and the family. ...

While those outside the Church refer to the Church's doctrine of the godhead as polytheistic, Latter-day Saints would more accurately be portrayed as henotheistic or monolatristic. However, as a matter of worship, LDS believe in one God as taught in the Scriptures. This God is represented in God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. Protestant, Anglican, Roman Catholic, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox Christian churches insist their religion is monotheistic; that is, God is One in Being (ousia) and simultaneously Three, namely the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in Persons (hypostases). Though the existence of other gods or divine beings is acknowledged by the Church and its members, this fact is considered almost irrelevant to salvation: the other gods—which Latter-day Saints would refer to as exalted beings—have no impact on this sphere of existence, nor is their eternal role defined. Polytheism is belief in, or worship of, multiple gods or divinities. ... In religion and philosophy, henotheism is a term coined by Max Müller, meaning devotion to a single god while accepting the existence of other gods. ... Protestantism is a movement within Christianity, representing a split from the Roman Catholic Church during the mid to late Renaissance in Europe —a period known as the Protestant Reformation. ... The Anglican Communion uses the compass rose as its symbol, signifying its worldwide reach and decentralized nature. ... The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian body, with over 1. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Eastern Orthodoxy (also called Greek Orthodoxy and Russian Orthodoxy) is a Christian tradition which represents the majority of Eastern Christianity. ... Monotheism (in Greek monon = single and Theos = God) is the belief in a single, universal, all-encompassing deity. ...

Despite the Church's name, its focus on Jesus as the Savior of mankind, its "family values", and many of the Gospel teachings it shares with other branches of Christianity, many theologians and members of those other branches consider the difference between LDS practices and doctrines—such as the contrast between the Church's doctrine of the Godhead and the mainstream Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity—so fundamental that they do not regard Latter-day Saints as Christians. (See Mormonism and Christianity.) In their view, a non-trinitarian understanding of Jesus Christ makes His saving grace null and void, and Latter-day Saints will be damned because of the differences in their understanding of Christ. Latter-day Saints counter that it is mainstream Christianity that misunderstands the nature of God. They hold that the mainstream concept of God was corrupted by the introduction of Platonic realism, Neoplatonism, and extreme Asceticism into the early Christian church and that these influences continued through the Great Apostasy. Family values is a political buzzword first used in 1966 to describe a set of moral guidelines for defining the proper structure and role of a family and its members. ... For the genre of Christian-themed music, see gospel music. ... Trinitarianism is the Christian doctrine that God, although one being, exists in three distinct persons (hypostases) known collectively as the Holy Trinity. ... Mormonism has had an uneasy relationship with traditional Christianity since its earliest days in the 1820s, when its founder Joseph Smith, Jr. ... A Latter-day Saint is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). ... According to Platonic realism, universals exist in a realm (often so called) that is separate from space and time; one might say that universals have a sort of ghostly or heavenly mode of existence, but, at least in more modern versions of Platonism, such a description [[Media:is probably more... Neoplatonism (also Neo-Platonism) was a school of philosophy that took shape in the 3rd century A.D. Though based on the teachings of Plato and Platonists, it interpreted Plato in many new ways, so that Neoplatonism was quite different from what Plato had written, though many Neoplatonists would preffer... The word ascetic derives from the ancient Greek term askesis (practice, training or exercise). ... The Great Apostasy is a term of opprobrium used by some religious groups to allege a general fallen state of traditional Christianity, or especially of Catholicism, reformist Protestantism and (often merely by implication) Eastern Orthodoxy: that it is not representative of the faith founded by Jesus and promulgated through his...

Latter-day Saints do not use the Christian cross or crucifix as a symbol of their faith. Most modern Latter-day Saints choose to focus upon Jesus' life and resurrection, not his death. LDS also believe that the one over-riding sign of being a Christian is that one lives Christ's teachings. The traditional form of the Christian cross, known as the Latin cross The Christian cross is a familiar religious symbol of most Christianity. ... For the California hardcore punk band see Crucifix (band) A small, handheld crufix. ...

One of the most commonly used visual symbols of the Church is the trumpeting angel Moroni, proclaiming the restoration of the true gospel to the Earth (usually identified as the angel mentioned in Revelation 14:6–7); and a statue depicting the angel often tops the tallest spire of LDS temples. Another common symbol members use are the letters CTR, meaning "Choose the Right", taken from the name and motto of a children's Primary class.

See also: Godhead (Mormonism); King Follett Discourse In Mormonism, depending on the era and the denomination within the Latter Day Saint movement, the concept of the Christian Godhead has included a diverse range of views including forms of modalism, binitarianism, tritheism, henotheism, and trinitarianism. ... The King Follett Discourse is an address delivered by Joseph Smith, Jr. ...

The Plan of Salvation

The gospel of Jesus Christ, restored in its fulness by God through Joseph Smith, is known as the plan of salvation, and is designed to bring about the immortality and eternal life of mankind. It includes the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement, along with all God-given laws, ordinances, and doctrines.

Latter-day Saints believe that "through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel." (See Third Article of Faith.) Mankind may thus return to live with God as glorified, eternal beings. However, the conditions that Christ requires individuals to fulfil do not of themselves merit salvation, but are required for other reasons. It is only through His merits, mercy, and grace that salvation comes. The Atonement is the central doctrine of Christianity: everything else derives from it. ... For the genre of Christian-themed music, see gospel music. ... Articles of faith are sets of doctrines or precepts, the belief in which is fundamental to the followers of a given religion and/or church. ...

The gift of immortality is also believed to be freely given to all because of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and his subsequent Resurrection (See 1 Corinthians 15:22), although salvation from sin, or spiritual death, is conditional. Entrance to the highest Heavenly Kingdom, the "Celestial Kingdom" (See 1 Corinthians 15:40), is only granted to those who accept Jesus through baptism into the Church by its priesthood authority, follow Church doctrine, and live righteous lives. Faith alone, or faith without works, (i.e. dead faith), is not considered sufficient to attain exaltation. (See James 2:26.) Immortality is the concept of existing for a potentially infinite or indeterminate length of time. ... According to the New Testament, especially the Gospels, Jesus, also called Christ, had the power to lay his life down and to take it up again, being both human and God as well as the Promised Messiah. ... Sin has been a term most usually used in a religious context, and today describes any lack of conformity to the will of God; especially, any willful disregard for the norms revealed by God is a sin. ... In Western culture, skeletons are often the symbol of death. ... Baptism is a water purification ritual practiced in certain religions such as Christianity, Mandaeanism, Sikhism, and some historic sects of Judaism. ... A priesthood is a body of priests, shamans, or oracles who are thought to have special religious authority or function. ...

Exaltation is the reward which Latter-day Saints believe is given to the righteous; including those whose first opportunity to hear the gospel is in the afterlife (and as soon as their temple work is done for them). Through the process of exaltation, a person can eventually become like Jesus Christ, or as it is expressed in scripture, a joint-heir with Him. Exaltation is the theological term for trance; although it is practiced by certain religious groups nowadays, it was seen as an alliance with the devil earlier in history. ...

For Church members, the kingdoms of glory, as follows, are congruent with Christ's words in the New Testament: "In my house there are many mansions..."

The Celestial Kingdom (whose glory is compared to the brightness of the sun in the sky, as its inhabitants have all truth and light) is where the righteous will live with God and with their families. Those who have had the ordinances of eternal marriage, which is performed in Temples, and baptism may be exalted if they are found worthy by God. The minimum stated requirement for accountable individuals to gain entrance to the Celestial Kingdom is baptism and repentance; Latter-day Saints profess that all children who die before the age of accountability automatically inherit a celestial glory. In Mormonism, the Celestial Kingdom is the highest of what are believed to be three heavens or heavenly kingdoms. ... The Sun is the star at the centre of our Solar system. ... Nauvoo Illinois Temple, dedicated in 2002, is one of the newest LDS temples. ...

Those good people who are not valiant in following Jesus or who do not accept the Gospel do not qualify for exaltation and will be consigned to the Terrestrial Kingdom (whose glory is compared to the brightness of the moon in the sky). This kingdom is one of great glory, but without the presence of God the Father. The minimum requirement for entrance is keeping the "law of carnal commandments" (the Ten Commandments). According to the doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Terrestrial Kingdom is an eternal status in the afterlife to which some portion of humankind will be assigned following resurrection and the judgment day. ... Crust composition Oxygen 43% Silicon 21% Aluminium 10% Calcium 9% Iron 9% Magnesium 5% Titanium 2% Nickel 0. ... The Ten Commandments on a monument in the grounds of the Texas State Capitol This 1768 parchment (612x502 mm) by Jekuthiel Sofer emulated 1675 decalogue at the Esnoga synagogue of Amsterdam The Ten Commandments, or Decalogue, is a list of religious and moral imperatives which, according to the Bible, was...

Murderers, other criminals, and those who do not accept the Atonement of Jesus Christ will eventually spend eternity with people of like intent in the Telestial Kingdom, and their glory will be as that of the stars in the night sky. This is also considered a kingdom of glory and has been described as being much better than earthly life. The minimum requirement for entrance is not denying the Holy Ghost, a sin it is believed very few people are willing to commit. // Jesus, or Jesus of Nazareth, also known as Jesus Christ, is Christianitys central figure, both as Messiah and, for most Christians, as God incarnate. ... The Telestial Kingdom is an eternal status in the afterlife to which some portion of humankind will be assigned following resurrection and the judgment day, according to the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ... The Holy Spirit, from the Christian viewpoint, while related to Gods will, is not Gods will personified. ...

Those few people who do, after gaining a full knowledge of the Gospel, willfully deny and contend against the Holy Ghost, are believed to inherit no glory. Most members of the Church refer to this place as Outer Darkness; this is not to be confused with traditional Christianity's definition of the term. An individual so banished is called a Son of Perdition. Conventional forgiveness is not possible for these souls though they will still be resurrected. In Christianity, the outer darkness (often capitalized as Outer Darkness) is a place referred to three times in the Gospel of Matthew (8:12, 22:13, and 25:30) into which a person may be cast out, and where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Generally, the outer darkness... Son of Perdition is a term used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes referred to as Mormons) to describe a person who will not take any part in the glory of God in the afterlife. ...

Chapels

Weekly worship services, including Sacrament Meetings, are held in meetinghouses, also referred to as "chapels." All people, regardless of belief or standing in the church are welcome to attend. The Sacrament, similar to Communion or the Eucharist in other churches, is offered weekly. Typical meetings include the singing of hymns (accompanied by piano or organ) and two or three discourses by congregational members. Although it is not required, women usually attend wearing skirts or dresses, while men wear suits or dress shirts (preferably white) and ties. People in different attire are also welcome. In Mormonism, the Sacrament is the Lords Supper, in which participants eat bread and drink wine (or water, in the case of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since the late 1800s). ... Communion, more widely known as the Eucharist, is the rite that Christians perform in fulfillment of Jesuss instruction, as recounted in the New Testament (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24-25), to do in memory of him what at his Last Supper he did when he gave his...

LDS meetinghouse

Latter-day Saints generally come together in meetinghouses throughout the week (except Mondays, which are reserved for family time) for various activities. A Mormon meetinghouse in England File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A Mormon meetinghouse in England File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Sunday Services

Sunday services consist of a three-hour block of time divided into three segments. The primary Sunday service is Sacrament Meeting, which is slightly more than an hour in length, and attended by the combined congregation. Sacrament Meeting services consist of the blessing and passing of the Sacrament--consecrated bread and water in remembrance of the body and blood of Christ--to baptized members of the Church; the service usually also consists of "talks" or lay sermons prepared and delivered by members of the congregation, and hymn singing and other forms of worship through music. During the other two segments, the congregation divides into smaller groups based on age and/or sex. The church publishes manuals for each type of class, usually including both a teacher's manual and a student booklet.

Sunday school classes are grouped by age and sometimes by background. The most common adult Sunday school class is "Gospel Doctrine," which meets each week and consists of a teacher presenting a gospel message drawn from the Scriptures, with participation from class members. A second adult class that meets most weeks is "Gospel Essentials," designed for new members and non-members who are interested in learning more about the Church (often referred to as investigators). Additional adult classes are held at various times, depending on the specific needs of each congregation. These classes include topics such as "Family Relations," "Family History," "Teacher Preparation" and "Temple Preparation." Youth Sunday School classes are divided by age (12-13, 14-15, 16-18). These classes are sometimes combined if class sizes are small.

In addition to Sacrament Meeting and Sunday School, a third block of meetings is held where attendance is based on age and sex. Men and boys from the age of 12 attend priesthood classes, women attend Relief Society, and girls ages 12-18 attend Young Women. The Young Women group is further divided into Beehive (ages 12-13), Mia Maid (ages 14-15), and Laurel (ages 16-18) classes. Although all men and boys meet together briefly at the beginning of the hour for a prayer, hymn, and announcements, they then separate into classes. The men separate by priesthood office to attend Elders Quorum or High Priests Quorum, the latter usually being older men and/or those who have held leadership positions in the Church. Youth are likewise divided into priesthood quorums: Deacons (ages 12-13), Teachers (ages 14-15), and Priests (ages 16-18). Classes may be combined if the class sizes are small.

Children younger than 12 attend Primary, which spans the two time blocks described above. Primary is divided into two large groups: Senior Primary (ages 8-12) and Junior Primary (ages 4-7); young children from 18 months to 3 years of age attend nursery class. Primary classes generally consist of all the children who were born in the same year. Usually one half of the Primary meets in separate classes while the other half meets together in sharing and singing time, and at the end of the hour, the two are reversed.

Weekday meetings

In addition to Sunday meetings, a number of meetings may take place during the week. High school students attend Early Morning Seminary, which is scheduled so that students can leave for school when the class is over. In some areas with large LDS populations, provisions are made by the high school which allow students to attend Seminary (off-campus) during the school day. The provision, however, is considered Release Time, not a school-recognized class. No credit is awarded by the school, nor is any grade or achievement listed on the school's official transcript, although this does help when applying to Brigham Young University. Name Brigham Young University Location (main campus) Provo, UT 84602 Established October 16, 1875 Community Urban Type Private coeducational Classification Parochial Religion Owned by the LDS Church Enrollment 32,400 Faculty 2,100 President Cecil O. Samuelson Nickname Cougars Mascot Cosmo the Cougar School Colors Dark blue and white Motto...

Young men and women often have a weekly meeting (referred to as "Mutual") which can involve an activity, service project, or instruction. Classes may meet separately or combined on different weeks. Once a month the adult women attend Enrichment Night, where they may choose between various classes being offered, participate in a service project, or attend a social event.

In addition to these regularly scheduled meetings, additional meetings are frequently held at the chapel. Popular activities are basketball, luncheons, and various personal improvement classes. Church members may also reserve the building for personal use, such as wedding receptions, funerals, etc.

Temples

Main article: Temple (Mormonism)

In addition to Sunday worship, some faithful members of the church may participate in ceremonies in temples, including baptisms for the dead, endowments, and eternal marriage. Adult members who obtain their endownments in the temple also receive the temple garment, which they wear under their daily clothing. Nauvoo Illinois Temple, dedicated in 2002, is one of the newest LDS temples. ... Nauvoo Illinois Temple, dedicated in 2002, is one of the newest LDS temples. ...

Other practices

Practices more or less distinctive to Latter-day Saints include following the Word of Wisdom (caring for one's body by eating healthy foods; abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, tea and coffee, and illicit drugs; and eating meat sparingly), tithing (donating 10 percent of one's income to the church), chastity, modesty in dress and behavior, lay leadership, Family Home Evenings (families are encouraged to meet weekly for prayer and other activities - typically on Monday), and home and visiting teaching (members regularly visit one another in their homes for prayer and study). Tattoos and body piercings (except for one pair of earrings for women) are strongly discouraged. Church members are encouraged to marry and have children, and as a result, Mormon families tend to be larger than average. All sexual activity outside of the marriage covenant is considered a significant sin. Homosexual marriages are not recognized by the LDS church. For the Pentacostal usage of this term, please see Word of wisdom. ... In general usage, alcohol (from Arabic al-khwl الكحول, or al-ghawl الغول) refers almost always to ethanol, also known as grain alcohol, and often to any beverage that contains ethanol (see alcoholic beverage). ... Species N. glauca N. longiflora N. rustica N. sylvestris N. tabacum Ref: ITIS 30562 as of August 26, 2005 Tobacco (, L.) refers to a genus of broad-leafed plants of the nightshade family, indigenous to North and South America, or to the dried and cured leaves. ... A hot cup of tea A tea bush. ... Coffee beans and a cup of coffee Coffee as a drink, usually served hot, is prepared from the roasted seeds (beans) of the coffee plant. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Family Home Evening, in the context of LDS Church members, refers to one evening per week that families are encouraged to spend together in study, prayer and other wholesome activities. ... A tattoo is a design in ink or some other pigment, usually decorative or symbolic, placed permanently under the skin. ... Body piercing usually refers to the piercing of a part of the human body for the purpose of wearing jewelry in the opening created. ... Pairs of earrings for sale at a roadside stand in Costa Rica An earring is an ornament that is worn in the ear. ...

The Church emphasises the moral standards taught by Jesus Christ, including personal honesty, integrity, obedience to law, chastity outside of marriage and fidelity within marriage. The Church puts notable emphasis on the family, and distinctively, the concept of a united family which lives and progresses forever is at the core of Latter-day Saint doctrine. The Church opposes abortion, pornography and gambling.

Latter-day Saint fathers who hold the priesthood typically bless their babies shortly after birth to formally give the child a name and a blessing and generate a Church record for them. Various blessings may be pronounced, as directed by inspiration.

Polygamy (Discontinued)

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints no longer practice polygamy, and members found to be engaging in multiple marriage relationships are excommunicated. At one time in its early history, the Church did endorse a form of polygamy called "plural marriage," but this is no longer the case. Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and other early members and leaders of the Church were married to more than one wife, until the practice was officially withdrawn as stated in a declaration called "The Manifesto" which was given by President Wilford Woodruff in 1890 (see Official Declaration 1), and which advised Church members to obey the marriage laws of their land. After the Manifesto, Church members living in Mexico and Canada (in polygamist enclaves) continued the practice of plural marriage. The Church's position was reiterated and clarified in 1904 (commonly referred to as "The Second Manifesto"), with an additional request that no Church members enter into any form of plural marriage, regardless of their location, local customs, or legality. Converts from areas where polygamy is an accepted practice typically must end such relationships. Today, while plural marriage is not practiced, a widower qualified to enter the temple may receive permission to have his subsequent marriage(s) sealed if the woman has not been previously sealed to another man, allowing for the continuation of that relationship beyond death. A widow can be remarried in the temple, but can be sealed to only one husband. The term polygamy (literally much marriage in late Greek) is used in related ways in social anthropology and sociobiology. ... Excommunication is religious censure which is used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community. ... Plural marriage (also formerly known as spiritual wifery) is a type of polygamy that was practiced by Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Brigham Young (June 1, 1801 – August 29, 1877) was the second prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church; see also Mormonism). ... Wilford Woodruff (March 1, 1807 – September 2, 1898) was the fourth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, from 1889 until his death in 1898. ...

Prayers

Formal public and personal prayers are addressed to "Heavenly Father" and offered in the name of Jesus Christ, followed by amen. When a prayer is given in public, it is customary for all attending to say "amen" in reply. English-speaking members generally use "thee," "thou," "thy" and "thine" when addressing God, as a form of both familiarity and respect. Members who speak other languages use similar formal syntax in prayer. Most prayers are extemporaneous and may be said while kneeling, standing, or sitting or in any other position. The word Amen (Tiberian Hebrew אמן ’Āmēn So be it; truly, Standard Hebrew אמן Amen, Arabic آمين ’Āmīn) is a declaration of affirmation found in the Hebrew Bible and in the Quran. ... The first meaning of the term syntax, originating from the Greek words συν (sun, meaning ‘together’) and ταξις (taxis, meaning sequence/order), can be described as the study of the rules, or patterned relations that govern the way the words in a sentence come together. ...

Certain prayers associated with ordinances are defined and must be delivered verbatim, while others must follow a certain pattern. For example, the prayer to bless the sacrament is a set prayer which is delivered the same way each week. The priesthood holder kneels to say the prayer; if he accidentally deviates from the form, he is instructed to repeat the prayer until it is correct. Likewise, the prayer for baptism must be given verbatim prior to immersion; the priesthood holder stands in the water beside the person to be baptized, raises his right arm to the square, and pronounces the blessing. Other ordinations and blessings have a pattern, for example, in a confirmation prayer, the priesthood holder is to address the individual being confirmed by his or her full name, state the priesthood authority by which the ordinance is given, confirm that person as a member of the Church, and bestow the Holy Ghost with such words as "receive the Holy Ghost." This is usually followed by an extemporaneous personal blessing as directed by the Spirit.

Missionaries

The LDS Church has perhaps the most active missionary program of any world church. As of 31 December 2004 there were in excess of 51,000 full-time missionaries serving around the world at any given time without pay. See missionaries for more information. A missionary is a propagator of religion, often an evangelist or other representative of a religious community who works among those outside of that community. ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2004(MMIV) is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A missionary is a propagator of religion, often an evangelist or other representative of a religious community who works among those outside of that community. ...

Missionary work is a fundamental principle of the Church, and has become one of the most readily identifiable characteristics of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. All missionaries have been assigned by Church headquarters to their area of work, which can be in any part of the world where governments allow them to preach. They contribute to their own support for up to two years, frequently learning another language. The Church also places an emphasis on humanitarian services, and vast family history resources. Genealogy is the study and tracing of family pedigrees. ...

Education

Latter-day Saints believe that one of the most important aspects of life on earth is the opportunity for individuals to learn and grow. Accordingly, the Church strongly emphasizes education and subsidizes Brigham Young University, Brigham Young University-Idaho (formerly Ricks College), and Brigham Young University-Hawaii. The Church also has a seminary program for high school students and an Institute of Religion program for college-age Church members. All members twelve and above attend Sunday School classes, which emphasize personal scripture studies and other forms of education and self-improvement. Name Brigham Young University Location (main campus) Provo, UT 84602 Established October 16, 1875 Community Urban Type Private coeducational Classification Parochial Religion Owned by the LDS Church Enrollment 32,400 Faculty 2,100 President Cecil O. Samuelson Nickname Cougars Mascot Cosmo the Cougar School Colors Dark blue and white Motto... Name Brigham Young University-Idaho location Rexburg, ID 83460 (main campus) Established November 12, 1888 as Bannock Academy August 10, 2001 as BYU-Idaho Community Rural Type Private coeducational Classification Parochial Religion Owned by the LDS Church Enrollment 10,730 Faculty Not Availble Interim President Robert Wilkes Named President Kim... Brigham Young University of Hawai‘i is located at the historically Latter-day Saint town of Lā‘ie on the island of O‘ahu. ...

In addition, the Church sponsors a low-interest educational loan program known as the Perpetual Education Fund. This fund is designed to benefit both young men and women from all parts of the world who have served a mission, returned to their home, and need further education to become productive citizens in their respective countries. As they finish their education and enter the work force, they then are able to pay back the funds provided so that other individuals can attend both vocational technical schools and university. The Perpetual Education Fund is a program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, first announced by President Gordon B. Hinckley on March 31, 2001. ...

Finances

The financial status of the Church has been the focus of two investigative reports: a 1991 report by the Arizona Republic and a 1997 report by Time Magazine. Both claim the Church is the most prosperous American religion, with Time estimating $5.2 billion dollars in tithes during 1996. The Church has holdings in real estate, as well as for-profit businesses managed through Deseret Management Corporation. Time estimated assets in 1996 at more than $30 billion dollars. The Arizona Republic is a newspaper published in Phoenix, Arizona. ... (Clockwise from upper left) Time magazine covers from May 7, 1945; July 25, 1969; December 31, 1999; September 14, 2001; and April 21, 2003. ... The Deseret Management Corporation is a for-profit management company of assets for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ...

It is difficult to determine the exact financial status of the Church because it is not required to disclose financial information. Some of the Church's known holdings include:

• AgReserves Inc, Salt Lake City, Utah - the largest producer of nuts in America.
• Beneficial Life Insurance Co. - assets of $1.6 billion dollars.
• Bonneville International Corp - the 14th largest radio chain in the U.S.
• Deseret Cattle and Citrus Ranch in Orlando, Florida - the world's largest beef ranch at 312,000 acres (1260 km²). The land alone is worth $858 million.
• Farmland Reserve, Inc - recently purchased 88,000 acres (356 km²) in Nebraska bringing its total in Nebraska to 228,000 acres (923 km²) second in Nebraska to Ted Turner's 290,000.
• Polynesian Cultural Center, Hawaii - the number one for-profit visitor attraction in Hawaii.

The Church uses its financial resources to provide social welfare and relief, build facilities, maintain the missionary program, and support Church sponsored programs.

Provide for Social welfare and relief - The Church operates a welfare distribution system, as it encourages members to seek financial assistance from family and church first before seeking public or state-sponsored welfare. AgReserves Inc., Deseret Cattle and Citrus Ranch, and Farmland Reserve, Inc. are part of its welfare distribution system. Welfare resources are distributed by local bishops but maintained by the Presiding Bishop. Bishop is an office of the priesthood in the Latter Day Saint or Mormon tradition. ... The Presiding Bishop is an ecclesiastical position in some denominations of Christianity. ...

Build facilities - The Church builds additional chapels and temples as wards and branches of the Church are organized. A recent temple building program concluded in 2001 where the church built about 40 smaller temples between 1998 and 2001. The church currently has 121 temples around the world with 9 additional temples either announced or under construction. See chonological list of temples. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a ward is the larger of two types of local congregations (the smaller being a branch). ...

Maintain its missionary program - Although the families of missionaries generally pay $400 a month for missions, additional general funds of the Church support missionaries unable to pay for their own missions. Additionally, the Church provides a mission office and mission home for each of its 300 missions and pays for television advertising offering free copies of the Book of Mormon, the Bible, videos, etc. Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints edition) The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of Mormonism, first published by Joseph Smith, Jr. ... The holy Jewish scripture: The Torah. ...

Support Church sponsored programs - The Church owns and subsidizes education at its three Universities (see Education above). It also supports Boy Scouts programs for young men and Seminary and Institute programs. For professional sport scouts, see Scout (sport). ...

LDS Customs

Titles

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints address each other as "Brother" or "Sister" and then usually append the last name (such as Brother Smith, or Sister Young). Additionally, those that hold specific leadership positions may be addressed by their title and then their last name (such as President Kimball). Some frequently-used titles are as follows.

• Bishop - The Bishop of a ward, but not his counselors, is addressed by the title of "Bishop". Generally, only the title is used, because bishops are confined to a small geographical location. The last name being used only to disambiguate. Also, the Presiding Bishop and his counselors are referred to as "Bishop So-and-So".
• Elder - While most adult male Church members hold the office of "elder" in the Melchizedek Priesthood, in general only full-time missionaries (proselyting or service), members of a Quorum of the Seventy, and members of the Quorum of the Twelve are addressed with this title.
• Patriarch - A Patriarch is generally an older Priesthood holder in a Stake who is charged with providing blessings for individual members of the Stake wherein his or her lineage in Israel is established as well as council for the future and promises of blessings for effort made to live a righteous life.
• President - In a ward, the Relief Society President and the Elder's Quorum President are referred to as "President So-and-So". Occasionally, other presidents within the ward, such as the Deacons Quorum President, may be referred to with this title. In addition to the above presidencies, in a branch, the branch president and his councilors are referred to as "President So-and-So". All members of a Stake (or District) Presidency, a Temple Presidency, a Mission Presidency, the Presidency of the Seventy, and the First Presidency are referred to as president.

With the exception of "Elder", those who formerly held the callings listed above retain their titles, especially bishops. Former stake presidents and branch presidents are almost always referred to by their old title, especially by those people for whom they were responsible. Bishop is an office of the priesthood in the Latter Day Saint or Mormon tradition. ... In Mormonism, an Elder is a priesthood and leadership position in many denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... The Melchizedek Priesthood, to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is the authority and power to act in the name of God including the authority to perform ordinances and to preside over and direct the affairs of his Church and Kingdom. ... In Mormonism, a Quorum of the Seventy is one of a group of up to seventy traveling ministers charged with the mission of preaching to the entire world, under the direction of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. ... In Mormonism, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (also known as the Quorum of the Twelve, the Council of the Twelve, or the Twelve) is one of the governing bodies of the church hierarchy in many Latter Day Saint denominations, members of which are considered to be Apostles and special... A Quorum is a body (group) of those ordained the same office of the priesthood. ... A stake is a long, pointed object thrust into the ground. ... Districts are a form of local government in several countries. ... Nauvoo Illinois Temple, dedicated in 2002, is one of the newest LDS temples. ...

Public Speaking

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a long and rich tradition of public speaking. Many of the early Church members -- and especially leaders -- were gifted orators and many were skilled in debate. Public speaking was common for both leaders and lay members. This speaking tradition continues even today. For example, during worship services on the first Sunday of each month, members of the congregation are invited to share their testimonies of the Gospel, faith-building experiences, and other uplifting messages with the other members of the congregation. A congregation is an assembly of people for a given purpose. ... For the genre of Christian-themed music, see gospel music. ...

On each of the other Sundays during the month, members of the congregation are selected in advance to give a "talk" (the LDS equivalent of a "sermon") on a particular Gospel principle or topic. Often the congregation will hear from one or two youth speakers and one or two adult speakers during these meetings.

Church leaders and missionaries are also encouraged to speak boldly and freely about the Gospel, and are often given opportunities for extemporaneous public speaking on various Gospel subjects.

Since the early days of the Church, talks given by leaders (especially those given in the Church's bi-annual General Conference meetings) have been recorded and widely distributed in written format. A digitized collection of these talks dating back to 1971 is available on the lds.org website, and talks dating back to the 1800s are available in printed format through various University and community libraries. In recent years the LDS Church and Brigham Young University have also made audio and video versions of selected talks freely available on their websites. See lds.org, byu.edu, and ldsvoices.com for a collection of audio and video resources. In Mormonism, General Conferences are church-wide meetings of individual Latter Day Saint denominations. ...

Criticism and Controversy

See Controversies regarding The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. // General note about critical analyses of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Though The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church; see also Mormon) does not usually respond to criticisms directly, some LDS Church members have made an effort to catalogue criticisms and have...

External links

Official websites of the Church

• Primary websites:
  • LDS.org - the official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — with links to Gospel Library, Church History, Family Home Evening programs, and more
  • Mormon.org - information on basic beliefs, a meetinghouse locator, and a place to email questions
  • FamilySearch.org - Search for Ancestors
  • JosephSmith.net, the official web site on Joseph Smith by the LDS Church.

Additional websites

• Church-friendly websites, unaffiliated with the Church:
  • LDS Today - news related to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
  • FairLDS - scholarly articles from a group of volunteer LDS apologetics (FAIR=Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research).
  • Meridian Magazine - Webzine for Latter-day Saints; updated every weekday.
  • Nauvoo.com A gathering place for Latter-day Saints, including discussion forums, owned by LDS author Orson Scott Card.
  • LDSFAQ at byu.edu - A comprehensive index answering many common questions. Uses large portions of The Encyclopedia of Mormonism.
  • Mormon Answers - frequently asked questions about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

• Alternative and Opposing Points of View
  • Exmormon.org - For those who have left the LDS Church, or for those considering leaving.
  • Postmormon.org - An alternative to ex-Mormon, focused on moving beyond, not opposing, Mormonism.
  • Zarahemla City Limits - Essays on Mormonism.
  • Rethinking Mormonism - A site that summarizes the critical information respecting some of the key questions questioning Mormons often wish to address

Footnotes

• Note 1: These results come from a random, digit-dialed survey of 50,281 residential households in the 48 contiguous United States.