Before I get into answering this question, there’s a holiday coming tomorrow, Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos), that the Church has created some official content around Día de los Muertos this year, and FamilySearch has shared content over the years (see, for example, https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/day-of-the-dead-traditions, https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/day-of-the-dead-fun-activities-to-honor-our-ancestors, https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/celebrating-dia-de-los-muertos).

Why is there more official attention around Día de los Muertos? Because members of The Church of Jesus Christ believe strongly in connecting with the stories and lives of those who have gone before. We believe life continues beyond the grave, and that because of Jesus Christ, family relationships can continue after death. Incidentally, some research shows that family history can help with mental and emotional health, including self-esteem and resilience. But that is all a topic for another day.

But Halloween also can reflect our belief that wholesome fun is important to have in our lives, and Halloween can be a vehicle for such fun for families, congregations, and communities.

My babies are all grown and gone now, but we enjoyed Halloween during their growing-up years.

Halloween got even more fun as my children started to take responsibility for their own costumes. This was the year my children decided to be skunks. I don’t remember why I didn’t join in the theme. Perhaps we used up our supply of black fabric that was lying around? I chose to be a newspaper.

One of my favorite Halloween memories before I became an empty-nester is helping my daughter turn our car into Minnie Mouse for a trunk-or-treat with her friends. That daughter is now serving as a missionary for our church.

Over the years, I’ve dressed up as things such as as the aforementioned newspaper, a baker (my husband was Cookie Monster, wearing an aluminum foil tray of cookies), and a banana tree (that one embarrassed my family for some reason, but I had to do something with the yellow monkey toy my sister had left behind when she’d lived with us all those years before; it made such a fun ooo-ooo-ooo monkey noise…and I had plastic bananas from my banana neighbor… might…a story for another day).

If you were to ask individual members of our church, they might give you different answers, but on the whole, members of the Church enjoy this holiday and some make many days of it. I’ve seen friends doing dinner in a pumpkin, spending all week working on costumes for school parades, and posting pictures of local congregational events that occurred during the week.

With COVID, the “trunk-or-treat” seems even more common this year. I was delighted with the fun that people in my ward (local congregation) had with our trunk-or-treat. Some went all-out with how they decided to decorate their trunks, hatchbacks, or the space around their cars…or themselves. And others kept it simple, just showing up to support the younger generations. The idea was to have fun, together, and to offer a non-Sunday opportunity for the children and youth in our ward to get some Halloween fun courtesy of the adults. (More on the question about what happens when Halloween falls on a Sunday below.)

Many wards have Halloween parties around this time of (sometimes called by different names). Costumes are common, and so are treats, and fun activities for children. Below are some pictures from years past when COVID wasn’t a thing. What I’m observing is more are option for outside activities, since we have been asked by our worldwide church leaders to wear masks when we gather indoors.

This article at LDS Living addresses some of the wide range of ways members of the Church might individually choose to celebrate Halloween or not). They address how some are uncomfortable with the gore that can sometimes be associated with the holiday, and we are definitely against Satan worship. But there is much about this holiday that has just become about creativity, fun, and play.

I like LDS Living’s simple conclusion:

“Just as with many other holidays and traditions, the Church does not dictate how Latter-day Saints should celebrate Halloween. Instead, our Church leaders leave it up to each of us to seek inspiration, ponder, and decide how we should celebrate this holiday with our families. Each family is unique and the traditions that bring each family together will be equally unique, meaning not every Latter-day Saint will agree on what Halloween means and how it should be celebrated. So give each family room to decide what is best for them, respect their individuality, withhold judgment, and celebrate the fact that there are many ways to have [wholesome] fun.”

What do Latter-day Saints do Halloween falls on a Sunday?

Because today is Sunday, the chance of finding members of the Church out and about trick-or-treating will be lower, since for us, Sundays are our Sabbath, our day of rest. (There won’t be any Church-sponsored congregational activities, that you can count on.) We are encouraged to make this a day to focus on changine from our usual routines to focus more on spiritual things, attending church to partake of the sacrament, and talking about the scriptures and other faith-promoting content, and celebrating the restored gospel of Jesus Christ together with our church families and at home.

Some members may choose to answer their doors today for their friends in their neighborhoods, as previous articles have explored. Or some may leave treats on their doorsteps. But please don’t be offended if some choose not to. Some of us are even still having to be careful because of health issues (that is the case for me…I was sad to not be able to answer my door last night). I actually love answering my door on Halloween, usually, and plan to continue the tradition in future years when we aren’t still battling full hospitals and such as we are where I live.

So, yes, the short answer is Latter-day Saints celebrate Halloween, but you will find a variety of approaches among our membership.

But if you want to find us today, please consider joining us at one of our worship services in locations around the world. (Please do wear a mask, not of the Halloween sort (if you can) when you come. We all look forward to when this won’t be an important piece of trying to reduce spread of COVID but for now this is part of how we collectively have been asked to help reduce the spread.)

Or we invite you take a minute to learn about what we believe in the comfort of your own home. But we do hope to see you sometime at one of our worship services. Or if you know a member of the Church, ask about service or social activities that might be happening in your area.

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**You can read other posts we’ve had about Halloween by following this link. This site has been around for nearly a decade, so some of the photos are in posts when we used to be called Mormon Women: Who We Are (mormonwoman.org). Because many would never get to the understanding that “Mormons” believe in Jesus Christ — that He is central to our faith — our website name and content has shifted to highlight that more.

***This post has been edited from its original to include a little about Día de los Muertos (which is tomorrow, November 1), and to add a few other minor edits.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org

The post Do Latter-day Saints celebrate Halloween? appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Maddie writes:

Do Mormons believe that God never changes? If so, I have a question: For a long time Mormons encouraged if not required polygamy. Why have you changed and now say that practice is not permissible? If God doesn’t change His mind, would you say that your early leaders were wrong? If so, couldn’t they have been wrong about many other things?

Maddie, this is a question that I think a lot of people have, so thanks for asking it.

I think the short answer to your question is that we believe in living prophets. But following is a longer response that I hope can explain a little about what that means to us as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and how that relates to your question.

I think what is on Mormon.org addresses your specific question about polygamy pretty well, so I’ll start there. This is from the page “Do Mormons practice polygamy?”

At various times, the Lord has commanded His people to practice plural marriage. For example, He gave this command to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and Solomon (Doctrine and Covenants 132:1). At other times the Lord has given other instructions. In the Book of Mormon, the Lord told the prophet Jacob “for there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife: and concubines he shall have none… for if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things (Jacob 2:27-30).

In this dispensation, the Lord commanded some of the early Saints to practice plural marriage. The Prophet Joseph Smith and those closest to him, including Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball, were challenged by this command, but they obeyed it. Church leaders regulated the practice. Those entering into it had to be authorized to do so, and the marriages had to be performed through the sealing power of the priesthood. In 1890, President Wilford Woodruff received a revelation that the leaders of the Church should cease teaching the practice of plural marriage (Official Declaration 1).

Through a living prophet, polygamy (in limited practice) was commanded for a time. Through the same means (through a living prophet), polygamy was later revoked.

We believe changes in policy or commandments given to or through prophets do not negate or contradict the belief in an unchanging God. In fact, to me, the fact that God has consistently used this pattern of having living leaders to guide His people and do His work throughout the dispensations of time underscores the unchangeableness of God! Let me explain, or give a few examples.

Consider, for example, that God gave the law of Moses to the children of Israel. Before His death, Jesus and the family He grew up in lived and obeyed that law. But after Christ’s death and resurrection, the law was no longer practiced. It had been fulfilled; it had served its purpose in God’s big picture. After that time, it became, in fact, wrong for followers of Christ to practice the law of Moses.

But this change didn’t negate the divine role Moses had in God’s work or the role the law of Moses had during that time to bring people to God and point their souls to Christ. God had not changed, and His desire and love for His children had not changed, and His eternal plan to save His children through Christ had not changed (that was the plan from the beginning of time, even before the earth was formed, and still is the plan!). But the law had.

Another example is how, at first, Jesus Himself told the apostles to only teach the Jews, but after Christ’s death, to and through Peter (the authorized head/leader of the Church), the revelation was received to then take the gospel to the Gentiles. This didn’t negate Jesus’ commission to His leaders when He was alive. Again, God’s character and love for His children had not changed, but God had continued to reveal His will through His authorized servants, and His work continued to go forward.

Over time, the authority that had been given to Jesus’ apostles was taken from the earth, as those apostles died. Because of His big picture view and because of where people were at the time (speaking generally), there were centuries of time when that authority did not exist on the earth. God had not changed, but in His big picture view, that period of time had a purpose (and many people had important work to do to help prepare for the restoration of the gospel).

It was all still about God’s plan and His love and His purposes to bring people to Christ and this time, to prepare the earth for Jesus’ *second* coming.

Through the prophet of the restoration and the authority that was restored to and through him, Joseph Smith, the pattern of having living prophets was also restored. Continuing and unfolding authorized revelation for Christ’s Church became part of the pattern again. The unfolding work of the restoration of the Church took years and years, and continued after his death…and continues to this day.

Polygamy was commanded for some to live for a time in the early history of the Church. But through a living prophet (the fourth president of the Church), Wilford Woodruff, God revealed in 1890 that it was time for that to end. Leaders from that time forward upheld monogamy as the rule. As noted in the Mormon.org quote above, monogamy has, in fact, always been the rule. God has commanded polygamy at times, but it was never meant to be His unending, unchanging law.

Today, living prophets continue to receive inspiration about policy changes and specific things the Church and its members are to do and focus on.

But through all of the dispensations of time, through all of these types of changes and that process of God giving different instructions to different prophets depending on what His will and purposes were, the character of God has not changed. His love for His children has never changed. His plan, as mentioned before, never changed.

For me, although I don’t fully understand the purpose polygamy filled in its time, I am not bothered by it. This pattern of God working through living prophets to reveal His will and commands for specific times and seasons, in fact, only strengthens my faith in God and His character. It is the pattern found in scripture. I find great comfort in knowing that He will give the instructions that I need to know in my life through prophets, and that He is fully aware of what is needed now in our time given where we are in the earth’s history and in His big picture view. But my God is the same God who guided Moses and who sent Jesus and who inspired Peter and who called Joseph Smith and who speaks through living prophets today.

Answers to and thoughts about questions addressed at Mormon Women should not be considered official responses of the Church. For official material and/or to ask Mormon missionaries questions, see Mormon.org.

The post Why don’t Mormons practice polygamy now? (LDS belief in living prophets) appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

This is true about most of the guests who are invited to perform with the Choir for the annual Christmas concert; most are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  A recent exception to this was when David Archuleta, American Idol finalist, was invited to perform with the Choir. Archuleta is a Mormon.

In recent years, others guests have included Renée Fleming, Claire Bloom, Michael York, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Walter Cronkite, and others. This year’s 2012 concert included news anchor Tom Brokaw and Tony-award winning singer Alfie Boe.

Some highlight videos from past Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concerts can be found on this playlist at the MormonTabChoir YouTube channel.

Listen to one of the pieces from Nathan Gunn in the following video. You can also hear some of the thoughts and feelings from Jane Seymour and her co-guest Nathan Gunn in this LDS Public Affairs YouTube interview.

The post Is Jane Seymour a Mormon? appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Last week, the South Park creators’ Book of Mormon musical and the Tony awards got a lot of buzz in the media. This week, news in New York City (at least news related to Mormons) is more about the recently launched “I’m a Mormon” campaign. Times Square billboards, taxi cab tops, and subway ads are giving people a chance to learn a little more about Mormonism.

Of all the “Mormon Moment” media attention I’ve seen as of late, I think this Boston Globe article, Mormons’ Image Campaign, was one of the most well-written pieces. I appreciated Lisa Wangsness‘s objective and respectful approach, and I think she did a nice job capturing some of the purposes of the Mormon.org campaign.

I am sure that I am not alone in saying that we as Latter-day Saints don’t expect all people to want to join our faith (or even expect them all to like our faith) as they learn about it, but we do hope that people can be more informed about our faith before forming opinions about it. And we hope that they’ll give us as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the opportunity to be the primary source for that information.

As one Latter-day Saint friend recently said, “I hope that those who know me will talk to me about my beliefs before they believe all the things they read about them.”

If you don’t know a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints personally, please know that you are welcome to ask us a question by leaving a comment anywhere on the site, or by sending us an email at mormonwoman a’ gmail d’ com. As we say on our Ask a Question page: “Our responses will, of course, not be official LDS Church answers, but we figure that sometimes it can be helpful to hear from a run-of-the-mill Mormon.” You can browse previously-asked questions here.

And, of course, you can always take a virtual stroll through Mormon.org to learn more about Mormon life and beliefs and to see both official responses to and Church members’ thoughts about several frequently asked questions.

p.s. Speaking of awards, the Church received an award for Mormon.org as one of the Interactive Media Awards (IMA) “Top Ten Websites of the Year.”

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Because we want them!

Also because key points of our doctrine focus on family life.

1. We believe that we lived as spirit children of our Heavenly Father before we came to earth. We also believe that all of God’s children need to obtain a body to progress.

2. We believe that the commandment God gave to Adam and Eve to multiply and replenish the earth is still in effect.

3. Because of Jesus Christ’s Atonement, and through ordinances performed in temples, family relationships can continue beyond the grave. Children can be a source of joy and happiness not only in this life but in the life to come.

The most succinct document explaining our Church’s doctrines on children is The Family: A Proclamation to the World. Here are some quotes from that document that highlight what Mormons believe about children and family.

“All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny.”

“In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.”

“We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force.”

“We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.”

“Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.”

“Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

“…fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners.”

The choice to bear and rear children is a sacred and personal one. There is absolutely no doctrine of our church that prescribes the number of children a couple should have. Agency, or the ability to choose (and the accountability for our choices) is a critical tenet of our faith. There are many LDS couples as well as single individuals who desperately long for children and family. Others consider personal circumstances like the health of the mother or financial restrictions that may influence family planning decisions.

Individual circumstances and choices vary but as we strive to be disciples of Jesus Christ we seek to follow His example of loving little children.

Mark 10:14 – Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: For such is the kingdom of God.

“It is our solemn duty, our precious privilege—even our sacred opportunity—to welcome to our homes and to our hearts the children who grace our lives.” Thomas S. Monson, “Precious Children, a Gift from God,” Ensign, June 2000, 2

You might also be interested in the following:

lds.org article on birth control
Ask a Mormon Woman: What are Mormon views on pregnancy, childbirth, and medical intervention?

**Please note: The answers in “Ask a Mormon Woman” reflect the thoughts, perspectives, and experiences of individuals. Although here at Mormon Women: Who We Are, we strive to have our content consistent with the Church’s doctrine and teachings, we do not speak officially for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For official information about or from the Church, please visit www.mormon.org or www.lds.org.

Have a question you would like to ask? Send an email to us at gmail, with username ‘mormonwoman’

The post Ask a Mormon Woman: Why Do Mormons Have So Many Kids? appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

We were asked this question by Leah:

Presently, I work with a very young, first time mother-to-be colleague, who is due in April.  My question to you is, do first time mother-to-be Mormon women return to work after their maternity leave or not?

Answer by Brenda**

The simple answer is it varies. Especially in this economic environment. Our Mormon faith encourages lifelong learning, self-reliance and an emphasis on hard work, thus our women are talented, credentialed, and exhibit leadership qualities which make for fantastic professionals in a variety of fields. Each woman’s life and situations will vary, so choices vary as well.

Here are some great examples of LDS women that show some of the variety in our lives.

Sally Anne, owner of a mental health clinic and mother to three adult children.

Nadja, a mother of seven and freelance translator living in France.

Yvette, a middle school Mathematics teacher and recipient of the Presidential Award in Teaching for Mathematics and Science in 2009. In her profile, Yvette speaks candidly about wanting to be a mother, but is making the most of her single years.

Kelly, a dentist who spends her summers running a free dental clinic in Honduras.

Jane Clayson, a journalist who gave up her career “for a season” to become a mother.

Here is what one Apostle, M. Russell Ballard says on the subject of motherhood:

“There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children. The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family. Many are able to be “full-time moms,” at least during the most formative years of their children’s lives, and many others would like to be. Some may have to work part-or full-time; some may work at home; some may divide their lives into periods of home and family and work. What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else.” (“Daughters of God,” Ensign, May 2008, 108–10.)

But many Mormon women do choose to stay home with their children. Why?

Some of the answer to that is summed up in that quote by Elder Ballard. We believe family to be of utmost importance. Many women who are in a financial position to stay home choose to do so because they believe their sacrifice will greatly impact the lives of their children. David O. McKay, a former LDS prophet, clearly framed the responsibilities of parenthood when he stated, “No other success in life can compensate for failure in the home.”

In my own life I knew I wanted to stay at home with my kids before they were born. My mom had stayed home with us when I was little and I enjoyed the peace of knowing she would be there when I came home from school or social functions. I wanted to provide that same peace to my children if possible. I graduated from college with a finance degree and went right to work. I made a significant amount of money for a single woman and was able to start a savings. It was at this point that I started dating my husband. He had YEARS of school left and a ho-hum part-time job. When things started becoming serious between us he sought a higher paying full-time job and continued his college courses in preparation to starting a family. We discussed our shared desires for me to stay at home with our children during our engagement. After marriage, we practiced living on one income for one and a half years before our first child was born. We had to sacrifice some material goods those first few years, and still do, but have found frugality to be a common bond between us and parenting much more satisfying than we had anticipated. I try to keep my skills relevant so I am ready and willing to work outside of the home when and if the need arises while my kids are still young. I anticipate returning to academics and working again later in life, but I will continue to keep God’s will for me and my family at the forefront of my decision making processes.

Other LDS women find themselves in more difficult circumstances than I did. They may have school, credit card, or health debts to pay. They may be single mothers. They may have to care for their spouse or extended family members. Circumstances vary. Seeking God’s will in our lives is crucial in making life’s big decisions. A critical tenet of our faith is agency, or the right to choose. Families are encouraged to prayerfully ponder the counsel of our leaders about the eternal importance of family and then seek the guidance of God, who knows the specifics of each family’s situation. That guidance may encourage one woman to work to help support herself and her family and another to stay home. But every person in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is encouraged to make decisions for their family within the context of doctrine. Here are some quotes that I think illustrate our church’s views on women, family, and motherhood.

1. Motherhood is noble and aids God in His plan for His children.

“During my professional career as a doctor of medicine, I was occasionally asked why I chose to do that difficult work. I responded with my opinion that the highest and noblest work in this life is that of a mother. Since that option was not available to me, I thought that caring for the sick might come close. I tried to care for my patients as compassionately and competently as Mother cared for me.

“Many years ago the First Presidency issued a statement that has had a profound and lasting influence upon me. ‘Motherhood,’ they wrote, ‘is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels.’

“Because mothers are essential to God’s great plan of happiness, their sacred work is opposed by Satan, who would destroy the family and demean the worth of women.” Russell M. Nelson, “Our Sacred Duty to Honor Women”

2. Having children is a source of eternal joy. The commandment to multiply and replenish the earth is still in effect.

“To the first man and woman on earth, the Lord said, ‘Be fruitful, and multiply’ (Moses 2:28 ; Genesis 1:28 ; see also Abraham 4:28). This commandment was first in sequence and first in importance. It was essential that God’s spirit children have mortal birth and an opportunity to progress toward eternal life. Consequently, all things related to procreation are prime targets for the adversary’s efforts to thwart the plan of God. . . .

“Knowledge of the great plan of happiness also gives Latter-day Saints a distinctive attitude toward the bearing and nurturing of children.

“In some times and places, children have been regarded as no more than laborers in a family economic enterprise or as insurers of support for their parents. Though repelled by these repressions, some persons in our day have no compunctions against similar attitudes that subordinate the welfare of a spirit child of God to the comfort or convenience of parents.

“The Savior taught that we should not lay up treasures on earth but should lay up treasures in heaven (see Matthew 6:19–21 ). In light of the ultimate purpose of the great plan of happiness, I believe that the ultimate treasures on earth and in heaven are our children and our posterity” (emphasis added). (Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “The Great Plan of Happiness“)

“There is a passage in our Scriptures which the Latter-day Saints accept as divine: ‘This is the glory of God—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man’ [see Moses 1:39 ]. Likewise we could say that this is the glory of men and women—to bring to pass the mortality of the sons and daughters of God, to give earth-life to the waiting children of our Father. . . . The greatest mission of woman is to give life, earth-life, through honorable marriage, to the waiting spirits, our Father’s spirit children who anxiously desire to come to dwell here in this mortal state. All the honor and glory that can come to men or women by the development of their talents, the homage and the praise they may receive from an applauding world, worshiping at their shrine of genius, is but a dim thing whose luster shall fade in comparison to the high honor, the eternal glory, the ever-enduring happiness that shall come to the woman who fulfills the first great duty and mission that devolves upon her to become the mother of the sons and daughters of God.” (Elder Melvin J. Ballard, Sermons and Missionary Services, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1949, pp. 203–4, quoted in “Celestial Marriages and Eternal Families“)

3. Women are different from but equal to men.

From The Family: A Proclamation To The World

“All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.

“By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed” (emphasis added).

And another from Gordon B. Hinckley:

“Woman is God’s supreme creation. Only after the earth had been formed, after the day had been separated from the night, after the waters had been divided from the land, after vegetation and animal life had been created, and after man had been placed on the earth, was woman created; and only then was the work pronounced complete and good.

“Of all the creations of the Almighty, there is none more beautiful, none more inspiring than a lovely daughter of God who walks in virtue with an understanding of why she should do so, who honors and respects her body as a thing sacred and divine, who cultivates her mind and constantly enlarges the horizon of her understanding, who nurtures her spirit with everlasting truth.” (From “Our Responsibility to Our Young Women“)

4. God will help Mothers fulfill their sacred duties.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland on motherhood:

“When you have come to the Lord in meekness and lowliness of heart and, as one mother said, ‘pounded on the doors of heaven to ask for, to plead for, to demand guidance and wisdom and help for this wondrous task,’ that door is thrown open to provide you the influence and the help of all eternity. Claim the promises of the Savior of the world. Ask for the healing balm of the Atonement for whatever may be troubling you or your children. Know that in faith things will be made right in spite of you, or more correctly, because of you.

“You can’t possibly do this alone, but you do have help. The Master of Heaven and Earth is there to bless you—He who resolutely goes after the lost sheep, sweeps thoroughly to find the lost coin, waits everlastingly for the return of the prodigal son. Yours is the work of salvation, and therefore you will be magnified, compensated, made more than you are and better than you have ever been as you try to make honest effort, however feeble you may sometimes feel that to be.” (From the talk “Because She is a Mother“)

———–

In summary, Mormons believe motherhood is a divine and worthwhile pursuit. I cannot tell you whether or not your co-worker will quit work after having a baby. Each family is different. It is the combination of doctrine, circumstance, individual choice, and personal guidance from God that leads to a woman’s decision to stay at home or not.

Great question, thanks for asking it!

– – – – – – –

**Please note: The answers in “Ask a Mormon Woman” reflect the thoughts, perspectives, and experiences of individuals. Although here at Mormon Women: Who We Are, we strive to have our content consistent with the Church’s doctrine and teachings, we do not speak officially for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For official information about or from the Church, please visit www.mormon.org/faith or www.lds.org.

Have a question you would like to ask? Send an email to us at gmail, with username ‘mormonwoman’ or ‘mormonwomen’

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By Brenda

First of all, can I tell you how much I loved the Salon article by Emily Matchar entitled “Why Can’t I Stop Reading Mormon Housewife Blogs?” Emily even described us in our own vernacular: “uplifting.”  Uplifting is exactly the way Mormons would like to be seen. This article gave me chills mainly because it reminded me of a prophecy Spencer W. Kimball, a Mormon prophet, gave several decades ago.

“My dear sisters, may I suggest to you something that has not been said before or at least in quite this way. Much of the major growth that is coming to the Church in the last days will come because many of the good women of the world (in whom there is often such an inner sense of spirituality) will be drawn to the Church in large numbers. This will happen to the degree that the women of the Church reflect righteousness and articulateness in their lives and to the degree that the women of the Church are seen as distinct and different—in happy ways—from the women of the world. … Thus it will be that female exemplars of the Church will be a significant force in both the numerical and the spiritual growth of the Church in the last days.”

My favorite part of that quote is the fact that we will be seen as distinct and different – in happy ways – from the women of the world. I’d personally like to thank C. Jane, Nie Nie, and many, many others for leading the way in showing the world the happiness that living the Gospel of Jesus Christ can bring to a family.

Here at Mormon Women we don’t shy away from providing stories about and resources for people who are suffering from addiction, divorce, depression and other problems in the world today. Mormons are not immune from the woes of life. But an understanding that we are all sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father and that death and sorrow will be swallowed up by the Atonement of Jesus Christ can bring lasting happiness.

Many of the commenters on the Salon blog wondered, “Why are there so many Mormon Women Bloggers?” As a long-term Mormon Mommy blogger I’d like to give my opinions on that subject. I think that the main reasons are family history work, social interaction, education, community, and a tradition of sharing.

Family History: Because Mormons believe that families are eternal we are doctrinally motivated to seek out our ancestors. Finding a journal of a deceased loved one is a particular treasure as it provides a window into their life. How my ancestors felt and reacted to the struggles of life gives me hope that my troubles can be overcome as well. Stories passed down from grandmothers and grandfathers give me a background to my own personal narrative. Knowing how much I love to read about things my ancestors did motivates me to record even the mundane. I write with my grandchildren and great grandchildren in mind. I want them to know me through my words.

Home-based Social Interaction: One indelible memory I have of my mom is her walking around my house on a 50-ft spiral telephone cord talking with her friends. She loved to clean while on the phone and her phone cord could reach all the way from the kitchen to the back corner of our family room. I like to talk to my friends just as much as my mom did, but I do it online. It would be very hard to hold a conference call with 60 of my best friends worldwide, but blogging makes long distance relationships very accessible. Blogging has made journaling a social event where I can share and discuss my life with my family members and friends. Instead of stuffing my best thoughts in a locked journal under my mattress I can share them and converse with my friends at their leisure.

Education: Mormon women have been encouraged to obtain all the education they can in this life and the next. Lifelong learning is stressed annually in our Sunday lessons from primary age through adult. Most of the Mormon women I know in my area have at least earned a bachelor’s degree. Some have not, but they are no less articulate because our church culture encourages leadership, study, and thought. And we teach, oh how we teach! Nearly all of the callings, or volunteer church positions, in our church are teaching roles. The process of reading and distilling that material into a lesson best suited to the needs of a class is very similar to blogging. Being a member of Relief Society also encourages the development of talents. Every Sunday and at least once a quarter on a weekday, we gather together to improve our talents, increase our faith or provide service to the community. The Relief Society supports women in reaching their highest potential intellectually, spiritually, and physically without compromising the divinity of motherhood.

Community: Mormons are community builders. Our church’s legacy begins with the early Mormons building community after community seeking a place to safely practice our religion. We continue to build spiritual centers of community called wards and stakes worldwide. Mormons also are known for having large(r) families than others. At first glance you may not see what these facts have to do with blogging. Let me explain. I have quite a few first cousins. Many of them blog. Many of the women in my ward and stake blog. I went to Brigham Young University, all of my college roommates were LDS. They all blog. As do many of the girls I knew in my collegiate congregation. Now that I’m a mother of four I have four times as many social lives to conduct and I interact with women of many different faiths at the public school, at the park, and at Kung Fu class. Can you see how finding people to talk to online in these circumstances would build a large online community quickly? Blogging is a great fit for building and sharing community.

Sharing We are encouraged to share our faith at home, at school or work, at church and online. In fact, we have specifically been asked by our highest ranking leaders to share our message online. Elder Russell J. Ballard writes in a guide to share the gospel online,

“Now, may I ask that you join the conversation by participating on the Internet to share the gospel and to explain in simple and clear terms the message of the Restoration.”

In this month’s Ensign, a monthly periodical produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there is a four page insert encouraging members to “join the conversation” on the new Mormon.org. As I am writing this I am wishing I already had my profile up to link to. Maybe you can search out your favorite Mormon blogger to see if they have a profile online at Mormon.org.

I love blogging. It has connected me with old and new friends in a medium I enjoy. I especially like reading blogs by Mormon women. Like Emily Matchar, I find them very uplifting.

Why do *YOU* think there are so many Mormon bloggers?

The post Ask a Mormon Woman: Why Are There So Many Mormon Women Bloggers? appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

A short answer about what Mormons do to bring in the new year is that, like many other people, we’ll throw or attend parties, or have family gatherings. Youth will sometimes have organized Church activities to be together in a wholesome environment. Some people will stay home and watch the New York ball “drop.” In my family of origin, watching football games is pretty much a given on New Year’s Day.

Mormon New Year’s Eve parties and gatherings may be a little different than some, though, because we don’t drink alcohol.

You can read Jenny’s response to this question from last year’s Ask a Mormon Woman post here.

LDSSplash shares some New Year’s tradition ideas.

What about New Year’s resolutions? Mormons are like others and will often set goals at the beginning of a new year, although the concept of goal-setting and improving oneself are really just part of Mormon doctrine to implement all year.

Looking for tips for New Year’s resolutions? Mormon Soprano shares a video with some possible tips for setting personal goals, with counsel from Elder Richard G. Scott.

What are your New Year’s Eve / New Year’s Day traditions or plans? Do you set New Year’s resolutions?

The post Ask a Mormon Woman: How Do Mormons Celebrate New Year’s? appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

So once you know that Mormons do celebrate Christmas, a follow-up question could be what Mormons do about Santa Claus.

First of all, make no mistake. The name of our church — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — reiterates that Jesus Christ is at the center of our religion. As such, we as Mormons seek to keep the Savior, Jesus Christ, at the center of our Christmas. You can read more about different Christmas traditions to help keep a focus on Christ during the Christmas season. More ideas for keeping Christ in Christmas can be found here, and a wonderful list of 10 ideas can be found at lds.about.com.

I think it’s safe to say that a good majority of Mormons’ traditions include Christmas trees and stockings and gifts under the tree on Christmas morning. How and where Santa plays into that process will vary depending on the family.

When I was a young child, Santa Claus was “real” and was part of our Christmas celebration. There were always presents “from Santa” under the tree in addition to presents from my parents. My mom is one who loves Christmas with a childlike giddiness, so I’m pretty sure that gifts were signed by Santa long after I knew Santa was actually Mom and Dad.

My husband, on the other hand, grew up always knowing that Santa wasn’t the one doing presents. This was a deliberate choice made by his parents.

As you might imagine, having such different experiences growing up, my husband and I had a few interesting conversations about what we would do in our home.

I think the different experiences my husband and I had illustrate that you can find a range of opinions about Santa among Mormons. Some feel allowing children to believe in Santa provides some magic for the holidays. Others worry about whether it might be traumatic for children in some way to find out that Santa isn’t real. Some are perhaps a bit indifferent about it all.

And others will tell you that they do believe in Santa Claus. For example, read “I Believe in Santa” to see what I mean. You’ll be glad you did. It’s a beautiful post that I think sums up how we feel about the spirit of Christmas and what we hope to capture in whatever traditions we may choose.

What have you done in your family about Santa Claus? What do you do to help keep a focus on Christ during the holidays?

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**Please note: The answers in “Ask a Mormon Woman” reflect the thoughts, perspectives, and experiences of individuals. Although here at Mormon Women: Who We Are, we strive to have our content consistent with the Church’s doctrine and teachings, we do not speak officially for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For official information about or from the Church, please visit www.mormon.org/faith or www.lds.org.

Have a question you would like to ask? Send an email to us at gmail, with either ‘mormonwoman’ or ‘mormonwomen’ as the username

The post Ask a Mormon Woman: Do Mormons “Do” Santa Claus? appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Q: Do Mormons celebrate Christmas?

A: Oh yes! Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that Jesus Christ is the Creator and Savior of the world. We are eager along with the rest of the Christian world to celebrate His birth.

Some of the ways Mormons celebrate Christmas are through music, lights, scripture, parties, service and testimony.

Music

Wards and branch [congregation] choirs all over the world are fervently practicing hymns in preparation for Christmas. Participating in choir often gives the singers the opportunity to testify of the birth of Jesus Christ through song. Only Easter Sunday rivals the Christmas season for the most congregational choir preparation.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir is also prepping for a Christmas Concert of their own. This year, Michael York is narrating and David Archuleta is performing alongside the choir. In addition to choir music, I love to have Christmas music from all genres playing all December long to fill my home with seasonal reflection.

* Photo courtesy LDS newsroom

Lights

Jesus is the light and life of the world. To announce His birth a new star was set in heaven that led wise men to seek Him. In remembrance of the star that first led people to Jesus Christ, Mormons celebrate the Christmas season with lights. We adorn our homes and temples in lights. Here is a picture of my local temple at the Christmas season. We like to visit the temple with our children for family home evening so they can feel the peace and love of Jesus Christ that permeates this season.

*Photo by Hugh Harline Photography Oakland Temple Hill Website

Scripture

Mormon families are encouraged to hold daily personal and family scripture studies. Every Monday night we gather with our individual families for a lesson, treats and/or an activity. Many individuals and families will take the opportunity during one of these settings to review the scriptures that prophesy of and record Jesus’ birth.

Because Mormons believe that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ similar to the Bible, we also have the pleasure of studying how people on the American continents came to a knowledge of the Savior’s birth through miracles and celestial displays just as wondrous as those witnessed in and around Bethlehem.

Parties

My December calendar is quickly filling up! On December 1st I have my Relief Society Christmas party. We will be collecting gifts to give to individuals in need as well as having a dinner and show. On December 11th we will be having our ward congregation’s Christmas Party. Our Primary will be performing a Nativity scene with music, we have invited the local high school choir to perform as well as having a ward dinner. I am also hosting a couples’ Christmas party at my house just for fun as well as hosting book group at my house. For book group, we are enacting a reader’s theater of our favorite scenes of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. I’ve had to deck my halls a little early in preparation for the festivities at my house. I will also be attending a family Christmas party on the 23rd with all of my extended family including aunts, uncles, and cousins. On Christmas Eve, my brothers and sisters will gather at my house for dinner and games. We’ll read about the Savior’s birth in Luke and tuck tiny children into bed who hope that Santa will visit during the night.

Service

Every year I have participated in providing food and gifts for individuals or families that have fallen on hard times for Christmas. When I worked in the Young Women program in my ward, we would deliver gift baskets to people in our ward and community who were sick, lonely, or had recently lost a loved one. We would knock on their door and sing carols and deliver homemade jams, bread, nuts and fruits. I’m sure the food was appreciated but not nearly as much as just being remembered. Our ward would also host a giving tree where anonymous needs of families were written on the back of paper ornaments. Individuals would pull an ornament from the tree and purchase the item and return it to the Relief Society presidency. The needed items like socks, shoes, church clothes and fun items like toys for children would then be delivered in time for Christmas.

Christmas is a wonderful time to reconnect with neighbors and friends through small gifts of love. My kids love to make the Christmas deliveries to our loved ones of baked goods or candies, and they love to receive them as well!

Testimony

Testimony can mean different things to different people, but for me it means to think, live and speak like a Christian. How can I show the Lord I love him, and that I am thankful that He was born, lived a sinless life and died for me that I might live forever? By always remembering Him. I can live my testimony of His sacrifice when I choose to repent. I can show my love by keeping His commandments. I can follow His example by loving others and giving freely. I will formally worship at sacrament meetings and at the Temple, but the best gift I can give this season will be my testimony that Jesus Christ lives.

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Every year, our Prophet and his counselors give a Christmas devotional to bear testimony of Jesus Christ. You can watch this devotional Sunday, December 5 at 6pm Mountain Time. Follow this link for more information:

2010 First Presidency Christmas Devotional

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**Please note: The answers in “Ask a Mormon Woman” reflect the thoughts, perspectives, and experiences of individuals. Although here at Mormon Women: Who We Are, we strive to have our content consistent with the Church’s doctrine and teachings, we do not speak officially for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For official Church information about Mormon beliefs, visit www.mormon.org/faith or www.lds.org.

Have a question you would like to ask? Send an email to us at gmail, with username ‘mormonwoman’

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