Mormon Dictionary

LDS Church News is a newspaper owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members may subscribe to it and receive news on the Internet or in the mail. The Church newspaper is distributed every week.

The newspaper contains news related to the Church or about its members. Information that is in the newspaper on a regular basis includes: new mission presidents that have been called, calendar of events, obituaries of prominent members, messages of inspiration, stories from recent converts to the Church and statistics.

The LDS Church News offices like most of the Church’s offices are located in Salt Lake City, Utah.

LDS Media is a relatively new company that offers members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints an innovative way to study the gospel. They are providing digital Church materials in both audio and text formats for gadgets like MP3 players, cell phones and PDA’s. Members can buy and upload them, then have access to them while they are doing other mundane tasks like commuting or exercising.

Doug Smith the President of LDS Media said that one of the company’s goals was to “make religious content as readily accessible as secular materials both for study and for entertainment.”

This availability of Church material on devices that can go anywhere with them, allows people to get in a few more minutes of study wherever they may be, whether it is reading scripture commentary during a lunch break or listening to recent talks in the doctor’s office.

LDS Media provides a package called LDS PDA Library that contains 270 books and talks. If that is not enough members can also purchase that LDS Collectors Library with 3,300 books, talks, reports and other items.

The libraries can be bought and downloaded from their website at www.LDSAudio.com. Books and talks are not the only things offered, inspiring music can also be downloaded, as well as classic books like biographies on Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, Alexander Graham Bell and classic novels such as Huckleberry Fin, Beowulf, and The Black Cat.

The company was started in 2004 as a part of the larger Infobase Media Corp. which provides media for the LDS market. They have teamed up with numerous other companies and institution to provide the media, such as Deseret Book, Brigham Young University, Prime Recording, Litchfield Associates, and Sound Concepts.

LDS Media products can be found at LDSAudio.com (for MP3 downloads of LDS books, talks, and music), LDSLibrary.com (for the LDS Collectors Library line of products), Deseret Book and other LDS bookstores.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have always been encouraged to wear modest clothes. Even anciently in Christ’s Church members were encouraged to “adorn themselves in modest apparel” (see 1 Tim. 2: 9). The Guide to the Scriptures printed by the Church says that modesty is “appearance that is humble, moderate, and decent. A modest person avoids excesses and pretensions.”

The leaders of the Church have given further guidelines on what modesty is, “Prophets of God have always counseled His children to dress modestly. The way you dress is a reflection of what you are on the inside. Your dress and grooming send messages about you to others and influence the way you and others act. When you are well groomed and modestly dressed, you invite the companionship of the Spirit and can exercise a good influence on those around you. Never lower your dress standards for any occasion. Doing so sends the message that you are using your body to get attention and approval and that modesty is important only when it is convenient.

“Immodest clothing includes short shorts and skirts, tight clothing, shirts that do not cover the stomach, and other revealing attire. Young women should wear clothing that covers the shoulder and avoid clothing that is low-cut in the front or the back or revealing in any other manner. Young men should also maintain modesty in their appearance. All should avoid extremes in clothing, appearance, and hairstyle. Always be neat and clean and avoid being sloppy or inappropriately casual in dress, grooming, and manners. Ask yourself, ‘Would I feel comfortable with my appearance if I were in the Lord’s presence?’

“Someday you will receive your endowment in the temple. Your dress and behavior should help you prepare for that sacred time” (see For the Strength of Youth). Dressing modestly shows respect to God and our bodies. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 states, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” Wearing modest clothing is one way that we show respect for our bodies and keeps us from defiling it.

Wards and branches (congregations) of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are encouraged to have activities that involve all of its members. Their purpose is to help members become friends with one another, care for each other and share each other’s burdens.

Those who plan the activities for the ward are encouraged to plan activities that will involve all of the members from young children to the elderly. They are reminded that they should not always employ the youth to provide childcare or serve or clean up. They are also supposed to keep the activity within a reasonable time limit so that those cleaning up afterward do not have to stay up too late.

Many LDS ward activities include an abundance of food and the often joked about LDS food Jell-o, but Church leaders encourage wards not to make refreshments too big of a deal so that everyone can enjoy the activity, instead of half the ward being in the kitchen.

Creating ward traditions is one way to create togetherness within the ward. Annual chili cook-offs, ice cream parties, Valentine’s dances, talent shows, game nights, service projects and picnics are great ideas for ward traditions.

President James E. Faust, in the First Presidency of the Church has said, “We should bear in mind that the success of a given activity cannot always be judged by its size. Rather, it must be judged by its effect on the lives of those participating.” Ward activities do not have to be elaborate or expensive. Some times some of the best activities are the most simple.

Dances have been a part of the LDS culture from the beginning. When the Saints were crossing the plains to Utah they would form their wagons into circles and dance around the campfire to a fiddle. Brigham Young said, “If you want to dance … do it, and exercise your bodies, and let your minds rest,” and “If you wish to dance, dance; and you are just as much prepared for a prayer meeting after dancing as ever you were, if you are Saints.” (Journal of Discourses, 6:149, 148.)

Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are encouraged to marry someone who is also a member of their faith. This is because only worthy members of the Church are able to enter temples and receive ordinances. One of these ordinances is a sealing. A sealing is a marriage ceremony but instead of being married for time and until death do you part, a sealing makes it possible for a marriage to continue after death. To have this blessing members must marry within the Church. The Church also strongly focuses on the importance of family and involvement in the Church. Many young single adults are not living with their families because they are away at college or are working in a job away from home. The singles activities are provided to help the single adults feel as if they still have a place within the Church numerous activities including dances are organized so that single members of the Church get the opportunity to meet other single members and create friendships that will form a support group for them within the Church.

The dances are often between two and three hours and provide a good atmosphere for people to meet and make friends. They are usually held in the cultural halls of meetinghouses but are sometimes held elsewhere. “Standards for dress and grooming are strictly enforced—for band members as well as for those who attend the dance. Music and lyrics must also meet Church standards.” On the subject of appearance and dress the Church has said, “Your dress and grooming send messages about you to others and influence the way you and others act. When you are well groomed and modestly dressed, you invite the companionship of the spirit and can exercise a good influence on those around you. Immodest clothing includes short shorts and skirts, tight clothing, shirts that do not cover the stomach, and other revealing attire. Young women should wear clothing that covers the shoulder and avoid clothing that is low-cut in the front or the back or revealing in any other manner. Young men should also maintain modesty in their appearance. All should avoid extremes in clothing, appearance, and hairstyle. Always be neat and clean and avoid being sloppy or inappropriately casual in dress, grooming, and manners. Ask yourself, ‘Would I feel comfortable with my appearance if I were in the Lord’s presence?’”

Young women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are asked to keep their dress modest. Some of the guidelines given are:

• Avoid skirts or dress that are too short (although there is not an exact length given, most LDS family set the standard the dresses should be at the knee).
• Avoid tops that do not cover the stomach.
• Make sure the shoulder is covered.
• The front or back should not be too revealing or low cut.
• Avoid clothing that is very tight.

All of these guidelines are given to help youth prepare for when they will receive their temple endowment, but it certainly can make finding a prom dress difficult. Many of the trendy styles include at least one of the things young women are encouraged to avoid. The biggest problem seems to be in covering the shoulder. Many young women opt for getting a dress that does not have sleeves then also wearing a matching jacket, shawl, or adding sleeves by sewing them on.

Another common problem with prom dresses is that they are often too low cut in the front or back. This again is often fixed after buying the dress by adding lining to cover the areas that the young woman would feel uncomfortable showing. However the hassle of having to find material or another article of clothing to match the dress and make it modest is often something no one wants to deal with, and the demand for modest prom dresses has risen considerably. In 2001 a group of LDS young women in Kansas City decided to do something about not being able to find modest dresses. They first talked with a representative at Nordstrom’s telling them of their needs. The department store decided to hear more and the group of young women spent four months preparing a presentation for the store. One young woman of the group explained, “We’re not trying to judge those who wear dresses like that. We’re just saying that’s not our style, and we’d like a choice.” The department store was impressed with the presentation and is now providing a selection of modest prom dresses in all of its stores.

Many companies have also started that cater specifically to LDS young women. One company, Modest by Design, said, “Our company idea came about when we discovered how truly difficult it is to find modest clothing in most stores today. We found in talking to other people that we were not the only ones having this problem, that many people do value modesty today, and that their needs are not being met. Our hope is that by forming this company we will be able to make shopping for modest clothing easier and a lot more fun.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are asked to dress modestly. The guidelines for appropriate dress state, “immodest clothing includes short shorts and skirts, tight clothing, shirts that do not cover the stomach, and other revealing attire. Women should wear clothing that covers the shoulder and avoid clothing that is low-cut in the front or the back or revealing in any other manner. Men should also maintain modesty in their appearance. All should avoid extremes in clothing, appearance, and hairstyle. Always be neat and clean and avoid being sloppy or inappropriately casual in dress, grooming, and manners. Ask yourself, “Would I feel comfortable with my appearance if I were in the Lord’s presence?”

Soon to be brides are also asked to make sure that their wedding gown is modest. They are asked to make sure their gown has sleeves and a higher neckline. The back should not be too low or covered only with sheer material. If there is sheer material in places that Church guidelines require be covered such as the back, sleeves, or neckline, it is easy to fix by adding lining. If a bride wants to wear her dress in the temple, make sure it is white, not cream.

Here are a few tips to find a modest wedding dress:

• Start looking early. When people are pressured they are usually more willing to cut corners. Also to get a modest dress, it often takes longer because alterations need to be done or because the dress needs to be ordered.

• Explain your needs to the sales assistants. They help hundreds of brides and are more likely to know what can be altered or where to find a dress that fits your standards.

• Don’t worry if all you can find are sleeveless wedding dresses. Only a small percentage of gowns today are made with sleeves. But don’t loose hope, because most gowns can have sleeves added easily, especially if you are able to order extra material from the manufacturer.

• If you do need your dress altered, or sleeves added, make sure you get a seamstress that has experience with wedding dresses. Be very clear about your needs, and provide the seamstress with as many different ways to contact you as possible in case she has any questions.

• Ask friends. If you are LDS you more than likely know at least three or four people who have been married recently. Ask them where they found their dresses, what the service was like, and which places weren’t helpful. You may even have a friend that has a wedding dress that you love, that she wouldn’t mind letting you borrow.

• Take pictures. When you are not having luck finding modest dresses take pictures of dresses that you have tried on that you like, but may need some alterations. Take the pictures to a seamstress and discuss which dresses could be altered and how they would look.

Numerous LDS games have been made and marketed to the ever-growing population of Latter-day Saints. Providing games that the whole family can enjoy is a good idea, since members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are encouraged to spend quality time with their families. This time is called Family Home Evening, and families are asked to put aside one night each week, usually Mondays, as time to spend with the family.

Not only are LDS board games being sold, but software companies are also selling clean, LDS themed computer games. One example is found on http://www.cleanware.com/lds-games/. The game is called Outpost Zarahemla and the description reads, “In this LDS Game you will join Elder Hero whose mission is to expand the Mormon colonies in space. As you embark on your work, you will find that you are responsible for providing for the three-fold mission of the church on your outpost. You will need to build structures and facilities to help spread the gospel and do family history work, as well as provide for the temporal welfare, social needs, spiritual development of the guests of your outpost.”

There are numerous types of LDS games, the most common is games patterned after old games but with an LDS twist. For example you can buy a chess set at Deseret Book, but the pieces are people from the Book of Mormon, like Captain Moroni, Nephites, and Lamanites. You can also buy a game called Settlers of Zion, which is loosely based on the game Settlers of Catan. There are also educational games, such as Who Said…a matching game where you must match the quote to the prophet or person who said it. There is also an Articles of Faith memorization game.

Most of the LDS games are sold in LDS bookstores such as the ones found on Church university campuses or in Deseret Book or Seagull Book and Tape.

In addition to the wonderful Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the world’s largest family history library the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is also responsible for a well known hobby; but many people are unaware of this. Yes, to all you husbands that grumble about your wives spending a lot of time and money on scrapbooking, the LDS are responsible for the hobby that is now a $3.5 billion industry.

The “invention” of today’s scrapbooks is most often attributed to Marielen Christensen, who started a scrapbooking company called Keeping Memories alive. In 1976, she began making creative pages to put her family photos on. She then put them in sheet protectors and three ring binders. By 1980 she had made over 50 albums, and was asked to display them at The World Conference on Records in Salt Lake City.

Interest in “memory books” as Christensen had called them was immediate and she began teaching classes and giving seminars on creating them. For members of the Church creating memory books seemed to come naturally. This is because the Church stresses the importance of family and family history, so scrapbooking became another way to do preserve family stories and memories.

In 1981 Marielen and her husband wrote the first how-to book on scrapbooking and opened the first scrapbooking supply store in Spanish Fork, Utah. By 1994, demand for their products was so high that they had to move to a larger location. Keeping Memories Alive was also the first company to launch a scrapbook Internet site. Scrapbooks.com is now one of the most well-known websites in the industry.

Marielen has received the Outstanding Achievements Award from Creating Keepsakes Magazine for paving the way in the industry. Because the LDS is where scrapbooking started, there are numerous stores and websites that carry scrapbook supplies made specifically for the LDS. Many of these stores include such things as pages and quotes for missionaries, supplies to create pages for baptisms, temple weddings, and other parts of LDS life.

The Western part of the United States still seems to have the highest percentage of scrapbookers. This is most likely because of the large number of LDS people that live in the area.

Anywhere you go in the world, if you attend a sacrament meeting of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints it will follow the same format. Sacrament meetings are held on Sundays and is where they renew the promises they made at baptism. The dress at a sacrament meeting is formal to show respect. Men usually wear a suit and tie and women usually wear a nice dress, or a blouse and skirt. If you have ever seen the way LDS missionaries dress, model your attire after them and you will fit right in. When you get to the meetinghouse, the sacrament meeting is held in the chapel. You can sit anywhere you would like as long as it is not on the stand behind the pulpit.

Everyone from the littlest baby to the elderly participates in sacrament meeting so don’t be surprised if you hear some crying and a lot of movement during the meeting. A member of the bishopric will start the meeting by welcoming everyone and then giving announcements. This is followed by an opening hymn. Most of the time members stay seated while singing. It will be announced or the music director will let everyone know if they should stand. Following the opening hymn a prayer is given, during which members stay seated, bow their heads, close their eyes, and fold their arms. During the meeting the only time those in the congregation say anything out loud is when they say amen. This occurs after prayers and talks.

After the prayer, ward business is conducted. This is where new callings are given, babies are blessed, and confirmation occur. When a person is given a new calling the members are asked to sustain them. This is something that visitors need not participate in. After ward business, the sacrament hymn is sung. This hymn is to help members get into the proper mood for partaking the sacrament. After the hymn a blessing is given on the sacrament and then it is passed to the members. Visitors may also take the sacrament. This is the most sacred and important part of the meeting, so while the sacrament is being passed is not a good time to get up, or leave the meeting for any reason.

Following the sacrament, talks are given. This part of the meeting is usually the longest part. Members of the congregation are asked to speak about certain topics and each persons talk can be anywhere from five minutes to twenty minutes. Occasionally there will be a rest hymn between talks. When the talks are done, a closing hymn will be sung, followed by a prayer. When the prayer is done the meeting is over and people begin leaving the chapel.