What Is A Latter-day Saint

[Guest Amitunai]

According to the great dictionary

latter-day adjective [ attrib. ] modern or contemporary, esp. when mirroring some person or thing of the past : the book is built around the story of the Flood and a latter-day Noah.

saint |s?nt| noun 1 a person acknowledged as holy or virtuous and typically regarded as being in heaven after death. • (in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches) a person formally recognized or canonized by the Church after death, who may be the object of veneration and prayers for intercession. • a person who is admired or venerated because of their virtue : he was considered a living saint by recipients of his generosity. • (in or alluding to biblical use) a Christian believer. • ( Saint) a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; a Mormon.

Why can't I be considered a Latter Day saint because I am mirroring some person or thing of the past, and I do rightious good deeds, and pray to a God....

Wouldn't this make me a Latter-Day Saint as well, and just not a mormon?

[Nate]

I would consider anyone who follows Christs teachings a saint. What we refer to is that we believe that we are the Saints of Christs restored gospel today(being the Latter Days). We believe that Christ through a prophet restored truths and doctrines either lost from a period of apostasy or new truths to help prepare the earth for its Makers return. Hence our name THE Church of Jesus Christ (meaning his restored church) of Latter-Day Saints (today just like when he was upon this earth).

Thats our proclamation to the world but in now way do we exclude Christians who follow the teachings of Jesus to be anything but Saints, christian, brothers and sisters. B)

Your have LDS as your religion so I dont mean to sound like im teaching a primary lesson to you but rather information to all.

[the_jason]

First of all, we refer to latter day saints as those who belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. We are not excluding people of other faiths from being saints.

Second of all, I am not a Mormon. I have never referred to myself as a Mormon. I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. The term "mormon" was given to members of the church by non-members. It is not the name of our church or our people.

[Guest Amitunai]

The term "mormon" was given to members of the church by non-members.

I am a latter day saint as well, but I am not a Mormon.

[Fiannan]

I believe in a general sense that anyone who accepts that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, the Book of Mormon is true and follows the general teachings of the 4 standard works can call themselve's LDS. Of course, that also includes splinter groups that might make mainstream LDS people uncomfortable, but oh well.

[MaidservantX]

I am proud (? let's see search for a better word) -- I am really glad to be a Mormon. I love being a Mormon. I don't mind calling myself a mormon or hearing it from others.

Within the last decade in one General Conference, one speaker gave a really good talk about how we really are The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (and to not be called Mormons). But then President Hinckley got up and laughed and he confirmed the goodness of the term Mormon, as well.

By the way, the church has www.mormon.org as a site for investigators.

When I speak to people, or refer to myself (see my profile on the site), I do try to say the entire name at least once "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints". Sometimes I will even just say "The Church of Jesus Christ". Because I don't want there to be any mistake about it and I want people to know. But I don't like saying LDS for the same reason, because to people who've never met us yet, it means nothing.

I wish we would think about the term 'Saint' a little more. It's an amazing concept. It means we are sanctified (or moving in that direction). It bespeaks of the power of the atonement and its effects on the elements of our body and spirit to create ourselves in a new (terrestrial, celestial) condition. It's something I'm still thinking about -- that God wanted that word in the name of the church.

also, on those public service commercials the church does, about family and similar topics, they always end by saying "From the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The Mormons". I think!

[Nate]

Hey, you can say I'm in a cult for all I care (for people do). Does it really matter. Mormon, LDS, monkeys. I'm not really concerned cause its true regardless. I know thats not the point but many people get so bent out of shape over little discrepencies. The Church is true, yah baby.

[Chanteemomof6]

Hey, you can say I'm in a cult for all I care (for people do). Does it really matter. Mormon, LDS, monkeys. I'm not really concerned cause its true regardless. I know thats not the point but many people get so bent out of shape over little discrepencies. The Church is true, yah baby.

That crazy monkey baptized me and later married me . He is off his knocker

[Blessed]

Of course, that also includes splinter groups that might make mainstream LDS people uncomfortable, but oh well.

Growing up as RLDS we always refer to ourselves as Latter Day Saints. But then again... we also do not think we are a splinter group either.

[Rosewood]

There's an old EFY song called What Have You Done with My Name? It's a great song that talks about all the names we have and what our responsibility is to them. The Grandfather asks the question to the boy bout his last name, the father asks about his first name, Mormon asks about his name, and Christ asks about His. I think we are all these things, so it's not so important what name we glorify ourselves with, but what Glory do we bring to the name of the people we take.

I heard a quote by Brigham Young that said, (paraphrased) "There are more Later-Day Saints than there are Mormons" He was implying that not all Mormons live up to the title Saint, and not all Saints are LDS!

"There are many people we may meet in Heaven we will be surprised to see, and many people that will be surprised to see us there" - unknown

[Aquayoshi]

We're always going to be Mormons to non-members. Thats never going to go away lol... so whenever I talk to them about church I always say LDS or "church of jesus christ of latter-day saints" just to confuse them lol.

This girl at school was ranting mormons... points a finger at me "ARNT YOU MORMON?!"

NO, I reply, im LDS.

"Huh?"

"Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints"

..... "who are they?

"Well, we read the book of Mormon"

"YOU ARE A MORMON I KNEW IT!"

I think the best thing to do is to educate them that the correct name for "mormon" is LDS. latter-day saint... etc.

[a-train]

All of the followers of Christ since His ministry and that of the original Apostles are Latter-Day Saints. The membership of the primative Church was called saints in many instances, just look up 'saints' in the topical guide and peep the many references in the New Testament.

As for the Latter-Days, Peter pronounced their arrival on the day of Pentacost when he rose to confirm the validity of the miracles of the occasion saying: "Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the LAST DAYS, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:..." (Acts 2:14-17)

The Latter-Days are those after Christ's 1st coming in the flesh and before His 2nd coming and they arrived in Peter's day. My personal opinion is also that all those who seek the Lord and obey Him as far as they have understanding are Latter-Day Saints.

I don't think the world would have called us Mormon's had they known the real meaning. It means literally "MORE GOOD".

Thus we have the Good Book and the Book of More Good.

-a-train