Questions about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (a.k.a. the Mormons)

Here are some of the most popular questions about my church, which is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. You might know us as the "Mormons," but we prefer people to use the church's real name, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I'm not an official spokesperson from the church, but this is how I'd answer these questions if you asked me.

Check out ComeUntoChrist.org for more detailed
information. Or, feel free to ask me directly if you
have any questions.  

Why are you a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-Day Saints? 

Having two parents in the church meant that I was born
into it—but now, of course, I'm a 28-year-old who makes
his own decisions. The reason I stay in the church is
because it makes me happy and gives me hope for the
future. It helps me overcome my imperfections, brings
me closer to God, and helps me understand His 
purpose for my life.

It’s my personal belief that The Church of Jesus Christ 
of Latter-Day Saints is true and that if people will really 
examine it and try it for themselves--and I mean give
it a real shot--they will feel that way too. 

What are the basics of The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-Day Saints? 

We're Christian. We believe in Jesus Christ and we share
many traditional Christian beliefs—Christ's life and ministry,
His suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, His death on 
the cross, and His resurrection. We believe that He lives 
today and that He can help us as we do our best to keep 
Him the center of our lives. 

We believe in the importance of families. Our belief is that
families can be together forever--even after death--if we try
our best to do what's right and keep God's commandments.
This means that marriage does not end at death, but lasts
forever. It also means that other family relationships among
parents, children, and siblings will last forever. This is one of
my favorite parts of the church!

What’s the difference between your church and other 
Christian churches? 

Here are two main differences: 

First, we believe in a living Prophet--a modern-day Moses
or Abraham from the Bible--who has a special distinction 
that makes him God's spokesperson on the earth. Today, 
his name is Russell M. Nelson, and we believe he has
the same responsibility that Moses and other
Biblical Prophets had--to lead all of us and to help us
understand God's direction for them.

In the Bible, Christ called Twelve Apostles. In the church
today, we also have Twelve Apostles in addition to a
living Prophet.

Paul taught that there is "one Lord, one faith, one baptism"
(Ephesians 4:5). We believe that The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the "one faith" Paul was
talking about, and that becoming a baptized member
of the Church is the "one baptism" he was referring to.
Of course, these are all incredibly bold claims to 
make--I get that.

But, like I said before, I really believe they are true. And I
really believe that if someone will sincerely take a look at
the church, they will feel the same way I feel. 

Of course, these claims don't make members of the church
better than others and they don't make us closer to God
than anyone else. I've met plenty of people of different
religions that are much better people than I ever will be.
These claims just mean that we believe The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is God's church. It's our
goal to help others understand that message. 

Another difference is that we believe in the Book of Mormon,
a book similar to the Bible (we read and believe in both) in
that they both teach of Christ and how He can bless our
lives. The Bible was written by Prophets in Jerusalem 
and the Holy Land, while the Book of Mormon was
written by Prophets here in the Americas. 

The Book of Mormon's climax is when Christ makes a
personal appearance to the people here in the Americas
(saying that the people in the America's were the
"other sheep" he talked about in the John 10:16).
I've found great peace from reading the
Book of Mormon and I believe it's a true book. I also love
and revere the Bible.

What’s the deal with polygamy? 

First, it's important to understand that NO ONE in The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints practices
polygamy. It's against the rules of the church. 
If you've heard of other groups of people in Utah
or elsewhere that currently practice
polygamy, they are not part of our church.

In the early days of the church (1800s), a small percentage
of church members were polygamists, meaning they were
involved in marriages with one man and multiple wives.
At the time, the Prophet had revealed that polygamy for
some church members was God's will for them at the time.
Later, church leaders felt inspired to end polygamy in the
church. Again, it's not practiced in the church today. 

I invite you to check out ComeUntoChrist.org and find out
more about the church. I invite you to ask God if what I've
said here is true.

The church and what it's taught me about God has blessed
me beyond my ability to explain. It makes me happier than
any other thing in my life. Check it out and let me know if I
can answer any more questions.

Check out this link for a 60-second explanation of our beliefs: https://youtu.be/61j0ZZ-06aU