Mormonism

To become a Mormon, all you need to do is hear the Church's 'basic discussions'.

These are normally taught by missionaries of the Church.

If you like what you hear and believe you are gaining a 'testimony' of the message taught, you may ask to be baptized a member of the Church. Baptism is based on your personal readiness and when you feel comfortable making the commitment. The process can take as little as a few weeks or even several years if you are very unsure about your bel;ief for some time. Our experience is that most take only weeks once they are keen to join; it is entirely up to you.

The only prerequisite you should set for yourself should basically hinge around a personal desire to want to become like Jesus ... and that is the simple essence.

If you develop faith in Jesus Christ and want to change your life accordingly, you are ready to join the Church.

The missionaries or the local Church will help you with the rest. You can visit the Mormon website for more information.

Joseph Smith was killed by a mob while awaiting trial on spurious charges at Carthage Jail in Illinois. The armed mob of men with painted faces stormed the jail and shot him and his brother Hyrum to death.. The Wikipedia article on the subject provides a lot of detail about the subject, a link is provided.

One way is by settling Utah. When LDS (Mormon) people first moved out there, it was actually considered outside of the US. Western territories could be brought into the US much more easily if there were US citizens living in the territories.

Also, many members settled California. When gold was discovered, LDS people were found to be generally loyal workers, not abandoning their employers to dig for gold. Also, as more people moved westward, they were able to restock with supplies obtained from already established communities in the Utah area.

None. Moroni is a small town in central Utah with approximately 1,500 residents. There is no state capital called Moroni.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormon" church) believe that prayer is the way in which we communicate with God, our heavenly Father. Mormons are encouraged and expected to develop a personal relationship with God through prayer. It is believed that when we ask God for something in prayer, He will answer. Mormons are encouraged to pray for faith and understanding as well as for the temporal needs of themselves and others. They are also encouraged to give prayers of thanks and praise for the gifts and blessings of God.

Prayer is addressed to God the Father, often called "Heavenly Father". It is always closed in the name of Jesus Christ, followed by 'amen'.

Mormons believe that prayer can take place anytime, anywhere. Mormons usually pray several times a day, both alone and in groups. Most Mormon families hold family prayer morning and night and before meals. Typically, Mormons pray while sitting or kneeling, but this is not required. Prayers can be said out loud or silently.

Mormons do not believe in giving rote or recited prayers. Prayers are to be personal communication, not recitations. The only rote prayers are in cases of ordinances, such as sacrament and baptism, otherwise, prayers are not read or recited.

Check out the "Related Links" below to learn more about what Mormons believe about prayer.

In 2010, 17,071 of the 1,129,275 soldiers in the US Army, Army Reserve, and Army National Guard claimed that they were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (according to Army Public Affairs). That is 1.5%. These numbers do not include other branches of the military (such as the Navy or Marines) or people serving in capacities other than that of soldier.

There is no law that says, "if a member of the LDS church swears, they get kicked out immediately!" We try to use clean language, however, just like anyone else, we can swear. We can swear, but we chose not to.

The Muslim code of laws is called the "Syariah" as laid down in the Holy Quran and support by further explanation and guidance by the Sunnahs or the Prophet's Traditions and sayings called Hadiths.

Well, I wouldn't say that all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormon" church) sing a lot. Some of them hate singing and rarely do so! Many Church members do love music and singing though, and each one has their own reasons. Some like it because it is easier to express their feelings and faith through music. Others like it because positive music very easily lifts the mood and lightens the mind. There is a verse scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants that says "My soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me." (D&C 25:12) Because of this, many Mormons sing as a form of worship and prayer, rather than just for fun.

While the behavior of your son is between he and you, there are obviously guidelines, rules, preferences, etc. that various differing faiths have.

You specifically referenced him as a "Mormon", or what is actually a "Latter Day Saint". I believe the Bishop of your Ward would be the man to ask for the church's specific stance on that.

By the reports of some who knew Joseph Smith, they stated he was a kind man, always seeking friends - whether they were supportive or against him. There have been stories passed on that even if someone physically beat him, he would still invite them to his home for dinner. He was a loving, forgiving person of people. He would not hold people's problems against them. He could be stern at times if he felt like it would help get a point across but would always be laughing and joking with those after he got his point across. He was a family man and was always concerned about his family's well being. He cared enough for his people that he would die for them if it meant they would be spared and ultimately did.

The reports of others who knew Joseph Smith, however, show his personality in a different light. He pressured married women as well as teenaged girls to be sealed to him in plural marriage for time and eternity, even though the idea shocked them. He and his brother William fought each other violently on occasion, at times resulting in serious injuries. He allowed (perhaps ordered?) a mob to destroy the printing press of his former First Counselor (in the First Presidency) since it was "a public nuisance" in Nauvoo. The nuisance? Exposing his practice of polygamy, something he'd been lying to the members about for several years.

Apparently, Joseph Smith was a complicated, conflicted, man.

There is nothing in the Bible to suggest that skin color had anything to do with the mark God placed on Cain. That's a good question. Most of the scriptures just refer to what happened to Cain by saying that he was marked. The only thing that I can find that actually goes further is in Moses 7:22. It says "For the seed of Cain were black." Now, if you believe that the scriptures are infallible, then it is possible that was the mark that God put upon Cain... but it still doesn't mean *anything* about Black people being worse than anyone else. Cain was marked to separate him from the others... but that doesn't mean that is what we have to do. I don't suffer for what my hundred-times great grandfather did, and neither should anyone else. It is the same thing that is involved when people rage against the Jewish race. ... Should we condemn anyone, anywhere, for things that their ancestors did? Or should we take each person individually and treat them as human beings?

The head of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the "Mormon" church) is Jesus Christ. The Church is guided by a prophet who receives the will of Jesus Christ through direct revelation. This prophet is currently (March 2010) Thomas S. Monson.

You can learn more about the Church or about Thomas S. Monson at the "Related Links" below.

Yes. Jesus Christ is the central focus of Mormonism. Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormon" church) believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior and Redeemer of mankind. Mormons believe that they must accept the atonement and death of Jesus Christ in order to recieve salvation, and strive to emulate his example in their lives.

Check out the "Related Links" below to learn more about what Mormons believe about Jesus Christ.

People were angry at Joseph Smith, believing that he was a lierand trying to lead them astray. Also, all the Mormons tended to vote the same way politically, and some of the people didn't like this

Jesus Christ was. He set a church upon the earth when he was living here. He taught his apostles how to live it. An instance we know of that he was having a church service was when he held the Sacrament with his apostles before he left to the Garden of Gethsemane. He gave his apostles the authority to preach the Gospel and bring others to it. When the apostasy happened, all of the authority was gone. The church was no longer upon the earth. These times were known as the Dark Ages. In 1820, a young man named Joseph Smith prayed about what church he should join. In answer to his prayer, he received a revelation. In the revelation, Jesus Christ and his (and our) father told him that the church was not upon the earth yet. They restored it, through Joseph Smith, and so now we have that church again upon the earth. That is the church known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
If you would like to know more, or if you are confused, you can visit mormon.org to have some questions answered.

Joseph Smith was loved by some and hated by others. Mobs often beat him, tarred and feathered him, imprisoned him, and eventually shot and murdered him. As a teen he was mocked extensively for telling others of his visions and for his problems with mainstream Christianity, which most of his neighbors were very passionate about.

Other Non-Mormons, however, recognized Joseph Smith's rights and defended him honorably. Some allowed him to escape or hide out to avoid various situations.

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were persecuted for their beliefs and were driven out of their homes and property in Ohio, Missouri and Illinois. They crossed the plains to find a place where they would be safer and could practice their religion according to their beliefs. When these "Mormon" pioneers reached the Salt Lake valley, their leader, Brigham Young, pronounced that "This is the Right Place". The Mormon pioneers, subsequently, began to settle the sparcely populated land named Utah in July of 1847.

The current worldwide membership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (commonly called the "Mormon" Church) is 14,131,467

Other facts and stats can be found by following the link below

Nothing! The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (commonly called the "Mormon" church) has been growing steadily since it began in 1830 with about 40 members. There are now nearly 14 million baptized members of the Church worldwide.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormon" church) encourages its members to store extra food supplies to take care of themselves, loved ones, and neighbors in the event of a natural disaster or financial emergency.

The Church encourages having a 30-day supply of foods that the family enjoys eating which store well, such as pasta, rice, beans, flour, sugar, canned fruits and vegetables, canned meats, etc. Many Church members choose to store freeze-dried meals (such as camping meals) as they have a long shelf life and are easy to prepare. They also store water for drinking, cleaning, and food preparation as well as supplies such as toilet paper, bandages, medicines, and toothpaste.

The Church also encourages members to have a long-term supply, if possible. These are things which could sustain life in the event of a huge disaster and which have a very long shelf life, such as wheat, beans, oats, and freeze-dried fruits.

In many areas, the Church has canning and packaging facilities where members and the general public can purchase food storage supplies. Some supplies can also be purchased from the Church online.

You can see the Church's website about food storage at the "Related Links" below, as well as some other helpful websites which are not church-related.

President Thomas S. Monson never served a full-time mission from the Church, instead he served in the United States navy.

In fact, none of the current First Presidency (Thomas S. Monson, Henry B. Eyring, and Dieter F. Uchtdorf) served as full-time missionaries for the Church.

The real name of the "Mormon" Church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "Mormon" is a nickname originally given to them by their enemies, but they have since accepted it. They are also referred to as "LDS" or "Latter-day Saints".

You can learn more about them at the "Related Links" below.