Other Historical Documents Of Local Church Units
The Historical DepartmentArchive Search Room also has the following types of historical records:
Minute Books from 1837 to 1977. You will find minutes of priesthood quorums, Relief Societies, other auxiliary organizations, and general ward and stake minutes. The minutes may provide dates of blessings, baptisms, confirmations, and ordinations that you will not be able to find elsewhere.
Quarterly Reports of branches, wards, stakes, and missions. These reports provide the names of the leaders in the various organizations. Stake and mission reports are available to the present. The ward and branch reports are available between 1956 and 1983.
Finding Aids For Latter
The Studies in Mormon History Database includes citations to articles, books, theses, and Ph.D. dissertations dealing with the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, written from the time of its inception in 1830 to the present. It is intended to be comprehensive. It includes citations to over 2,000 Latter-day Saint biographies and 800 published Latter-day Saint diaries. The diary entries have abstracts describing dates of coverage and a summary of the contents. There are some links to full-text items.
What Is The Difference Between The Mormons And The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints
What Is the difference between the Mormons and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints?
Heres the best part. There isnt! How you ask? They are the same people. The name Mormon is only a nickname and was given to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints when it was restored in the 1830s. This nickname was used, until recently, to refer to our church and its members, by non-members and members alike.
In both biblical and modern times, Jesus Christ has organized and established his church. Given that Christ is the head of the church and his sacrifice is central to its teachings, he himself commanded:
6) And whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day.
7) Therefore, whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name therefore ye shall call the church in my name and ye shall call upon the Father in my name that he will bless the church for my sake.
8) And how be it mychurch save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses name then it be Moses church or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel.1
If Jesus revealed how his church should be called, then where does the nickname Mormon come from?
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President Of The Church
With the death of Monson on January 2, 2018, Nelson became the anticipated to the church’s presidency. Nelson signed 1,150 calls as the presiding apostle. After being ordained and set apart as church president on January 14, 2018, Nelson was introduced to church members and the media two days later, along with Oaks as his First Counselor and as Second Counselor. Nelson chose not to retain , who had served as Monson’s Second Counselor, in the new . This marked the first time since 1985 that a new church president had not retained a previously-serving counselor.
On April 14, 2022, Nelson surpassed to become the oldest president in the history of the church. On August 8, 2022, Nelson became the church’s oldest apostle ever, surpassing .
Worldwide ministry
Since becoming church president, Nelson has visited members of the LDS Church in various areas of the world. Up through August 2019, he had visited sixteen countries, addressing thousands of members of the faith.
The first trip, called a global ministry tour by the church, occurred in April 2018, when Nelson along with his wife, and and his wife, met with Latter-day Saints in , , , , , and .
In June 2018, Nelson traveled to , where his second wife was born and raised, and gave three devotional addresses in three consecutive evenings.
On February 10, 2019, Nelson spoke to church members in Arizona at in Glendale. In addition to the large crowd in attendance, the devotional was broadcast across the state.
Temples
How Did The Church Begin
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was founded by Joseph Smith in New York State in 1830. This era is often referred to as the Second Great Awakening, a Protestant religious revival, in which preachers including Smith called for the restoration of Christianity, which they saw as corrupt.
According to Smiths account, he was visited in the 1820s by an angel called Moroni, who revealed to him the location of a new revelation from God, called the Book of Mormon. It was discovered by Smith in the form of gold plates or tablets, buried near his family farm in New York State.
The Book of Mormon includes stories about the ancient peoples of the North American continent, who had travelled there from Israel, as recorded by the prophet Mormon and his son, the angel Moroni. It claims that Jesus visited the Americas after his resurrection. Smith said it was written in a new language which he alone could translate, and as he gradually converted the texts into English they revealed the structure of a new religious movement which he then established.
Gradually Smith gathered a group of followers, often by converting people who were already interested in restorationist versions of Christianity, and tried to settle the nascent church in several towns.
In 1844 Smith and his brother Hyrum were charged with riot and treason and were shot dead by a mob while being held in an Illinois jail awaiting trial.
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Mission Of The Church
The mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to help all of Gods children come to Jesus Christ3 through learning about His gospel, making and keeping promises with God , and practicing Christlike love and service.4
Members of the Church believe in helping individuals and families fulfill the commandments to love God and to love your neighbor.5 Members do so by living the gospel of Jesus Christ,6 caring for those in need,7 inviting all to receive the gospel,8 and uniting families through family history and temple work.9
World Mission Society Church Of God
is a non-denominational Christian movement founded by in 1964. The church claims to be a restoration of the original Church of God and has teachings differing from other Christian denominations. After Ahn Sahng-hong died in February 1985, a group of people in Church of God Jesus Witnesses including the man Kim Joo-cheol and the woman wanted to re-introduce the concept of a “spiritual mother”, and on 22 March 1985 moved from Busan to Seoul. On a meeting in Seoul on 2 June 1985, they discussed how to call Zahng Gil-jah, and established a church called Witnesses of Ahn Sahng-hong Church of God which is led by Kim Joo-cheol and Zahng Gil-jah. Two major new doctrines were codified:
Ahn Sahng-hong should be regarded as Jesus Christ who had already come, should be titled Christ Ahn Sahng-hong, and pursuant to a traditional trinitarian view of Christian hypostasis Ahn was consequently also The Holy Spirit, God the Father, and thus God.Zahng Gil-jah should be regarded as God the Mother, a female image of God, be titled Heavenly Mother, or simply Mother, and together with Ahn Sahng-hong be regarded as God.
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Abortion And Birth Control
The LDS Church opposes elective abortion “for personal or social convenience” but states that abortion could be an acceptable option in cases of rape, incest, danger to the health or life of the mother, or where the fetus has been diagnosed with “severe defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth.” The current church stance on birth control is that decisions about its use and “the consequences of those decisions rest solely with each married couple” and that they should consider “the physical and mental health of the mother and father and their capacity to provide the basic necessities of life for their children” when planning a family. Historically, the church discouraged surgical sterilization, like vasectomies and tubal ligation, and encouraged members to only use these options for serious medical conditions after discussing it with a bishop. In the past the use of birth control methods including artificial contraception was explicitly condemned by LDS Church leaders.
The Plan Of Salvation
The term Plan of Salvation is used to describe how the gospel of Jesus Christ is designed to bring about the immortality and eternal life of humankind. It includes the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement, along with all God-given laws, ordinances, and doctrines. Members believe that after this life is the Resurrection and Judgment.
The gift of immortality is also believed to be freely given to all because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and his subsequent Resurrection, although salvation from sin is conditional. Entrance to the highest Heavenly Kingdom, the “Celestial Kingdom,” 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 is not considered sufficient to attain exaltation.
Kingdoms
According to the Church, the Celestial Kingdom is where the righteous will live with God and their families. This kingdom includes multiple degrees of glory, the highest of which is exaltation. 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. Accountable individuals must be baptized and repent to gain entrance to the Celestial Kingdom Latter-day Saints profess that all children who die before the age of accountability automatically inherit a celestial glory.
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Informal And Abbreviated Names
Because of the belief in the Book of Mormon among Joseph Smith’s followers, in the 1830s people outside the church began to refer to its members as “Mormonites” or “Mormons” and the church as the “Mormon Church”. Smith and other church leaders considered these informal or abbreviated terms to be derogatory and inappropriate, as editorialized in 1834:
Others may call themselves by their own, or by other names, and have the privilege of wearing them without our changing them or attempting so to do but we do not accept the above title, nor shall we wear it as our name, though it may be lavished out upon us double to what it has heretofore been.
âSecond Elder Oliver Cowdery,
Today, it remains common for individuals and media outside of the church to refer to it as the “Mormon Church”. Church leaders have resisted these practices and have asked members not to refer to the church in these ways.
In 2001, the LDS Church Saints issued a style guide on its name, requesting that those writing about the church adhere to the following guidelines:
- In the first reference, the full name of the Church is preferred: “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
- Please avoid the use of “Mormon Church”, “LDS Church” or the “Church of the Latter-day Saints.”
- When a shortened reference is needed, the terms “the Church” or “the Church of Jesus Christ” are encouraged.
- When referring to Church members, the term “Latter-day Saints” is preferred, though “Mormons” is acceptable.
For A Lot Of People The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter
This explains why you often hear people ask if it is a church or a cult. First of all, it is actually a church. Still, this is understandable which is why we shedding some light on this church.
Here are five interesting things you probably don’t know about Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
They are Christians
Due to the fact that not enough is known about this church, many people assume that members are not Christians. Some go as far as calling the organization a cult.
Contrary to these public opinions, they are actually Christians because they believe and worship God in the name of Jesus Christ.
According to the founder of the movement, Joseph Smith, they are Christians because they put Christ at the centre.
In his words, The fundamental principles of our religion is the testimony of the apostles and prophets concerning Jesus Christ, that he died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended up into heaven and all other things are only appendages to these, which pertain to our religion.
They have two names
Formally, this religious body is known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or the LDS Church.
Informally, it is called the Mormon Church. Members are referred to as Latter-day Saints or Mormons, according to Wikipedia. This is because church follows the Book of Mormon.
The church was started by one mans vision
The birth of this church can be traced to Joseph Smith, the first president who established the church on April 6, 1830.
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What Is The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter
FX’s true crime show Under the Banner of Heaven explores how religious fundamentalism led to the tragic deaths of 24-year-old Brenda Wright Lafferty and her 15-month-old daughter Erica.
The drama, which is based on Jon Krakauer’s nonfiction book of the same name, examines this case in light of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the LDS church or Mormon church.
It does so by recounting the faith’s founding and also how Mormon detective Jeb Pyre struggles with his beliefs while investigating the horrific 1984 murders.
Here is everything you need to know about the Christian faith and its origins.
What Is The Position Of The Church Regarding Race Relations
The gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone. The Book of Mormon states, Black and white, bond and free, male and female all are alike unto God . This is the Churchs official teaching.
People of all races have always been welcomed and baptized into the Church since its beginning. In fact, at the end of his life in 1844, Joseph Smith, the founding prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, opposed slavery. During this time some black males were ordained to the priesthood. At some point the Church stopped ordaining male members of African descent, although there were a few exceptions. It is not known precisely why, how or when this restriction began in the Church, but it has ended. Church leaders sought divine guidance regarding the issue and in 1978 extended the priesthood to all worthy male members. The Church immediately began ordaining members to priesthood offices wherever they attended throughout the world.
The Church unequivocally condemns racism, including any and all past racism by individuals both inside and outside the Church. In 2006, then Church president Gordon B. Hinckley declared that no man who makes disparaging remarks concerning those of another race can consider himself a true disciple of Christ. Nor can he consider himself to be in harmony with the teachings of the Church of Christ. Let us all recognize that each of us is a son or daughter of our Father in Heaven, who loves all of His children .
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Utah War And Mountain Meadows Massacre
In 1857â1858, the church was involved in an armed conflict with the U.S. government, entitled the Utah War. The settlers and the United States government battled for hegemony over the culture and government of the territory. Tensions over the Utah War, the murder of Mormon apostle Parley P. Pratt in Arkansas, and threats of violence from the Baker-Fancher wagon train , resulted in rogue Mormon settlers in southern Utah massacring a wagon train from Arkansas, known as Mountain Meadows massacre. The result of the Utah War was the succeeding of the governorship of the Utah territory from Brigham Young to Alfred Cumming, an outsider appointed by President James Buchanan.
The Founder Joseph Smith Jr
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was officially founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. and five associates on April 6, 1830, in Fayette, New York.
When Smith was fourteen years old, he claimed to have had a religious experience, in which both God the Father and Jesus Christ spoke to him and instructed him not to affiliate himself with any denomination. Three years later, he reported being visited again by a heavenly angel named Moroni who told him that a book written on gold plates had been buried and Smith had been charged with its protection.
Smith allegedly retrieved the gold plates in 1827 and began the process of translating their engravings. On March 26, 1830, when his dictation was complete, Smith published the work as the Book of Mormon. Shortly thereafter, on April 6, 1830, Smith also founded the first Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints church.
To avoid conflict and persecution encountered for his claims, Smith and his followers moved to Kirtland, Ohio early in 1831. Here the church’s first temple was built and some Mormons believed erroneously that Jesus’ Millennial reign had begun. However, the controversy and mob violence that had plagued Smith followed him to Kirtland and in early 1832, Joseph was dragged from his bedroom in the dead of night, tarred and feathered, and left for dead.
In February, 1844, Smith announced his candidacy for President of the United States, with Sidney Rigdon as his vice-presidential running mate.
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