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

Personal Response by Lance

On the first weekend of April and the first weekend of October, the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes casually referred to by friends of other faiths as the “Mormon” Church), including the modern prophet and Twelve Apostles, speak to the world in what is known as general conference. From the Conference Center in Salt Lake City the words of the prophet, the apostles, and other leaders are carried via TV, radio, satellite, and the Internet to more than eighty countries and translated into more than eighty languages. We invite everyone, regardless of religious belief, to join with us in watching or listening to general conference.

The reason I love general conference is best described by the opening words of one of the Church hymns, “Come, listen to a prophet’s voice, And hear the word of God” (”Come Listen to a Prophet’s Voice,” Hymns [Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1985], no. 21). (more…)

Personal Response by Rachel

I have summed up the most significant lesson I learned on my mission in six words: “Come unto Christ and be happy.” This phrase has become a personal motto for the rest of my life. Each morning of my mission we had an hour to do personal study of the scriptures and Preach My Gospel. The more I studied the words of Christ through His ancient and modern prophets and apostles, the more I came to love Him and believe in Him. My growing belief and faith in Christ led me to follow His teachings, develop Christlike attributes, and testify of Christ’s restored gospel. As I obeyed the commandments of the gospel and became more like Christ, I felt the Holy Ghost’s influence more abundantly in my life. I felt the fruits of the Holy Ghost, which include “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22-23). I learned that “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (John 13:17). Every day of my mission was an opportunity to do the things Christ has asked of us. When I chose to follow Christ, I was blessed with happiness, joy, love, and peace. My dad has often told me that he can always tell when I am happy and acting in a way that is pleasing to the Savior. “You have a sparkle in your eyes,” my dad has said. “So, I know that you are on the right path.” (more…)

Personal Response by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints revere Biblical prophets and apostles such as Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Peter, James, and Paul. They believe the Lord continues to call prophets and apostles in this modern day. Among those prophets God has chosen today is Joseph Smith (1805-44), the first modern prophet.

In addition to reverencing prophets and apostles, Mormons believe, like all Christians, that “there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). Therefore, Mormons truly and sincerely worship God, the Eternal Father, in the name of the Jesus Christ-God’s unique Son. They worship no other man or women no matter who they are or what they have done. (more…)

Personal Response by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is often identified as the Mormon or LDS Church. LDS, in this case, is an acronym for Latter-day Saints, a part of the official name of the Church. When religious bodies use similar names to identify themselves, such as FLDS and LDS, there may be and often is some confusion about the relationship between them.

Just as there are many Christian denominations which believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the long anticipated Jewish Messiah and the Savior of the world, yet disagree upon other significant doctrinal points, including the nature and composition of the Bible, there are individuals and groups who accept the message of the Restoration (the calling of Joseph Smith as a prophet and coming forth of additional scripture, including the Book of Mormon) yet disagree on some rather key doctrines, policies, and practices. (more…)

Personal Response by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel

Current Latter-day Saint practice in holding special meetings known as solemn assemblies is rooted in the Old Testament. Other Christian groups also hold gatherings identified as solemn assemblies because the practice is mentioned in the Bible. However, the Church holds these meetings because of a commandment from the Lord to do so (see Doctrine and Covenants 88:70), not just because their presence is noted in ancient scripture. (more…)

Personal Response by Arnold K. Garr

Some people are surprised when they find out that Mitt Romney was not the first Mormon to run for president of the United States. That distinction belonged to Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church. He decided to run for president after the Church pleaded in vain for the government to compensate the Latter-day Saints for the property lost and afflictions suffered when they were expelled from the state of Missouri as a result of the extermination order in 1838. Joseph Smith’s primary motivation for running for president was to do all in his power to protect the Latter-day Saints from the kinds of injustices they had suffered in Missouri. (more…)