Latter-day Saints

What are members of the church called?
Why is the use of “Mormons” now discouraged?
What does “latter-day” mean?
Are Latter-day Saints Christians?
What are core values?
When did the church begin?
Who was Joseph Smith?
How many people saw the golden plates?
Why did the church leave New York State?
How did the church wind up in Utah?
How are leaders changing today’s church?
What are the church’s sacred texts?
What is the Book of Mormon?
What is the top authority?
What role do women have in the church?
How are temples and chapels different?
What is Brigham Young University?
What is a plural marriage?
Why does the church maintain genealogical records?
What is mission work?


What are members of the church called?
There are several ways to refer to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They prefer “Latter-day Saints” or “members of the restored Church of Jesus Christ.” In this guide, we will refer to “members” and “Latter-day Saints.”
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Why is the use of “Mormons” now discouraged?
Members of the church have long been referred to as “Mormons,” but this is now discouraged. Church President Russell M. Nelson said a 2018 revelation prompted him to encourage members to use the full name of the church, which members believe was ordained by Jesus Christ. “Mormon” is still acceptable when referring to the Book of Mormon or the prophet it is named for, but references to “Mormons,” “Mormonism” and “The Mormon Church” are now outdated. Abbreviating Latter-day Saint to LDS is also discouraged. These style updates are meant to place the focus of the Church on Jesus Christ as a reminder of the church’s focus.
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What does “latter-day” mean?
Latter-day simply means modern, or after the church restored what it sees as the true teachings and practices of Christianity.
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Are Latter-day Saints Christians?
Latter-day Saints absolutely identify as Christians. They believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God and believe he was crucified to atone for human sins and rose three days later. The life and teachings of Jesus are central to the church, but it differs with other Christians on some major points and does not fit into Protestantism, Catholicism, or Orthodox Christianity. Latter-day Saints see God as an embodied being separate from the Son and the Holy Ghost, as opposed to the more abstract concept of God in many other denominations. Latter-day Saints are also set apart from other denominations by their belief that their church, founded by Joseph Smith, is the restored church of Jesus Christ, reestablishing Christianity’s early teachings as they were originally intended. That being said, Latter-day Saints believe in an open canon, meaning the Bible can be expanded. While other Christian groups subscribe to the Old and New Testaments, Latter-day Saints also accept the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price as sacred texts.
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What are core values?
The core values of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are laid out in their Thirteen Articles of Faith. These include belief in God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost, atonement for sins, Jesus returning to the Earth and ruling from the North American continent. Members also place high importance on family, following the rule of law and generally living a pure life. As the Thirteenth Article says, “We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men.”
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When did the church begin?
The church traces its roots to the spring of 1820 when Joseph Smith, then living with his family in New York State, was seeking wisdom about the nature of God and faith. Smith wrote that he went to the woods to pray and had a vision. In it, he wrote, God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared. They told him the religions of the time were not true. Smith reported more visions of an angel named Moroni over the next 10 years. The angel showed him a book of golden plates engraved by her father, Mormon. Smith translated these into English as the 588-page Book of Mormon. The church was organized in Fayette Township, New York, in April 1830 as the Church of Christ. In 1838, Smith reported a revelation to change the name to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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Who was Joseph Smith?
Smith was born into a large farming family from Vermont, headed by Joseph Smith Sr. His parents raised him to be a Christian and, for economic opportunity, moved to an area in New York that was swept by Christian revivals. Smith said his family was poor and he was lightly educated in reading, writing and “the ground rules of arithmetic.” At the time of his first vision, Smith was 15. During the next 10 years, his time was divided between working different jobs and translating the plates, for which his persecution began. He also married Emma Hale and they had nine children and adopted two.
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How many people saw the golden plates?
According to church history, Smith showed the plates to three witnesses with the angel Moroni present. A few days later, without Moroni, he showed the plates to eight more men, including his father and two brothers. Moroni, without Smith, also revealed the plates to a woman who worked at the home where Smith and his wife were staying.
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Why did the church leave New York State?
From its early years, the church sought a home. In late 1830 and 1831, Smith wrote, he received instructions to relocate the church westward to Ohio and to build Zion, the New Jerusalem, at Independence, Missouri. There, after a skirmish between church members and the state militia, the governor ordered that church members be exterminated or driven from the state. The church re-established itself and built a temple in Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1842. Smith became its mayor and remained controversial. Two years later, a mob killed Smith and his brother Hyrum in the Carthage, Illinois, jail.
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How did the church wind up in Utah?
After Smith’s killing, the church continued west in search of a safe home. Members wandered until arriving in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. Here, Smith’s successor, Brigham Young, established a permanent headquarters for the church. He drew thousands of church members to the valley and they proposed a new state, to be called Deseret, from the Book of Mormon. Congress rejected that name, and Young served an uneasy time as governor of the Utah Territory. Hostilities between the territory and federal government contributed to the Mountain Meadows Massacre in which a militia of church members and Native Americans killed 120 settlers in a wagon train of settlers. Utah was admitted to the union in 1896.
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How are leaders changing today’s church?
Leading up to its 2020 bicentennial, the church is making many changes. They include renewed emphasis on the church’s name, shorter Sunday meetings, expanded mission opportunities and changes in home visits. Temples and annual conferences are now more open to women and same-sex couples may now have their children baptized. Many of the changes were led by Russell M. Nelson, who in 2018 became the church’s president and prophet at age 93.
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What are the church’s sacred texts?
The church has a set of four sacred Standard works. They are the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price. The books work together as witness to Jesus Christ and to restore lost truths.
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What is the Book of Mormon?
The Book of Mormon is a text used as witness to Jesus Christ’s divinity. The book serves as a supplement to the Bible in confirming that Jesus Christ was savior of the world. Members believe that the Book of Mormon contains writings by famous prophets. The book documents Jesus Christ’s time in the Americas following his resurrection. The book is named after the prophet Mormon, who left his story behind on the golden plates translated by Joseph Smith.
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What is the top authority?
The church is led by the First Presidency. This is composed of 15 apostles. The longest-serving apostle is the president. With inspiration, he chooses two apostles as his counselors. These three are the highest authority in the church. The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, part of the First Presidency, is next. They travel, teach, meet members and nonmembers and decide church matters. After this is the Presidency of the Seventy.
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What role do women have in the church?
As in some other faiths, women in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints may not become priests or hold high church office. They do mission work, teach the Gospel, care for the poor and needy, advise and do genealogical and temple work. The women’s organization is Relief Society.
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How are temples and chapels different?
Temples are sacred, sanctified places used for religious ordinances such as baptism and marriage or family sealing. They are not for regular Sunday worship. That happens in chapels, also known as meetinghouses. Chapels are also used for an everyday activity. Anyone, including non-members may visit a meetinghouse.
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What is Brigham Young University?
Brigham Young University is one of four universities the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints supports. Others are Brigham Young University-Idaho, Brigham Young University-Hawaii and Latter-day Saints Business College. The church also supports an online program, https://www.byupathway.org/. Latter-day Saints are not required to attend Brigham Young University and non-members may. However, they must abide by the Honor Code established by the Church Educational System.
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What is a plural marriage?
Plural marriage, or polygamy, is marrying more than one person at the same time. From 1847 to 1890, polygamy was practiced in the church. Polygamous relationships were between one man and multiple women. Church members believed God told them to practice polygamy through their Prophet Brigham Young. While two-thirds of these marriages were between a man and two women, some included more than two. The church asked some men to participate in plural marriages, and some did this on their own. If a woman wanted to get married, she was able to decide whether to enter a polygamous or monogamous marriage. Polygamy in the church ended when it became illegal in the United States in 1890.
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Why does the church maintain genealogical records?
Latter-day Saints believe they can be sealed to their families and God eternally. The church keeps these records to help members find their ancestors who may not have been members of the church. This allows Latter-day Saints to be sealed to their deceased family members through proxy sealings. The church’s FamilySearch.org offers free genealogical records, education and software. It is operated by the church’s Family History Department.
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What is mission work?
Mission work is designed to, “share the gospel message and help prepare family members, friends, and other acquaintances who are not Latter-day Saints to be taught by the full-time missionaries.” As of 2018, there were 65,137 full-time missionaries and 37,963 church-service missionaries in the church. Missionary work includes helping and supporting those who join the church. Many prospective missionaries plan the date they will begin serving based on the school year. In the Northern Hemisphere, many missionaries begin their service in July, August, or September.
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