Mormon Church

Recently, Elder Russell M. Ballard spoke to graduating students at Brigham Young University, a school owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members of this church are often informally known as Mormons. He counseled them in ways to discuss their religion with others, pointing out

that most topics of greatest interest to detractors are not critical elements of the current religion, but are fringe elements or practices no longer carried out. He advised them to keep the discussions focused on the core of the religion, the elements that affect salvation, rather than those that are merely interesting intellectual discussion points. (more…)

This question is often asked by evangelicals, and is, in general, a misunderstanding of the Mormon teachings on what happens after death and how we control that.

Many evangelicals teach that a person gets to heaven by being “saved.” This involves the act of accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. At the same time, they teach that acts cannot get you into Heaven. The Mormons also believe that a person must accept Jesus Christ as His Savior in order to return to God’s presence after death. Both groups agree that at least one act is required of all of us in order to be with God.

The confusion over the number of acts required to be saved comes from the differences in terminology used by Mormons. Mormons believe everyone is saved through the atonement of Jesus Christ, even if they never accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. However, grace and eternal life, to a Mormon, are not the same thing. To understand this complex issue, let’s look at several essential points.
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Mormons are rather known for being a meeting people. They have meetings and they have meetings to plan meetings. But what do they do at all these meetings?

The most important meeting is Sacrament Meeting. This is held each Sunday and is the primary worship service. Because Mormons are run by a lay clergy, the bishop, who is the equivalent of a pastor, does not give the sermon each week. Every part of the meeting is done by someone donating his time and talents. (more…)

People often ask why Mormons don’t have female priesthood leaders. Today, there are still many churches, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that do not have women in the priesthood, having noted from their study of the Bible that this was not the way it was done. Jesus had many women who followed Him, and whom He pointed out as outstanding examples of gospel living, but He didn’t select any of them to be His apostles. It was not that He considered them unable to do the work, or unworthy of the role; it was simply not the role assigned to women by God. (more…)

In the Catholic faith, canonization is the official recognition that someone is a saint and was so even prior to the

official recognition. A process is followed to allow the church to determine who is a saint.

Mormons (the nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) do not follow this process. The term saint is used in the official name of the church and denotes, as used in the Bible, a community of people who followed God. (more…)

Joseph Smith received very little formal education as a child and young man. He was largely educated by his parents, due to a lack of schools available. In all, he attended formal schooling only about three years. In addition, he was tutored by an angel named Moroni in spiritual things for several years prior to beginning his work. Despite this, by the time of his early death, he had become well-educated in many fields, including Hebrew. (more…)

A visitor to a Mormon Church might be surprised to learn the collection plate is never passed. Young men do go aisle to aisle, but they are bringing the Sacrament (communion) to the members. Mormons are commanded to pay tithing, but it is done privately.

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10).

Tithing is defined as one tenth of a person’s income. The specifics of what defines income is left to the member’s own conscious and specific guidelines are not given. Instead, members are encouraged to counsel with God in order to what to pay tithing on.

The tithing is paid privately by the member. Near the office of the bishop-the local ecclesiastical leader-there is usually a small shelf with envelopes and tithing slips. The member takes these and privately fills out the slip and places it with the tithing into the envelope. Then, on Sunday, before or after church, the member quietly hands it to a member of the bishopric. The bishopric consists of the bishop and his two counselors. At least two leaders are present when the tithing is counted and recorded. It is sent to Salt Lake City, to church headquarters. There, church leaders prayerfully decide how to use the funds. Each ward (congregation) receives a portion of the funds, based on church attendance. The ward and each organization in the ward plan and submit budgets, which are approved or altered, and the money is allocated accordingly.

The money is used to pay for the administration of the church, missionary work, and meeting special needs of church members and others. God has promised blessings to those who pay a full tithing. These blessings are not always financial, although they can be. However, members are encouraged to pay tithing not to receive a reward, but out of love for their Heavenly Father. Of course, they also take pride in participating in the furthering of God’s work.

In addition to tithing, members of the church pay a monthly fast offering. The first Sunday of each month, members

go without food or drink for twenty-four hours. This requires them to miss two meals, since they begin after lunch and end their fast just prior to a later lunch the next day. They use this time to contemplate the gospel, build their testimonies, and offer special prayers for their needs or the needs of others. They follow up by donating at least the amount of money they saved to a special fast offering fund, which is used exclusively to care for the poor. This allows members to care for the poor, as commanded by the Savior, without further sacrificing their own income, unless they choose to donate beyond what they saved, but also gives them a very small glimpse into the challenges of hunger. By sacrificing to make this offering, their hearts are softened and their character strengthened.

There are other offerings members may give if they choose. There are specific programs listed on the tithing slip and the member can choose to make additional donations to the programs they especially care about. These include missionary work, temple building and printing copies of the Book of Mormon to give to those who are interested in learning about it.

Another program paid for through donations is the perpetual education fund. In some countries with great poverty, the church offers two year loans to help church members, particularly those who have sacrificed to serve a two year mission for the church, to attend a technical school and prepare for a career. The recipient begins to make small payments to repay the loan soon after starting school, and larger ones after graduation, and that money is used to pay for another person’s scholarship. Donations from members increase the number of people who can receive educations and all money donated goes into the loans. The church pays administrative costs out of other funds.

Many who are not members of the church benefit from another program, in which members donate to a humanitarian aid program. This program pays for donations during disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina. It also provides assistance to developing nations. Recent programs have included donations of wheelchairs, clean water programs, and training for neonatal care. Again, the donations to this program are given directly to the actual programs, with administrative costs absorbed by the church’s other funds. The program is paid for by donations from church members, and even from those who are not church members, but who approve of the work being done without regard to religion, or who may have received help from the program. No missionary work is done through this humanitarian effort.

Members are encouraged to pay their tithes and offerings cheerfully:

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)

God has promised rich rewards for the payment of tithes and offerings. He promises we won’t lack for the necessities, and he also promises spiritual blessings, as our testimonies grow and our love for Heavenly Father increases. We can learn of some of the promised blessings of tithing, as well as the penalties for not paying it, from Malachi in the Bible:

7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.

10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 3)

Brigham Young University is a university operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes referred to as Mormons. The BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies was built to house and educate BYU students who are attending a study abroad program for up to six months. The center is also used by research scholars, sometimes working with local scholars on various projects. Students study the Bible, ancient and modern near-eastern studies, Hebrew, and Arabic, with a particular focus on the life of Jesus Christ and the work of the apostles. They have classroom study interspersed with field trips throughout the region. It’s built on Mount Scopus overlooking the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem and is made from white Jerusalem limestone. The center provides religious services for members of the church who live in or are visiting the area.

Students are oriented prior to embarking on their trip. They are required to sign a pledge that they will not use their time there to try to convert the Jewish people. The purpose of the center is education, not missionary work. Although there were some initial local protests, they subsided when the church worked with the government to create a legal document barring missionary work. In 1986, responding to the concerns, Nathan Perlmutter, U.S. national director of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith stated there was no evidence of any conversions in the years the church had been conducting their study abroad programs.

During the time of controversy, President Gordon B. Hinckley, who was then the second counselor in the First Presidency of the Church, was asked:

Why is there so much controversy over the Brigham Young University Center now under construction in Jerusalem?

I cannot understand why there should be. Fears have been expressed that it will be used as a means to proselytize the Jewish people. University officials have given assurance that this will not be the case. All legal requirements were fully met, including the requisite public notice in Jerusalem papers, before the government granted construction permits. This is a facility designed to accommodate a program which has been carried on continuously for many years. It is intended to accommodate the needs of students who, in an academic atmosphere, can become better acquainted with the history, the culture, the nations, and the people of Israel and the Middle East. Experience has shown that those who have participated in the program have come away with increased appreciation for the influences and the people to whom they have been exposed there. BYU officials have received from many Jewish people and from people of other faiths expressions of support for this project. I am confident that in the long term it will redound to the good of the people of Israel as well as to the educational interests of BYU and its students.” (Gordon B. Hinckley, “Questions and Answers,” Ensign, Nov 1985, 49)

Students moved onto the campus in 1987. Previously, students who studied there lived at Kibbutz Ramat Rachel. The church had operated Study Abroad programs in Jerusalem for seventeen years prior to the opening of the center.

After Jesus Christ died, the church had a challenging time. Persecution was intense, and the apostles did all they could to keep the church operating and to spread the gospel message to as many people as possible. However, given the limitations of technology, and the limitations of a small group of people to do the work, progress was slow and persecution increased. All the apostles but John the Beloved were murdered.

Prior to His death, Jesus Christ had given His apostles all the authority necessary to operate the church when He was gone. This authority is known today as “keys.” They had the official priesthood handed down through the ages, and this gave them the proper authority. It is understood that Peter became the president of the Church after Jesus was resurrected and returned to His Father.

The apostles began to warn the people of a forthcoming apostasy. When Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, he explained to them that although they were eagerly awaiting the return of the Savior, it would not come yet, because there had to be a falling away first:

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (2 Thessalonians 2:3).

Even before the death of the apostles, the apostasy had begun. Several letters sent by apostles to church members warned them to remove false doctrine from their teachings. Paul wrote to the Galatians:

6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.

12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1)

Similar warnings were sent to Thessalonica, and Ephesus, and Paul warned the Hebrews, “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.” Timothy grieved that they had lost all the Christians in Asia to apostasy.

S. Kent Brown explains that one major division in the church was over the topic of the resurrection:

Much of the misunderstandings about the resurrection must be attributed to the notion of docetism, which came to be more and more influential during the second century. The term derives from the Greek verb dokeo, which means “to seem.” Docetics maintained that Jesus had only seemed to live among men, to suffer, and to die. In reality, they said, the heavenly Christ did not come into contact with the world of matter, for that would have defiled his divine nature.

Such a view of the Messiah denies that salvation comes as a result of Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection. In fact, the doctrine of salvation was subverted into the idea that Christ was a special messenger who brought to earth secret knowledge that would allow the elect to escape this corrupt world and to make their way back to the presence of the Father. This special knowledge was called gnosis, and those who held such a view of the Messiah were known as gnostics. (S. Kent Brown, “Whither the Early Church?,” Ensign, Oct 1988, 7)

When the apostles died, they took the keys to the kingdom with them. These keys, of course, are not literal, but it means the priesthood authority to lead God’s church was gone. Without that priesthood, there could not be a prophet. Prophets are the only method for the church to receive revelation from God.

Without a prophet, members of the church were unable to seek church-wide revelation concerning doctrine. Often questions arose and false practices began to wander into the church. Whereas, previously, the prophet and apostles could set things straight, there was no longer anyone qualified to do that. The differences of interpretation widened and soon, there were many different sects of Christianity, with differing beliefs.

There were periodic efforts to stem the flow of differences, including the council held at Nicaea. However, because the people who gathered there to create a unified creed didn’t have a prophet, they put the doctrine to a vote. They changed a few opinions, and essentially excommunicated those who didn’t cooperate.

Of course, truth can’t be found by voting, and so this really didn’t resolve the problem. While the majority of the churches-those invited to the meeting-chose a common belief, they still hadn’t learned the will of God on the subject. Divisions weren’t ended simply by declaring a creed, either. Over time, more and more denominations developed as people began to evaluate what their churches believed and started to develop even more opinions.

Over the centuries, we’ve seen many religious leaders, such as Martin Luther, who became concerned with how far Christianity had moved from the path set by the Savior. Although they didn’t have the keys to the kingdom, they made important contributions to the process of the restoration.

The restoration was necessary to fulfill the promises made by the Savior and His apostles that Christ would not come again until there had been a restoration of all things. This occurred in the 1800s, when Joseph Smith, then a fourteen-year-old boy, went into the woods to ask God which church to join. He was instructed not to join any, but to wait. In time, he was guided through the process of having the keys returned to the earth, and to the restoration of the fullness of the gospel.

All of this is necessary in order to prepare for the second coming. Each person on earth must have the opportunity to prepare for the second coming, just as the Jewish people had the opportunity to prepare for the first coming of Christ. The restoration allows us to do everything that is necessary for Christ’s return to earth and fulfills the promises of God.

Mormon beliefs teach that the church is the restoration of the church that existed in the days of the ministry of Jesus Christ. They teach that their priesthood is an unbroken line of authority. This puzzles those who teach that the line of succession comes from Peter and was never broken.

When Jesus chose His apostles, he gave them the authority to act for God. He held the keys to the kingdom, but could distribute them to those called of God.

18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. (Matthew 16)

These keys, of course, are not physical. They represent the authority to act in God’s name. The verse just quoted does not mean Jesus relinquished the keys, but rather that Peter had use of them during the time he served as an apostle. Many have interpreted the rock to be Peter, but other verses in the New Testament tell us this is not so:

And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:4)

In time, Jesus died. His apostles also died, and we don’t read of Peter or any other apostle bestowing those keys on anyone else. This is because after the death of the apostles, the church entered into a lengthy apostasy. This apostasy had been prophesied by many Biblical prophets.

11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:

12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. (Amos 8:11-12)

During this time, there wasn’t a prophet, and the keys of the kingdom-the priesthood authority to administer God’s church was taken. It was because of those so many variations of Christianity occurred. With no one to turn to for a certain answer, Christians were forced to decide for themselves what was true. When there was a disagreement, they held councils to hammer out a deal or they just started another Christian denomination. Today, we see thousands of denominations across the world.

God has also promised to restore what was lost.

20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:

21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. (Acts 3)

There couldn’t be a restitution if there had never been a falling away. This restitution began with Joseph Smith in the 1800s. He wanted to know which church to join, and asked God in prayer. God and Jesus Christ appeared to him and Jesus told him not to join any of them, because none had the complete truth. When he was older, an angel named Moroni tutored him in preparation for the restitution of all things that was promised in the Book of Acts.

So how did the keys for the priesthood end up back on earth? While Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were translating the Book of Mormon, they encountered scriptures on the importance of baptism by those in authority. They went to the banks of a river in Pennsylvania, where they were then living, and prayed to know how to go about this. While praying, they heard the voice of the Savior and then an angel appeared to them. This angel was John the Baptist, the Savior’s cousin. He held the keys to the Aaronic priesthood at the time of his death and was therefore able to restore them to the earth by distributing those keys to Joseph and Oliver by placing his hands on their heads and performing the appropriate priesthood ordinace. He did this, saying,

Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness. (Joseph Smith-History 1:68-74)

With these keys in place, the two men were able to baptize each other. Only the Aaronic priesthood is needed to carry out a baptism.

John had not received the Melchizedek priesthood, however, because it was bestowed on the apostles after his death. Since he didn’t hold those keys, he was not able to restore them. For the line to be unbroken, the keys must come from someone who holds them currently. This higher priesthood would be necessary to confer the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and to organize the church.

The restoration of the Melchizedek priesthood came later. Again, while praying on the banks of the Susquehanna River, they received an angelic visit, this time from Peter, James, and John. These three apostles received the greater priesthood on the Mount of Transfiguration.

We can read about this event in Matthew 17. Jesus took Peter, James, and John to a mountain, where he was transfigured. While this occurred, Moses and Elias appeared to them. The Mechizedek priesthood was restored to the earth by these two prophets, who had received it during their time on earth. They gave it to Peter, James, and John so they would be able to administer the gospel after the Savior died.

Because they held this priesthood, they were able to return to earth as angels and bestow the keys on Joseph and Oliver, again bringing the priesthood back to earth. With these keys, the church could be restored.

This is how the Mormons demonstrate an unbroken chain of authority. Today, every worthy male who is old enough can hold these two priesthoods. They must receive it from someone else who already holds it. The entire priesthood chain has descended from those first two ordinations done by three Biblical apostles.