Mormonism 101 is an annual series of lectures presented at Harvard Law School by the school’s Latter-day Saint Student Association.  On March 19, 2012, Mormon Apostle Jeffrey R. Holland spoke to a religiously diverse audience in the historic Langdell Hall.  In the past, speakers have included other prominent members of the Church, including Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Thomas B. Griffiths, a federal circuit judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Elder Holland, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, explained the central beliefs of Mormonism with the very center being the knowledge that Jesus is the Christ, the Creator and Redeemer of Mankind.  Elder Holland explained that the Church of Jesus Christ is not part of the Christian reformation that sought to reform the abuses and missteps of Christian orthodoxy, but is instead the complete restoration of lost power and authority that used to reside with Christ’s original apostles.  He emphasized that this is the only Church on earth that has that power and authority, and that it has come from Christ Himself through heavenly messengers.

That some do not consider Mormons Christians, Elder Holland acknowledged.  He stated that Mormons believe in the Christ and Heavenly Father of the Bible and not of the Christian councils (like the Athanasian Councils) that redefined the Godhead into an incomprehensible being.

“What brings me to you today is not a message of reformation but of restoration,” he said, “the restoration of that church Christ established by His hand in the meridian of time and which He has reestablished by His hand in this present time.”

“We are not considered ‘Christian’ by some, I suppose because we are not fourth-century Christians, we are not Athanasian Christians, we are not creedal Christians of the brand that arose hundreds of years after Christ,” he said. “No, when we speak of ‘restored Christianity’ we speak of the Church as it was [before] … great councils were called to debate and anguish over what it was they really believed.  So if one means Greek-influenced, council-convening, philosophy-flavored Christianity of post-apostolic times, we are not that kind of Christian.  Peter we know, and Paul we know, but Constantine and Athanasius, Athens and Alexandria we do not know.  (Actually, we know them, we just don’t follow them.)

Thus, we teach that:

• God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, are separate and distinct beings with glorified bodies of flesh and bone.  As such we stand with the historical position that “the formal doctrine of the Trinity as it was defined by the great church councils of the fourth and fifth centuries is not to be found in the [New Testament]”[15]  We take Christ literally at His word—that He “came down from heaven, not to do [His] own will, but the will of him that sent [him.]”[16]  Of His antagonists He said they have “hated both me and my Father.[17]  These, along with scores of other references, including His pleading prayers, make clear Jesus’ physical separation from His Father.  However, having affirmed the point of Their separate and distinct physical nature, we declare unequivocally that They were indeed “one” in every other conceivable way—in mind and deed, in will and wish and hope, in faith and purpose and intent and love.  They are most assuredly much more alike than They are different in all the ways I have just said, but They are separate and distinct beings as all fathers and sons are.  In this matter we differ from traditional creedal Christianity but agree with the New Testament.

• We also differ with fourth and fifth century Christianity by declaring that the scriptural canon is not closed, that the heavens are open with revelatory experience, and that God meant what He said when He promised Moses, “My works are without end, and . . . my words . . . never cease.”[18]   We believe that God loves all His children and that He would never leave them for long without the instrumentality of prophets and apostles, authorized agents of His guidance and direction.  The Book of Mormon and other canonized scripture, as well as the role of living oracles, witnesses to the fact that God continues to speak.  We agree enthusiastically with the insightful Protestant scholar who inquired, “On what biblical or historical grounds has the inspiration of God been limited to the written documents that the church now calls its Bible . . . If the Spirit inspired only the written documents of the first century, does that mean that the same Spirit does not speak today . . . about matters that are of significant concern?”[19]

• Lastly, for today, we are unique in the modern Christian world regarding one matter which a prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints called “our most distinguishing feature.”[20] That is, divine priesthood authority to provide the saving sacraments—the ordinances—of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The holy priesthood, which has been restored to the earth by those who held it anciently, signals the return of divine authorization.  It is different from all other man-made powers and authorities on the face of the earth.  Without it there could be a church in name only, and it would be a church lacking in authority to administer in the things of God.  This restoration of priesthood authority eases centuries of anguish among those who knew certain ordinances and sacraments were essential, but lived with the doubt as to who had the right to administer them.  Breaking ecclesiastically with his more famous brother John over the latter’s decision to ordain without any divine authority to do so, Charles Wesley wrote:

“How easily are bishops made

By man or woman’s whim:

Wesley his hands on Coke hath laid,

But who laid hands on him?”[21]

In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we can answer the question of “who laid hands on him” all the way back to Christ Himself.  The return of such authority is truly “the most distinguishing feature” of our faith.

 

 

*Read the full transcript of Elder Holland’s Talk.

*Listen to the Audio of the Question and Answer Period.

Keith L. Brown is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and serves as the Ward Mission Leader in the Annapolis, Maryland Ward.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints define the priesthood as “the eternal power and authority of God.” Members of the Church undeniably profess that through the priesthood God created and governs the heavens and the earth, and that it is through that power He redeems and exalts His children, bringing to pass “the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).

President John Taylor, the 3rd President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints taught:

[Priesthood] is … the principle and power by which [God] regulates, controls, dictates and manages His affairs, His worlds, His kingdoms, His principalities, His powers, His intelligences, and all things that are underneath Him and above Him, and with which He has to do.

The power manifested by the priesthood is simply the power of God, for he is the head of the priesthood … ; and it is upon this principle that all the works of God have been accomplished, whether on the earth or in the heavens; and any manifestation of power through the priesthood on the earth is simply a delegated power from the priesthood in the heavens, and the more the priesthood on the earth becomes assimilated with and subject to the priesthood in the heavens the more of this power shall we possess.

Latter-day Saints believe that the Biblical miracles performed by prophets and apostles were performed by the power of the priesthood. These include the miracles of Jesus, who holds all of the keys of the priesthood. They further believe that the same priesthood power and authority which existed in Biblical times exists on the earth today. Therefore, Latter-day Saints believe the priesthood to be the power and authority of God, and that wherever that power and authority (and keys) are present, there is the priesthood. Hence, in modern times, the priesthood provides the authority for a priesthood holder to act as a leader in the Church and to perform sacred ordinances. Latter-day Saints further believe that acts (in particular, sacred ordinances) performed by someone holding priesthood authority are recognized by God and are binding in Heaven, on earth, and in the afterlife.

This principle is set forth in the scriptures as recorded in Matthew 16:19, “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.”

Modern day revelation as recorded in Doctrine and Covenants, section 128, verse 8 provides further clarification to this teaching:

Now, the nature of this ordinance consists in the power of the priesthood, by the revelation of Jesus Christ, wherein it is granted that whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Or, in other words, taking a different view of the translation, whatsoever you record on earth shall be recorded in heaven, and whatsoever you do not record on earth shall not be recorded in heaven; for out of the books shall your dead be judged, according to their own works, whether they themselves have attended to the ordinances in their own propria persona, or by the means of their own agents, according to the ordinance which God has prepared for their salvation from before the foundation of the world, according to the records which they have kept concerning their dead.

In the New Testament book of Revelation, in Revelation 1:6 are recorded these words, “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” Who are these “Priests” who comprise this “royal priesthood“? Modern day revelation found in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 76, verses 54 through 60 gives some insight to help answer that question:

They are they who are the church of the Firstborn. They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things— they are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness, and of his glory; and are priests of the Most High, after the order of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was after the order of the Only Begotten Son. Wherefore, as it is written, they are gods, even the sons of God— Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. And they shall overcome all things.

In Matthew 22:14 are recorded these words, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” Latter-day Saint doctrine teaches that in order to exercise priesthood power or authority a person must (1) be called by God, (2) be ordained or endowed with priesthood power by one having proper authority, and (3) receive the necessary priesthood keys, either through ordination to an office or through being set apart.

God gives priesthood authority to worthy male members of the Church so they can act in His name for the salvation of His children. Male members of the Church may begin their Mormon priesthood service when they reach the age of 12. They begin by holding the Aaronic Priesthood, and they later may qualify to have the Melchizedek Priesthood conferred on them. Priesthood holders can be authorized to preach the gospel, administer the ordinances of salvation, and govern the kingdom of God on the earth. As they prepare themselves to receive different responsibilities, they hold different offices in the priesthood, such as deacon, teacher, or priest in the Aaronic Priesthood and elder or high priest in the Melchizedek Priesthood.

The fifth Article of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints states, “We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.” And in the Bible, Hebrews 5:4 reminds us that, “no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.” Therefore, in order for a male member of the Church to hold the priesthood, it must be conferred upon him by an authorized priesthood holder who in turn ordains him to an office in that priesthood. This is further clarified in modern-day scripture as recorded in Doctrine and Covenants, section 42:11, “Again I say unto you, that it shall not be given to any one to go forth to preach my gospel, or to build up my church, except he be ordained by some one who has authority, and it is known to the church that he has authority and has been regularly ordained by the heads of the church.”

It should well be remembered and understood that although the authority of the priesthood is bestowed only on worthy male members of the Church, the blessings of the priesthood are available to all—men, women, and children. Everyone benefits from the influence of righteous priesthood leadership; therefore, everyone has the privilege of receiving the saving ordinances of the priesthood. The most important exercise of the priesthood takes place in the family. Each husband and father in the Church should strive to be worthy to hold the Melchizedek Priesthood. With his wife as an equal partner, he presides in righteousness and love, serving as the spiritual leader of his home. He leads his family in regular prayer, scripture study, and Family Home Evening. He gives priesthood blessings for direction, healing, and comfort. And, realizing that salvation is a family affair, he works with his wife to teach their children and help them prepare to receive the ordinances of salvation.  Mormon women perform priesthood ordinances in the temples of God, and the covenants they make in those same holy temples promise an eternal priesthood to every worthy woman in the Church.

In the Bible, in the New Testament, in 1 Peter 2:9 are found these words, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” As priesthood holders – the “chosen generation” of the “royal priesthood”, the Savior gives this gentle reminder as recorded in the Bible, in James 15:16, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.”

Additional Resources:

 Mormon Temple Ritual

Jesus Christ in Mormonism

Blacks in the Mormon Priesthood

Mormon Families

Written by Katie Palmer, a BYU student, studying a volume of scripture known as the Pearl of Great Price, which is written by prophets; members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “Mormons” revere it as sacred text. This post comes from a book within the Pearl of Great Price known as The Book of Moses; it is an extraction from the translation of the Bible as revealed to Joseph Smith the Prophet, June 1830—February 1831.

We Are All Children of Our Heavenly Father

During Moses’ visitation with God on the mountain, found in a scriptural account known as the Pearl of Great Price, he learned many truths that were completely unknown and almost incomprehensible to his time. He first learned as he stood face to face with God, that mortals physically resemble him. He also learned that we are Heavenly Father’s children as he heard God say, “thou art my son” (Moses 1:4). But when the presence of God withdrew from Moses, and he lost all of his strength, he realized another key point in our relation to God: “Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed.” (Moses 1:10). This humbling experience gave Moses the confidence he needed to withstand the deceptive powers of Satan that soon followed because he knew that nothing was comparable to the greatness of God, including Satan himself. God then visited Moses again and revealed another great truth: although God has created an infinite universe and has all power, all of his work is done in order “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (Moses 1:39).

President Uchtdorf (a member of the First Presidency in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) addressed this very story when he stated, “This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God” (General Conference October 2011). He continues by saying, “We have the incomprehensible promise of exaltation—worlds without end—within our grasp. And it is God’s great desire to help us reach it.”

The truths that Moses learned in the mountain can profoundly affect our relationship with God. By realizing that we are Heavenly Father’s children, we also realize our potential to some day be like him. This in turn affects many of our daily decisions as we make choices based on our desire to be exalted, not our humanly urges of temporary satisfaction that Satan tries to tempt us with. These momentary things mean nothing compared to the eternal happiness we have been promised. And by understanding that we are nothing compared to him, we also know that we conquer anything with his help.

Knowing that he is our Father and that he cares about us also helps us to feel his love. Being conscious of God’s love gives us confidence that he is watching over us and that he hears our prayers. We then submit to his will because we know that “all these things shall give [us] experience, and shall be for [our] good” (D&C 122:7). The knowledge of Moses’ relationship with God affects everything about our relationship with Heavenly Father because we can finally understand it for the simple reality that it is: although we are nothing compared to him, we are everything to him. Since we are the center of his purpose in the heavens above, his will should in return be the center of our purpose here on earth. As we make this our objective, our relationship with the Father will only strengthen, and we will continue to draw closer and closer unto him until we have reached the ultimate goal of becoming one with him in the eternities above.

Additional Resources:

Learn more about how you can strengthen your relationship with our Heavenly Father at the official site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths as the “Mormon Church”).

What Do Mormons Believe about Life, Happiness, and Jesus Christ?

Request a free copy of the Book of Mormon or Bible–both testaments of Jesus Christ.

Written by Cassandra Ball, a BYU student, studying a volume of scripture known as the Pearl of Great Price, which is written by prophets; members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “Mormons” revere it as sacred text. This post comes from a book within the Pearl of Great Price known as The Book of Moses; it is an extraction from the translation of the Bible as revealed to Joseph Smith the Prophet, June 1830—February 1831.

God the Father Has a Body Similar to Ours

In a book of scripture known as the Pearl of Great Price, Moses chapter one, we learn that Moses is the titular character makes a number of discoveries regarding the Jesus Christ, the Universe, and where his place was within it. As a person who accepts the Book of Moses as a reliable source, his early discoveries have had a profound impact on my own life and belief system.

Moses’ first discovery is fairly straightforward – he was able to speak to the God the Father face to face (Moses 1:2). The implication there is clear – if the Lord has a literal face, we can conclude that He also has a physical body. It is glorified and perfected, but nonetheless apparently fairly similar to Moses’ own mortal body with a face and hands and vocal cords.

Moses’ next discovery is along a similar vein – he is God’s son (Moses 1:4), and in similitude of the Lord’s only begotten, Jesus Christ (Moses 1:6). God the Father tells Moses that he has work to do, which implies that the Lord has known Moses for much longer than Moses’ life on earth. He is then able to view the entirety of the God’s creation before the Lord’s glory withdraws from him and he is left unto himself, musing about the nothingness of man (Moses 1:7-11).

Shortly after that occurs, Satan appears, hoping to tempt Moses into worshiping him. Because of Moses’ new found knowledge, he knows that Satan is not worthy of worship. After Moses banishes Satan three times, Satan finally departs

As an individual, many of these lessons are small, but nonetheless profound. If God had a physical body when Moses saw Him, it means that He has had a physical body like Moses’ and like mine. It further implies that at some point, our mortal bodies will have the capacity to be glorified and perfected like unto His

I can also conclude that I myself am a daughter of the Father, and in similitude of the Savior (broadly speaking, at least). If the Lord was aware of Moses, and had a job for him to do, then the same must be true of me, as well.

Finally, I am left to wrestle with the tension between my own nothingness, and my own unlimited potential, just as Moses did. Although he felt that man was nothing in comparison to the greatness of the Lord, he was able to successfully banish Satan, exercising power over him. Satan is often portrayed as an immensely strong being, but he cannot withstand the power of a righteous human being. Therefore, it stands to reason that human beings (including myself) have the potential to likewise banish Satan and become more akin to the Lord. By claiming and honoring my divine heritage, I can one day become perfected and live with God the Father for eternity.

Additional Resources:

The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ, comparable to the Bible. Request your free copy today.

Learn about basic Mormon beliefs.

Visit Mormon.org to chat with LDS missionaries right now.

Written by Brian Aldous, a BYU student, studying a volume of scripture known as the Pearl of Great Price, which is written by prophets; members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “Mormons” revere it as sacred text. This post comes from a book within the Pearl of Great Price known, as The Book of Moses; it is an extraction from the translation of the Bible as revealed to Joseph Smith the Prophet, June 1830—February 1831.

God the Father Appears to Moses

In Moses chapter one, the Pearl of Great Price (a book of scripture held sacred by Latter-day Saints “Mormons”), Moses saw God. During Moses’ encounter he learned that “man is nothing” – something that he “never had supposed” (Moses 1:10). He saw all of our earth and all of its inhabitants, and learned that God had created many worlds other than our
own. Moses also learned that although the creations of God are “innumerable” to man, they are all known to God. God spoke to Moses, saying: “all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them” (Moses 1:35). This discovery that Moses had is like what President Dieter F. Uchtdorf calls a “paradox of man”, which is that “compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God” (“You Matter to Him”, Oct. 2011). Moses learned the first part of this paradox as he beheld the glory of God and realized that the natural man cannot withstand such glory. Even though Moses was transfigured (a temporary change of nature to a more glorious state) when he beheld God, he still had to wait many hours before regaining his strength, after the encounter (Moses 1:10). Moses learned the second part of the paradox as God called him His son, told him that he was in the similitude of Jesus Christ, and revealed His work and glory (Moses 1:6, 39). These two sides of the paradox help us integrate the vastness of God’s creations with an understanding of His love for us.

Two things that I learned from Moses’ relationship to God that affect my relationship with Him are (a) Moses’ reaction to Satan tempting him and (b) the love that God has for us, in spite of our relatively small place in the universe. Satan told Moses to worship him, but Moses could not be confused about his relationship to God. Moses knew that he was “a son of God, in the similitude of his Only Begotten” (Moses 1:13). Furthermore, he recognized that he could behold Satan without being transfigured, which showed that Satan did not have the glory of God. Moses’ experience in expelling Satan is instructive for us. He knew his relationship to God and Jesus Christ, he knew God’s glory, and he prayed to God to receive the force to expel Satan from his presence, which was done in the name of Jesus Christ.

My relationship with God is affected by knowing that I am part of the reason for His creations. Instead of looking into the night sky and feeling helpless or insignificant, I can feel hopeful and know that there is the potential for greatness within me. God showed Moses that the sheer extent of His creations did not have to be overwhelming and did not make Moses unimportant. On the contrary, God’s children are the reason for His creations and the focal point of His work and glory (Moses 1:39).

Additional Resources:

Moses saw God. This helps us understand our relationship with our Heavenly Father. Learn more at the official site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths as the “Mormon Church”).

Learn more about your relationship with God.

Request a free copy of the Book of Mormon or Bible.

Keith L. Brown is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and serves as the Ward Mission Leader in the Annapolis, Maryland Ward.

Mormonism’s Sacred Voice is America’s Choir

After singing the sacred hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (sometimes inadvertently called the “Mormon Church”) for more than a century and a half, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has become popularly known as “America’s Choir.” The 360 member choir is comprised of men and women ranging from ages 25 to 60 from many diverse backgrounds and professions whose incomparable voices combine together to create a harmonious melody brought about by their love for singing and their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Founded in August 1847, one month after the Mormon pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has appeared at 13 world’s fairs and expositions, performed at the inaugurations of five United States Presidents – Lyndon B. Johnson (1965), Richard M. Nixon (1969), Ronald Reagan (1981), George Bush (1989), and George W. Bush (2001) – and sung for numerous worldwide telecasts and special events. Five of the Choir’s recordings have achieved “gold record” and two have achieved “platinum record” status. Their most popular recording was the 1959 release of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” recorded with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra, which won a Grammy award for Richard P. Condie, who was the conductor of the Choir at that time.

Performing live from Temple Square in Salt Lake City, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir can be heard weekly on the broadcast of the longest-running network radio program in the world, Music and the Spoken Word. On 16 July 1989, CBS Radio acclaimed the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s unprecedented sixtieth year of continuous weekly performances. On the occasion of the Choir’s 3,000^th broadcast in 1987, John Burrows, Vice President of the CBS Radio Network, wrote: “The chances of a program that started on a national network in 1929 still being broadcast … are very, very slim. But you have done it. In fact, you’re the only ones to have done it.” It is also of noteworthy interest that neither CBS nor any of the other stations worldwide that carry the broadcast make money by selling air time to the Choir. Instead, the millions of dollars of air time are donated as a public service.

Literally millions of people enjoy the melodic sounds of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir each week. Tabernacle Choir programs are carried on approximately 450 radio stations in the United States and Canada and are broadcast on radio and television stations in some countries of Europe and the South Pacific. Via the Armed Services Radio Network, the Choir is also carried into twenty-two countries. The program is recorded live by KSL Television in Salt Lake City Utah and then aired on a one-week delayed basis on more than 280 television/cable systems (the number increases weekly) in the United States and Canada.

As unlikely as it may seem, this nonprofit group of volunteer singers has truly become a superstar sensation in the music industry and entertainment world. The Choir has produced more than one hundred albums, five of them “gold”—signifying that more than 500,000 copies have been sold. It is interesting to note that only seventeen “gold” albums have ever been earned in classical music. In addition, the Choir performs annual concerts, not only in Salt Lake City and other parts of the United States, but throughout the world. It has performed to packed audiences in some of the world’s greatest concert halls in eighteen countries. Tabernacle Choir concerts, featuring internationally famous guest artists, such as David Archuleta of American Idol fame for the 2010 Christmas concert, are recorded and later broadcast as major television specials around the world.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints love their choir as well. Yet, if there is any criticism given of the Choir, it generally comes from Church members. The most common criticism or complaint is about the Choir’s musical repertoire. Some members feel it’s too classical; others say it’s too secular. Some feel the Choir should sing more hymns; others prefer more contemporary LDS music. The spoken portion of the weekly radio broadcasts also has its critics, mostly from a few Church members who feel that its content is too generic. They feel that it should be more specific and unique to LDS doctrines and beliefs.

Speaking to this subject, Jerold D. Ottley, director of the Choir from 1974 to 1999, said, “I realize there are members of the Church who do not understand that the Choir has a specific mission to the world, nor do they comprehend the enormous good the Choir does out there for the reputation of the Church. The Choir works under the direct supervision of the First Presidency, and our repertoire and daily operations keep pace with that direction.”

When listening to the broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word, listeners need to keep in mind that they are listening to a program of inspiration, not a Sunday-morning worship service. The Sunday-morning repertoire is chosen by the Music Director, Mack Wilberg, and the organists on a more eclectic basis. Given that people in most countries are familiar with classical works, music may be chosen from such great composers as Bach, Mendelssohn, or Handel. Secular selections may be chosen from Broadway musicals, traditional spirituals such as Alex Boye‘ (a member of the Choir who also has his own musical career) leading the Choir in a rising rendition of “Rock My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham”, nostalgia, or folk music. And sacred selections are selected that appeal to both LDS and non-LDS audiences. Music often appears on the broadcast in preparation for other events that the Choir will be a part of.

Likewise, the spoken portion of the Sunday-morning broadcast is not intended to be a forum for proselytizing. The “Spoken Word” was developed in 1930 by Richard L. Evans, who later became a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and who was the Choir’s announcer for forty-one years, as a three-minute sermonette on Christian thought. The same format is now used by Lloyd D. Newell, the Choir’s current announcer. He is careful that the pieces address a general religious audience and deal with universal principles and concerns.

The Mission of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s mission is basically two-fold: (1) to be a missionary, with a special calling to reach out to the world, and (2) to be an ambassador for the Church, with a charge to bring credibility and goodwill to the Church in all areas of the world. The objective of the Mormon Choir is to warm people’s hearts, rather than to warn them. President Gordon B. Hinckley often told the Choir that, except for the Book of Mormon, there is no greater missionary for the Church than the Tabernacle Choir. Wendell Smoot, former President of the Choir, once said, “The Choir is the band that leads the parade, as far as the public relations image of the Church is concerned. Wherever we go in the world, literally everywhere, people know us. They associate the Choir with that which is good, wholesome, and uplifting.”

Throughout the years of their dedicated service the Choir has become something of an unofficial ambassador for the United States as well. On the occasion of the Choir’s 3,000^th radio broadcast, Ronald Reagan, then President of the United States, sent a letter to the Choir in which he identified the Tabernacle Choir as “an inspiring American landmark of musical achievement. For many years, the choir has been a source of pride not only to its Church sponsors but to all Americans. It has become an esteemed part of the cultural life of our nation, combining outstanding musicianship with dedicated service to God.”

Additional Resources:

Mormon Tabernacle Choir Official Website

Mormons Sing!

Basic Mormon Beliefs and Real Mormons

Mormons in America

Written by Jordan Bybee, a BYU student, studying a volume of scripture known as the Pearl of Great Price, which is written by prophets; members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “Mormons” revere it as sacred text. This post comes from a book within the Pearl of Great Price known, as The Book of Moses; it is an extraction from the translation of the Bible as revealed to Joseph Smith the Prophet, June 1830—February 1831.

Relationship with God the Father

In Moses chapter one (found in a book of scripture held as sacred by Latter-day Saints known as the Pearl of Great Price), God reveals himself to Moses while he is on an exceedingly high mountain. In verse 3 and 4 God establishes his relationship with Moses by saying “Behold I am the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is my name; for I am without beginning of days or end of years…And, behold, thou art my son.”

First- Moses learns that he is a son of God.

Second- In subsequent verses he learns about God’s character. Someone once taught me that if you really want to know God you have to know his character. If you want a relationship with him you will have to come to know him. Moses is taught directly by God some of his most important characteristics: he is endless, knows all things, full of grace, truth, and glory, many works (all-powerful), and he desires to teach us.

Third- He is also taught that, although God is all-powerful Moses can still talk with God and ask Him questions.

Fourth- After the presence of God withdrew from Moses, Moses realizes that man is nothing.

Fifth- Moses learns that the work and glory of God is to “bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of men” (See Moses 1:39). In this last conference President Uchtdorf, in his talk “You Matter to Him”, tied these two seemingly opposite ideas together. He says, “This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God.” What an amazing experience this must have been for Moses-to view the most magnificent creations of God and yet be taught by God that these things were created for men.

What I think he really gets from this experience is captured in the phrase “Thou art after the similitude of mine Only Begotten” (See Moses 1:6). This is what he repeats a couple of times to Satan when he comes temping him. This is what I do as well, during hard times. I repeat scriptures, meaningful phrases, etc. over and over to remind myself of my relationship with God. Otherwise it is so easy to get up in the moment and forget what past experiences with the scriptures have taught me. Although Nephi taught us to liken the scriptures unto ourselves, it is easy to say, “yes but God was talking to MOSES, it can’t apply to me as well.” The important thing to remember is that the scriptures were written for us. While God did not call me to lead the children of Israel out of bondage by having the very water obey me, He is still interested in me achieving immortality and eternal life because I am His daughter.

I do not know exactly how it works, but God knows who I am and is interested in me and my life. He knows me well enough to send my oldest sister to pull me out of a sneaker wave in the ocean when I was two, to help my older brother to notice me drowning when I was 5, to stop my car from going off a cliff in the middle of nowhere Oregon even though I was traveling on Sunday when I should’ve been at church, to prompt Elder Scott to talk about missionary work when I was trying to decide whether or not to go on a mission, to pave my path right into a master’s program, and countless other experiences that I have forgotten about or not even noticed. Although Moses, chapter one, does not say it exactly, I think Moses must’ve felt overwhelmed and unworthy, but he was given the strength by God to move forward. The relationship that Moses has with God can help me to remember that I am a daughter of God and therefore he knows me, loves me, and I am everything to Him.

Additional Resources:

We can have a personal relationship with Heavenly Father. Learn more at the official site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called by friends of other faiths as the “Mormon Church”).

Learn more about our relationship with God.

Request a free copy of the Book of Mormon or Bible.

In the first event of its kind, a leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints answered questions in a live-forum setting. Elaine Dalton, General President for the Young Women Organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, answered questions posed to her live on the Voices for Virtue Facebook page. This occurred February 23, 2012, at 8:00 p.m. EST. She was visible via webcam and answered questions via chat.

Voices for Virtue is a non-profit organization, unaffiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which reaches out to teens and young adults through social networking to encourage them to live virtuous lives.

This was a unique opportunity for anyone with a question about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to pose it to Elaine Dalton, though it was meant to be for members of the church who had their own questions about doctrines and standards of the church.

No rights existed for recording or rebroadcasting this event, but if you are interested in hearing what else Elain Dalton has to say about virtue, or you want to learn more about Voices for Virtue, please see the references below:

Talks and Speeches by Elaine Dalton

Interview with Elaine Dalton

Voices for Virtue

by Brad Nelson

In response to a high school student looking for answers about the “Mormon Church” (as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is frequently misnamed), a member of the Church gave the following answers:

What is the origin of the universe and man?

Mormons believe that the origin of the universe and man is God. The cycles of seasons, the regeneration of life, planets moving in their orbits; all these things denote an Author of order and intelligence. The over-arching attribute of God is love; love typified by the ability and tendency to sacrifice self for the well-being of another. God is a corporeal being; that is, He has a physical body. He lives in the family unit. If we could see Him, He would seem familiar to us as a father naturally would to a child. We are literally His spirit offspring, His children.

In this sphere of existence, we are all familiar with the phenomenon of a man and a woman falling in love, marrying and raising a family. In the ideal, both parents are devoted to each other and, united, devoted to their children. They work, they sacrifice, organize, and build to provide an environment wherein their children can learn and grow. Their supreme satisfaction is to see their children mature and perpetuate the labor of love that is family. This is the basic model of God’s purpose and activity. His love is the driving cause of His creative enterprises.

What is the purpose of mankind?

Mormon doctrine teaches that the basic purpose of mankind is to have a fullness of joy. If God has such fullness, is it not because He possesses the attributes of perfection in their fullness? Thus it is that the purpose He has ordained for us is simply to be like Him and thus enjoy what He enjoys. He is love, and if we choose also to become love with the means He has provided, He can perfect us sufficiently to enable us to work as He works and have a fullness of joy therein. Take the joys you see in the best family you have ever known and multiply them by a factor beyond comprehension. That is God—and the purpose of mankind. What loving father of such capability would want less for his children?

What is satisfaction and how do I obtain it? How can I be happy?

It is almost universally noted that, at some point in a long life, the human body ceases to be the instrument of satisfaction it was in youth. Its appetites have faded, and the soul is fed and warmed only by the love it has chosen over the appetites of the body. I speak of the choice of love typified in remaining faithful to a spouse in the face of temptation, or of sacrificing pleasure or worldly honor to attend to the needs and wants of a spouse and children. No doubt the appetites of the physical body are powerful and the opportunities for indulgence rich and compelling. In our youth, we are easily deluded into believing indulgence without restraint will always be satisfying. It won’t. Nevertheless, our mortal bodies are not the enemy of satisfaction and joy, but are a requirement thereof. Satisfaction comes in using them vigorously within the bounds God has set.

The satisfaction you query is really joy. It is to be found neither in a monastic nor a hedonistic environment but in a family environment. The path of this satisfaction is one and the same as a commitment to follow Jesus Christ in a life spent in service of others, including family, and particularly God. The manner of Jesus’ birth gave him unique capacity to receive a fullness of his Father’s glory while on the earth. Thus he said to Philip, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9). Mormons believe that Jesus Christ was and is in the express likeness and image of His Father, having the same attributes, the chief of those attributes being love. Again, if there is any good model of satisfaction it is God. God is love. Our lasting satisfaction is the sum of the love that fills us as we follow Jesus Christ by keeping his commandments, by serving others, and by living in the family covenant.

What has gone wrong with the world? Why is there evil in the world? Why do bad things happen to good people?

What has gone wrong with the world is the sum of all the selfish choices members of the human race have made. Agency—or real freedom of choice—is a fundamental constant in God’s purpose that His children have joy. What becomes of a child who never faces opposition, who never learns restraint or work? He remains a child, never knowing joy, because for him joy has no context, no reference to an opposite. If a parent wants a child to mature to strength and capability, sooner or later that child must face opposition.

The basic facts of the story of the Garden of Eden answer your question. How could an omniscient God place two people in a defined circumference with a forbidden element right in the middle of it, allow an opposing agent to persuade them to partake of that element, and then be surprised at the outcome? Or how can we say of an omniscient God that He fully intended that they should remain forever as they were in the Garden; that His basic intent was completely thwarted?

God intended that His children learn, in the laboratory of mortality, where real choice exists in a sphere of moral opposites. He did not force the Fall; that would have destroyed the crucial principle of agency inherent in His purpose of creation: to provide a space in which His children could learn and grow by experience. But He provided a way. God did not create, nor does He cause, evil. If He did not allow evil to exist in the same sphere with the force of good, we could not really choose for ourselves; we could never grow as God intended, could never learn to really love. The evidence that we really are free to choose good over evil is that many choose selfish evil ranging from shoplifting to genocide. We are just as free to choose the horrible as we are the sublime.

Choices have consequences. The sum of selfish choice ripples through the world in an awful way. Bad people are free to choose to do bad things to good people. But good people often unite to fight the forces of evil by their own free will and choice. That is the other side of the equation. Hard things like illness and accident happen to good people and bad alike. We will all taste of the loss of death. None of these things are evidence of a God who does not love or one who simply does not exist. They are evidence of a God who provided a way for His children to face opposition and to choose for themselves. As we suffer, we gain empathy for others and know better how to lift and serve others.

At the other pole, the cause of the availability of good as a choice is God’s provision of a Savior, His Son, Jesus Christ. Christ bore the weight of all the horror and suffering in this world in Gethsemane and on the cross. He rose with a resurrected body in complete triumph over death and sorrow. Those who suffer unjustly in this life go home to meet Him and prepare for the day of their own resurrection. They are free from pain and fear and remember their suffering no more. Their state is the polar opposite of tragedy.

What is the solution to the problems we face? What happens when I fail and how do I make things right?

The solution is to repent and follow Jesus Christ: In the name of Christ, offer to God a humble and remorseful heart; seek to make a restoration for any wrong we have committed; promise to abandon the error completely; ask for forgiveness. He is generous and quick to forgive a sincere heart. Following that, Mormons believe we must abandon a life of selfishness and live to lift and bless others.

What is right and wrong? Is moral truth absolute or relative?

Truth doesn’t change, because God doesn’t change. No modifications to the Ten Commandments or the Sermon on the Mount. Wrong is as the Savior defined it; Right is as He taught and lived.

Is there a universal moral law? Does everyone know the difference between right and wrong?

There is; and everyone of all nations, faiths, and traditions is born with the light of that law. We refer to that light as the light of Christ. Others sometimes refer to it as conscience. Good Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, and Jews alike are born with this light. We know instinctively that it is wrong to harm another. But prevailing traditions and, again, the ability to choose selfish satisfaction, can dim the light to the point that an entire society is capable of horror.

What happens at death? Where are we going when we die? How do we know and what does it look like, and if it is heaven, then how do we get there?

Mormons teach that if we have been righteous, we go home to the God who gave us life, and we rest from all our earthly cares and sorrow. We enjoy a reunion with family and friends who have preceded us. We await the day of our resurrection. In the resurrection our spirits are united with our bodies in the same manner as Jesus’ resurrection. It is in the resurrection that we gain the capacity to receive the fullness of Joy and satisfaction—in an eternal family unit—that God and Christ have prepared for us. We don’t need to worry about travel arrangements. We get there by patterning ourselves after the Savior in all that we do.

What does it look like? I had a glimmer once. I have been to some beautiful places on the Earth: the mountains near my home, the lush garden of Kauai (scented with plumeria) that meets a blue ocean teeming with fish in a variety of shape and color that defy description. I have thought that these places are heavenly, but my glimmer was the sense that they are only pale shadows of what the Savior has prepared for those who love Him.

What does your faith do with the person of Jesus?

My faith encompasses a witness that Jesus is as He ministered in the flesh, both before and after His resurrection. He is, literally, the Son of God. Although they are physically separate, they are One. As an end note, for me there can be no ultimate “satisfaction” without being one with Jesus as He is One with the Father – as he prayed in John 17. My faith orients me toward obsession with His person, character, and attributes. It is an obsession that can only be quenched with the Holy Ghost as He taught and prayed in John 14–17.

Additional Resources:

Mormon Doctrine on Families

Mormon View of Jesus Christ

Mormon Beliefs

Tithing (the practice of giving a tenth of one’s income),[1] has been around since at least the time of Abraham (see Genesis 14:18-20). Ancient Israel was constantly reminded of the necessity to pay a tithe,

“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings” (Malachi 3:8).

On 8 July 1838, Joseph Smith, the first Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, received a revelation now recorded as Doctrine and Covenants 119. In this revelation, the Lord revealed the law of tithing to the Church,

“Those who have thus been tithed shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever” (D&C 119:4). Members of the Church of Jesus Christ accept this revelation as a commandment and consecrate one tenth of their increase to the Church.

Funds received from tithing are regarded as sacred by the Church today as they were in the time of Ancient Israel “the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord” (Leviticus 27:32). Disposition of these sacred funds is governed by a revelation received on the same day as D&C 119:

“Verily, thus saith the Lord, the time is now come, that it [tithing] shall be disposed of by a council, composed of the First Presidency of my Church, and of the bishop and his council, and by my high council; and by mine own voice unto them, saith the Lord. Even so. Amen” (D&C 120).

As with every commandment, there are attendant promises and blessings. In Malachi, after reproving Ancient Israel for not paying tithing, the Lord said,

“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).

As always, paying tithing is a matter of faith. And that faith is two-fold. We know that all we have is given to us by the Lord, who as King Benjamin, a Book of Mormon prophet, so eloquently said,

“…has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another” (Mosiah 2:21).

And if we acknowledge that, then giving back a tenth of what he has given us is a small thing. Even in hard economic times, because of the promised blessings, and perhaps especially then, we should make that leap of faith. The other part of that faith is that the money will be regarded as sacred and put to good use.

Offerings

In addition to tithing, members of the Church of Jesus Christ have the opportunity to consecrate funds for various uses within the Church. First of these is Fast Offerings. Each month, usually the first Sunday, every member of the Church who can fasts for 2 meals and donates the cost of those two meals, or as much as they can. These fast offerings, equally sacred in the eyes of the Church and the Lord are designated for the poor and needy. Other destinations for offerings include the Perpetual Education Fund. This fund has been established to help members of the Church in communities throughout the world pay for an education they would not otherwise be able to afford. As they complete their education and embark on their careers, they repay the loan so that others may be educated.

What are Tithing Funds Used for?

Dallin H. Oaks, an Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in an address during the General Conference of the Church, reported on the use of tithing funds:

“The Lord has directed by revelation that the expenditure of his tithes will be directed by his servants, the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve, and the Presiding Bishopric (see D&C 120). Those funds are spent to build and maintain temples and houses of worship, to conduct our worldwide missionary work, to translate and publish scriptures, to provide resources to redeem the dead, to fund religious education, and to support other Church purposes selected by the designated servants of the Lord.”[2]

Perhaps one of the most visible uses of those funds is for humanitarian service.

Humanitarian service—reaching out to the world at large in times of need— whether it be natural disasters such as the recent tsunami in Japan, helping children with medical problems, or providing wheelchairs, clean water, neonatal resuscitation training, and vision care in poorer countries, is a priority for the Church.[3]

Wherever there is a major natural disaster, supplies are shipped out from Salt Lake City. Working with local leaders and other relief organizations, Church members in the area don yellow t-shirts bearing the “Helping Hands” logo and get to work.[4]

In December 2004, a tsunami hit Indonesia. Elder Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles gave an account of the Church’s effort to help in that disasters,

“They first asked for 20,000 body bags. We located them in China and had them air-freighted to Jakarta. Not long after that, they asked for 30,000 more. Shortly thereafter, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve, Dr. Gerrit Gong of Brigham Young University, and I traveled to Jakarta and then on to Banda Aceh which is on the north end of the island of Sumatra, vulnerable to the open ocean. We witnessed scenes words cannot describe. Over 200,000 were dead, families broken and dislocated, homes washed away. We saw one cemetery where 40,000 bodies had been buried. . . .The First Presidency called a special fast for funds to aid the victims of the tsunami. The money flowed in—several million dollars. Part of our purpose in traveling to Indonesia was to review the significant Church humanitarian relief to those hardest hit. The assistance began flowing immediately.”[5]

This is just one example of the many ongoing humanitarian service initiatives that are partly funding by tithing and partly by other contributions from members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.