My friend Ashley
- the wife of David's old Academic decathlon's contestant; roommate; Math nerdie; and mission destination friend--
posted this in her blog and I thought that it was brilliant! so I am completely copying here so our friends can understand a little more about us.
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Since I'm going to be talking about the church quite a bit, I figured I should take a little time to explain more about it. I seriously won't be offended if you chose to skip this post, but I hope you won't because I'll be mentioning it often and I don't want you to be confused.
There are a couple of really great user-friendly sites here and here that the church has created. They're really great about using modern technology for the benefit of the members and those who are interested in it. And of course, you're totally welcome to ask any questions.
Most of you who aren't members know something about the church through our conversations or maybe from my mission blog or perhaps that very detailed documentary PBS aired a few years go, but I figured I'd give a very basic run down for your benefit here. I'm not proselyting, just providing information. After I finished this post the first time, I reread it and I've been constantly editing and adding things since, so you might actually get the best from this post in a few days after I've really polished it to the way I want it. Sorry about that...
But, it's a lot of information. Hopefully I'll manage to break it up into chewable chunks.
The Basics:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also known as the "Mormon" or "LDS" church is just that--the church of Christ. You may have heard/read some crazy things, but we're Christians. Christ organized his church when he lived, but eventually the earth fell into a state of apostacy and his authority (or "priesthood") was taken from the earth. In the 19th century, that authority/priesthood was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. It has continued in a line that has not been broken since, and is fully functional on the earth today.
Yep. "Prophet". It's a pretty incredible story that you can read more about here.
The Book of Mormon is what the subtitle and all the commercials say it is: another testament of Jesus Christ. It's not a rewrite or replacement for the Bible, in fact, the Bible and the Book of Mormon support each other. It's also how we know whether or not what I'm saying is true; if the Book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith was a prophet (because he was lead to it and translated it), and in turn, the church is exactly what it claims to be--Christ's church on the earth.
So, that's why the Book of Mormon is so important and why it's been translated into a couple hundred languages. Let me know if you want a copy, it'll change your life. I promise.
Now, it's all fine and dandy for me or anyone else to tell someone these things and more. But one of the most important basic beliefs about the church is that of gaining and sustaining a personal testimony. Meaning, each member knows for him or her self, so one is always asked to pray about anything they learn so that they may "know the truth by the power of the Holy Ghost".
I always loved that, members and missionaries alike were adamant with me, "Don't take my word for it, find out for yourself."
Going a little deeper:
So, you've probably heard about what I once described myself as "them weird Mormons".
We live by a health code called the Word of Wisdom. We don't drink alcohol, coffee or tea and plenty of us don't drink caffeine at all. No tobacco or harmful drugs, either. The body is a temple and we're to keep it clean. Also, we're taught to keep all things in moderation. When the missionaries taught me about this, I had already committed to be baptized. All I thought to myself was, "Well, yeah. Go figure that Jesus wouldn't want us to drink."
Additionally, we observe the law of Tithing, an ancient law from the Old Testament in which members give 10% of their increase to the church. Today, this means our income, and those funds are used for buildings, materials, BYU, sustain missionary work, etc. It is paid privately and voluntarily. Members enclose their contribution in an envelope with a slip declaring their offering and either personally hand it over or mail it to one of the leaders of the congregation. No offering plates are passed.
Also, we keep the law of Chastity. Don't have sex before marriage and only with your legally wed spouse after. This is another way we treat our bodies with respect and reverence and keep in clean. In hand with this, marriage is ordained of God between a man and woman. And that's all I have to say about the issue. I ain't here to fight.
We also fast every month. Traditionally this is the first Sunday of the month and is called "Fast Sunday". We refrain from food or drink for 2 meals over 24 hours and donate the money we would have spent on meals in that time in a special donation called a "Fast Offering" that is used for the local needs of the poor in every congregation. This is separate from tithing. Of course, those who aren't able to fast for medical reasons (like pregnancy, chronic illness, or not eating and drink anything for 24 hours makes you cramp up and nearly pass out like one of my mission companions) are not expected to fully fast but are encouraged to find a way to participate in an appropriate way (for example, having simple meals of bread and water or refraining from something else, like the internet or other media) and it's up to the member's discretion. Fasting is also done on a sort of "as-needed" basis. Often when members need spiritual strength, support or guidance, they will fast and perhaps ask others to fast with them. Fasting always has a purpose, you always fast for something. To know whether or not to serve a mission, take a job you've been offered, have comfort in a time of trial, on behalf of someone who is ill or otherwise afflicted are all reasons I have fasted for myself or been asked to fast for someone else. It's more than not eating and drinking, it's coming closer to God through a small sacrifice of your own comfort. And no lie, an added benefit is that research shows people who fast slightly more than monthly have a significantly lower chance of getting cancer. Neat, eh?
We are taught to pray and read the scriptures daily, both individually and in our families. We are also taught to hold Family Home Evening (FHE) weekly, and make time for family and gospel learning. Additionally, we keep the Sabbath day holy. There are few hard and fast rules on this, but most members avoid spending money (unless an emergency, of course), refrain from attending or participating in sporting or other events and keep things pretty low-key at home. Some members even monitor what music they listen to or movies they watch...but this is something that is left to the individual and the family to observe as they see fit.
Basically, in the words of a friend I made soon after my baptism, "It's not a church, it's a lifestyle."
Truer words never spoken.
Meetings and Organization:
Members attend church meetings based on geographical location. Everyone is assigned to a "ward" or "branch" depending on how many members are in the area and each ward or branch is a single congregation. Wards and branches are then grouped into a "stake" or "district", again depending on numbers. Having a stake is a very big deal, and it was amazing news when one was created in Hungary while I was there. If there are enough of them, Young Single Adults (unmarried, age 18-30) can be organized into their own ward separate from the family wards. The purpose of these wards is pretty simple: to make the members of them UNsingle.
A "bishop" presides over a ward, a "branch president" over a branch and a "stake president" over a stake (or "district president" over a district). Each of these leaders also has two counselors assisting him. There are many auxiliary groups in the church and each one has a president and two counselors presiding over it at the ward, stake and general (church-wide) levels. There is Relief Society for the women, Priesthood Quorums for the men, Young Men and Young Women for those 12-18, Sunday School, Primary for children 3-12; additionally, each ward or branch has a Nursery as needed for children 18 months-3 years but this is an extension of the Primary.
There are also General Authorities and Area General Authorities, they're just leaders a on levels over stake presidents. Above that, there are several (7 or 8...I can't remember) Quorums of Seventy and about that there is the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who like the apostles Christ called when he lived, are special witnesses of Christ. Above them and presiding over the entire church is the First Presidency, the President (also known as the prophet) and his two counselors.
Standard services occur in 3-hour blocks on Sundays. First, there is a Sacrament meeting. The meeting opens with any relevant announcements, a hymn and a prayer, any ward or stake business is announced and then the administration of the sacrament. Following this, 2-3 members of the congregation will give prepared talks on subjects assigned by the bishop or of one of his counselors. Usually speakers come from the ward, but at least once a month a leader from the stake (a member of what's called the "High Council"). Then the meeting is closed with another hymn and closing prayer. All members attend Sacrament meeting in family groups.
Children and young adults attend their respective auxiliaries for the other two hours. Adults who aren't teaching or otherwise helping in these auxiliaries attend their own meetings.
The second meeting is Sunday School. A lesson is prepared from the scriptures or a church manual, depending on the class for small groups of members.
The final meeting is only separated for men and women into Relief Society and Priesthood. The lesson schedule for this meeting rotates each week of the month. The bishopric determines the content of the first Sunday's lesson depending on the needs of the ward. The second and third are taught from a manual of teachings used by the entire church--whether you're attending services in Tonga or Toganoxie, Kansas, you're going to be studying out of the same manuals. The fourth Sunday is always from current teachings of the higher leaders of the church (the prophet and apostles, mainly) called "Teachings for Our Time". If there is a fifth Sunday, it's a combined meeting for all the adults together.
Special meetings:
Every month on Fast Sunday, instead of talks on assigned topics, the members are invited to bear their testimony and it's called "Fast and Testimony Meeting". I'll be straight up, this meeting can be the best or worst part of the month depending on how it goes. Members are supposed to simply bear testimony--state what they know to be true and perhaps share a brief and uplifting anecdote of how and why they know it. However...sometimes people get to the stand and sort of ramble...give travel logs or tell really irrelevant stories or talk about all the things in their lives they're grateful for. That's not really the point of bearing your testimony, I'll give a brief example of what a testimony is at the end of this post.
Several times a year, this 3-hour block is replaced with a different conferences at the ward, stake and church-wide levels.
Every year, Ward Conference is held in each ward. It's lead by the Stake Presidency and is pretty much up to their discretion of what to do and how to do it.
Twice a year, Stake Conference is held. The whole stake attends 2 or 3 meetings over a weekend, in 2-hour sessions, run by the Stake Presidency. Members of the stake are asked to give talks, as well as the Stake Presidency and often General Authorities visit (I think it's once a year, but sometimes in place of a visit a stake participates in a regional broadcast that is streamed into the meeting houses from Salt Lake).
The first weekend in April and October, General Conference is held and participated in worldwide. At church headquarters in Salt Lake City, the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve and general authorities hold 5 meetings (3 Saturday and 2 Sunday) in 2-hour sessions and give talks on prayerfully considered topics. These talks are all published in the May and November issues of the church magazine, the "Ensign" (the title of the magazine in English) or the "Liahona" (in all languages but English) and are used for the Teachings for Our Time lessons in Priesthood and Relief Society meetings. General conference is a great source of inspiration and guidance for the members of the church and the speakers give guidance and counsel, as well as expound on gospel subjects. Members can attend live, attend broadcasts in meeting houses, or watch at home (if they can) or on the internet. I love knowing that I am listening to the prophet as the same time as the people in Hungary. It's awesome.
Temples, Missions and Callings:
So, along with regular meeting houses and stake centers (which is just a bigger meeting house), the church operates over 120 temples across the world. In there, members have the opportunity to participate in special ordinances for themselves and in proxy for the dead (I know, it's a little confusing, but please feel free to ask if you'd like me to explain this or anything else more). Any member in good standing may obtain a temple recommend, a piece of paper signed by a bishop and member of the stake presidency after a thorough interview to determine whether or not the member lives worthily, or in other words, according to all the commandments I mentioned earlier. A recommend must be presented at the temple entrance in order to participate in any service there.
You might be thinking, "Well, if all you do is talk to the bishop and stake president, what's to stop someone from just lying their way into the temple?" Unfortunately, absolutely nothing. But it's important to only enter a temple if you are worthy and living a clean and pure life. Temple ordinances aren't secret--anyone on the planet can prepare themselves to honestly receive a recommend. But they are sacred--the temple is the House of the Lord and we mustn't enter it unless we are worthy to be in His presence. Now, I'm not saying that Jesus shows up at every temple meeting, far from it. I'm saying that it's a pretty serious matter to enter the temple if you aren't living the gospel.
Missions are another special opportunity for members of the church. Unmarried young men 19-25, unmarried women 21 and up and retired married couples are eligible to serve a full-time mission (2 years for young men, 18 months for women and it varies for couples). You submit papers to the church and receive a call to serve anywhere in the world. Most of you know I served in Hungary. If possible, the missionary attends a Missionary Training Center (or MTC) to receive any language training necessary and proper gospel instruction. The stay is 3 weeks (if you are serving in your native language) and up to 12 weeks (if you are learning a new language). All missionaries are responsible for their own finances (though most parents give at least some support for their children serving) and missionaries serve full-time. No jobs, no dating, no school. You're allowed to write home once a week and call twice a year on Christmas and Mother's Day. You live a strict schedule with strict rules and your whole life revolves around proselyting.
So while this blog post really and truly is just information, if I had spotted you on a bus while I was serving, I would have plopped myself down next to you and started talking to you about who I am and try to get your number so that I could come give you a message about Jesus Christ.
One of the most unique aspects about a missionary's life is companionships. Missionaries serve two-by-two (unless there are an odd number of missionaries in the field, then there is a group of three somewhere--almost every single time that happened to the sisters in Hungary, I was in the threesome, that's not normal) and are with their companion 24/7. The only thing it's okay to do without your companion is use the restroom and bathe. That's it. If you don't get along with your companion...it can get a little rough.
Mission presidents preside over the mission, which is a designated geographical region (in my case, the entire country of Hungary) based on the needs of the area. They are responsible for overseeing the work and welfare of the missionaries.
Callings are jobs or responsibilities in the church. No one is paid for anything they do, they serve willingly. My current calling is to teach in Relief Society, but I have also served as Stake YSA rep, Primary teacher of the 3-year-old class (or "Sunbeams") and ward missionary (who don't serve full-time). Like temples and missions, members must be living worthily to receive a calling. From the prophet on down, members are asked to publicly give every person in every calling their sustaining vote. Not everyone has a calling, but some have multiple callings at any given time.
The most common (and I think most important) callings are to be a Visiting Teacher or Home Teacher, though these are more like assignments and because they change so often based on the flow of members in and out of the ward, are not presented for public sustaining. Members of the Relief Society are assigned to a companionship and between them, are asked to visit and share a brief spiritual message with and find out about the needs of every member of Relief Society each month, regardless of whether or not she attends church. Home teachers are similarly organized, however, the men who serve as home teachers visit the entire family rather than just the men. I love Visiting Teaching. It is an amazing opportunity. And writing this totally reminds me that I just got assignments and need to arrange my appointments for this month...
To sum it all up:
Members are often asked what we believe in. The Prophet Joseph Smith answered that question very directly in a short and simple document known as the Articles of Faith (and you can read them here, you should, you'll learn a lot).
My stake president in New Jersey broke the Articles of Faith down into groups that build upon themselves into the ultimate goal and end game of the church.
First, Joseph Smith laid out the Plan (Articles 1-4). Then he illustrates the Structure (5-6) and the Resources (7-9). After that comes the Perfomance (10-12) and finally, the Results (13).
And what do the Results boil down to? All good things. To sum all this and everything else into one phrase, the church believes in and works toward all good things.
My Testimony
The church is true. The Book of Mormon is absolutely the word of God and anyone who reads it will learn more of Christ and his teachings through it than through any other book. It is without a flicker of doubt or a moment of hesitation that I will tell you this and support it with everything in me. It doesn't matter whether or not I understand something, because there is much I don't understand. It just matters that I know whether or not it comes from God and the answer to that question in an undeniable "YES".
I'm pretty sure that those of you who read this blog who aren't members of the church have known me since before I was one. You've seen how I have changed as I have learned, embraced and lived the gospel with my whole heart, and all of those changes have been for the better. I have come to know the meaning of "joy" through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
I am not merely a witness of the truths I have just shared, I am evidence of them.
Baseline
So, that's the church. Now when I mention something that happened in Sacrament meeting, you'll know just what I'm talking about. :) Of course, I'll probably need to go into a little more detail here and there as I tell stories and things, but this is the most concentrated dose of Mormons you'll get around here.
At least for a while.
But cut me some slack, it really is a lifestyle. And it's one that I love.
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WOW you are a trooper if you are still reading. But now some things will make more sense ;-)
Thank you Ashley for your testimony and for writing it all down!
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