Author Archives: wnewmann

Mormon History

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jesus christ mormonMormon history is nearly two hundred years long now, but the term ‘Mormon history’ usually refers to the tumultuous origin of Mormonism, beginning with Joseph Smith and ending with the Mormons settling in Utah–a period of about thrity years.
Mormon history begins with Joseph Smith’s First Vision and the events surrounding it. In 1820 there was a substantial religious revival occurring in the area around Manchester, New York, where Joseph Smith lived with his family. He participated in many of the meetings and showed desire to know which church was correct. While praying about this question Joseph Smith was visited by two personages, God the Father and Jesus Christ. Joseph was told none of the churches were the true church. Three years later he experienced another visitation from an angel who told him God had a work for him to do. Joseph was to translate an ancient record written on gold plates that told of the people of God on the American continent. The angel returned annually until 1827, when the record that was buried in a nearby hillside was entrusted the Joseph Smith.

Joseph Smith had been ridiculed for claiming to see visions, but when rumor spread that he had gold plates, opposition turned dangerous. There were many efforts made to steal the plates from Joseph. Translation was also difficult at first. It was done by the use of a Urim and Thummim buried with the plates. The first 116 pages of manuscript went missing when the acting scribe, Martin Harris, took them home to show his wife. This stalled translation for awhile, but it eventually resumed with a new scribe, Oliver Cowdery. The translating was forced to move to neighboring Pennsylvania to escape frequent disturbance by persecutors, and was finished at a remarkable pace.

The first printing of the Book of Mormon happened in 1830, and shortly thereafter Joseph Smith organized the Church of Christ in Fayette, New York. Soon after the organization, missionaries travelled around preaching the restored gospel. In order to escape the opposition that Joseph had faced in New York for the past ten years, he gathered all the converts in Kirtland, Ohio. Kirtland became the first headquarters for the Church in Mormon history. Joseph Smith had been receiving many revelations concerning the establishment of the Church and he recorded them. One of them identified Missouri as the location for Zion and another commanded a temple be constructed for higher worship. The revelations concerning the Church were eventually published as the Book of Commandments, which is now the Doctrine and Covenants.

Mormon history is plagued with persecution, and as the Mormon population rose, hatred intensified. Joseph Smith had sent some ahead to Missouri to prepare for the immigration of the Church. For a few years the Mormon population was split between Kirtland and Jackson County, Missouri. Only a year after the first Mormon temple was dedicated in Kirtland, the Mormons were commanded to gather together in Missouri. However, the hatred in Missouri was worse than Ohio. The settlers were not happy with the perceived Mormon take over of their land and contention often turned violent. Mormons were driven from their homes more than once and were finally driven from the state by an extermination order. They fled to Illinois.

mormonOn the banks of the Mississippi River Mormonism flourished. Joseph Smith named the city Nauvoo and it soon became the largest city in the state due to the success of Mormon missionaries in Europe and the U.S. Construction on another Mormon temple began and Mormon doctrine matured. Many of the unique doctrines of Mormonism were introduced in Nauvoo; baptism for the dead, polygamy, and eternal marriage. The practice of polygamy rekindled hatred among the enemies of Mormonism and ultimately resulted in the imprisonment and murder of Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum in Carthage Jail in 1844.

When Mormonism didn’t end with the death of Joseph Smith, as many thought it would, they were forced out of Illinois and led by Brigham Young to the Utah territory. The Mormons had to settle their own land to find peace, and the Mormon pioneer crossing the plains to Utah is a revered symbol of Mormon history. The peace of Utah would be threatened by the public announcement of the practice of polygamy by the Church. The conflict between the Mormons and the U.S. government resulted in the Utah War. However, the more pressing matter of the Civil War eased tensions until its conclusion. The eradication of polygamy became a political rallying point again and forced Mormons to abandon the practice in 1890.

The end of polygamy brought statehood for Utah and the stabilizing of Mormon history. Mormonism now had a home and a central location for expansion. For many years converts migrated to Utah from the eastern states and Europe. Mormon leaders eventually asked converts to remain in their home lands to help build up the kingdom of God throughout the world. The latest chapter of Mormon history has been an international one. With 12 million members, more than half now live outside the United States.

Mormon Underwear

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This refers to special undergarments worn by those who have been initiated in the Mormon temple. The term “Mormon underwear” is most likely to be used by someone less familiar with Mormonism. The usual designation of “garments” or “temple garments,” comes from the phrase “garments of the holy priesthood,” referring to the clothing used in temple ceremonies.

mormon underwearMormon underwear is made from cotton, polyester, or nylon in several variations. It is completely white, symbolizing purity. The first designs were one-piece garments, which are still available, but it is now more common to wear a separate top and bottom. The top is a T-shirt pattern, covering the shoulders and ending at the waist. The bottom extends from the waist to the knee. Mormon underwear is marked with symbols relating to the temple endowment ceremony. The design is to promote modesty and should be completely covered by outer clothing. Mormon underwear is worn directly next to the skin and replaces any other underwear. TheMormon Church manufactures and sells these garments itself, through Church distribution centers.

A Mormon will begin to wear this underwear as part of the initiatory ordinances of the Mormon temple ceremony. It is here that they will first put on this underwear and promise to wear it the rest of their life. It is symbolic of a covenant made with God, and the reverence that is shown in wearing these garments is evidence of the reverence toward the covenant made. Part of this reverence is not discussing the particulars of the temple ceremony outside of the temple where it may be (and is) taken lightly. This has brought about the incorrect assumption that the Mormon temple is “secret.” The Mormon missionary effort is evidence that Mormons desire everyone to believe and participate in temple worship, there is nothing secretive about it, but the temple is preserved as a sacred space separated from the profane world.

Part of the symbolism of Mormon underwear is biblical. The Lord clothed Adam and Eve with coats of skins when they discovered their nakedness. Modesty is one reason it is worn by believers. There is also mention of “holy garments” that Moses was commanded to make for Aaron (Exodus 28). In both of these occasions the special clothing is part of divine instruction and a sacred covenant. The faithful observer of this covenant is promised that it will become a protection to them. Contrary to the rumors that Mormon underwear is impenetrable armor, the promise is of a spiritual nature.

mormonAlthough instructed to be worn at all times, there are practical considerations when Mormon underwear may be removed. Bathing is the most obvious. Likewise, swimming or vigorous physical activity may necessitate removal. It is not appropriate to remove or alter them to accommodate fashion. There is no official list; rather it is left to the discretion of the individual. The counsel is simply to wear them at all times unless it is deemed inappropriate to the activity, and not to find excuses to remove them.

Mormon underwear is a solemn religious act of symbolism showing a covenant between God and the wearer of it. Because of the sacred nature which is not discussed outside the temple, naturally, the curiosity of others is piqued. But there is nothing to hide. Mormon underwear is worn as a symbol and reminder of a covenant that person has made with God.

Luke 16 16 Mormon

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In Luke 16:16 the Lord says, The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. Many Christians cite this scripture as evidence that there can be no more prophets. However, in Mormon belief there are modern prophets, beginning with Joseph Smith. This does not contradict the Bible, but actually fully supports the circumstances of Jesus’ message.

joseph smith mormonIt is easy to mistake this scripture as meaning that the Law of Moses and the need for prophets ended with John the Baptist. The phrase “the law and the prophets” is referring to the scriptures used by the Jews at that time; “the law” being the Torah, or five books of Moses containing the law, and “the prophets” being the prophetic books fortelling the coming of a Messiah. This represented the old covenant of God with the tribe of Israel. Jesus established a new covenant and a new organization. Hebrew prophets were replaced by apostles of Jesus Christ. The role of a New Testament apostle is the same of an Old Testament prophet, speaking in the name of God by the power of the Holy Ghost; the only difference being that now the Messiah has already come. TheMormon Church is led by twelve apostles of Jesus Christ who are accepted as prophets, seers, and revelators for Jesus Christ.

In Luke 16:16 Jesus was addressing the Pharisees, who were not accepting of Jesus because they had “the law and the prophets” to govern them. Despite the very prophecies they revered, when the Messiah came the Pharisees rejected Him in favor of tradition. The same is true of Christians that deny the gospel of Jesus Christ is restored by Joseph Smith. Instead they reject it for traditional Christianity. Luke 16:16 is not evidence that Mormonism is mistaken in its belief of prophets. Since Joseph Smith the kingdom of God is preached and everyone that seeks truth presses into it.

Mormon Basic Belief

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jesus christ mormonMormon basic belief states that God is our Heavenly Father. He is all-knowing, all-powerful, kind, merciful, and just. He loves us and wants us to be happy. We are all children of God and existed before we were born. Before the world was created we each existed as spirits with individual personalities and lived with God in heaven. As children of God we have the opportunity to become like Him. To accomplish this, God created a plan for us. This is called the Plan of Salvation.

The Plan of Salvation sums up the purpose of existence in Mormon basic belief. In the Pearl of Great Price the Lord says, “For behold, this is my work and my glory–to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). In order to become like our Heavenly Father, He created the world for our eternal progression. Our mortal life is a probationary state where we received a body and are tested to see if we will obey the commandments of God. At the end of the world all are judged before God and receive a reward according to each person’s faithfulness during mortality. The scriptures speak of three degrees of glory that mankind can inherit. The highest is the Celestial, with glory compared to the sun; the next is Terrestrial, with glory compared to the moon; and the third is Telestial, with glory compared to the stars. While each is a kingdom of glory beyond comprehension, only those of Celestial glory will receive all that God has.

Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior in Mormon basic belief and is the most important part of the Plan of Salvation. As the Only Begotten Son of God, Jesus came to earth and sacrificed Himself for the sins of all people. Only through this atonement can we overcome sin and death and be worthy to return to heaven. While on earth, Jesus established His Church to save all mankind. According to Mormon belief, after the death of the Apostles, the Church fell into apostasy and the authority of God was no longer on the earth.

mormonThe Restoration was necessary to again establish the Church of Jesus Christ on earth. Through the prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord restored the authority of God, the priesthood, and organized the Church of Jesus Christ. As a witness of the Restoration, the Lord had Joseph Smith translate new scripture, which became the Book of Mormon, and so the Church became known as Mormonism. With the priesthood restored through Joseph Smith the laws and ordinances of the gospel were also restored. Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, and giving the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands are ordinances necessary for salvation. Higher ordinances were also revealed to Joseph Smith which are performed in Mormon temples. Through these ordinances the highest blessing offered by God may be obtained.