Blog

The Mormon Church is the common nickname of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church was founded in 1830 under the direction of Joseph Smith. The Church is based upon personal revelations he received, the doctrines of the Bible and organization of Christ’s original church, and the doctrines of the Book of Mormon (a book of ancient scripture Joseph translated by the power of God).Even before the Church was formally organized, persecutions hounded Joseph and those who followed him. Members of the Church, referred to as Latter-day Saints or Saints, were driven from town to town and state to state. In spite of this persecution and the murder of Joseph Smith, the Mormon Church has flourished and can now boast 12.5 million embers. Though still subject to persecution, misunderstandings, and false accusations, the Church today is well-respected in general and is represented in over 160 countries.Mormons are Christians, and Christ is the center of all they believe. One of the core beliefs of the Mormon Church is that it is Christ’s restored church, that after the death of Christ’s apostles the church fell into apostasy and the authority to act in God’s name was lost. These keys of authority (the Priesthood) were necessarily restored to Joseph Smith by the servants of Jesus Christ and have since been handed down in unbroken succession. In conjunction with that, the Mormon Church believes in, and is founded upon, the idea that God still speaks to men in the form of visions and revelations to His prophets. Most of Mormon scripture has come through modern revelation. Such revelations continue to guide the church today.Members of the Mormon Church rejoice in Christ’s gospel and the restored truths found in Mormonism. Because of this joy, and the belief that certain ordinances must be performed to return to God’s presence, the Church sends over 50,000 young men and women throughout the world as Mormon missionaries spreading the gospel to all the nations of the world. Mormons believe that all people are children of God, and as such all should hear God’s message and learn of his plan for their eternal salvation.Another belief that sets the Mormon Church apart revolves around the importance of temples. The Mormon Church believes that there are truths and ordinances necessary for people to return to God which can only be found in temples. All worthy adult members of the Church can go to any of the Church’s 122 worldwide temples and do work for themselves and the deceased. Mormons believe that God’s gospel is literally for everyone and that even those who have died should have the opportunity to receive sacred ordinances, though they are not obligated to accept the work done for them.The Mormon Church puts strong emphasis on the importance of families and believes that through temple work, families and marriages can remain intact after death and throughout eternity. Children are considered a blessing and marriage is a sacred union not to be treated lightly.The Mormon Church also has a health code of sorts known as the Word of Wisdom. Members of the Church do not smoke, drink alcohol or coffee, or use illegal drugs. Rather, the Church encourages its members to eat nutritious foods and stay healthy in mind and body. Education is also a priority for all members of the Mormon Church.Because of its emphasis on families, healthy living, education, serving others, and for numerous other reasons, members of the Mormon Church are a happy people who are good citizens and good neighbors wherever they live.