What Do Mormons Look Like? What Do Mormons Do? Mormon Activity ...

If you are interested in knowing who the Mormons are, then finding the answer to this question will be as easy as shelling pears. Mormons are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It seems to me that this is the most common and hackneyed definition that can only be found on the Internet, and it does not give a full understanding of who these people are, how they live and what they really believe. That is why we have prepared for you a more detailed and in-depth answer, and with it the opportunity to learn more than everyone else can find on popular pages on the Internet.

What does the name "Mormons" mean?

The name "Mormons" comes from the name of the Book that members of the LDS Church accept as Holy Scripture, the Book of Mormon. Mormon is the name of a prophet and historian who collected, shortened and supplemented the collection of prophecies of the people who lived on the American continent.

How are Mormons different from other Christian churches?

Any Christian church is a system of beliefs and rituals that actually distinguish them from each other. Mormonism, like Orthodoxy, Catholicism, and Protestantism, focuses on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, but has some characteristics:

• The Nature of the Godhead - Mormons believe that God the Father and Jesus Christ have glorified human-like physical bodies (Gen. 1:27), and that the Holy Spirit is a spirit person who does not have a physical body. Mormons also believe that God the Father is literally the Father of all human spirits.
• Additional Scriptures - Mormons believe that the Bible is not the only scripture that God has given to mankind. They believe that God spoke through His prophets to people in different places and at different times, and they also believe that He reveals His will now and will reveal in the future.
• Restored Gospel and Priesthood Authority - Mormons believe that after the ascension of Jesus Christ and the death of His Apostles, the truth was lost and the teachings of Christ were corrupted. Through the Prophet Joseph Smith, this truth was restored, and with it the authority of the Priesthood; the power and authority to act in the name of God.

Below you can watch a short (about 4 minutes) video of a personal testimony of a Church leader about how He became a member of the Church and learned about LDS beliefs.

If you still have questions and a strong desire to learn more about who Mormons are, you can watch the feature film Meet the Mormons, which contains short stories about the lives of devoted members of the Church. You can also write us a letter and ask about something that was not clear, or about something important that we forgot to mention.

Numerous Mormon temples are very different from each other in their design, size, capacity and originality. For this list, all temples were considered - already dedicated or announced and under construction, as well as Mormon temples built before the schism associated with the order of the appointment of the prophet, and no longer owned by the Church (for example, the Kirtland Temple). However, this list does not include late "Mormon" temples built by Mormon offshoots (such as the Independence Temple built by the Community of Christ Church).

Note that at the time of this writing, 144 temples are dedicated, 12 are under construction, and 12 more have been announced for construction, making our list only 12.5% ​​of all Mormon temples. Consequently, not all temples were included in the list, but this does not make them less significant, because important work is being done inside each of them.

Well, without further ado, I invite you to familiarize yourself with this most complete, completely subjective list of the most interesting Mormon temples.

21. Laya Temple, Hawaii

Dedicated by Heber J. Grant in 1919.

The Temple in Laie, Hawaii was a bold move into Polynesia and a major cultural and economic investment in the North Shore region of Oahu.

It shares architectural features with the Cardston and Mesa temples and was the only remote temple in the Pacific until the time the New Zealand temple was built.

20. Preston Temple, England

Of course, the temple in London was built long before the Central Counties of England (more than 40 years earlier), but it was here that the first missionaries set foot in Great Britain (if not all of Europe). And today this part of Great Britain is the most populated by the number of Mormons in Europe, so it is not surprising that this area deserves its own temple.

19. Hamilton New Zealand Temple

Dedicated by David O. McKay in 1958.

The New Zealand Temple has the distinction of being the first temple in the Southern Hemisphere. It is also interesting to note that this temple was built in order to stimulate the growth of the Church, and not because of the already existing number of members of the Church, as is usually the case. Although there are temples built today in response to expected demand, this is a very rare occurrence. President McKay was very brave!

Is in the process of construction.

It's hard not to fall in love with the incredible story of the Tabernacle in Provo, the second temple in the city. While this is not the first temple to be built in an existing building with a new purpose, this transformation is the most dramatic and is a perfect example of such a unique temple.

17. Temple in Hong Kong

Dedicated by Gordon B. Hinckley in 1996.

The Hong Kong Temple made this list because it was the first temple to be built in a building used for various purposes. The temple occupies only 2 floors of the entire building. Think how innovative this idea was. Later we will also see this idea implemented in the Manhattan New York temple project.

Equally interesting is the fact that in 1997 Hong Kong again fell under the control of China, so even though Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region, technically, this means that China has a Mormon temple.

16. Vernal Utah Temple

Dedicated by Gordon B. Hinckley in 1997.

President Hinckley proved to be a true visionary in the matter of building temples. We have already mentioned the temple in the multi-purpose building in Hong Kong and the innovative, if formulaic, “mini” temples that have doubled the number of dedicated temples in less than a year.

The Vernal Utah Temple, built in the former Vernal Tabernacle building, was the first temple project to be built in an existing but repurposed building. Temples in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Provo City will follow.

15. Monticello Utah Temple

Dedicated by Gordon B. Hinckley in 1998.

The temple at Monticello is one of the so-called "mini" temples built in the 2000s. Designed to build small, uniform temples where membership is small, the Monticello Temple represents a huge step forward in making the temple accessible to the Saints.

The importance of such temples cannot be underestimated. Of course, some see these temples as dull, featureless in design, but the construction of these tiny temples (about 10,000 square feet in total) helped realize President Hinckley's vision of having at least 100 active temples by the end of the year 2000. And he managed to do it. And now Church members in Perth, Australia don't have to fly to Melbourne or Hong Kong to visit the temple.

14. St. George Utah Temple

Dedicated by Wilford Woodruff in 1877.

This temple would have made our list only because its low spire was once struck by lightning, and when the spire was to be replaced with a taller one (which Brigham Young originally wanted to do), the Saints protested because they would have more work to do. This is an interesting story, despite the fact that many rumors are woven into it.

However, this temple made our list because it is the oldest operating temple and the very first temple dedicated in Utah. This temple represents the resilience of the Mormon movement.

It is interesting to note that its interior design originally resembled that of the Nauvoo Temple, especially on the top floor, which is a large room with movable partitions. Later renovations adjusted this temple to the "standard".

13. Los Angeles California Temple

Dedicated by David O. McKay in 1956.

This is the real animal. Prior to the addition of the Salt Lake Temple, the Los Angeles California Temple was by far the largest temple in the Church (190,614 square feet), but that was not to last. This temple was originally planned for construction in the 1940s, but World War II delayed construction (a similar fate awaited the temple in Idaho Falls, Idaho). While waiting for construction to begin, changes were made to the design, and a full-scale assembly hall for priesthood holders was added, as well as large rooms for various rites - each with a capacity of 300 people.

The land for the Los Angeles Temple was purchased from the Los Angeles Film Studios, and the area now houses the temple, visitor center, store, missionary home, living quarters, and stake headquarters.

12. Temple in Kyiv, Ukraine

Dedicated by Thomas S. Monson in 2010.

Among all that is in Ukraine, and what Russia cannot boast of, is that the only Mormon temple in the entire former Soviet Union is located on the territory of Ukraine. Of course, the first stake has already appeared in Russia, but Ukraine is ahead of Russia in this too.

The temple in Kyiv was announced back in 1997, but construction was delayed for 10 years. Even a few years after the first stake was formed in the former Soviet Union, there were rumors that stake formation in Kyiv was rushed, and leaders waited until membership in the region stabilized.

In any case, this is the only temple in all of Eurasia - from Europe to Hong Kong. The next closest temple (not in Europe) is located in Africa.

11. Washington DC Temple

Dedicated by Spencer W. Kimball in 1974.

When this temple was dedicated in 1974, it was the only American temple on the east side of the Mormon Corridor. As federal agencies attracted more and more Church members to DC, the number of Church members increased. The area continues to be the epicenter of Mormon activity in the eastern United States.

The DC temple is the tallest temple in the Church. Its height is 288 feet. It is also the only temple outside of Utah that has 6 ordinance rooms located around the celestial room, similar to the design of the Jordan River, Provo, and Ogden temples.

And the last thing: this is a seven-story building, where each floor is distinguished by a unique symbolism. The first 6 floors symbolize the 6 days of creation, while the seventh (containing the large meeting hall) is the day of rest.

10 Sao Paulo Brazil Temple

Dedicated by Spencer W. Kimball in 1978.

Just 37 years ago, few could have imagined the sudden boom in the membership of the Church in Brazil. The São Paulo Temple is the first temple in all of South America, but certainly not the last, and because it symbolizes the continued growth of the Church in South America, it deserves tenth place on our list.

President Kimball literally shocked everyone during a regional conference in Brazil when he announced not only that a temple would be built in that country, but also shared the ideas of the designers and revealed that São Paulo would be the home of the new temple.

Brazil, in general, was the very turning point for the Church on the issue of race, since in this country it is very difficult to determine and name who is a representative of the African race and who is not, thanks to such an unusual fusion of different races and nationalities. The strict rules regarding priesthood ordination in the past have been loosened over the years, leading to the Second Official Declaration.

9. Cardston Alberta Temple Canada

Dedicated by Joseph F. Smith in 1913.

It is hard to argue with the fact that this is one of the most beautiful temples of the Church. It was a pioneer temple in the following:

• First temple in Canada
• First temple outside the United States
• The first temple designed by architects from abroad (not the USA)
• The first temple without an assembly hall

It is also one of only three temples without a spire (although the Boston, Massachusetts temple could also be included here for a short time).

8. San Diego California Temple

Dedicated by Gordon B. Hinckley in 1993.

Well, I'll tell you a secret - I got married in this temple - so my opinion may be biased, but I will try to be as objective as possible.

The San Diego California Temple is unparalleled in that no other temple resembles it in its architecture. Of course, some temples are also completely unique, but they still follow the general standards of architectural plans to some extent. There is not a single temple that even slightly resembles the temple in San Diego.

Interestingly, this temple was mainly designed by Roman Catholics who had never seen a Mormon temple before visiting the Las Vegas Temple during an open house in 1989.

This temple could have been higher on our list, but we had to deduct points for the inconvenient location of the exit, which is used for wedding ceremonies. Newly married couples have to go through an atrium with a huge staircase (in the east tower) and then go down an auxiliary staircase to exit through a nondescript door that opens onto Route 5. A very strange idea.

7 Accra Ghana Temple

Dedicated by Gordon B. Hinckley in 2004.

The temple in Ghana is not the first temple in Africa. The fame of the first temple goes to the temple in Johannesburg, South Africa, which preceded the temple in Accra by as much as 20 years.

Why, then, did we include this temple on the list instead of the Johannesburg Temple? The Johannesburg Temple was built after 1978, when the revelation concerning the priesthood was received. But most of the population of South Africa and members of the Church now living there are descendants of European settlers. There is nothing wrong with that, it's just that South Africa is not as “African” as Ghana in this sense (and we understand that this is a very simplistic view of a difficult issue).

We gave this temple the 7th place because it was the first temple to serve an African population of African descent. In this sense, this temple is very symbolic, and the great growth in the membership of the Church in Africa is just one of the omens of a great future.

6 Freiberg Temple, Germany

Dedicated by Gordon B. Hinckley in 1985.

At the time of its dedication, this temple was the smallest temple of the Church ever built, measuring only 7,840 square meters. ft. It has since doubled in size and has just been closed for a renovation that will last until 2016.

And he got a place on our list, because it was the first temple built in the communist world - then East Germany - while beating West Germany, where there was no temple yet.

This was made possible because the Church worked diligently with the East German government to enable Church members to travel to Switzerland to attend the temple. As a result, the East Germans, tired of Mormons constantly applying for visas to Switzerland, asked the leaders of the Church if they would like to build a temple right there in East Germany. What do you think Salt Lake City responded to?

From the announcement of the temple to its dedication, only three years passed, thanks to the support of the East German government. However, although the best materials were used for construction, as far as possible, the temple was built "on the cheap". Maybe that's why it was closed for such a long time last month.

5. Temple in Bern, Switzerland

Dedicated by David O. McKay in 1955.

The Swiss Temple (akin to the Hamilton, New Zealand Temple) was the first temple in Europe (barely ahead of the London, England Temple - though it's debatable whether the UK is part of "Europe"). It was also the first temple outside the United States and the first temple built in a country that spoke a language other than English. Therefore, the temple was on our list in fifth place.

This temple was also the first temple to use video recording for the endowment ceremony. President McKay was very interested in using technology to spread the gospel, and it helped solve the problem the temple was facing. In Europe, of course, there were members of the Church, but there were not enough of them to conduct endowment ceremonies live in separate languages. The only way out was to make a film and dub it into these languages. This helped reduce the number of temple workers and opened up endless opportunities for endowment ceremonies, leading to a fundamental change in the Church's approach to declaring and building future temples. That's why the Bern Switzerland Temple made it to the top five on our list.

4. Kirtland Ohio Temple

Dedicated by Joseph Smith in 1836.

The importance of this temple cannot be underestimated. Although the Kirtland Temple is not now a Mormon Church and has never been the site of full temple work, this temple plays a very important role in Latter-day Saint history. Can we argue with that, knowing that it was in this temple that the sealing authority was restored, that the Savior himself was there, and that the Saints dedicated much of their money and energy to building the house of the Lord worthy of His visit? No, I don't think we can.

After the financial collapse of the Kirtland Insurance Society, the Church lost ownership and the temple went through several owners over the years, at one point serving as a seminary for teachers. Eventually, the temple came into the possession of the Church of the Community of Christ (originally CRPD) when members of that church and descendants of Joseph Smith laid claim to it. To date, the Community of Christ has ownership of this temple.

But, fortunately, it is open for tours!

3. Nauvoo Temple (1) / Nauvoo Illinois (2)

Originally dedicated by Orson Hyde in 1846. Subsequently dedicated by Gordon B. Hinckley in 2002.

To make it easier, we have combined these two temples into one, despite the fact that each of them has a completely different history. Suffice it to say that if the recent temple (2) had not been built, the earlier temple (1) would still occupy its place. But because the renovation of this temple was a completely unexpected announcement that shocked modern Mormonism, these two temples received a higher place in our ranking.

At the time of Joseph Smith's death, the original temple was only half completed. Brigham Young continued the work, and temple work began before the temple was dedicated.

When the Mormons were forced to move west, the temple was hastily dedicated in April 1846. Those who remained were forced out of Nauvoo by September of that year. In 1848, unknown people set fire to the building, and then only the walls remained of it. A hurricane later demolished one of these walls. The remaining stones were used to build other buildings around Nauvoo. And in 1865, the Nauvoo City Council voted to demolish the remaining building, destroying what was left of its former splendor.

However, the Smithsonian Museum still has an original of one of the original sunstones.

In the period from 1937-1962. The church was able to buy the land on which the first temple was built, and in 1999 Gordon B. Hinckley announced it was being renovated. The new design differs from the previous one in its plan, but is still a testament to the will and endurance of Latter-day Saints.

2. Salt Lake Temple, Utah

Dedicated by Wilford Woodruff in 1893.

How? This temple is not number one? It is true that the Mormons really think so of this temple. It is true that for people all over the world it is he who symbolizes Mormonism. It is true that it is beautiful both inside and out. It is also true that, as before, the endowment ceremonies are held in it live, which is very cool. But he's not number one. And now we will explain why.

This temple, which took 40 years to build, is a real symbol. It is located on Temple Square and is so rich in history that it is very difficult to describe it in brief.

It took Herculean forces to build this most important Latter-day Saint temple. The hardships that went through to build this temple are deeply woven into Mormon culture, and every Mormon will try to "make a pilgrimage" to this temple at least once in a lifetime.

It is also the first temple to have the angel Moroni installed on its spire. Now we take it for granted, but in the old days, placing the angel Moroni on top of the temple had certain prerequisites. Moreover, the tradition of installing the agela of Moroni became the norm starting in the 1970s, and then Moroni was installed in other temples, such as the Provo Temple. There are now only 8 temples without a statue of Moroni: Saint George, Utah, Mesa, Arizona, Logan, Utah, Manti, Utah, Laie, Hawaii, Cardston, Alberta, Hamilton, New Zealand, and Oakland, California.

So why is this temple not number one on our list? Well… even though this is the largest temple, it wasn't always like that. It became the largest thanks to extensions added over the years. Maybe it's because of my childhood devotion to the Los Angeles Temple, but I'm proud that the Mormon "stronghold" in Southern California was massive from the start. Without any attachments.

Also, the official name of this temple is "Salt Lake City" and not "Salt Lake City, Utah", making this temple the only temple without a full location. Just a note, but I don't support exclusivity.

This is without a doubt a beautiful temple. And he is in second place, not because he has any flaws, but because he simply cannot beat number one. And this…

1. Manti Utah Temple

Dedicated to Lorenzo Snow in 1888.

The Manti Temple has all the same goodies as the Salt Lake Temple, but without the extra hype, which is a good thing that puts it above Salt Lake City's iconic monolith.

Firstly, the exterior interior of the building, located on the top of the mountain, is very impressive. Although the façade of the Salt Lake Temple is definitely Gothic, the Manti Temple is an example of a combination of Gothic Revival, French Renaissance Revival, Second Empire and Colonial style - but somehow they fit together.

Also, initially the design contained an underground tunnel. Underground tunnel!

Inside the temple, in its two large towers, are self-supporting staircases, which in themselves are an architectural marvel of their time.

And like its companion with live endowment ceremonies and the 801 code, the Manti Temple also boasts a staggered arrangement of endowment rooms. However, while in Salt Lake City, the procession participants move from one room to another on the same floor and only then climb the stairs to get to the last 3 rooms located on the floor above, the design of the Manti temple implies a transition from one rooms to another from one level to another, even better conveying the symbolism of approaching heaven at the end of the session. This is a small thing, but a special feature, and since the temples are based on symbolism, even such small adjustments are very important.

The Manti temple also features authentic pioneer-era pews, rather than the standard, reclining padded seats.

Lastly, the Manti Temple retains original art from the time it was built. Such, for example, as the wall painting of the Hall of Peace, which far surpasses any other paintings of later authors.

If you have never been to this temple, be sure to visit it.

Well, this is our list, in which we have included the most interesting Mormon temples. Do you agree with him? What temples are on your list?

The phrase "Mormons are Christians" requires at least clarification. Moreover, the clarifications are not for the concept of "Mormons", but for the concept of "Christians". In other words, to find out whether this phrase is true or false, you need to know what concept is embedded in the word "Christians" in it. Who do you mean when you say "Christians"?

If by "Christian" you mean anyone who considers themselves a Christian, then Mormons are, of course, Christians. But such a definition is very sly and vague. After all, if I call myself a "pilot" and consider myself a pilot, then this will not mean at all that I am really a pilot. So there are many atheists who at the same time call themselves Christians only for the reason that they were born in a traditional Christian country, and not, say, in a traditional Muslim one.

If by "Christian" you consider any person who honors Jesus Christ and tries to imitate him, then, however strange it may be, the same Muslims will successfully get here, since they also honor Jesus Christ, considering him a prophet from God (only without considering Him the Son of God and without praying to Him).

How, then, to determine who is a Christian and who is not? The Bible tells us clearly how the concept of "Christian" came about, and who falls into this category and who does not.

According to the book of Acts 11:26, the word "Christian" was first used in the administrative center of the Roman province of Syria, the city of Antioch (which is now the city of Antakya in southern Turkey). This was a kind of cliché that ordinary people began to use in relation to the followers of Christ, who lived at that time in Antioch and had nothing to do with the followers of Christ. This is a rather significant point, since the common people, as a rule, have neither the time nor any need to delve into any theological subtleties before coming up with a new name for a group of religious people. The name in the common people, as a rule, is given according to some most characteristic sign, and among the early Christians this sign was that they called on the name of Jesus Christ, that is, they turned to Christ in their prayers. For example, the apostle Paul wrote to Christians in Corinth:

"The Church of God which is in Corinth, sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, in every place, with them and with us" (1 Corinthians 1:2).

The very conversion of the Apostle Paul to Christianity began precisely with the fact that he was baptized and immediately turned in prayer to Christ:

"So why are you delaying? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 22:16)

And this practice for the very first Christians was not something like a whim - for them it was a matter of principle. They did not give up the practice of turning to Christ, even in the face of persecution and imminent death:

"Ananias answered: Lord! I heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to Your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name. But the Lord said to him: go ... Ananias went and entered the house and laid his hands on him and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the path you were on, has sent me so that you may receive your sight" (Acts 9:14-18)

“And Saul was with his disciples for several days in Damascus. And immediately he began to preach in the synagogues about Jesus, that He is the Son of God. therefore he came to bind them and lead them to the chief priests" (Acts 9:19-21)

Thus, the defining characteristic of Christians was that they turned to Jesus Christ in their personal and corporate prayers.

So it is quite simple to identify Christians - it is enough to find out whether they call on the name of Jesus Christ in their prayers, in other words, whether they turn to Jesus Christ in their prayers or not. This is the definition shown in the Bible itself.

And if you follow this definition, then Catholics, and Orthodox, and ancient Eastern churches, and many Protestant movements, are Christians. But neither Mormons nor Jehovah's Witnesses are such, since in their prayers they turn only to the Father and at the end of prayers they say "we pray in the name of Your Son Jesus Christ", but at the same time they never turn to Jesus Christ Himself and teach that it is not right to do so.

Along with Sunday worship, Mormons regularly visit Mormon temples where they worship God. In a Mormon temple, worthy members of the Church make covenants with God and perform sacred ordinances of salvation, such as baptism for the dead.

WHAT REALLY HAPPENS INSIDE THE MORMON TEMPLE?

INVESTMENT.

The endowment is a gift of power that includes knowledge of God's plan of salvation, as well as instructions and covenants that a person must make with God in order to achieve eternal life. These covenants include a promise to God to keep all of His commandments, to be a faithful husband or wife, and to share our means and talents to help build the kingdom of God.

Mormon temples are places of peace and happiness. They enable the people who enter them to feel peace and happiness, as well as reflect on life, learn about eternal truths, and seek answers to personal prayers.

WHO CAN ENTER THE MORMON TEMPLE?

Mormons believe that temples are the most sacred buildings on earth, and that entering a temple requires a certain level of understanding and belief in LDS doctrine, as well as personal dignity. According to this, not everyone can enter a Mormon temple, not even every Mormon.

After the temple is built, but before it is officially dedicated and opened, open days are held when everyone can go on a guided tour of the temple. Once the Open House is over, only Mormons who are at least 12 years old and who keep God's commandments can enter. The youngest participate only in baptisms for the dead, while adults take part in other sacraments.

The performance of Mormon temple ordinances is not kept secret; rather, Mormons perform these rites behind closed doors because of the sacred nature of temples and the ordinances performed within them.

This article was written in English and published on mormon.org. Translation by Tamara Martynenko.

Mormons as a religion and sect originated in the 1830s in the United States. Wikipedia claims that Mormons are a rather distinctive religious community that combines elements of Protestantism, Judaism and other religions of the world. Mormons also have another common name: Mormons' official name is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a religion and sect, the Mormons have their own official website and archive of Mormons, they have their own library of religious literature and a base where their headquarters is located. The Mormon faith today has spread far beyond the United States, although this sect originated on the North American continent. A lot of books have been written about Mormons and a fairly large number of films have been shot that tell in detail who Mormons are and what they do, why don't Mormons drink tea and coffee? Establish a connection with God!

Mormons as a religion or sect originated with the American farmer Joseph Smith (1805–1844), who, being a naturally sensitive man, experienced several mystical visions in his youth. The Mormon Library in books tells that God, Jesus, and the angel Mormon were revealed to Smith in visions. Mormon founder Smith was on a religious quest, and during his vision, he asked Jesus Christ: which of the sects is true? Jesus Christ answered Smith that all the existing religions at that time were already wrong and had only the form of the divine, but not the essence. The Book of Mormon describes further events in this way: the angel Mormon, who appeared later, told Smith about the provisions of a completely new doctrine presented in the Book of Truth of the prophet of Mormon.

Mormons claim that literally after a while, Smith dug out a stone box with this particular book exactly and exactly in the very place that the angel Mormon pointed out to him. The Mormon Church says that two magic crystals were found along with the book, with the help of which Smith translated the found book into English. The revelation received by Smith, according to the Mormon sect, was a detailed history of two Semitic tribes, which in the year 600 BC. sailed from the Middle East to America and gave rise to the entire Indian population. Also, the Mormon Book of Truth contained instructions from Jesus Christ himself on how people should live in the future.

The Mormon Archive claims that after receiving revelations and priesthood from the angel Mormon, the former American farmer Smith, already as a prophet, began to actively preach his doctrine in the United States. It should be noted that this new doctrine was based, oddly enough, on the revival of Christianity in the spirit of the early Apostolic communities, that is, in essence, it was an attempt to return to the origins of religion. It was at this time, as the Mormon archive points out, that the term Mormon itself appears, but so far it is more of a derogatory character in relation to the followers of the new religion of Farmer Smith. Time passes and now the Mormons perceive this name, and the original new term is positive, that is, over time, the initially negative meaning of the term has lost its negative status.

The Mormon archive indicates that due to opposition from official local authorities and the population, the first communities of adherents of the new religion were forced to move from Missouri and Ohio to Illinois. It was there, in the city of Nauvoo, that the Mormons organized their first religious center. It was the first Mormon base. At that time, the community was headed by the founder of the Mormons, Smith, who, thanks to his increased authority by this time, was no longer a farmer, but the mayor of an entire city.

Sex among the Mormons during this period becomes a stumbling block for the further spread of the ideas of the new religion. The fact is that during this period Joseph Smith introduces one of the most famous and most controversial provisions of his religion, this is polygamy. It was this provision or principle that affected Mormon sex that caused the clashes that followed. Local residents and members of the Mormon community fought fierce battles. This religious opposition led to the intervention of the state governor and the imprisonment of Smith and his friends. Thus, Mormon sex in 1844 led to the death of Smith during an attempted armed assault on the prison by followers of the new religion.

Wikipedia claims that the Mormons did not remain without a leader for a long time, and after the first significant tragic event, the community was headed by Brigham Young. He initiated a mass migration of about one hundred thousand Mormons to Utah, where the Mormons founded their new city of Salt Lake City. The new Mormon base, thanks to a high level of organization and a Protestant work ethic, in a short time has turned from a barren desert into a flourishing land like heaven on earth. This state of affairs, according to the Mormon archive, by 1877 led to the fact that over 350 Mormon settlements were organized in Utah. However, Mormon sex still remained a stumbling block, but after the abolition of the polygamy provision, which was contrary to US laws, the state of Utah received the rights of a full-fledged American state.

Today, about three million people in the United States consider themselves true Mormons. It should also be noted that, according to various estimates of researchers, about a third of the members of the Mormon Church live abroad in more than 100 countries of the world.

The Mormon organization has a rigid hierarchical structure headed by a president. The Mormon Church indicates. That the president has the exclusive right to divine revelation, and is elected by a council of 12 apostles. Under the authority of the president and council are the so-called stakes, districts, and, at the lowest level of the hierarchy, wards.

Mormons as an organization are quite different from the church in Protestantism, since all cult rituals among Mormons are performed only by men. This state of affairs is called a priesthood society. The women form the other part of the church, which is called the Relief Society. Women are allowed to preach and missionary work.

The Mormons, as a sect, replaced the Christian cross with the figure of the angel Mormon. The Mormon archive indicates that the Mormons do not have canonized texts of prayers at all, and the attention of adherents is paid to a confidential appeal to God, while sincere heartfelt improvisation is valued.

The Mormon Church maintains that true religious doctrine includes traditional Christian views of the Trinity and the atoning sacrifice of Christ, as well as the expectation of the second coming of the Savior. Mormons differ from other Protestant denominations in that they perceive original sin only as manifestations of the will of God. Thus, the divine omnipotent punishment is by no means a consequence of the fall of Adam, but the sinful actions of a very specific one person.

One might also point to the fact that the central issue of Mormon theology is the second coming of Jesus Christ, which is linked to the prospect of a new Jerusalem being established in America.

If you wanted to know first about who the Mormons are and what they do, you can note the unique practice of this church. The difference between Mormons and other sects and denominations of Christianity is baptism for the dead. This is an opportunity for dead people to be saved unbaptized during the future Last Judgment. Mormons note that this is their mission on earth. Fulfilling this mission, the Mormon Church documents the identity of the deceased without baptism and conducts such a ceremony in absentia. At the same time, the soul of a deceased person can either accept or reject the proposed possibility of baptism and corresponding salvation in the future. This is a very original cult rite.

However, it should be noted that about five million such rites are held every year, and the general religious catalog of the human race or the Mormon archive, the materials for which have been collected all over the world since 1894, now has more than 2 billion names. This Mormon book is kept in the mountain galleries and is called: Archives of the Utah Genealogical Society.

Mormons are not officially divided in any way, that is, there is no generally accepted classification of groups, however, one of the most common divides them into the following areas: Utah Mormons or descendants of those who followed Yang to Utah; The Mormons of Missouri, or those who remained in Missouri, this place Joseph Smith called the site of the New Jerusalem; Mormons practicing polygamy; as well as other Mormons or non-polygamists who do not reside in Utah and Missouri.

The Mormon Church has established rules that adherents must lead a healthy and high moral lifestyle. Mormons do not use not only alcohol, tobacco and drugs, but also coffee, as well as tea and other similar drinks. Why don't Mormons drink tea and coffee? These drinks are tonic, that is, they first give energy, and then take it away, causing addiction in a person.

Mormons do not divorce or have abortions. The Mormon Church points to a godly life for its adherents, filling it with work, elevating the values ​​​​of a family with many children to the highest good. Mormons consider this state of affairs to be the key to the material and spiritual well-being of their country and community. The Mormon religion and sect owns large fortunes in banking, insurance and industry.

Thus, it can be noted that the Mormon religion is one of the most unusual among all Protestant movements. Mormons began as a sect, their history is clearly sectarian and marginal. To assert this, it is enough to recall the numerous conflicts associated with polygamy. However, now the Mormon Church is a completely respectable religious community that supports scientific progress, which allows its members to find themselves in the modern world. Statistics indicate that the average life expectancy of Mormons is 9 years longer than that of other Americans living in the same conditions. The designation Mormons, according to the official version, can also come from the English word more, which means more or more, and the Egyptian word mon, which means good. It turns out that together the word Mormon means more virtuous. This interpretation was published May 15, 1843 in the official Mormon newspaper Times and Seasons. The article was allegedly published by the founder of the Mormon religion, Joseph Smith himself.

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