Church Of Jesus Christ And Latter Day Saints

Justus League Brings Community Garden To Tyler

Featured Photo courtesy of Denise Bardsley, a JustServe specialist.

TYLERFor one group, fighting for the underprivileged has grown into establishing the WCL Tyler Community Garden in West Tyler.

The JustUS League in Tyler recently established the garden located at 3106 W. Jackson, Tyler, Texas. This group fights for marginalized people of any race or background. The organization was started at the heels of the George Floyd movement and helps to bring together others to find common ground and create plans of action.

The group met and brainstormed an effort to help alleviate the pattern of poverty in the Tyler community.They decided on a community garden, and the WCL Tyler Community Garden was founded in 2020 thanks to a generous land donation from a group member.

The garden has been established and posts regular service opportunities on Facebook :

A place where everyone can come for free to learn how to plant, grow, harvest and connect with others,their Facebook page states. We learn physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually.

The founder of JustUs, Terry Bonner, has been passionate about inclusion his entire life.

JustUs founder Terry Bonner, second from right, with Church of Jesus Christ missionary Brother Hunt, left, and two members of the JustUs league.

We wanted to devise a plan to help the community help themselves, Bonner says. We wanted to provide fresh fruit, vegetables, education, comradery, fellowship, through constant work with a garden.

Criticism Of Joseph Smith

In the 1830s, the church was criticized for Smith’s handling of a banking failure in Kirtland, Ohio. After the Mormons migrated west, there was fear and suspicion about the LDS Church’s political and military power in Missouri, culminating in the 1838 Mormon War and the Mormon Extermination Order by Governor Lilburn Boggs. In the 1840s, criticism of the church included its theocratic aspirations in Nauvoo, Illinois. Criticism of the practice of plural marriage and other doctrines taught by Smith were published in the Nauvoo Expositor. Opposition led to a series of events culminating in the death of Smith and his brother while jailed in 1844.

What Is A Temple

Temples existed throughout biblical times. These buildings were considered the house of the Lord . Latter-day Saint temples are likewise considered houses of the Lord by Church members.

To Latter-day Saints, temples are sacred buildings in which they are taught about the central role of Christ in Gods plan of salvation and their personal relationship with God.

In temples, members of the Church make covenants, or promises, with God to live a virtuous and faithful life. They also participate in ordinances on behalf of their deceased ancestors.

Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are also used to perform marriage ceremonies in which the faithful are promised eternal life with their families. For members of the Church, family is of central importance.

Don’t Miss: Heirarchy Of The Catholic Church

Guests Visit Hamilton New Zealand Temple During Public Open House

Members and friends of the Church come from across the country to experience the beauty and peace of the temple

• Copied to Clipboard

Over 55,000 members and friends of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints travelled from the South Island, Northland, and many other places in between, to take advantage of a rare opportunity to walk through a temple.

Temple-open-house-2022.jpg

Tens of thousands of people toured the Hamilton New Zealand Temple during a similar open house when it opened in 1958, before it was dedicated by Church president, David O. McKay.

The temple was closed in 2018 for major renovations. A public open house, from 26 August to 17 September, allowed members of the Church and guests to walk through the temple. It will be rededicated by Church apostle Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf on 16 October.

Te Aorewa Rolleston, who is a journalist with New Zealand news organisation, Stuff, wrote of her experience visiting the temple: After conducting renovations inside since 2018, including seismic strengthening and upgrades, this year people of all faiths were given an opportunity to take a tour of the grand structure. Its a once in a lifetime experience.

Fellow journalist, Bronte Metekingi, wrote that “the temple has always been a temporary drop box for the extra baggage one might carry. Leave your world worries at the door and enter the safe haven created for all.

• Copied to Clipboard

The Plan Of Salvation

The term Plan of Salvation is used to describe how the gospel of Jesus Christ is designed to bring about the immortality and eternal life of humankind. It includes the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement, along with all God-given laws, ordinances, and doctrines. Members believe that after this life is the Resurrection and Judgment.

The gift of immortality is also believed to be freely given to all because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and his subsequent Resurrection, although salvation from sin is conditional. Entrance to the highest Heavenly Kingdom, the “Celestial Kingdom,” is only granted to those who accept Jesus through baptism into the church by its priesthood authority, follow Church doctrine, and live righteous lives. Faith alone, or faith without works is not considered sufficient to attain exaltation.

Kingdoms

According to the Church, the Celestial Kingdom is where the righteous will live with God and their families. This kingdom includes multiple degrees of glory, the highest of which is exaltation. Those who have had the ordinances of eternal marriage, which is performed in temples, and baptism may be exalted if they are found worthy by God. Accountable individuals must be baptized and repent to gain entrance to the Celestial Kingdom Latter-day Saints profess that all children who die before the age of accountability automatically inherit a celestial glory.

Also Check: What Does The Bible Say About Uncertainty

Dan Reynolds And His Wife Have Separated

Aja Volkman and Dan Reynolds are all smiles on the red carpet for the LoveLoud Festival in May 2022. The couple have now separated.

Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds and his wife, Aja Volkman, have split up.

Being great parents to our children is our number one priority, Reynolds tweeted to his fans. Thank you for always supporting us with love and care for all these years.

The couple had planned to divorce in 2018 but reunited and had a fourth child.

Reynolds, a Latter-day Saint, is the driving force behind theLoveLoud LGBTQ fundraising concerts.

Growth And Demographic History

The records of the LDS Church show membership growth every decade since its beginning in the 1830s, although that has slowed significantly. Following initial growth rates that averaged 10% to 25% per year in the 1830s through 1850s, it grew at about 4% per year through the last four decades of the 19th century. After a steady slowing of growth in the first four decades of the 20th century to a rate of about 2% per year in the 1930s , growth boomed to an average of 6% per year for the decade around 1960, staying around 4% to 5% through 1990. After 1990, average annual growth again slowed steadily to a rate around 2.2% for the ten years ending 2015, approximately double the average world population growth rate of 1.1% for the same period. The growth rate has not been greater than 3% per year in the 21st century and has decelerated steadily since 2012. The rate has not been above 2% since 2013. In May 2019, however, Phil Zuckerman, Ph.D., of Psychology Today expressed skepticism of how the LDS Church reports growth in membership, noting that while church membership was reported to be rising, separate analysis conducted by journalist showed that reports of Mormon retention, religious participation, teachings and belief have been declining since 2007. By 2019, Mormons represented 51% of the population in their longtime stronghold of Utah, in contrast with 75% in 2000.

Recommended Reading: What Is The Best Version Of The Bible To Read

Mormonism Is The Core Theology Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter

Mormonism is the theology of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members of the church are often called Mormons. The term was originally considered derogatory, but today it is considered acceptable. However, the LDS church has explained that the word Mormon is sometimes used to describe other splinter groups that are not affiliated with the Church of Latter-day Saints, such as polygamist groups.

Mormonism is marked by several saving ordinances, or what other religions may call sacraments. These ordinances include baptism by immersion, confirmation, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, an endowment in the temples, and marriage.

Ordinances and covenants help us remember who we are, the LDS church says on its official site. They remind us of our duty to God. The Lord has provided them to help us come unto Him and receive eternal life. When we honor them, He strengthens us.

Cosmology And Plan Of Salvation

The Mormon cosmology and plan of salvation include the doctrines of a pre-mortal life, an earthly mortal existence, three degrees of heaven, and exaltation.

According to these doctrines, every human spirit is a spiritual child of a Heavenly Father, and each has the potential to continue to learn, grow, and progress in the eternities, eventually achieving eternal life, which is to become one with God in the same way that Jesus Christ is one with the Father, thus allowing the children of God to become divine beings that is, gods themselves. This view on the doctrine of theosis is also referred to as becoming a “joint-heir with Christ”. The process by which this is accomplished is called exaltation, a doctrine which includes the reunification of the mortal family after the resurrection and the ability to have spirit children in the afterlife and inherit a portion of God’s kingdom. To obtain this state of godhood, the church teaches that one must have faith in Jesus Christ, repent of his or her sins, strive to keep the commandments faithfully, and participate in a sequence of ceremonial covenants called ordinances, which include baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, the endowment, and celestial marriage.

Read Also: How Old Is Earth According To Bible

Utah War And Mountain Meadows Massacre

In 1857â1858, the church was involved in an armed conflict with the U.S. government, entitled the Utah War. The settlers and the United States government battled for hegemony over the culture and government of the territory. Tensions over the Utah War, the murder of Mormon apostle Parley P. Pratt in Arkansas, and threats of violence from the Baker-Fancher wagon train , resulted in rogue Mormon settlers in southern Utah massacring a wagon train from Arkansas, known as Mountain Meadows massacre. The result of the Utah War was the succeeding of the governorship of the Utah territory from Brigham Young to Alfred Cumming, an outsider appointed by President James Buchanan.

Tithing And Other Donations

Church members are expected to donate one-tenth of their income to support the operations of the church, including construction of temples, meetinghouses, and other buildings, and other church uses. Members are also encouraged to abstain from food and drink on the first Sunday of each month for at least two consecutive meals. They donate at least the cost of the two skipped meals as a fast offering, which the church uses to assist the poor and needy and expand its humanitarian efforts.

All able LDS young men are expected to serve a two-year, full-time proselytizing mission. Missionaries do not choose where they serve or the language in which they will proselytize, and are expected to fund their missions themselves or with the aid of their families. Prospective male missionaries must be at least 18 years old and no older than 25, not yet married, have completed secondary school, and meet certain criteria for physical fitness and spiritual worthiness. Missionary service is not compulsory, nor is it required for young men to retain their church membership.

Unmarried women 19 years and older may also serve as missionaries, generally for a term of 18 months. However, the LDS Church emphasizes that women are not under the same expectation to serve as male members are, and may serve solely as a personal decision. There is no maximum age for missionary service for women.

You May Like: What Does The Bible Say About Fellowship

Brigham Young’s Early Theocratic Leadership

Following the death of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young stated that the Church should be led by the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles #Conference_of_August_8,_1844″ rel=”nofollow”> Succession Crisis). Later, after the migration to Utah had begun, Brigham Young was sustained as a member of the First Presidency on December 25, 1847, , and then as President of the Church on October 8, 1848. .

One of the reasons the Saints had chosen the Great Basin as a settling place was that the area was at the time outside the territorial borders of the United States, which Young had blamed for failing to protect Mormons from political opposition from the states of Missouri and Illinois. However, in the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico ceded the area to the United States. As a result, Brigham Young sent emissaries to Washington, D.C. with a proposal to create a vast State of Deseret, of which Young would naturally be the first governor. Instead, Congress created the much smaller Utah Territory in 1850, and Young was appointed governor in 1851. Because of his religious position, Young exercised much more practical control over the affairs of Mormon and non-Mormon settlers than a typical territorial governor of the time.

For most of the 19th century, the LDS Church maintained an ecclesiastical court system parallel to federal courts, and required Mormons to use the system exclusively for civil matters, or face church discipline.

Colombia Mtc To Close

This missionary training center in Bogota, Colombia, will close next year.

The church has announced it will shut down its missionary training center in Bogota, Colombia, starting in January.

Missionaries who would have attended the Colombia MTC will attend one of the nine missionary training centers that will continue to operate around the world, said a news release. As technology has allowed training to begin at home, church leaders continue to seek the best use of resources according to the needs of each region of the world.

MTCs remain in operation from England to Mexico, including the flagship campus in Provo.

Read Also: What Is The Best Online Bible College

The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter

MormonismChurch of Christ Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian, Christian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The church is headquartered in the United States in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has established congregations and built temples worldwide. According to the church, it has over 16.8 million members and 54,539 full-time volunteer missionaries. The church is the fourth-largest Christian denomination in the United States, with over 6.7 million US members as of 2021. It is the largest denomination in the Latter Day Saint movement founded by Joseph Smith during the early 19th-century period of religious revival known as the Second Great Awakening.

The church has been criticized throughout its history. Modern criticisms include disputed claims, treatment of minorities, and financial controversies. The churchs practice of polygamy was also controversial until officially rescinded in 1890.

The Book Of Mormon Is The Second Sacred Text Of Mormons

Next to the bible, the LDS church believes in the Book of Mormon. Mormon prophets who lived from 600 BC to AD 400 wrote the book. As we touched on above, the Prophet Joseph Smith translated the ancient book by what he called a revelation from God.

It has since been translated into more than 80 languages and more than 150 million copies have been printed. According to the book, Christ established his church in the Old World, or ancient America. People lived in unity for nearly 200 years after Jesus. Later, people abandoned Christs teachings and a war of extermination occurred.

The book refers to Jesus almost 4,000 times. The LDS church calls it another testament of Jesus Christ.

You May Like: What Version Of The Bible Is Used In Catholic Mass

Read A Brief Summary Of This Topic

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , also called Mormonism, church that traces its origins to a religion founded by Joseph Smith in the United States in 1830. The term Mormon, often used to refer to members of this church, comes from the Book of Mormon, which was published by Smith in 1830 use of the term is discouraged by the church. Now an international movement, the church is characterized by a unique understanding of the Godhead, emphasis on family life, belief in continuing revelation, desire for order, respect for authority, and missionary work. Its members obey strict prohibitions on alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and tea and promote education and a vigorous work ethic.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, and had more than 16 million members by the early 21st century. A significant portion of the churchs members live in the United States and the rest in Latin America, Canada, Europe, Africa, the Philippines, and parts of Oceania.

Another Mormon denomination, the Community of Christ , is headquartered in Independence, Missouri, and had a membership of approximately 250,000 in the early 21st century.