BELIEFS AND STORIES FROM MEMBERS OF
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Personal response by Jack

This is a very good and thought-provoking question. I would imagine that many people, at one time or another, have felt that perhaps there is a major conflict between science and religion. The age of the earth, how it was created, evolution, the dinosaurs, and a host of other seemingly knotty questions seem to preclude having faith in God and accepting evidence gleaned from the scientific method of discovering truth.

I just recently read a most fascinating book that for some reason I had missed over the years that helped me make sense out of this supposed science vs. religion conflict. It is Reflections of a Scientist by Henry Eyring. The book was published in 1983 and may be difficult to find but is well worth reading if you can find it.

Henry Eyring was a world renowned chemist who taught for a number of years at Princeton during the late 30s and through World War II. Albert Einstein was also on the faculty and they shared a number of experiences during those years. (more…)

Personal Response by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons or Latter-day Saints) accept the traditional Christian Sabbath, which is held on the first day of the week, Sunday, for worship. Additionally, members of the Church gather on other days of the week to study, pray, and participate in church meeting and activities. (more…)

Personal Response by Karen Merkley

The lights aren’t always green. The bread isn’t always fresh. Tires go flat. Bills mound. People take ill and die at every stage of life. People struggle. Others starve. Wars go on.

Grief is part of the human experience. Opposition is necessary for growth, according to the Mormon view of our mortal experience, revealed by the Lord through modern prophets. It can, however, be lifted through the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Mormons believe that the Savior not only died to pay for our sins but also to take upon Himself our sorrow, grief, and infirmities (Alma 7:11-12). (more…)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is against all forms of abuse–spiritual, physical, and emotional. Abuse is any hurtful form of treatment of another, including humiliation, domination, physical, psychological or spiritual harm inflicted on another person. The Lord never condoned any like behaviors but was and is an Advocate of peace and harmony for His children. (See Abuse)

In an interview with LDS practitioners discussing “spouse abuse,” John Nelson describes what is deemed inappropriate behavior: (more…)

Personal Response by Karen Merkley

Mormons partake of the Sacrament of the Lord’s supper–initiated by Christ–every Sunday, as Catholics partake of Communion. The LDS ordinance, however similar in purpose to that of the Catholics’ Eucharist, differs in a couple of profound respects. The Sacrament, we believe, is an ordinance that can be performed only in a given prescribed manner revealed by the Lord. Only holders of His authority or priesthood, as present in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, can actually rightfully administer the emblems of the Sacrament. The true manner of blessing the Sacrament is found within revealed modern scriptures: The Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants.

The prescribed manner of administering the blessing of the bread is set forth as follows:
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Personal Response by James Faulconer

One of the scriptures of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (”the Mormon church”) is the Book of Mormon, from which the Church’s nickname is derived. In that book of scripture we are taught “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and of the flesh; and remember that after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved” (2 Nephi 10:24). The same scriptural writer later says more briefly, “We know that it is by grace we are saved, after all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23). (more…)