What is lds

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Forgot your password? Retrieve it. Abbreviation » Term. Term » Abbreviation. Word in Term. Term » Abbr. Filter by: Select category from list What does LDS mean? The Latter-day Saints also have a practice of annointing and blessing the sick if an ill individual so desires.

Like other Christians, Mormons celebrate Christmas and Easter as their two most important religious holidays. It is around the time of this holiday that the church presents its elaborate history pageant at the Hill Cumorah in Palmyra, N. Mormons also observe the Sabbath each week. On Sundays, they attend a sacrament meeting at their chapel, which includes readings, hymns, prayers, communion and testimonies from a few speakers from the congregation.

The rest of the Sabbath is observed by spending a quiet day at home, visiting friends or family, or performing charitable works. Latter-day Saints believe that the body is a gift from God to be cared for and respected, not to be polluted or abused.

In their daily lives, Saints follow a set of health guidelines Joseph Smith received from God in called the Word of Wisdom. As interpreted today, this code states that Mormons should abstain from coffee and tea, alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs. Over time there has been dispute and changing mores within the church regarding exactly what the Word of Wisdom disallows.

For example, the original document warned against drinking any hot beverages, but over time this has come to be interpreted as only hot beverages containing caffeine. Some debate remains over whether cold caffeinated beverages like colas should also be avoided; the church's official policy is to leave it up to individuals to decide. Mormons are advised not to get tattoos and to limit body piercings to a single pair of plain earrings for women.

They also follow a general dress code that teaches that modest dress not only shows respect for one's own body and for God, but also has a positive effect on spirituality and behavior. Mormons believe that the family is an eternal unit and central to God's plan. In fact, eternal progression toward Godhood is limited to those who marry for time and eternity celestial marriage in a ceremony conducted by a properly ordained member of the LDS priesthood in a Mormon temple.

Church President Hinckley has also stressed the importance of the family during mortal life, saying, "If you want to reform a nation, you begin with families, with parents who teach their children principles and values that are positive and affirmative and will lead them to worthwhile endeavors.

That is the basic failure that has taken place in America. And we are making a tremendous effort to bring about greater solidarity in families. Parents have no greater responsibility in this world than the bringing up of their children in the right way, and they will have no greater satisfaction as the years pass than to see those children grow in integrity and honesty and make something of their lives, adding to society because they are a part of it. The Mormon interest in genealogy is closely linked to their doctrine of baptism for the dead and their belief that the family unit will continue to exist beyond mortal life.

Mormons trace their family trees to find the names of ancestors who died without learning about the restored Mormon Gospel so that these relatives from past generations can be baptized by proxy in the temple.

Once baptized, if the ancestor's spirit has accepted the Gospel, they will be able to be together with the rest of their baptized Mormon family in the celestial kingdom. For the Saints, genealogy is a way to save more souls and strengthen the eternal family unit. Mormon marriages are different from most marriages because they are considered eternal.

If a husband and wife are sealed together in the temple, they can be together on into the celestial kingdom. However, the church does have a process for annulment and sees divorce as an unfortunately necessary evil.

I am not one to say that it is never justified. But I say without hesitation that this plague among us, which seems to be growing everywhere, is not of God, but rather is the work of the adversary of righteousness and peace and truth. Just as a civil marriage does not automatically translate into a temple sealing for a Mormon couple, a civil divorce does not unseal them. If a divorcing couple wishes to become unsealed, they must receive a cancellation of sealing, which requires approval from high-ranking church officials.

A Mormon woman must receive a cancellation of sealing prior to remarrying if she wishes her next marriage to be sealed in the temple. And to her that means finding community with people that I think she believed would last into the hereafter into the kingdoms to come.

I think she heard this message of redemption, of racial redemption, and she held onto that story for the rest of her life—even as the Church, once she gets to Utah, begins to reject people of African descent. Mueller : Whatever you want to say about the origins of the Book of Mormon, it fits its time period really well.

The story of the Book of Mormon is not a black-white story, as Americans know it, where white is European and black is African. The two main populations there are the light-skinned population called the Nephites and the dark-skinned population called the Lamanites, and the book traces this elaborate story of the rise and fall of their civilizations.

The Lamanites, according to the book, become Native Americans. For a long, long time, Americans have wondered: To whom do these Native Americans actually belong, in terms of lineage? So the book really fits the s notion that Indian-ness is irreconcilable with whiteness. Green : Conflicts over race in the Mormon Church have lasted well into the 20th and 21st centuries. Black men were allowed to become priests only starting in the s, and black men and women could not participate in sacred Mormon temple rites until that point.

If you start disavowing the prophets of the past, that undercuts the whole premise that God provides revelations to his people in the present day. Green : The LDS Church historically encouraged its members to buy Native American slaves or to adopt native children and raise them in their homes. What do you make of these practices, exactly? Were they racist? Mueller : The first official Mormon mission in history was at the end of , when Joseph Smith sent his most important lieutenants to the Delaware Indians who had been pushed west to what is contemporary Kansas.

Although humans make mistakes and sin, Latter-day Saints view this mortal life as an opportunity to progress and learn. As a result, the original foundation of authority to lead the Church was lost and needed to be restored see Acts Today members preach that the Lord has indeed restored His Church with living apostles and prophets, starting with the founding prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith.

Church members understand that families are the most important unit of society. Accordingly, those who follow Christ and keep His commandments are promised that they will live with their families forever in divinely instituted eternal relationships. The religious experience of Church members is based on a spiritual witness from God that inspires the heart and mind, creating an interpersonal relationship directly with God.

President Boyd K. The list of questions is not comprehensive but represents some of the most common inquiries from news media. The Church does not embrace the creeds that developed in the third and fourth centuries that are now central to many other Christian churches. Jesus Christ is central to the lives of Church members. They seek to follow His example by being baptized see Matthew —17 , praying in His holy name see Matthew —13 , partaking of the sacrament see Luke —20 , doing good to others see Acts and bearing witness of Him through both word and deed see James The only way to salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ.

Read more about Latter-day Saint Christianity. It is an appropriate term for God, who is kind and just, all-wise and all-powerful. Latter-day Saints believe God is embodied, though His body is perfect and glorified.

For Latter-day Saints, mortal existence is seen in the context of a great sweep of history, from a pre-earth life where the spirits of all humankind lived with Heavenly Father to a future life in His presence where continued growth, learning and improving will take place.

Life on earth is regarded as a temporary state in which men and women are tried and tested—and where they gain experiences obtainable nowhere else. God knew humans would make mistakes, so He provided a Savior, Jesus Christ, who would take upon Himself the sins of the world. The Church reveres the Bible as the word of God, a sacred volume of scripture. Latter-day Saints cherish its teachings and engage in a lifelong study of its divine wisdom.

Moreover, during worship services the Bible is pondered and discussed. Members are encouraged to include the Bible in their family and personal daily scripture study. According to Church apostle M. In addition to the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, the Book of Mormon, named after one of its ancient prophets, is another testament of Jesus Christ.

Temples existed throughout biblical times. These buildings were considered the house of the Lord see 2 Chronicles —5. Latter-day Saint temples are likewise considered houses of the Lord by Church members. 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. Learn more about why the Church builds temples.

The Church is governed today by apostles, reflecting the way Jesus organized His Church in biblical times. Three apostles constitute the First Presidency consisting of the president, or prophet of the Church, and his two counselors , and together with the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, they have responsibility to lead the Church worldwide and serve as special witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Each is accepted by Church members in a prophetic role corresponding to the apostles in the Bible.