The size or rate of growth of the LDS Church is of little importance, except as it touches and changes the lives of those who are baptized and follow the precepts of God.  Mormons want all to enjoy the blessings of the gospel.  But the size of the Church is otherwise of little concern except as it affects the logistics of running the Church and providing buildings and programs for increasing numbers of Latter-day Saints.  A Book of Mormon prophet said this about the current day Church of Jesus Christ:

And it came to pass that I beheld the church of the Lamb of God, and its numbers were few, because of the wickedness and abominations of the whore who sat upon many waters; nevertheless, I beheld that the church of the Lamb, who were the saints of God, were also upon all the face of the earth; and their dominions upon the face of the earth were small, because of the wickedness of the great whore whom I saw (1 Nephi 14:12 – emphasis added).

This is the condition of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints today.  Though few in number, there are Latter-day Saints all over the world.  But it is the condition of the Church in the future I wish to discuss, because of something else I read in the mentioned article.   The article incorrectly laid out the LDS Church’s future intentions by saying, “[Joseph Smith, first prophet of the LDS Church], preached that the Mormons, the chosen people, would usher in the second coming of Christ and set up the Kingdom of God in Washington, D.C.”   Balderdash.  This kind of mis-reporting hurts Mormons and scares friends of other faiths.  Here is what the prophecies of Latter-day prophets say concerning future Mormon doings in America.

• Mormons will not usher in the Second Coming.  Most Christians understand that no one knows when the Second Coming will occur, except God:  “But of that day, and hour, no one knoweth; no, not the angels of God in heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 1:40, Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible).
• Mormons, however, are preparing spiritually and trying to help to prepare the earth for the Second Coming.  One important work Mormons do is to emphasize the importance of and give help to those who desire to do family history research.  The Savior has said that unless the hearts of the fathers are turned to the children, and the children to their fathers, His coming would destroy the earth.  Mormons join their families in eternal covenants to help with the work of Elijah, as prophesied by Malachi.
• Isaiah said, “…for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:3).  Modern prophets have clarified that in this instance, Isaiah was speaking of two religious capitals that will exist during the millennium — Jerusalem in Israel and Zion (or “New Jerusalem”) on the American continent, centered in Missouri.
• Latter-day Saints tried to settle in Zion but were driven out.  The Lord allowed this to happen, because of the sins of the Latter-day Saints of the time, but promised that someday, the Saints would be able to establish Zion as prophesied.  Zion means “the pure in heart,” and whoever settles there must be willing to live purely and charitably.  Zion will be established during a time of danger, violence, and wide-spread unrest, and will become a sanctuary to all those who wish to live a life of peace:  “And it shall come to pass among the wicked, that every man that will not take his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety.  And there shall be gathered unto it out of every nation under heaven; and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another” (Doctrine and Covenants 45:68, 69).
• The government of Zion will be based upon the inspired Constitution of the United States.  This fulfills the prophecy that the Elders of Zion will uphold the precepts of the Constitution.  This has nothing to do with whatever will go on in Washington, D.C., has nothing to do with usurping the U.S. government.
• The economic system of Zion will be the “United Order,” which has no room for pride, selfishness, or greed.  Anyone desiring to live in Zion takes all of his material wealth to the bishop.  The person makes a statement of his needs and wants, and that portion is given to him for his sole ownership, governance and discretionary use.  If his needs increase, he is given more.  Any excess goes to support the poor.  This system was followed by the early Saints in the time of the original Apostles of Jesus Christ, who had all things in common, so that there were no poor.  Note the huge difference between this plan and communism or socialism.  The government owns nothing under the United Order, and individuals own outright their property.
• Because of the growth of the LDS Church, and Mormons’ emphasis on education and service, more Latter-day Saints are becoming involved, visibly so, in public life.  Beginning in 2013, there will be 17 Mormon members of Congress.  Most Mormons are Republicans, but there is a good representation also of Democrats.  Those who are Republicans naturally desire to uphold the Constitution as an inspired document, while Democrats tend to see it as a work in progress.

This is a summary of the prophecies of Mormon prophets for the future of the LDS Church in America.  There are no plans to displace anyone, nor to uproot or replace American government, simply to establish a city of peace and righteousness on legally-purchased ground that will become a refuge from the storm for all who wish to gather there.  This city will be in the mid-west of the United States and will have nothing to do with American governance from Washington, D.C.

Additional Resources:

Mormonchurch.com

Mormons and the Constitution of the United States

Mormon Mitt Romney

Mormon Beliefs and Real Mormons

Yet, He led me along, and especially guided me to the people who could be His hands in lifting me gradually to discipleship and knowledge of and trust in Him.

I can say, however, that even though I began in fits and starts, I never lost my fervor for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  I was always converted, and that true conversion has kept me moving forward on the narrow path that leads to salvation and exaltation.

At this time, my husband (of 44 years) and I are serving as senior Mormon missionaries.  We are very far away from most of our children and grandchildren.  We are sacrificing financially, as well, in order to help Latter-day Saints in a small branch in a faraway place.  We do this because we are truly converted to His gospel.  We are called “member-leader support” missionaries.  We don’t proselyte, but help those who are already members of the Church of Jesus Christ.  Because the Church has a lay clergy, all members must step up and be ready to serve in a variety of “callings,” all of which make us stretch and use talents we didn’t know we had.  We help to train and support these people.

We also try to help those who are not yet converted.  They want to drop out when someone inadvertently offends them; they want the advantages of the gospel and the Church without paying any offerings, just denying themselves the blessings of sacrifice.  They want to work, and are willing to break the Sabbath to do it.  They are not truly converted.
In the October 2012 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ, Elder David A. Bednar gave an address on being truly converted. He said,

Knowing that the gospel is true is the essence of a testimony. Consistently being true to the gospel is the essence of conversion.

A testimony is a gift from God and is available to all of His children. Any honest seeker of truth can obtain a testimony by exercising the necessary “particle of faith” in Jesus Christ to “experiment upon” (Alma 32:27) and “try the virtue of the word” (Alma 31:5), to yield “to the enticings of the Holy Spirit” (Mosiah 3:19), and to awaken unto God (see Alma 5:7). Testimony brings increased personal accountability and is a source of purpose, assurance, and joy.

Seeking for and obtaining a testimony of spiritual truth requires asking, seeking, and knocking (see Matthew 7:7; 3 Nephi 14:7) with a sincere heart, real intent, and faith in the Savior (see Moroni 10:4). Fundamental components of a testimony are knowing that Heavenly Father lives and loves us, that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and that the fullness of the gospel has been restored to the earth in these latter days….

The essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ entails a fundamental and permanent change in our very nature made possible through the Savior’s Atonement. True conversion brings a change in one’s beliefs, heart, and life to accept and conform to the will of God (see Acts 3:19; 3 Nephi 9:20) and includes a conscious commitment to become a disciple of Christ.

Conversion is an enlarging, a deepening, and a broadening of the under girding base of testimony. It is the result of revelation from God, accompanied by individual repentance, obedience, and diligence. Any honest seeker of truth can become converted by experiencing the mighty change of heart and being spiritually born of God (see Alma 5:12–14). As we honor the ordinances and covenants of salvation and exaltation (see D&C 20:25), “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ” (2 Nephi 31:20), and endure in faith to the end (see D&C 14:7), we become new creatures in Christ (see 2 Corinthians 5:17). Conversion is an offering of self, of love, and of loyalty we give to God in gratitude for the gift of testimony.

… the key characteristics associated with conversion are experiencing a mighty change in our hearts, having a disposition to do good continually, going forward in the path of duty, walking circumspectly before God, keeping the commandments, and serving with unwearied diligence. Clearly, these faithful souls had become deeply devoted to the Lord and His teachings.

For many of us, conversion is an ongoing process and not a onetime event that results from a powerful or dramatic experience. Line upon line and precept upon precept, gradually and almost imperceptibly, our motives, our thoughts, our words, and our deeds become aligned with the will of God. Conversion unto the Lord requires both persistence and patience.

A testimony is spiritual knowledge of truth obtained by the power of the Holy Ghost. Continuing conversion is constant devotion to the revealed truth we have received—with a heart that is willing and for righteous reasons. Knowing that the gospel is true is the essence of a testimony. Consistently being true to the gospel is the essence of conversion. We should know the gospel is true and be true to the gospel.

It is the truly converted who will be exalted into the presence of the Lord in heaven.  These are those who seek His face, who want more than salvation.  The truly converted keep on keeping on and are valiant in their loyalty to Christ.  In the face of discouragement and opposition, they keep showing up.

Additional Resources:

All About Mormons

About Famous Mormons

Worship with Mormons

We all are born with talents, and these are magnified through our callings.  Spiritual gifts may also come with us into mortality, or they may be bestowed upon us by God from time to time in order to better serve His other children.  In fact, we can pray for spiritual gifts and the stretching of our talents, and these requests are more likely to be honored when we plan to use them for service.

Most “callings” are temporary.  Only the General Authorities—the prophet and apostles and some members of the Quorums of the Seventy—serve in their callings until they pass from this mortal sphere.  Some callings take little time and energy, while others may be very demanding.  The calling of bishop is one of these, and a bishop—like a priest or pastor over a congregation—may invest 30 hours a week in his Mormon church calling, as he continues to work in his professional vocation and care for his family. Bishops typically serve for about 5 years, but sometimes much longer.

Currently, I hold two callings, both in a small congregation (too small to be a “ward”) of the LDS Church.  I am an American living in Penang, Malaysia, and I serve both as the Gospel Doctrine teacher in the Sunday School, and as the Relief Society President.  Gospel Doctrine classes focus on the scriptures in a four-year cycle: Old Testament, New Testament, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants/LDS Church History.  The Pearl of Great Price is incorporated into the Old Testament year, since it deals with the writings of Moses and Abraham and has several accounts of the Creation.  Thus, all the “standard works” or canonized texts of the Church of Jesus Christ are covered.  At the end of four years, the cycle begins again.  Church members have a study guide, and the teacher has a manual, and these are the same all over the world.  Teaching this class takes much preparation, but as with all callings in the LDS Church, brings great blessings of knowledge and understanding to the teacher, as well as the class.

The Relief Society is the women’s organization of the Church of Jesus Christ, and it is the oldest and largest in the world, with nearly 6 million members.  Everything we do in the LDS Church is meant to bring members closer to the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen families, and the Relief Society blesses women to this end.  They in turn bless others.  Through a program called visiting teaching, every sister  (female member) should receive a personal visit from assigned Relief Society members each month.  A spiritual message is provided, but most importantly, visiting teachers act as earthly guardian angels to that sister, and organize service for her in her individual time of need.  Relief Society also provides gospel education, homemaking education, preparedness education, literacy education, help for the poor and needy and afflicted, and humanitarian aid and welfare as needed.

As a Relief Society President, I have been “set apart” through the laying on of hands by men who hold priesthood power in order to receive God’s help in my calling.  I have received a “mantle” for this calling, and this has included the power to love the women I serve. All those called to serve in these ways note the love they feel that comes with the mantle of the calling.  I am privileged, also, to receive revelation to help me in my calling.  This revelation includes knowing whom to call to positions under my stewardship.  I have two counselors to help me, and they were called through revelation.  We also have teachers, music specialists, humanitarian aid specialists, visiting teachers, visiting teaching coordinators, compassionate service specialists, activities people, the list goes on.  In our small branch, we haven’t the sisters to fill all these callings, so we have a skeleton crew filling many roles.

Part of my calling is to assess welfare needs, so that a family in need can tap into the extensive welfare program of the LDS Church.  This program is anchored upon the idea of self-sufficiency, so help is expected to be temporary, but it must be sensitively and discretely extended, in just the right measure.

Recently, we held a District Relief Society Conference, combining the sisters from four far-flung branches of the LDS Church.  Women from Ipoh, Sitiawan, Butterworth, and Penang gathered in Penang for a spiritual meeting, a nice dinner, and a humanitarian aid project.  We assembled hygiene kits for an orphanage on the south side of Penang Island, and collected used clothing for our poorer sisters in “East Malaysia” on the island of Borneo.  Donated clothing was packaged in such a way that each item looked new.  A few of us visited the orphanage to deliver the fruits of our labors, and then passed information along to senior Mormon missionaries who specialize in humanitarian aid.  They in turn will pass information about the needs of this orphanage to the philanthropies department of the Church of Jesus Christ for a future possible project or donation to help.  Many such projects have been completed in Malaysia, with a recent one bringing electricity and clean water to a village that had none, changing the lives of the villagers.

My own life has been transformed through my service in the Kingdom of God on earth.  I have taught Gospel Doctrine for many years; I have been a leader in the children’s organization (Primary) and the organization for teenaged girls (Young Women’s Organization); I have served in many Relief Society Presidencies and have taught many classes, participated in many humanitarian aid projects, and learned many homemaking skills; I have sung in a myriad of choirs and written plays and musicals for the youth.  All of these things have honed my talents and expanded my compassion and brought me closer to the Good Shepherd, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Additional Resources:

Basic Mormon Beliefs and Real Mormons

LDS Relief Society

Learn more about what Mormons believe

http://youtu.be/GMJTrAL-XLY