Although I’ve briefly written about the name of the Mormon church before, I want to revisit the topic in light of a recent announcement given by our living prophet, President Russell M. Nelson.
Different Names For Mormons
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are often referred to by various names, such as Mormons, Latter-day Saints, or simply LDS. I have a friend who, while serving a mission, met a woman who identified as a member of “the church at the crossroads of the West.” She had come to this conclusion because she regularly watched the Sunday musical broadcast of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, which closes with that phrase.
Personally, I have often identified as a Mormon or LDS because these names are short and easy to say. However, the official name of the church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
This week, our prophet and president of the church reaffirmed that we should set aside these other names and use the official name given by the Lord. Acceptable alternatives include “the Church,” “The Church of Jesus Christ,” or “The Restored Church of Jesus Christ.”
This is not a new directive. I recall our former prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley, making a similar statement years ago. Using the correct name is important because we are not members of Mormon’s church—Mormon was the ancient prophet who compiled the Book of Mormon.
Jesus Christ Himself addressed this very issue during His resurrected visit to the people of the American continent.
3 Nephi 27 – The Book of Mormon
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 is important that we use the proper name of the church. I’ve met people who didn’t realize that “Mormons” and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints refer to the same faith.
This confusion can lead to misunderstandings, and in some cases, people might assume entirely separate churches exist simply due to a lack of full information.
That being said, the church will continue to use the term “Mormon” in historical contexts, such as the Mormon Trail.
Another key point emphasized is that we are not associated with polygamous groups that us the name “Mormon.” While polygamy was once part of the church’s history, it was discontinued long ago. Those who continue to practice it today belong to splinter groups.
There has been significant media coverage about the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), particularly regarding their illegal practices, such as marrying minors. It is important to clarify that we have no connection to them.
Update:
President Russell M. Nelson recently addressed this topic in General Conference emphasizing the importance of using the correct name of the church. You can check out his talk 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 is resolved.
