All About Mormons: What Makes Them Different?

"What makes the LDS church different from other Christian churches?"

If you've ever wondered this, or even if you haven't, I'm gonna answer it.  A lot of people notice a difference in Mormons from others.  Some notice our focus on families, some our extreme zeal for sharing our faith, and others think we are weird because we don't drink, smoke, swear, or fornicate.  I'm not saying that nobody else in the world lives by those standards.  But, as a missionary, people have mentioned these differences to me. 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is Jesus Christ's church on the earth today.  It wasn't born from another church, it wasn't thought up by a man. God called Joseph Smith as a prophet.  Through him, God restored His church.  All of the doctrine and organization of Jesus Christ's church is now available in simplicity to all the inhabitants of the earth.  For more on this restoration, click here. 

The reason Mormons are different than others is because they are members of the Church of Jesus Christ.  We seek to understand the will of God and do our best to live accordingly. The Lord has made it known on multiple occasions that the members of His church will be a peculiar people (click here).  Dictionary.com defines "peculiar" as " distinctive in nature or character from others".  Considering that, it shouldn't be so surprising that members of Christ's modern church are are seen as being different from everyone else.

I bear witness that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true.  It's God's kingdom on the earth.  That's what makes us different.

Articles of Faith #9

"We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God"

As Latter-Day Saints, we believe the words of God.   We believe that He created Adam and Eve.  We believe that He visited Moses in the burning bush.  We believe that he led the children of Israel out of Egypt.  We believe that David slew Goliath, that Daniel left the den of lions unharmed, and that Isaiah saw Christ's day.  We believe that Jesus Christ came to the earth.  We believe that He established a church and gave His apostles divine authority.  We believe that He taught many people and performed many miracles in the Eastern and Western hemispheres.  In short, we believe that the scriptures are the word of God.

We also believe the words of the New Testament prophet Amos when he said, "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7).  We believe that God still reveals His word through a prophet.  That divine authority has been restored!  We believe what God tells us today through His prophet.  In addition, we believe that God will continue to lead and guide His people.  Just like the saints in the scriptures, if we follow God's prophet, we can know God's will for us.  I firmly believe this and testify of it.

For more on the Articles of Faith, see http://mormon.org/articles-of-faith/.

The Articles of Faith #8

"We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly; we also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God"

In the LDS church, we believe God's word.  God has always spoken through His prophets.  These prophets have taught the people of their time and kept records of their teaching.  The Bible is a compilation of the teachings of prophets, like Moses, Isaiah, and many others.  The Old Testament looks forward to the coming of Jesus Christ and The New Testament tells of His earthly ministry and the ministry of His apostles.  As can be seen in the links provided, these books went through numerous translations and interpretations in the centuries since they were originally written.  Doctrines have been lost and changed.  "Plain and precious things" have been removed from the records through corruption and translation. 

The Bible is "the word of God" and Latter-Day Saints view it as such.  But we also believe that God has said more than what is contained in the Bible.  The Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ.  It was recorded by His prophets on the American continent.  It tells us of God's dealings with His people there.  The prophet Nephi foresaw that people would reject this idea.  He said that they would say "we need no more Bible"(2 Nephi 29:6).  But God, speaking through His prophet, said the following:

"Know ye not that there are more nations than one? ... and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?"

He went on to question those who will reject His word:

"Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another?" (2 Nephi 29: 7-8).


The Book of Mormon is the word of God.  It was translated "by the gift and power of God" (Intro. to the Book of Mormon).  It contains the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!  In addition to the scriptures, we beleive that God still reveals His word today!  He does so through His prophets, just like He always has.  See God's Words Never Cease, the words of a modern Apostle.

I know that as we treasure God's word we can draw closer to Him and find strength through our many trials.  I know that there is power in the scriptures.  I know this because I have read from them.  That is the secret!  You gotta pick them up and read 'em. 

Of this I earnestly testify.

For more on the Book of Mormon, see http://mormon.org/book-of-mormon/
For more on the Articles of Faith see http://mormon.org/articles-of-faith/

Articles of Faith #6

"We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth."

 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the Lord's church on the earth!  The church is set up exactly like the church Jesus Christ established when he was teaching on the earth.  (For more on the common organization, see my blog post "The Church of Jesus Christ").  There are prophets and apostles today!  This is possible through the restoration of the priesthood.  Three of Christ's original apostles laid their hands on Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and gave them the authority of God.  (For more on this see, "Priesthood Restoration" from a modern prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley).  

We will have the chance to hear from the current prophet, Thomas S. Monson, at General Conference on April 2nd and 3rd

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints has "the same organization that existed in the primitive church" because the two have the same founder: our Lord and Savior.  They are the same church, led by Jesus Christ and built on His doctrine!

The Articles of Faith #5

"We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof"

In our church, everybody gets what we call a calling.  It can range from a bishop, the spiritual leader of the congregation, to a music director.  Callings in the church are varied in individual responsibility and difficulty.  But they all have one thing in common, all callings are extended from God.  The apostle Paul said of the priesthood that "no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God" (Hebrews 5:4).  This principle applies with all callings in the church.  You'll never see anybody petitioning to be the bishop.  There's no elections to decide church leadership.  The will of God prevails; He leads this church and through His servants, the callings are extended.  

That "authority" mentioned in the fifth article of faith refers to the priesthood.  That authority is necessary for any calling to be extended.  Whether it be the President of the church or a teacher in Sunday school, all positions in our church are "called... by those who are in authority".  These callings are not accepted blindly though, all are encouraged to pray and know for themselves the will of God.  Every child of God has that right.


I know that Christ's church has been restored!  His gospel is on the earth!  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is set up exactly how God wants it to be.  I know that Christ lives and that Thomas S. Monson is His prophet.


For more on the Articles of Faith, see http://mormon.org/articles-of-faith/.