Although I think I’ve written briefly about the name of the church before, I’m going to go over it again in light of an announcement given by our living prophet President Russell M. Nelson.
Some of the common names members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have are Mormons, Latter-day Saints, and LDS. I have a friend who while serving a mission ran across a woman who was a member of “the church at the crossroads of the west” because she watched the Sunday musical broadcast of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square because that is a phrase they use at the close of each broadcast.
I tend to identify as being a Mormon or LDS because it’s nice and short, and easy to say, but the official church name is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint. This week our prophet and president of the church announced that we need to essentially drop those other names and go by the official name the Lord has given the church. It may also be called “the Church” or “the Church of Jesus Christ” or “the restored Church of Jesus Christ”.
This announcement is not a new one. I remember our former prophet Gordon B. Hinckley making the same statement several years ago. It’s important we are known by the proper name because we are not members of Mormon’s church (Mormon was the ancient compiler of the Book of Mormon). Jesus Christ even spoke about this very thing during His resurrected visit to the people of the American continent.
3 Nephi 27
3 And they said unto him: Lord, we will that thou wouldst tell us the name whereby we shall call this church; for there are disputations among the people concerning this matter.
4 And the Lord said unto them: Verily, verily, I say unto you, why is it that the people should murmur and dispute because of this thing?
5 Have they not read the scriptures, which say ye must take upon you the name of Christ, which is my name? For by this name shall ye be called at the last day;
6 And whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day.
7 Therefore, whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name; therefore ye shall call the church in my name; and ye shall call upon the Father in my name that he will bless the church for my sake.
8 And how be it my church save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses’ name then it be Moses’ church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel.
9 Verily I say unto you, that ye are built upon my gospel; therefore ye shall call whatsoever things ye do call, in my name; therefore if ye call upon the Father, for the church, if it be in my name the Father will hear you;
10 And if it so be that the church is built upon my gospel then will the Father show forth his own works in it.
11 But if it be not built upon my gospel, and is built upon the works of men, or upon the works of the devil, verily I say unto you they have joy in their works for a season, and by and by the end cometh, and they are hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence there is no return.
It’s important that we use the proper name. I’ve met people who didn’t know that the Mormons and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are one and the same. There must be several nonexistent churches out there because people lack the full information.
The church will continue to use the term Mormon in such things as the Mormon Trail.
Another thing they emphasized is that we are not associated with the polygamous Mormon groups. True, polygamy is a part of the church’s history, but it has been discontinued for a long time and those who are still practicing are splinter groups. There is a lot of news coming out of Southern Utah regarding the Fundamental Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and their marrying of minors. We most certainly not a part of them.
Update: President Russell M. Nelson gave a talk in General Conference emphasizing the Importance of the name. You can check it out here!
Image credit: LDS Church <— See that? I used the old terminology. They may not want me to use the old terminology, but I’m glad they’re happy about letting me use the image. Thank you Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.. <— Problem resolved.