Before we get started I want to let you know that I'm not trying to convert anyone to my religion with this post. If you are happy with your religion - great! This world needs all the good it can get. I just want to talk about some of the things that you might be curious about.
We don't practice polygamy
This is usually one of the first questions that people ask Brandon when they find out he is a Mormon. He usually likes to mess with them and answer, "yes I have two wives." He gets a kick out of the double take that people give him.
In all honestly, the LDS church does not practice polygamy. If any member of the church did have more than one wife (or become an extra wife) he or she would be excommunicated from the church.
Back in the 1800's, church members did practice polygamy. That ended in 1890 when the President and Prophet of the church, Wilford Woodruff, received a revelation that the members of the church should no longer practice polygamy. He issued what we now call Official Declaration 1. You can read it here.
The majority of the members of the church followed this counsel. However, there were a few people and groups who did not. They went formed their own versions of the LDS church. This is where organisations such as the FLDS (Fundamentalist LDS) Church come from.
What you see on TV shows like Big Love or Sister Wives, or read about in regards to Warren Jeffs and other polygamist men, do not reflect the lives of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
We believe in Jesus Christ
Some people claim that the LDS church isn't a Christian Church. Nothing could be further from the truth. Everything in our religion centers around Jesus. There actually is so much to write about our belief in Jesus that I don't even know where to begin. I suggest reading this document, "The Living Christ" to learn more about what the church teaches about Jesus.
I want to highlight the fact that we believe that he atoned for our sins so that we could be forgiven and live with God again. We believe that because he was resurrected we will all be able to be reunited with our physical bodies and live forever. Those two facts give me a lot of hope.
We don't worship Joseph Smith - we believe he was a prophet and restored the Church
We believe that God speaks to prophets. We believe that in 1820 Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith. He had been praying to know what church he should join. They told him not to join any of them. In due time he was directed to organize the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. This church was a restoration of the church that Jesus organised when he was living on the Earth. You can read Joseph Smith's own account of the events that led to the restoration of the church by clicking here.
Prophets still speak to us today
Joseph Smith was martyred in 1844, but that was not the end the church. Brigham Young became the Prophet and President. When he died another man took his place and so on. Our current prophet is Thomas S Monson. He is the 16th Church President. We gave Derrick the middle name of Thomas in honor of this man.
The President of the Church isn't the only living person we consider to be a prophet. We consider our First Presidency and the Quorum of the 12 Apostles to be prophets as well. Every six months we have what is called a General Conference where these men and other leaders speak to us about various religious topics. In fact, one of these conferences starts this Saturday. If you want to see it for yourself you can stream conference live by going to www.lds.org or by clicking on this link.
We believe that we can be with our family members forever
We believe that families can be sealed together - meaning we exist in families even after we die. This is one of my favorite teachings from my church. I take a lot of comfort in knowing that Brandon and I will be married forever and that our children are ours forever. I also like knowing that I'm sealed to my parents and so are my siblings.
We attend temples
 |
| The closest temple to us is the San Antonio Temple |
When a member of the church goes to through the temple for the first time they make all the covenants for themselves. After that, any time they attend the temple, they do everything as proxy for someone who is dead.
Did I just weird you out? Let me try to explain.
We believe that the blessings of the gospel aren't just for people who join the church in this life. We believe that when people die they go to either Spirit Prison or Spirit Paradise. Which one you go to depends mainly on if you were baptized into the church in this life. We believe that people in Spirit Paradise go to Spirit Prison to teach the gospel. People in Spirit Prison can accept the gospel and can join the people in Spirit Paradise. But they need to have someone living on earth act as proxy and be baptized for them.
So in temples we do "baptisms for the dead" where people are baptized in behalf of someone who is dead. We also perform all the other temple ordinances like the endowment ceremony and marriage sealings in behalf of people who are dead.
My mom was the first person in her family to join the church. She and my sister have spent a lot of time finding names of our ancestors so that we can go to the temple and be baptized, endowed, and sealed for them. I like imagining how happy our ancestors are now that they can also be together as families.
There are currently 142 temples. Our leaders usually announce the locations of one or two new ones during the first few minutes of General Conference. Everyone is always very excited to hear where a new temple will be built. (I'm hoping for one in the Austin area soon).
We attend church on Sunday
There is a difference between Temples and our regular church buildings. You have to be a member of the church and have a recommend before you can go inside a temple. But anyone can attend a church meeting.
Our meetings last for a total of 3 hours. We have a 70 minute Sacrament Meeting where we take the Sacrament and listen to other members of the ward (congregation) give talks (sermons). We have a Sunday school where we study the scriptures in depth (this year its the Old Testament). And we have meetings based on your age and gender. Men go to Priesthood Meeting, women go to Relief Society, teenagers go to either Young Men or Young Women, children go to Primary, and babies hang out with their parents.
Everyone is given a calling (assignment) for where to serve. Right now I teach the Gospel Principles class where we talk about basic gospel topics (which is kind of where I got the desire to do this post.) I've also served as a Primary teacher for the 8-12 year olds, a Relief Society Teacher, a counselor in a Relief Society Presidency, and my favorite calling - Gospel Doctrine Teacher.
One of the really cool things about the church is how well organised it is. You are assigned to a Ward based on where you live. You can look up what ward you live in by typing in your address here on the church's website LDS.org. All the wards teach out of the same lesson manuals on the same schedule. Even in Korea Brandon is learning the same things I learn in my class here in Texas.
We study the Bible, and we have additional scriptures, namely the Book of Mormon
One of the things that Joseph Smith did as our first prophet was translate the Book of Mormon. We believe that it was written on gold plates by ancient prophets and then buried in the ground. An angel directed Joseph Smith where the plates were buried. After he was given the plates he translated them into English and published the translation as the Book of Mormon.
I know it sounds like a crazy way to get scriptures, but I believe that the Book of Mormon really is the word of God. I love the teachings found in there. The language is much easier to understand than the Bible. God's plan for his children is laid out. The atonement of Jesus Christ is explained.
Let me share some scriptures with you.
Mosiah 4:9
9 Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.
10 And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them.
Alma 11:42
42 Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death.
43 The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt.
44 Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.
Missionary Work
Missionary work is a big part of our church. We want everyone on the earth to have a chance to hear about all the wonderful things Heavenly Father has to offer them. And when I say the earth I mean the WHOLE earth. Missionaries are every where. There are a total of 80,000 of them serving right now. Some are older married couples who serve together. Most are single young men or young women.
Men can go on missions when they are 18. They serve for 2 years. Woman can go when they are 19 and serve for 18 months. Sr couples can go when their children are raised. Their missions range from 6 months to 3 years. The majority of missionaries pay for their own missions, but there are funds available for those who can't afford it.
Missionaries are assigned to a certain area by our prophet. These missions are all over the world. For example, my sister is currently serving in the Louisville, Kentucky Mission. Brandon served in the Antananarivo, Madagascar mission (though he was on the French Island of Reunion the whole time.) My brother served in Tucson, Arizona. My dad went to San Paulo, Brazil. My mom went to Bourdou France. I could go on and on and on.
There are also part time "service missionaries." My parents are currently doing this in a Spanish Branch in Magna, Utah. They help out with things mostly on Sundays. My Dad still works full time and my mom goes to school part time.
We don't have sex until we are married
I realize this is taking things into PG-13 rated topics, but this comes up in conversation a lot - particularly for Brandon. It is something that a lot of people are shocked by when they find out.
Brandon and I didn't have sex with anyone until we were married. For real!!!
Waiting was hard, but it wasn't impossible. And I am so glad we waited. For one, Brandon and I can trust each other to stay faithful to each other even though we are separated right now. I don't have to worry about him being "weak willed" around other women or whatever. And he doesn't have to worry about me. If we could wait to have sex with each other than obviously we can control ourselves around other people now.
Anyone who wants to get married in an LDS temple has to be sexually pure. If someone has already had sex they need to talk it over with their bishop and begin the process of repentance. It's not as simple as saying a few prayers and then being done. You have to understand the gravity of the sin and change so that you do not do it again. It's a long and hard process, but the beauty is that you can become forgiven. Once you are truly forgiven it is like you have never sinned and you are pure once again.
While we are on awkward subjects lets talk about this one:
We can use birth control
This is the question that I know most people want to ask me. People take one look at me with my four kids under the age of four and start wondering if I know "how it happens."
Our church's policy is that deciding how many children and when to have them is between a husband and wife and the Lord. They do recommend that we don't delay children for selfish reasons. We are taught that creating and raising children is a sacred calling that should be a joy.
Click here for lots of quote from church leaders on this topic.
I've barely scratched the surface
There are so many other things that I could talk about. Things like how baptisms are preformed, that men hold the priesthood of God,how we pay 10% of our income as tithing, that Jesus Christ will return to the earth, and even our views on what Heaven is like.
But I feel like this is pretty good for now. Maybe I'll do a follow up post later.
If you do have a question about any of this, don't hesitate to ask me. I'm not going to try to convert you (unless you want to) but I want you have an accurate understanding of what I believe.
As always, thanks for reading.
Very good explanations, Valerie!
ReplyDelete