History of Mormonism- Latter-day Prophets, Part II

The history of Mormonism is a long and storied one, and one that has been influenced by the hands of many amazing men and women. Since the founding of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1830, there have been sixteen Prophets who have led the Church. Below is a handy list of each of these great men, along with a brief bio and some major accomplishments they made in their ministry.

5.Lorenzo Snow Lorenzo Snow was grew up in a family that valued hard work and a good education. As a result, Snow was well-educated, a graduate of Oberlin College. He was very involved in his community, serving in several leadership positions in both the Mormon Church and also the Utah government. As President of the Church, Lorenzo Snow championed the LDS practice of tithing. At a time when the Church was struggling financially, the practice was indeed divinely inspired, and allows the Church to do much more in regards to philanthropy and humanitarian efforts, as well as streamlining the efficiency of the Church in general.

6. Joseph F. Smith Joseph F. Smith has the distinction of being the last Prophet of the Church to have known Joseph Smith, the founding Prophet. Joseph F. Smith was indeed related to Joseph Smith, a nephew of the founder. As President of the Church, Joseph F. Smith did much in the way of acquiring historical landmarks, such as the birthplace of Joseph Smith in Vermont, and the Seagull Monument in Temple Square. He strove to improve public relations of the Church. Smith oversaw the construction of many new meetinghouses and the improvement of the Church's educational programs at colleges and universities.

7. Heber J. Grant In 1856, when President Grant was only nine days old, his father died died of pneumonia. Raised primarily by his mother, Grant learned earlier on the value of hard work and perfecting one's talents. As a boy, he desired to join the local little league baseball team, but was too fumbling and awkward to have any real chance of doing so. Determined, he practiced for hours by himself until he eventually was skilled enough to join a team that would go on to win the Utah Territorial Championship. In another case, he found in business that his penmanship was less than desirable. Once again practicing the skill tirelessly, he became so skilled that he was invited to teach penmanship at a local academy. One of President grants greatest achievements was that of the institution of the Church welfare program in 1936 during the heat of the Great Depression. The welfare program was, and still is today, essentially a tool to help struggling members get back on their feet, and to promote industry and charitable service among members and non-members alike. The welfare program remains to this day a strong force for good in philanthropic and humanitarian efforts.

8.George Albert Smith Not one to let adversity hold him back, George Albert Smith overcame many obstacles to achieve success in his life. While working as a railroad surveyor as a young man, his eyes were permanently damaged by the glare of the sun. Over time, Smith found that his travels were exacerbating issues of severe physical weakness. This was eventually diagnosed as a severe autoimmune disease, known as lupus erythematosus. Smith was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1903, and in the early 1920's he served in the capacity of President of the British and European Missions of the Church. At this time, he preached all over Europe. As Prophet, George Albert Smith sent supplies to Europe at the end of the Second World War, and made considerable efforts to revive the LDS Church's missionary efforts. All told, it is surmised that in his lifetime, he traveled nearly one million miles traveling in service of the Church.

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Other articles in this series:
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV

History of Mormonism- Latter-day Prophets, Part I

The history of Mormonism is a long and storied one, and one that has been influenced by the hands of many amazing men and women. Since the official founding of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, 1830, there has been a total of sixteen Prophets who have headed the Church. Below is a handy list of each of these great men, along with a brief bio and some major accomplishments they made in their ministry. (More to follow)

1.Joseph Smith Jr. Joseph Smith was the first and founding president of the Church. In 1820, he was appeared to by God the Father and Jesus Christ. He was told during this experience, known as "The First Vision", that the Lord's true Church was no longer upon the earth, because of a great apostasy long ago. He was instructed to restore God's Church to the earth, and to translate an ancient record which would become the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the Bible, which supplements the Bible as a second witness of Jesus Christ. During his life, he faced extreme persecution for his beliefs and claims, and in 1844, he was killed by an assassin's bullet, when an angry mob stormed the jail where he and his brother Hyrum were wrongly imprisoned. Joseph Smith was an extremely hard worker, and a man who gave everything to get the Church off the ground,and to further the work of God.

2. Brigham Young Following the death of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young was ordained as the Prophet. Perhaps his most famous accomplishments were his strong leadership and his instrumental role in leading the Saints west. On July 24, 1847, he and the first wave of Mormon pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley, when he famously said, "It is enough, this is the right place. Drive on." In 1853, Brigham Young broke ground and began the fourty-year construction of the Salt Lake Temple. Under the direction of President Young, the Saints would take the Salt Lake Valley--originally a desert wasteland--and cultivate the land allowing for fertile crops and thriving agriculture, a tremendous undertaking to say the least.

3.John Taylor Born in England in 1808, Taylor was originally Christened into the Church of England, but converted to Methodism at age sixteen. In the early 1830's, he and his family emigrated to what is now Toronto, Canada. In 1836, he was introduced to the Mormon Church, and converted soon after. He held several leadership roles throughout the Church, and eventually succeeded Brigham Young as President in 1880. As Prophet of the Church, he was instrumental in promoting the Church-wide institution of the Primary Association, a curriculum of Sunday school classes for grade-school age children. He also helped the Quorum of the Seventy become more organized and streamlined.

4.Wilford Woodruff President Woodruff was well-known for keeping diaries, and his extensive journal-keeping was and is a great asset for historians of Mormonism. Without his writings, much of that which was said by Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and many other Church leaders might have been lost forever. During Wilford Woodruff's ministry as Prophet of the Church, the Salt Lake Temple was finally completed in 1893, solidifying a spiritual beacon for the Saints and beautiful example of American architecture. Woodruff also organized the Genealogical Society of Utah, a major leap forward in the Church's family history efforts, and a group which still benefits the Church and its members' genealogical pursuits to this day.

If you would like to learn more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, click here to chat live with real missionaries!

Other Articles in this Series:
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV

The History of Mormonism: Joseph Smith, Tarred and Feathered

Throughout the history of Mormonism--and the history of religion in general for that matter--there have been many willing to sacrifice everything for their dearly held beliefs. When pinpointing the Mormon faith, this is perhaps most evident in the case of Joseph Smith, the founding Prophet of the Church. On April 6, 1830, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was officially founded, with Smith presiding as Prophet, Seer, and Revelator. The Church, though steadily gaining followers, had some bumps along the way. As with all religions, some of the new converts were not as devoted as others, and some even left the Church shortly after joining. They all had their reasons. There are accounts of a man leaving the Church because his horse died on the journey to Missouri, and another of a man leaving because his name was spelled wrong in a Church document. One such man was Ezra Booth. Booth had converted to the Church in 1831, and was soon sent out to serve as a missionary soon after. The mission was not what Booth expected it to be, and he soon grew bitter, and began to spread lies and express his hate for the Church, instead of preaching the gospel as he had been asked to do. Booth was later excommunicated for his misconduct. Upon returning to Ohio, Booth started writing letters to the local newspaper condemning Mormonism and its followers. These letters intensified the suspicions of the locals, and relations were somewhat strained. These events came to a head on March 24, 1832, when a group of men who had read Ezra Booth's letters got very, very, drunk. Joseph Smith and his wife Emma had recently adopted a pair of twin baby boys. Joseph had been up much of the night, tending to one of his new sons, who had the measles. Just as Joseph was falling asleep, the mob stormed into the Smith home and dragged Joseph from his bed and carried him out of the house. With a bucket of molten tar, the men began to smear Joseph's skin, covering all over his body, and gutting one of his pillows, covered him with the contents. Some of the men tried to force feed Joseph a vial of nitric acid. There were many angry threats to the Prophet's life and he was beaten severely. Joseph said a prayer for safety and mercy, and just then, an alarm sounded, scaring the mob away. Struggling back inside, Joseph showed himself to Emma, who fainted when the lighting made the tar look like blood. Thus began the long, arduous process of painfully removing the tar. During the struggle, the cold night air had been let in, and the Smith's new baby sadly perished from exposure. The very next day, Sunday, Smith got out of bed, and attended his Church meetings as usual. Beaten raw, covered in bits of tar, bruises, and more, Joseph got up before the congregation and gave a sermon as powerful as ever. He never mentioned the elephant in the room, skipping over the previous night's events entirely, even as some of the very men from the mob who attacked him sat among the congregation. In this trial, Joseph Smith displayed not only resilience in the face of adversity, but also a great capacity for forgiveness to those who had so viciously hurt him. I consider him a wonderful role model, and a man who very faithfully followed the example of his savior Jesus Christ.

Got a question about Joseph Smith, or other aspects of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Please click here to chat live with real missionaries and ask them directly!

For another story of an early Latter-day Saint overcoming great trial, please read this story about John Rowe Moyle, a stone-cutter for the Salt Lake Temple.
Read about the lifestyle of the Mormon pioneers.

Jesus Christ and the LDS Church; Is Mormonism Christian?

As an ardent believer in, and an intense lover of Jesus Christ, it can be a bit disheartening to hear certain people categorize my religion (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known by its nickname, "Mormonism") as "non-Christian", or imply that there is an inherent difference between it and Christianity. I've always viewed the term "Christian" (one who does their best to follow the example and teachings of Jesus Christ) as a personal choice. As mortal beings, we are not always able to know the thoughts and feelings of others. So it would seem to me that determining another Christian's level of devotion to Christ would be a matter of guesswork. Completely arbitrary.

As Jesus Himself told us in His Sermon on the Mount, "Judge not, that ye be not judged." I don't write this to call to repentance those who question my Christianity, as that is not my place. I merely write to ask for brotherhood in the beliefs and values we do have in common, and give some insight as to how this church--while not quite mainstream-- is an excellent example of a Christian church.

• The Savior's name is referenced the official title of the Church. The Church's name is "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints".
• The Book of Mormon, a volume of holy scripture at the cornerstone of the Church's beliefs--and also where the Church gets it nickname-- mentions Jesus Christ over 482 times, not including when He is referred to by other titles, such as "Savior", "Redeemer", "Son of God", etc. The Book of Mormon has 531 pages, which puts a very conservative estimate at Christ being mentioned, on average, at least once every 1.2 pages of the book.
• The Book of Mormon is subtitled as "Another Testament of Jesus Christ"
• Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are baptized by immersion in the name of Jesus Christ. 
• Every Sunday, they renew their covenants made at baptism by partaking in the sacrament (similar to communion). Members are counseled to remain reverent at this time, and humble themselves by pondering on the Savior's ultimate sacrifice in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross.
• Mormons believe that if they follow the Lord's commandments, and repent of all sins, they can be forgiven and washed clean by Christ's atoning sacrifice.
• The Church believes that after the death of Christ, their was a great apostasy among the believers, and that the Gospel of Jesus Christ (in its fullness) was lost from the Earth. The Church considers itself a restoration of the Church Jesus Christ started, a divinely inspired renewal of the original Gospel of Christ in its fullness. This is why the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not trace its roots back to any Catholic, Protestant, or Orthodox faith, as it arose independent of any of these lineages.

I love the Savior Jesus Christ, and do my best to follow His divine example. I am in awe that He would put up with me and my rebellious ways, and I would like to express a humble gratitude for Him and His condescension towards me--towards all of us. The perfect, sinless, Son of God was made to bear and overcome unthinkable agony and the deepest sorrow, all that we might be happy. I am proud to have Him as my guide, my example, and my Savior. I will close this article now in His sweet name, Jesus Christ--Amen.

Any more questions about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Please don't hesitate to click here, and chat live with actual missionaries who can answer you directly!

For more on the divine love of Jesus Christ read this post.
On Christmas, and how my family and I celebrate.

Jesus Christ: His Matchless Love

Jesus Christ loves you. If you aren't a particularly religious person to begin with, it may seem like an odd notion, but it is true nonetheless. He loves you more than you could possibly comprehend. Think of the person you love the most. It might be a spouse or significant other. It could be a parent, a sibling, a child, or even a close friend. It doesn't take anything away from the deep love you feel for that person, but the love of Jesus Christ, is so much deeper, so much purer, and so much greater than anything we can imagine.
Why does He love us?
Christ know us on a deeply personal level. He and our Heavenly Father know all about us: our motives, our thoughts, our desires, our actions, and everything in between. At the thought of this concept, many of us might make the mistake of thinking He has less reason to love us. After all, we have each and every one of us made one mistake or another in this life, and the thought that someone might know all the intricate details of our misdeeds is terrifying. So why would Jesus, the Son of God, and the most perfect being ever to walk the Earth, put up with such vile sinners for even a second? Surely He could find more worthy subjects than us. But the truth is, even as Christ knows all about our mistakes, our sins, and our misdeeds, He also sees and knows what we may become. He understands the context of our mistakes because He lived them. In the   Garden of Gethsemane, and on the cross in Golgotha, Christ suffered for all the sins and all the pains of mankind. Everyone that has lived, is living, or will live is cleansed through the ultimate self-sacrifice of the perfect, unblemished Son of God, but only if we allow it to.
When we sin, no matter how major our sin is, we have the opportunity and the duty to repent. When we correct the situation, asking forgiveness, and leaving our sins behind, we can then approach our Lord and Savior by praying with an eye single to Him and appreciation of His redeeming sacrifice. When we do this earnestly, He will forgive us.
Jesus Christ loves us so much, that He was willing to sacrifice everything He had--and more--that we might be cleansed from wickedness, and brought to the eternal happiness that comes from a clean conscience, and closeness to the Lord, our God. Because of His sacrifice, we are able to reach our full potential, and rise to the level of that person that Jesus knows we may become. With an eye single to Him, and a sincere love for all we meet, there is no limit to our progression in righteousness, our understanding of the mysteries of God, and  our ability to love in the supreme way that Christ the Lord did.
I leave this with you in His holy name, Jesus Christ--Amen.

Any questions about Jesus Christ, or other principles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Please click here to chat with real missionaries and ask them directly!

On Mormonism and Christianity: is there a difference?
For an exploration of the nature of the Holy Ghost, click here.
Sacrament or Communion?