Mormon 101

1. Foundation

2. History

3. Practices

4. Doctrine

Foundation: God Speaks Through Prophets

Adam

Moses Isaiah

Abraham Samuel

Foundation: Comparison of Christian Churches

Catholic Protestant Mormon

Christ’s ChurchPope (Peter)

12 Apostles

Christ’s ChurchProphet (Peter)

12 Apostles

Christ’s ChurchProphet (Peter)

12 Apostles

Pope Benedict XVI

Apostasy Apostasy

Enlightenment

MartinLuther

(Lutheran)

JohnWesley

(Methodist)Etc.

Direct line of authority to Christ’s Church. Pope is infallible.

No authority. Churches do their best to understand true doctrine.

Restoration (1830)

JosephSmith

12 Apostles

Prophet (Gordon Hinckley)

12 Apostles

God calls new prophet and restores authority. Prophet receives revelation.

God calls a prophet and restores His church

History: Mormon History Timeline

Church OrganizedFayette, New York

1830

First Temple BuiltKirtland, Ohio

1831-1838

Saints Settle inJackson County, Missouri

1831-1839

Saints Settle inNauvoo, Illinois

1840-1846Saints Settle in

Utah1847

Colonization(Settled over 600 Communities)

70,000 saints traveled the 1300 mile Mormon Trail before

the railroad arrived in 1869.

Nauvoo was the largest city in Illinois in 1845 with a population of 20,000.

There were 26,000 members when Joseph

Smith was Martyred in 1844.

Brigham Young, second prophet.

History: Church Membership

1830 2006

13 million

1978

4 million

250,000

Today• 52,500 Mormons in Chicago• 54% of Mormons live outside United States

1896 1930

500,000

1947

1,000,0006

Prominent Mormons• Stephen Covey• Mitt Romney• Senator Orrin Hatch• Gladys Knight• J. W. Marriott• Steve Young• The Osmonds

Practices: Church• Lay Clergy – The clergy at the Mormon church is not paid. Normal

members serve as bishop for 5-7 years.• Sermon – The sermon each Sunday is given by different members

each week.• Fast Sunday – The first Sunday of each month Mormons fast 24

hours (two meals) and donate the money saved to poor.• Sabbath Day – Mormons keep the Sabbath day holy by refraining

from shopping, work and leisure activities.• Home Teaching – Pairs of men are assigned to teach and watch

over 2-5 families.• Visiting Teaching – Pairs of women are

assigned to teach and watch over 2-5women.

• Mutual – The youth meet every Wednesday evening to work on Scouting for the young men and a similar program for the young women.

Practices: Church Schedule

Sacrament MeetingHymns, Bread & Water, Talks, Musical Numbers

(Everyone Combined)Hour 1

Hour 2

Hour 3

Jr. PrimaryCombined

(3-7 yrs old)

Sr. PrimaryClasses

(8-11 yrs old)

Jr. PrimaryClasses

(3-7 yrs old)

Sr. PrimaryCombined

(8-11 yrs old)

Sunday School Classes(12+ yrs old)

YoungMen

(12-18)

YoungWomen(12-18)

Priesthood

(Men)Relief Society

(Women)

Ward 1

9:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 1:00 2:00 3:00

Ward 2

Ward 3

The chapel is shared by three wards. Each year times are rotated.

Church Schedule

Nur

sery

(1.5

-3 y

rs o

ld)

Practices: Church Organization

Prophet

12 Apostles

Seventy

Stakes(8-10 Wards per stake)

Wards(200-400 members per ward)

Jesus Christ

A Bishop leads a ward. He is called to serve for 5-7 years.

A Stake President leads a stake. He is called to serve for 7-10 years.

Called as a special witness of Jesus Christ. They are called to serve until they die.

Jesus Christ leads his church by communicating with the prophet.

Chosen by God as a prophet, seer, revelator and president of the church.

Go about the church teaching and organizing under the direction of the 12 apostles.

The name of the church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. “Of Latter-Day Saints” is used distinguish today’s church from the church in Christ’s time. The Mormon church is a nick name.

Practices: Commandments

• 10 Commandments – Mormons keep the 10 commandments.

• Tithing – Mormons believe in the law of tithing (donating one-tenth of their increase to the Lord).

• Word of Wisdom – Mormons keep a modern commandment called the Word of Wisdom. They do not consume tea, coffee, alcohol or tobacco.

• Law of Chastity – No sexual relations out of wedlock.

Practices: Home

• Family Home Evening – Mormons reserve Monday evening for family night. Family night typically includes: prayer, songs, lesson, game and treat.

• Prayer – Mormon prayers are extemporaneous, not memorized. They pray to the father in the name of the Son. They say blessings on their food at each meal. They are encouraged to pray together as a family morning and evening. They also say individual prayers for others, help, comfort, questions and protection.

• Scripture Study – Mormons are encouraged to study the scriptures as a family and as an individual each day.

Practices: Preparedness

• Food Storage – Mormons are taught be prepared by keeping a year’s supply of food and money.

• 72 Hour Kits – Mormons are taught to have a kit containing food and other preparedness items to take with in times of an emergency.

• Gardens – Mormons are encouraged to grow a vegetable garden.

Practices: Ordinances

• Baptism – Mormons choose to be baptized at age 8. They believe that children who die before the age of eight are innocent and saved through the atonement of Christ.

• Priesthood – All worthy men in the church may hold the priesthood. Young men hold the Aaronic priesthood giving them the power to administer the sacrament and baptize. Men hold the Melchezideck priesthood giving them the authority to give the gift of the Holy Ghost, bless the sick and lead the church.

• Temple Endowment – Adult members go to the temple to receive their endowment, an extension of their baptismal covenants. Only worthy members may enter the temple.

• Eternal Marriage – Couples are married in the temple for eternity. Also, children are sealed to their parents for eternity. Marriages for time are performed in the chapel.

Practices: Temple Worship

• Temples – There are 120 temples in operation today. Temples used to perform ordinances for the living and the dead. The dead may then choose to accept or reject the ordinances that have been done for them. Temples are closed on Sundays and Monday evening.

• Baptisms for the dead – Youth and adults go to the temple to perform baptisms for the dead.

• Genealogy – Mormons research their ancestors so they can do ordinance work for them.

• Genealogy Resources – The Mormon church has the largest genealogy library in the world. Records are photographed around the world and stored on microfilm.– 2.4 million rolls of microfilm, 742,000 microfiche– Currently 200 cameras filming in 45 countries– 725 million names transcribed into computer– 36 million names linked to families

Washington DC Temple

Practices: Education

• Seminary – High school students attend seminary every morning at 6am before school.

• BYU – The church operates Brigham Young University. It has campuses in Utah (30,000), Idaho (11,600) and Hawaii (2,400).

Practices: Missionary Work

• Missions – Mormon young men are encourage to serve two-year missions at age 19. Mormon young women may also serve missions at age 21. Retired older couples also serve missions. Missionaries pay for their own living expenses. There are currently 56,000 fulltime missionaries.

• Missionary Work – Mormons believe it is there responsibility to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and the news of the restoration of His church with others.

• Belief About Other Churches – Mormons believe that all people have the right to worship as they wish. Mormons believe that other churches have some truth and that God has restored additional truths through his modern day prophets.

Doctrine: Joseph Smith

FirstVision

Birth(Vermont)

1805

Martyrdom(Illinois)

18441820

ReceivesBook ofMormon(Moroni)

1823

ReceivesGold

Plates

1827

BookOf MormonPublished

-Church

Organized

1830

AaronicPriesthoodRestored

(John The Baptist)-

MelchezidekPriesthoodRestored

(Peter, James and John)

1829

SealingPowers(Elijah)

1836

Doctrine: Plan of Salvation

Pre-EarthLife

EarthSpiritWorld

Res

urr

ecti

on

Jud

gm

ent

CelestialKingdom

TerrestrialKingdom

TelestialKingdom

Dea

th

Bo

dy’

s B

irth

Spirit Spirit andMortal Body

Spirit Spirit andImmortal Body

OuterDarkness

Sp

irit

’s B

irth

Intelligence

PrisonParadise

Accept Jesus Christ, baptized, temple ordinances

Good people of the world

Thieves, murderers, etc.

Deny Jesus Christ after having a perfect knowledge

Purposes:- Obtain a body- Be tested

Problems- Death- Sin

Solutions- Resurrection- Atonement

Jes

us

Ch

rist

Satan

God’sPlan

Satan’sPlan

2/3

1/3

Agency

Veil ofForgetfulness

Rev. 12:7, Jer. 1:5 Alma 34:31-35

1 Cor 15:40-41

1 Cor 15:12-22

Alma 40:11-141 Peter 3:19, 4:6

Doctrine: Book of MormonChrist’s

Birth

New Testament

600 BC 421 AD

1000 BC2000 BC3000 BC4000 BC5000 BC 1000 AD 2000 AD

Old Testament

Book of Mormon

Lehi commanded to leave Jerusalem and sail to the Americas.

Last prophet (Moroni) dies.

Christ visits the Americas as a resurrected being after his death.

• The Book of Mormon serves as a second witness of Jesus Christ.• The American Indians are the descendents of the people in the Book of Mormon.