Brigham Young University (BYU) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.

Here, in this column, students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the New Testament and gospel of Jesus Christ in the form of letters to someone they know.  In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to witness to all of us of the relevance, power, and beauty of the New Testament, and God’s plan of happiness for each of us.  We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures. Let us know how these may help you in your own life. Share them with a friend.

Letter to my wife about giving up our will

I want to share an idea from my New Testament class this week. We were reading in Philippians 2 and noticed the importance of our will, especially in verses 12 through 17 or so. I have always found it interesting to notice that all we have that we can truly give to God, that He hasn’t directly given us, is our will. I have always felt humble about this idea and have loved attempting to accomplish it. Basically, the only way to do this is to place our will on the altar of God. Then, once our will has been given up, we can receive God’s will in our heart. I think this is the essence of the Atonement and our best way to become like Christ.

My professor told a story that really magnified this idea that I would like to share with you. It started with him telling us about a little old widow convert from his mission in Brazil. He said she lived down by the river on property that you don’t have to purchase, because no one is interested in a property that would flood a couple times every year. This woman’s house was tin-roofed and the slats that made up the walls left small gaps. In about a 10×8 foot house she had only a small bed, a stump for a chair, and a small table made of two sawhorses and three 2×6 pieces of wood.

After the bishop of the ward had been to her house, he felt badly for her and wanted to help her. He decided to start with one piece of furniture at a time. Over the pulpit during the next sacrament meeting, the bishop announced that a family that was in need of a small table and if anyone could spare one to come to his office after church. After church, he had a light knock on his door. It was the old woman. She said, “Bishop, I want to talk to you about your announcement today.” The bishop was afraid that she was offended. Instead, she told him that she thought all families should have a table to eat at and she had a very small basic table, but that she would give it to them until they could find a nicer one. The bishop then smiled and told her it was supposed to be for her. She was polite, but told him thanks anyways. She said he should spend his time helping those who really needed it.

I love this story, and think it very much explains the way we should give up our will. I hope I can do this and hope it brightens your day also.
Love you forever,

Ian

History

The patriarch Jacob gave a blessing to each of his sons before he died: “And Jacob called unto his sons and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days” (Genesis 49:1). The Prophet Joseph Smith, the first president of the Church of Jesus Christ, taught that “wherever the Church of Christ is established in the earth, there should be a Patriarch for the benefit of the posterity of the Saints, as it was with Jacob in giving his patriarchal blessing unto his sons, etc.”1

Patriarchs

The Church of Jesus Christ is organized into wards and stakes. Thinking of the Church as a big tent, stakes support the weight of the tent and help it perform its function to protect the people inside. A stake is organized into several thousand members of the Church, depending upon the number of members living in a geographical area.  A stake patriarch is called to serve in each stake. They are chosen by the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ. They are ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood and are specially appointed to give patriarchal blessings.

What Is a Patriarchal Blessing?

Similar to the blessings Jacob gave to his sons, a patriarchal blessing in the Church of Jesus Christ is a priesthood blessing that includes a “declaration of a person’s lineage, stating that the person is of the house of Israel—a descendant of Abraham, belonging to a specific tribe of Jacob.” Mormons believe that it doesn’t matter if “a person’s lineage in the house of Israel is through bloodlines or by adoption. Church members are counted as descendants of Abraham and heirs to all the promises and blessings contained in the Abrahamic covenant.”2

The blessing also contains “personal counsel from the Lord” to guide the recipient throughout his or her entire life.3

How to Obtain a Patriarchal Blessing

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ who would like to receive a patriarchal blessing talk to their ward bishop to obtain a recommend that they will give to the stake patriarch. (A stake is made up of several smaller congregations called wards. A bishop is the presiding high priest in his ward.) The bishop will ask a few questions in his interview to make sure the member is ready for a patriarchal blessing. He will also answer any questions the member may have.

After the member has received a recommend, he or she calls the patriarch to schedule an appointment. Most members of the Church prepare themselves spiritually to receive this priesthood blessing by fasting—not eating a meal or drinking water—prior to the appointment (if physically possible).

The patriarch prays for divine guidance before he pronounces each blessing. He speaks to the member briefly before he begins giving the blessing. The blessing is recorded and transcribed, and a printed copy of the blessing is given to the member and archived at Church headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Purpose of the Printed Copy of the Blessing

Receiving the blessing is a spiritual experience. Members feel the presence of the Holy Ghost and feel close to their Heavenly Father while the patriarch speaks words of inspired comfort and counsel, and prophesy of their life mission. Members are often told the fulfillment of the blessing is dependent upon their faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ and obedience to His commandments.

Once a member receives a printed copy of the blessing, he or she is encouraged to read it often.

Church of Jesus Christ President and Prophet Thomas S. Monson said:

“Your patriarchal blessing is yours and yours alone. It may be brief or lengthy, simple or profound. Length and language do not a patriarchal blessing make. It is the Spirit that conveys the true meaning. Your blessing is not to be folded neatly and tucked away. It is not to be framed or published. Rather, it is to be read. It is to be loved. It is to be followed. Your patriarchal blessing will see you through the darkest night. It will guide you through life’s dangers. . . . Your patriarchal blessing is to you a personal [compass] to chart your course and guide your way.”4

Most Mormons regularly read their blessings. Many connect their life experiences with the promises, admonitions, and cautions found in their blessings and write in their journals about them. Many members of the Church have memorized at least part of their blessings. They consider them as sacred and prayerfully consider if or when to share the contents.

Notes:

1. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1973), 151.

2. Patriarchal Blessings

3. Patriarchal Blessings

4. “Your Patriarchal Blessing: a Liahona of Light,” Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, November 1986.

Reference:

Living as a Latter-day Saint: Your Patriarchal Blessing

This article was written by Paula Hicken, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Paula Hicken was an editor with the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship from 2000 to 2013. She earned her BA degree in English from Brigham Young University. She edited Insights, the Maxwell Institute newsletter, and was the production editor for Faith, Philosophy, Scripture, Hebrew Law in Biblical Times (2nd ed.), Third Nephi: An Incomparable Scripture, and was one of the copy editors for Analysis of the Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon. She also helped manage the Maxwell Institute intellectual property and oversaw rights and permissions. She has published in the Ensign, the Liahona, the LDS Church News, and the FARMS Review.

Additional Resource:

Patriarchal Blessings

http://youtu.be/-9pbAch6cMw

“People fell in love with this little boy, who had first been diagnosed with this ravaging disease when he was only a three-year-old toddler.”

Despite legitimate assessments by many people that social media, such as Facebook, create a false sense of intimacy, the chronicles of Mitchell’s journey testified of his parents’ faith in their Heavenly Father’s plan and faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

His parents, Chris and Natalie Jones, are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the Mormon Church. They “believed the burden would be lightened if they shared their anguish—and so they did in photos, videos that include doctor’s reports and their vivid reactions, and journal entries.” Their experiences resonated with readers and comments on their Facebook page “reflect that those thousands who followed this heartbreaking story learned something more about faith, enduring tragedy with grace, and how to love their children with more intensity.”

Chris Jones’s entries are compelling:

I’ll never forget the look of bewilderment on Natalie’s face upon hearing the diagnosis. I remained stoic and collected, but after leaving the doors of he hospital I stayed behind and sat on a bench that looked over the valley and wept.

Today, knowing what we know (after seeing the doctor), we see some of the things he does with a different perspective—and we are now recognizing what were before silent indications that this disease was already taking grasp on his little body.

He also shares his faith and trust in our loving Father in Heaven—a closeness with God that helps Latter-day Saints through the trials of life:

Something happened a few years ago and I don’t completely understand why  . . . and I suppose in time that it will be revealed; but, since the day Mitchell was born, I have had a recurring and persistent impression that his life on this earth would be short. This feeling came long before this devastating news about his disease–and when we had no reason to believe such a thing. Over time I told only a few people about this impression . . . . But for reasons I don’t completely understand at this point—I had this persistent uneasiness about him. I now see (at least) that our loving Heavenly Father wanted me to know something was wrong. And indeed—something is. He warned us . . . in effect prepared us to some degree. And if He did that, He will also carry us places we don’t have the strength to go ourselves.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ understand that Jesus Christ’s Atonement provided resurrection and redemption for all of God’s children. Through life’s painful experiences, they grow to understand the enabling and healing power of the Atonement. Chris Jones wrote:

“I am grateful to have learned something of the Atonement—and while I have much to learn about that sacred topic, I know enough about the hope it provides to keep from sinking.”

The funeral address given by Mitchell’s father appears on the Facebook page. He shares six tender mercies that were “extended to our family during this journey” and he thanks Heavenly Father for them. His concluding words reflect his continued trust and faith in God and his belief that he will be reunited with Mitchell:

As our little boy approached death, I began to sense that Mitchell was much older than I realized. Beneath the veneer of a little 10-year-old’s broken body was a spirit that was older and wiser than I appreciated. And while I miss his tender face, his soft voice, and his beautiful soul . . . so very much . . . every-so-often I am beginning to get a sense of things as they really are. His spirit existed long before he came to this earth—as did all of ours. . . .

But as painful as this separation is, I know that my redeemer lives. And because He lives, so also, does my son.

And I will spend the rest of my days chasing after them—so that I might enjoy that sacred reunion and all that Heavenly Father would offer.

This article was written by Paula Hicken, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Paula Hicken was an editor with the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship from 2000 to 2013. She earned her BA degree in English from Brigham Young University. She edited Insights, the Maxwell Institute newsletter, and was the production editor for Faith, Philosophy, Scripture, Hebrew Law in Biblical Times (2nd ed.), Third Nephi: An Incomparable Scripture, and was one of the copy editors for Analysis of the Textual Variants of the Book of Mormon. She also helped manage the Maxwell Institute intellectual property and oversaw rights and permissions. She has published in the Ensign, the Liahona, the LDS Church News, and the FARMS Review.

Reference:

Thousands followed Mitchell’s Journey on Facebook

Additional Resource:

Mitchell’s Journey

And with the protruding belly, the backaches and the lack of balance, I’ve also recently remembered that part of being pregnant with my fifth child means that I get asked, “Are you done yet?” and “Do you really think you can handle another one?”  And I feel the unspoken question is passed through a glance, “Why don’t you use birth control?”

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often mistakenly called the Mormon Church), we Mormons are often known for having large families.  What many people don’t know is that we have these large families mindfully.  Every single one of my children was intentional. We believe that before we came to earth we lived with God, as his children, and that we awaited the opportunity to receive a body and progress to become more like Him.

Because we have a belief in a life before birth, members of the Church of Jesus Christ have a unique desire to invite those spirits, who have yet to be born, into our homes as our children.   We believe that this offers them the greatest opportunity for their continued growth in a household of faith.  We also feel a personal responsibility to fulfill God’s commandment to “multiply and replenish the earth.”

Sometimes I am asked by close friends who practice other religions why we don’t use birth control and I jokingly answer, “We do!  Imagine what my family would look like if we didn’t!”  In all seriousness, in such private matters the husband and wife use the guidance of the Holy Ghost to direct them in the number and spacing of their children.  Birth control is not expressly endorsed or forbidden except in one instance—abortion.

From True to the Faith, a manual for those seeking Mormonism’s basic tenets:

“Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints must not submit to, perform, encourage, pay for, or arrange for an abortion…Some exceptional circumstances may justify an abortion, such as when pregnancy is the result of incest or rape, when the life or health of the mother is judged by competent medical authority to be in serious jeopardy, or when the fetus is known by competent medical authority to have severe defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth.  But even these circumstances do not automatically justify an abortion.”

We believe that the giving and taking of life are two powers that should not be handled lightly.  Failure to be cautious in the giving of life does not justify the taking of that life, or the promise of that life, after the fact.

Although procreation is undoubtedly an essential part of God’s plan for our happiness here on earth, sexuality between a husband and wife is not meant solely to create life.  It’s meant to be a unifying experience for married couples.   Modern scripture elaborates on the Adam and Eve story.  In it, God expressly commands, “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh“ (Moses 3:24).

The sacred powers of sexuality and creation are revered and honored in LDS culture and as such, are guarded by our strict adherence to modesty— including the wearing of the temple garment under our clothing— and our commitment to being sexually abstinent before marriage and completely loyal to our spouse after it.

In many religions, there is an altar, a sacred place where hearts are given to God in complete offering.  For us, altars are found in churches where the sacrament is broken and blessed and in temples where we kneel across from each other and are married. It is here that promises are made and God extends His grace to His children.  Kneeling before an altar shows complete submission to the will of God and His timing.

In our home, we have another special place—our bed.  We kneel before it and offer our hearts to God and accept His will for our family.  We promise to care for each of the children He sees fit to give us—His children, not ours really.  And we share a sacrament as husband and wife that unites us in passion and joy and selflessness.

We may be done having children, we’ll see.  We always try to take them one at a time.   But whatever the future holds, I know we can handle what God has given us through His grace.  Bound together in spiritual, emotional, mental and physical unity, my husband and I pledge our hearts to each other, to God and His children.

This article was written by Miranda Lotz, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Miranda H. Lotz is a military wife, mother and avid reader.  She loves composing music and currently resides in Colorado Springs.

Strengthening Families

According to Wikipedia, Lent is “the period of 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Easter.” According to Wikipedia, the length of Lent commemorates the 40 days that Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness and where he was tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1-11). Lent is a time of preparation through prayer, fasting, penance, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial, according to the site. Often, believers give up a luxury or vice during this time.

Although members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints don’t observe Lent, the traditions of Lent are similar in nature to a monthly Mormon observance called “Fast Sunday.” Fast Sunday is usually the first Sunday of each month, unless other church-wide or regional meetings are scheduled. In that case, Fast Sunday is either the Sunday before or after. This Sunday is also a time of prayer, fasting, repentance and almsgiving.

Fast Sunday, as the name connotes, is a time of fasting. In the LDS Church, members usually abstain from food and drink for two full meals. Fasting is a way to humble ourselves before the Lord and purify, or chasten, our hearts. Psalms 35:13 says, “I humbled my soul with fasting.” Psalms 69:10 reads, “I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting.”

In the scriptures, fasting is rarely mentioned without prayer. When members fast, they prepare themselves to commune with God through prayer. Daniel 9:3 reads, “And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.” In the LDS Church, members are taught to fast with a purpose, and to begin with a prayer, asking for guidance and help. During the fast, in “sackcloth and ashes”—in other words, in humility— members prayerfully ponder and study their scriptures and the words of the prophets. It is also a time to repent and seek to do better, to recommit oneself to the Lord. These acts of humility allow our hearts to be open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and the answers we are seeking.

Last Fast Sunday, the members of my family (the ones who are old enough to do so) fasted for my 8-year-old daughter regarding some health concerns. She was sick, so she and I stayed home from church. Her health issues had been going on for years but were so subtle that I missed the signs. My friend texted me later that day and asked why I had missed church. I told her my daughter was sick. She asked what her symptoms were, and I told her. She told me it sounded like something she had when she was my daughter’s age. She explained it to me. I searched online for more information and then took my daughter back to the doctor, who gave her some much-needed medicine for temporary relief. I had a follow-up visit two weeks later with our family doctor, who scheduled lab work and tests to find out exactly what needs to be done for her. We are in the middle of that process now. My friend’s text and subsequent information was the answer to our prayers. The Lord does not always answer as quickly as He did that day, but He always answers our sincere prayers.

On Fast Sunday, members of the Church donate the money that would have been spent on meals to the Church. This donation is called Fast Offering, and the money is used to care for the needy both locally and around the world. The Savior teaches, in Luke 11:41, to “give alms of such things as ye have.” In Matthew 19:21, He teaches: “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give it to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven.” As part of the baptismal and temple covenants, LDS Church members promise to give of their resources to help others, especially those in need.

In the LDS Church, sacrament meeting has special significance on Fast Day. First, members partake of the sacrament, “an ordinance in which Church members partake of bread and water in remembrance of Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice. This ordinance is an essential part of worship and spiritual development. Through this ordinance, Church members renew the covenants they made with God when they were baptized,” according to lds.org.

In the Mormon Church, another component of Fast Day is the bearing of testimonies, which comprise the remainder of the sacrament meeting. Members, as they feel prompted by the Holy Spirit, stand before the congregation and share their feelings of the Savior, Jesus Christ, and His restored gospel. They sometimes share short experiences that have strengthened their faith.

Similar to Lent, Fast Sunday is a time for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to prepare themselves spiritually as well as to increase their faith and commitment to the Savior, Jesus Christ. At Easter, all Christians would be wise to spiritually prepare themselves to celebrate the greatest victory known to man—the resurrection of our Lord. If we will do this, our Easter celebrations will become more sacred and meaningful in our lives.

This article was written by Lisa Montague, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Additional Resources:

A Mormon Temple in a Catholic Country

Mormon Sacrament Meeting

Worship with Mormons

I returned home from the store frustrated and discouraged.  I clicked on the TV for my children, and called my sister, Liz.

“Are these really the best years?” I demanded.  “People keep telling me that these years are the best, but honestly I’m exhausted all the time.  I’m barely keeping my head afloat.  And if it just gets harder, I’m going to drown!”

“It gets easier.  Your kids are dependent on you in so many ways right now, but give them some time and then it’ll really start getting fun. And honestly, those little old ladies just don’t remember what it was like.  It was too long ago for them,” Liz soothed.  “Can I tell you a story?”

“Yes, please.”  Liz has great stories.

“Last week I decided to make brownies,” she began.  “I followed the recipe from the family cookbook and used real vanilla and put them into the oven to bake.  About 15 minutes before the brownies were done they smelled amazing.  I thought,  ‘I should have my brownie now before all the kids come in and want me to dish theirs for them.’  So I pulled the brownies out of the oven and cut myself a piece.

“But as I put that first bite into my mouth instead of getting a delicious brownie, I burned my mouth on a steaming ball of glue. It was disgusting.  I had to throw out the brownie I had scooped for myself.

“Do you see where I’m going with this?” she asked.  “You are using the right recipe and the right ingredients to make a strong family.   You are living the gospel of Jesus Christ.  You’re praying together and studying the scriptures.  But you’re trying to taste your brownies too soon.  They’re not done.  It’s going to take some time before you feel like your family is becoming delicious to you.”

We members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, casually called Mormons, are often deeply involved with our families, because we believe that family ties can exist after we die, if we make and keep certain covenants with God.  These covenants, or two-way promises, include our increased commitment to honor the commandments as absolute laws.  We make these promises within Mormon temples during the endowment ceremony and are given God’s promise that our families will be sealed to us, or kept together with us, for eternity in the marriage ceremony, known as the sealing ceremony.  As the strength of our commitment to God increases, so does the eternal bond which unites our families.
This belief in eternal families is one of the most striking doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ.  Although most people believe in their hearts that they will see their deceased family members again, most religions make no promise about being together after death.  In fact, many Christian religions even specifically proclaim that marriage will be “until death do you part.”

But members of the Church of Jesus Christ stand as witnesses that Heaven would not be Heaven without our loved ones.  Our families are fundamental to our well-being here and are the foundational aspect of our happiness in the eternities after this life.

Liz was right. It’s been several years since that desperate phone call, and in that time while my “brownies were baking” a world of joy and fun has opened up for us.  As we’ve tried to follow God’s plan for our salvation–the recipe; as we’ve fostered love and compassion, forgiveness and work—the ingredients; and as we’ve let time do it’s work our family has grown stronger.

Right now, I feel like I’ve had some tantalizing whiffs of the brownies that are still baking.  And they’re going to take a lifetime to finish.  But, oh, how good they will taste in Heaven!

This article was written by Miranda Lotz, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Miranda H. Lotz is a military wife, mother of four, bibliophile and musician. She lives on a remote Air Force station in Cavalier, North Dakota.

Additional Resources:

Mormon Temples

Worship with Mormons

Mormon Families

Mormon Youth

Immigration is a controversial topic in the United States. The survey asked one question on this topic. They were asked which of two statements most closely matched their view, even if they didn’t completely agree. They were asked whether immigrants strengthen or burden the nation. No distinction was made between legal and illegal immigration, leaving those polled to decide for themselves what the question meant.

In the general U.S. population, 45 percent of Americans feel that immigrants strengthen the country, while 44 percent burden it. 12 percent feel that neither or both are true or they have no opinion on the subject. Mormon views closely mirror these statistics. 45 percent of Mormons also believe immigrants strengthen the nation, although a smaller number, 41 percent, consider them a burden on society. The number of Mormons who accept both or neither or who have no opinion is higher, at 14 percent.

These numbers put them at odds with evangelical Christians, one of the few political areas in which they disagree. Within the white evangelical population, 59 percent believe immigrants are a burden, and 27 percent believe they strengthen the country. Like Mormons, 14 percent answered both, neither, or no opinion.

The statistics for Mormons shows a strong divide based on age, income, and education, as well as on religious commitment. Only 36 percent of highly committed Mormons see immigrants as a burden, while 50 percent of those who are less committed see them as a burden. This largely correlates with economic status. 84 percent of Mormons who are highly committed to their religion are college graduates. (The church strongly encourages education, which may be a factor in this.) Only 50 percent of those with high school educations are strongly committed to their faith. This statistic is very unusual in the religious world. For most religions, the least educated are the most religious.

49 percent of Mormons under age 50 see immigrants as a strength. 39 percent of Mormons over 50 see it as a strength.

Beyond the study’s statistics, several other factors influence the Mormon view of immigration. Many Mormons serve missions for their church. For two years, they live wherever they are sent, learning the language and living as the people in that community live. They go into the homes, attend the churches, and do service work in addition to their missionary work. Many of those serve in Spanish countries and have a realistic view of the hardships faced by those people. They come home with a compassionate view of the world and an understanding that Americans have much easier lives than most. The love missionaries almost invariably develop for the people they served influences their views on immigration.

Finally, the church has taken very specific stands on the subject of illegal immigration in recent years. Mormons believe God has sent a prophet to lead His church, just as He has always done in ancient times, and so, Mormons are asked to sustain the prophet as the leader of the Church. Official statements from the prophet or the Church are considered to be from God.

The Church officially endorsed the basic principles of the Utah Compact, a law working to create a balanced legal approach to immigration. In November, 2011, L. Whitney Clayton gave an official statement from the church in honor of the first anniversary of the bill. The statement said in part:

The Utah Compact is consistent with three principles we believe should be carefully balanced when considering immigration:

• We follow Jesus Christ by loving our neighbors. The meaning of neighbor includes all of God’s children, in all places and in all times.
• We recognize an ever-present need to strengthen families. Families are meant to be together. Forced separation of working parents from their children weakens families and damages society.
• We acknowledge that every nation has the right to enforce its laws and secure its borders.

We continue to encourage lawmakers everywhere to consider laws that properly balance love of neighbors and the importance of keeping families together, within the framework of just and enforceable laws.” (See Utah Compact One-Year Anniversary Marked by Utah Community Leaders.)

The official Mormon position is to encourage its members to stay in their homelands or to immigrate legally, but once they are here, however they came, they are to be treated with love, dignity, and respect, and laws should not separate families.

For a more in-depth look at the issue of Mormons and immigration, read the Deseret News article: Mormons’ immigration attitudes set them apart, by Eric Schulzke, Deseret News, published: Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012 8:12 p.m. MST.

This comes on the heels of earlier surveys indicating that 32 percent of non-LDS U.S. adults say the LDS Church is not a Christian religion, and an additional 17 percent are unsure of LDS Christianity. The theological and semantic reasons for this can be complex, but for the 1,019 self-identified Mormons who participated in the Pew survey, their theological position is clear: Mormons believe in Jesus Christ, and they consider themselves to be Christian.

“Certainly in Latter-day Saint theology is this idea that if you understand who you are, you understand that there’s a purpose in life, you understand your connection to God, that certainly has an impact on how you live your life and what you do, but also how you feel about your life and what you are doing,” said Michael Purdy of the LDS Church Public Affairs office.

For the vast majority of Latter-day Saints surveyed, those life choices have much to do with their religious beliefs. Eighty-two percent of survey respondents indicate that religion is “very important” to them, 83 percent say they pray every day and 77 percent say they attend church at least once a week. Beyond that, a stunning 69 percent of respondents fit all three descriptions, saying that religion is very important to them, that they pray every day and that they go to church every week.

“By this measure,” the report says, “Mormons exhibit higher levels of religious commitment than many other religious groups, including white evangelical Christians.”

Part of the explanation for these high numbers may be that the survey focused only on those who self-identified as Latter-day Saints.

“The method they used tended to identify people who are strongly committed,” said BYU sociologist Marie Cornwall , who advised the Pew Forum on the new survey. “They don’t have the people who are kind of marginal. But that’s okay; we just have to be careful with the way we interpret the findings.”

One such finding is the relationship between religious commitment and education among Mormons.

David Campbell, a University of Notre Dame associate professor and another adviser on the survey, noted that the more educated respondents were, the higher their levels of religious commitment.

“I was a little surprised by that,” said Campbell, who is LDS and who has extensively studied on the role of religion in the public square. “The more educated a Mormon is, the more likely they are to be wholehearted in their commitment to the church and its teachings.”

That is different from other churches, he said, where more education tends to lead to more religious skepticism.

Pew Research Center officials also noted “a significant gender gap in religious commitment, with more Mormon women than men exhibiting a high level of religious commitment (73 percent vs. 65 percent).”

According to the Pew report, a similar “gender gap” is seen among the general public. A 2007 survey found 36 percent of U.S. women exhibited a high level of religious commitment, compared with 24 percent of men.

One series of questions asked about what it means to be a good Mormon. According to the respondents, in order to be a good Mormon it is “essential” to believe Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ (80 percent), work to help the poor (73 percent), hold regular family home evenings (51 percent), not drink coffee and tea (49 percent) and not watch R-rated movies (32 percent).

Combining those who said “essential” with those who said “important but not essential,” the order changes a little bit: working to help the poor (97 percent), holding regular family home evenings (96 percent), believing Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ (93 percent), not drinking coffee and tea (81 percent) and not watching R-rated movies (79 percent).

“I think that result is rather interesting,” said Cornwall. “Mormons are known for not drinking coffee or tea and not watching R-rated movies. But compared to believing that Joseph Smith saw God and working for the poor, Mormons don’t seem to focus on the coffee and tea as much as people probably think.”

Other manifestations of religious commitment in the survey included:

The number of respondents (65 percent) who say they hold a current temple recommend (a certificate from local ecclesiastical leaders, issued every other year, indicating that an individual has permission from the church to enter LDS temples and participate in temple rites and sacraments)

The number (79 percent) who say they pay tithing (donating 10 percent of their income to the church)

The number (27 percent) who have served full-time missions for the church (this number includes 43 percent of men and 11 percent of women and varies significantly according to the age and education of the respondent, as well as whether or not the respondent was raised Mormon)

The number (82 percent) who keep food in storage for emergencies or disasters, as they have been counseled to do by LDS Church leaders (This number includes 23 percent who say they have three months’ worth, 35 percent who say they have more than three months’ worth and 23 percent who say they have less than three months’ worth)

The percentage who pay tithing is especially interesting to break down. According to the survey tabulations, “tithing is most common among Mormons with the highest levels of religious commitment (96 percent) … fully 91 percent of college graduates say they pay tithing … compared with 66 percent of those with a high school diploma or less education. And among those whose family income exceeds $30,000, 83 percent say they pay tithing, compared with 69 percent of those with incomes of less than $30,000.”

While previous surveys have clearly established LDS agreement with certain key Christian doctrines — 90 percent of Mormons believe in God, 91 percent believe the Bible is the word of God and 98 percent believe in life after death — the new survey explores Mormon confidence in points of doctrine that are unique to LDS theology. And in these points of doctrine, Mormons proved to be unified and believing. They believe overwhelmingly that God and Jesus Christ are separate physical beings (94 percent), that the president of the LDS Church is a prophet of God (94 percent), that families can be bound together eternally in temple ceremonies (95 percent) and that the Book of Mormon was written by ancient prophets and translated by Joseph Smith (91 percent).

Overall, 77 percent say they believe “wholeheartedly” in all of the teachings of the LDS Church. That number increases to 82 percent among Mormons ages 18-49, and to 85 percent among Mormons who are college graduates.

“Ultimately, I suppose other Americans will judge our church — and perhaps all churches — by their relevance in how they touch and improve human lives right here on Earth as well as what they offer in the life to come,” wrote Michael Otterson, Public Affairs director for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in his “On Faith” blog in the Washington Post. “Meanwhile, we welcome the friendship and regard of all groups, even as we retain our commitment to a unique identity. In the end … Latter-day Saints will strive to be good Mormons, true believers, kind neighbors and faithful friends.

Pew Study Reflects Mormons’ Religious Commitment to Christ, Mormon Beliefs in Tithes and Temples

Mormons in America

Entitled “Mormons in America: Certain in Their Beliefs, Uncertain of Their Place in Society,” the survey was conducted between Oct. 25 and Nov. 16, 2011 among a national sample of 1,019 respondents who identified themselves as Mormons. The results validate a number of long-held stereotypes (most American Mormons are white, well-educated, politically conservative and religiously observant) while providing a few interesting surprises (care for the poor and needy is high on the list of LDS priorities, while drinking coffee and watching R-rated movies aren’t as taboo among the rank and file as you might think).

“While this survey comes amid a contentious election campaign, it is not solely or even chiefly about politics,” said Luis Lugo, Pew Research Center director, in the published survey’s preface. “Rather, we hope that it will contribute to a broader public understanding of Mormons and Mormonism at a time of great interest in both.”

For example, in one very interesting section of the new survey, respondents were asked several questions about what is essential to being a good Mormon. According to the survey, 80 percent said “believing Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ” is essential to being a good Mormon, 73 percent said “working to help the poor,” 51 percent said “regular Family Home Evenings,” 49 percent said “not drinking coffee and tea” and 32 percent said “not watching R-rated movies.

“To be honest, I found the strong sentiment that ‘working to help the poor’ is essential to being a good Mormon refreshing and a little surprising,” said David Campbell, an LDS Church member who is an associate professor at the University of Notre Dame and who consulted with the Pew Research Center on the new survey. “As a Mormon, I would hope it would be that way, but I wasn’t sure what to expect. It’s good to see the church’s genuine compassion for the poor and needy reflected in these numbers.”

People outside the church may or may not be aware of the LDS propensity for compassionate service and other . According to the survey, 62 percent of Mormons think that Americans are generally uninformed about Mormonism, and 68 percent feel that they are not viewed as part of mainstream American society. But they remain optimistic, with 63 percent expressing the belief that Mormonism will eventually become part of mainstream society and 56 percent saying that the American people are ready for a Mormon president.

In fact, optimism is one of the themes to emerge from the survey relative to Latter-day Saints. Some 87 percent say they are satisfied with the way things are going in their own life, and 92 percent say their respective communities are excellent (52 percent) or good (40 percent) places to live (this is especially true among Mormons in Utah, of whom 71 percent say their communities are excellent).

But evidently, optimism only goes so far with Mormons.

“I think it is interesting that the respondents are overwhelmingly positive about their communities. They love their communities and everything’s fine there,” said Marie Cornwall, professor of sociology at Brigham Young University and another advisor to the Pew Research Center on this study. “But when you ask them about the way things are going in the country today, they are overwhelmingly (75 percent) dissatisfied. You would think that their satisfaction with their personal lives would factor into their feelings about how things are going in the country, but there seems to be a total disconnect there.”

It should be noted that the Mormon view of how things are going in the country today closely resembles the view of the American public as a whole, among whom 78 percent said they were dissatisfied in an October 2011 Pew Research Center survey.

Generally speaking, the new survey looks at Mormons and their perspectives in four key areas: politics and ideology, religious beliefs and practices, cultural and moral issues and family life.

Politically, there are few surprises. Most Mormons (66 percent) describe themselves as politically conservative, and 74 percent of Mormon voters identify with or lean toward the Republican Party. Philosophically, 75 percent of respondents said they prefer a smaller government providing fewer services to a bigger government providing more services.

Among a number of politicians currently in the spotlight, Mitt Romney is a favorite, being viewed favorably by 86 percent of all Mormons and 94 percent of Mormon Republicans. Even among Mormon Democrats, 62 percent rate Romney favorably.

The other Mormon running for president, Jon Huntsman, is viewed favorably by 50 percent of Mormon voters, while President Barack Obama is viewed favorably by 25 percent — slightly ahead of the rating Mormons bestowed upon another one of their own: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (22 percent).

Interestingly, Latter-day Saints seem to be somewhat divided on the issue of immigration. They are fairly evenly split on whether immigrants strengthen the U.S. because of their hard work and talents (45 percent) or burden the U.S. by taking American jobs, housing and health care (41 percent).

Campbell, who is an expert in the field of religion, politics and civic engagement, said he wasn’t surprised by that result.

“Although Mormons are caricatured as being really right wing, on the issue of immigration they are not,” he said. “The church itself has been quite a voice of moderation on this issue, and that has resulted in Mormons being more positive toward immigrants than other conservative religious groups tend to be.”

Campbell suggests that the LDS Church’s missionary program has something to do with that, with Latter-day Saints tending to develop a broader worldview as a result of their missionary service around the world. In any event, he said, “this result really does cut against the stereotype.”

In terms of religious beliefs and practices, the survey makes it clear that Mormons are highly religious — again, not a big surprise. Eighty-two percent say that religion is very important in their lives, and 77 percent say they believe wholeheartedly in all of the church’s teachings. Fully 83 percent say they pray every day, 79 percent say they donate 10 percent of their earnings to the church in tithing and 77 percent say they attend church at least once a week. According to Pew, “Mormons exhibit higher levels of religious commitment than many other religious groups, including white evangelical Protestants.”

Looking at basic, core religious beliefs, 98 percent say they believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 94 percent believe the president of the LDS Church is a prophet of God, 95 percent believe that families can be bound together eternally in temple ceremonies, 94 percent believe that God the Father and Jesus Christ are separate, physical beings and 91 percent believe that the Book of Mormon was written by ancient prophets.

Clearly, Mormons are believers.

But are they Christian? Ninety-seven percent of Mormons think so. And when asked to volunteer the one word that best describes Mormons, the most common responses were “Christian” and “Christ-centered.” By way of contrast, a November Pew Research Center survey found that nearly half (49 percent) of non-Mormon U.S. adults say that Mormonism is NOT Christian or that they are unsure whether or not it is Christian. In that same survey, when respondents were asked for one word that best describes the LDS Church, the most commonly offered response was “cult.”

Culturally, Mormon conservatism extends to a wide variety of moral issues. Polygamy (86 percent), sex between unmarried adults (79 percent), abortion (74 percent) and drinking alcohol (54 percent) are viewed as morally wrong. Divorce, on the other hand, is largely considered “not a moral issue” by respondents (46 percent).

Similarly, 65 percent of respondents said that homosexuality should be discouraged by society, compared with 58 percent of the general public who say homosexuality should be accepted by society.

“Mormons like to use the phrase, ‘Be in the world but not of the world,’” Campbell noted. “They are active and involved in their communities, but they have these beliefs and practices that set them apart a little bit, and sometimes that creates conflict or tension. [Homosexuality] is one of those issues where, rightly or wrongly, Mormons just have a different position than most of the rest of America.”

The survey also illustrates how important family life is to most members of the LDS Church. Among life’s priorities, being a good parent (81 percent) and having a successful marriage (73 percent) place higher than career concerns, having free time or even living a religious life. Some 67 percent of Mormon adults are married (compared with 52 percent of the general public), and 85 percent of them are married to another Mormon.

“As the Church and its members are increasingly the focus of media attention, we’re eager to participate in conversations that help the public get to know us better,” said LDS Church spokesman Michael Purdy. “Even though the recent Pew study did not survey any of the Church’s eight million members who live outside the U.S., it highlights some important aspects regarding who we are and what we believe.

“For example,” Purdy continued, “the study found that Church members subscribe to traditional Christian beliefs, have high moral standards, are overwhelmingly satisfied with their lives and communities, are active in serving others and have a profound dedication to family. These results reflect the Church’s message that a deep commitment to the teachings of Jesus Christ brings lasting happiness.”

Speaking for the Pew Research Center, Lugo said the idea for the survey was born last summer, “around the time that a Newsweek cover story and a New York Times article declared that the United States was experiencing a ‘Mormon moment.’”

“That got us thinking,” Lugo said in the survey’s preface.

Over the years, numerous polls have gauged public attitudes toward Mormons, who make up about 2 percent of all U.S. adults. But what do Mormons think about their place in American life? With the rising prominence of members of the LDS Church in politics, popular culture and the media, do Mormons feel more secure and accepted in American society? What do they think about other religions? What do they believe, how do they practice their faith and what do they see as essential to being a good Mormon and to leading a good life?

An advisory panel was recruited to help the Pew Forum staff create the survey. The panel featured a number of Latter-day Saints who have professional experience in Mormon studies and research, including Campbell, Cornwall, Matthew Bowman of Hampden-Sydney College, Terryl Givens of the University of Richmond and Allison Pond of the Deseret News.

“We helped them to formulate the questions, and to frame them in the kind of language that Mormons use,” Campbell said.

After a period of testing, the survey was conducted among respondents who identified themselves as Mormons (it also included qualifying questions that made it clear that respondents were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as opposed to other churches whose members may refer to themselves as Mormons).

“Since Mormons represent about 2 percent of the population, you’d have to call 98 people before you’d get a Mormon, and that would be very expensive,” said Cornwall, who is also editor of the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. “But they had a fancy way of finding Mormons, including going back to Mormons they had found in the course of doing previous surveys, so they were able to get their sample in a cost-effective way.”

Care was also taken to make sure the survey included those who had land lines as well as those who have only cell phones — a growing area of concern among those who conduct public opinion research today.

Among other interesting findings of the Pew Forum’s survey of Mormons:

• 71 percent of respondents reside in the American West, including 53 percent who live in the Mountain states and 34 percent who live in Utah;

• 88 percent are white, 7 percent Hispanic, 1 percent black and 4 percent other racial and ethnic backgrounds;

• 50 percent say that evangelical Christians are generally unfriendly to Mormons;

• 54 percent say that the way their religion is portrayed on television and in movies hurts society’s image of Mormons;

• 57 percent of Mormons said that most or all of their close friends are other Mormons (this number was significantly higher in Utah, where the number climbed to 73 percent);
Pew Study on Mormons in America

• 65 percent of respondents say they hold a current temple recommend;

• 27 percent say they believe in yoga not just as exercise but as a spiritual practice;

• 11 percent say they believe in reincarnation;

• 74 percent were raised in the LDS Church;

• 59 percent of converts cite the church’s beliefs as the main reason they joined the church;

• 59 percent of converts joined the church between the ages of 18 and 35;

• 27 percent have served a full-time mission, including 43 percent of men and 11 percent of women;

• 82 percent say they have a supply of food in storage, and 58 percent keep at least a three-month supply.

The margin of error for the survey is =/- 4.5 percentage points.

“I think this survey is a really good summary of the hyper-committed Mormon community that shows up at church every week,” Cornwall said. “I’m not sure it captures Mormons on the margins very well, but that’s OK — hopefully we can do that the next time. Meanwhile, this is a pretty good picture — and an interesting picture — of Mormons.

By Joseph Walker, Deseret News

Additional Resources:

Full original source Deseret News article: Pew Study on Mormons in America.

Learn more about the results of this survey of Mormons in America.

See infographic from the Deseret News article.

Pew Mormon Study Highlights Christianity.

Invite Christ Into Your Life