Financial Stewardship

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that individuals and families must be wise financial stewards. Self-sufficiency and modesty in our wants and possessions are not only "good advice," but are actually sound gospel principles that Mormons are taught.

After Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden, God commanded Adam, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread . . ." (Genesis 3:19). That commandment remains in effect today. Latter-day Saints are taught to obtain all the education they can and to find employment that provides their families with (at a minimum) the basic necessities of life. This economic self-reliance provides individuals with self-respect, satisfaction, and happiness. In addition to economic self-reliance, individuals must also strive to be socially, emotionally, spiritually, and physically self-reliant. Where individuals cannot meet these needs, they can turn to family (first) and the Church (second).

In order to be truly self-reliant, the Church teaches that families should (1) avoid debt, (2) maintain a financial reserve, and (3) attain a year's supply of food. To assist families in accumulating food storage, the Church owns canneries around the world where members of the Church can purchase and package food in bulk. In doing so, families will be prepared for the "rainy days" that inevitably come. In addition, by avoiding debt and having a healthy savings account, families will feel peace and security during times of distress and uncertainty in the world.

Our responsibilities do not end with ourselves and our families. Not only must we be self-reliant, but members of the Church must also care for the poor and needy. One of the ways Latter-day Saints care for the poor is by donating to the Church a "fast offering." Once a month, Church members are asked to abstain from eating or drinking for two meals (or 24 hours). The money they saved from fasting (and any additional generosity) is then donated to the Church for assisting in helping the poor and needy.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints takes seriously the charge to care for those who are in need. Many additional resources such as employment centers, welfare plans, educational loans, food, and basic necessities are provided to those in need. All of the Church's welfare is done with the goal of helping others "help themselves" by becoming self-reliant.

The Church maintains a website, www.providentliving.org with resources, lessons, statistics, and services in temporal and spiritual welfare. For additional information on the Church's teachings on welfare, click here.

Citizenship and the Role of Government

Latter-day Saints believe that it is the duty of members of the Church to be good citizens wherever they live. The twelfth article of faith of the Church states, "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law." Members of the Church are expected to be law-abiding citizens and to serve their fellow countrymen for the good of society. Citizenship entails participating in the political process, serving the community, nation, or world, raising a righteous posterity, seeking an education, obtaining gainful employment, and being hard-working and honest in one's labors and pursuits. Latter-day Saints believe in the value and necessity of hard work and sincere efforts in the workplace, the home, and in the community.

In addition to the twelfth article of faith, the Doctrine and Covenants of the Church also discuss the role of government. "We believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society. . . ." (D&C 134:1).

Latter-day Saints believe that God gave men freedom and that such freedom should be protected by the government. With this God-given freedom comes responsibility. We, as citizens, are responsible for electing wise and righteous leaders who will preserve our freedoms and enact laws to protect individuals, families, and society. Such an effort requires both education and action on our behalf. We must learn and study the issues of the day. We must seek to know who the candidates are and what ideals they represent. We must become active in civic affairs and to make the world a better place to live. Most importantly, we must seek to maintain our freedoms, our families, our rights of worship, and encourage our government leaders to do the same.

We must do this on our own--The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will not choose political candidates or parties for us. The Church is neutral when it comes to politics--but it does strongly encourage its members to get involved. The Church website makes clear in this statement that the Church avoids weighing in on political matters when at all possible. "The Church does not endorse political parties or candidates, nor does it permit the use of its buildings for political purposes. The Church does not participate in politics unless there is a moral question at issue, in which case the Church will often speak out." Most recently, the Church has spoken out against legalizing same-sex marriage in order to preserve the sanctity of the traditional family.

To read the recent letter from Church leaders to members of the Church on political participation, click here. To read the Church statement on "The Divine Institution of Marriage" (why the Church opposes same-sex marriage) click here.

Atonement of Jesus Christ

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worship Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and as our Savior and Redeemer.

We believe that Christ came to live on Earth to (1) provide a perfect example of how to live, (2) atone for our sins, (3) die for us, and (4) live again through the resurrection.

Jesus of Nazareth lived a perfect and sin-free life. He taught us how to love God and our fellow men. He instructed us to keep the commandments, serve and love others, and to forgive others their faults. He lived these teachings and showed us by example how we should live and how we can return and live with Him and the Father again after this life. But He is more than a great teacher and perfect example--He is also our Savior from our sins.

In order to return and live again with God, we must be completely free from sin ("no unclean thing can dwell with God" 1 Nephi 10:21). Unfortunately, none of us are free from sin. We are all imperfect. Therefore, without a Savior to pay the price for our sins and make us clean, we cannot return to live with God. Jesus Christ is that Savior.

He suffered for all our sins, weaknesses, sicknesses, and faults (Alma 7:11-12). He paid the terrible price for us. This occurred as Jesus suffered and died on the Cross at Calvary. All that He asks in return is that we believe in Him and follow Him. This requires that we have faith, repent of our sins (i.e., changing our sinful ways), be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost, and keep all His commandments. This is not always easy, but with God's help, we can do it.

If we have faith, repent, and keep his commandments, then will his grace save us from our sins. We can be made clean and feel peace and love in our hearts, knowing that we will be saved from both sin and death. I testify that His mercy is abundant and will fill our hearts with immeasurable joy. He is waiting to extend His grace and mercy to us, if we will but have faith and repent of our sins.

To learn more about the atonement of Jesus Christ, click here. The painting used in this post of Jesus Christ in Gethsemane is used courtesy of http://www.lds.org/.

God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost

The first Article of Faith for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints states "We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost."

Latter-day Saints believe that although one in purpose and unity, the three persons in the Godhead are distinct and separate from one another. God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ have physical bodies of flesh and bone. The Holy Ghost is a personage of spirit, which allows him to dwell in our hearts and witness the truthfulness of the gospel.

Each member of the Godhead has specific roles. The Father and the Holy Ghost bear witness of the Son. Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost bear witness of the Father. The Holy Ghost bears witness to us of the truthfulness of all things. All three in the Godhead are "one" in purpose. Just as the Godhead are "one" in unity, we too may be "one" with them. When Christ prayed to the Father in John 17, He prayed that all those who believe in Him would "be one, as thou, Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us." (John 17:21).

This belief differs from Protestant and Catholic teachings, who believe that the persons in the Godhead are not separate--but instead, are three persons in one. We believe that the true nature and character of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost was one of the principles lost during the Great Apostasy (the falling away of the truth following the death of Christ and His apostles). The truth regarding the Godhead was revealed in latter-days primarily through the visitation of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ to the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1820.

For further reading on this important doctrinal topic, click here for a message by President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008), former President of the Church.