About the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the Mormon Church, has over 12 million members around the world. Mormons—as members of the Church are called—are Christian, and every facet of Mormon belief centers around Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.

Though there are many rumors about Mormons, even among the highly educated, Mormons are about as normal as anyone else. Those who meet them often find them to be happy people who are dedicated to their families and who keep high moral standards. While many Mormons enjoy sharing their faith—an important part of their lives—with others, most Mormons also enjoy having non-Mormon friends without feeling the need to convert them.

Mormon Meetings

The Mormon Church has church meetings every Sunday, which generally last three hours. They include one hour of meetings for the whole congregation (or ward), then children go to Primary classes (especially for kids) while adults go to Sunday school for an hour, and then they have separate women’s and men’s meetings. The women’s and men’s meetings have the same lessons, but cater especially to women’s or men’s needs.

General Mormon Beliefs

Mormons believe in having strong families and in being morally and physically clean and pure, and that we can have that strength and purity through the Lord. We believe that our actions—obeying God and trying to be like him—are what truly reflect our faith in Jesus Christ. Nobody is perfect, and Mormons are no exception. Members of the Mormon Church, like others, are trying to live up to good standards—of course we make mistakes.

We worship God the Eternal Father, his son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, who provide us with living prophets, to guide us and teach us the gospel. Joseph Smith was one of these prophets, who restored the true Church of Jesus Christ to the earth by revelation from God.

The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ

We believe that the power of God is real, and that it can work in our lives here on Earth. Mormons believe that everyone, according to their worthiness, can receive revelation from God to help in their personal lives and responsibilities. Just like we can pray and receive instructions from God, Joseph Smith prayed and received instructions from God and the responsibility to bring truth back to the earth, since the Christian sects of the day had apostatized from Christ’s truth.

The Mormon Church has continued what Joseph Smith restored, and is still guided by prophets. Mormon prophets are guided by God to lead the Church in the right path. Many sects have changed or branched off from the church that existed when Christ was on the earth, but a living prophet can, by the revelation of God, ensure that the Church doesn’t become corrupted or wrong. God has a mouthpiece through which he can give answers to today’s problems.

Being a Mormon

Mormons have a lay clergy, meaning that the members of the Church usually have normal jobs, but also serve (unpaid) in different capacities in the Church, from leading a ward as bishop to teaching children the gospel in Primary. The purpose of the Church is to help everyone live good lives and return to God. As Mormons, we each try to improve ourselves so that we can be an example of what a “Mormon” really is.