What to Expect at Sunday LDS Meetings

The Chruch of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints ^ | JULY 2007

[restornu]

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Our primary family worship service is called sacrament meeting. This meeting is held in our meetinghouses on Sunday and lasts approximately 70 minutes. Visitors are welcome to attend. It is common for families to attend, and we are accustomed to having children as part of the congregation.

A typical meeting would consist of the following:

Hymns: Religious songs sung by the congregation (hymn books are provided).

Prayers: Offered by local Church members.

Partaking of the Sacrament (Communion): The sacrament is passed to members of the congregation.

Speakers: Typically a meeting will have two or three assigned speakers.

We do not pass a plate to request donations as part of our worship services.

Additional Meetings

Visitors are also welcome to attend other Sunday meetings that precede or follow sacrament meeting: Sunday School classes are offered for each age-group, beginning with twelve year olds. Primary meetings consist of a group service and age-oriented classes for children three through eleven years of age. A nursery is available for young children, ages eighteen months to three years. Young Women meetings provide classes for those twelve through seventeen years of age. Relief Society meeting is for women, ages eighteen years and older. Priesthood meetings provide age-oriented classes for males twelve years and older. Sacrament meetings and other meetings may be conducted in differing sequences, depending on the preference of local leaders. This site displays the beginning time of the three-hour block of meetings and the starting time of sacrament meeting.

Appropriate Dress

Those who attend will most likely be wearing their "Sunday best," which may include suits, sport coats, and ties for the men and dresses or skirts for the women. Children also typically dress up for Sunday.

Helpful Information

Our local congregations are called wards (or branches). The spiritual leader of each ward is called the bishop (or the branch president for branches). He is a member of the congregation who has been asked to serve as a volunteer in this position. Because we have a lay ministry rather than paid clergy, all Church service is voluntary.

[Aywad Zhebleaumeh]

Mormonism seems to have some connections to Freemasonry.
http://www.freemason.org/cfo/may_june_2001/mormon.htm

http://www.utlm.org/onlineresources/masonicsymbolsandtheldstemple.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasonry_and_the_Latter_Day_Saint_movement

http://www.geocities.com/swickersc/mormonmason.html

http://www.irr.org/MIT/masonry.html

[restornu]

The Closed Canon: Blessings, Challenges,...
Robert L. Millet Sperry Symposium (10/28/2006)
http://byubwmv.byu.edu/sperry/2006/millet.wmv

[greyfoxx39]

"Joseph Smith admitted to being a Mason in his History of the Church, volume 4, page 551. Under the date of March 15, 1842 it reads: "In the evening I received the first degree in Free Masonry in the Nauvoo Lodge, assembled in my general business office." The record for the next day reads, "I was with the Masonic Lodge and rose to the sublime degree" (page 552).

How did Joseph's Masonic membership affect the development of the Mormon Church? The most significant area appears to be in the development of the Mormon temple ceremonies. As noted above, Joseph became a Mason on March 15, 1842 and "rose to the sublime degree" the following day. Less than two months later, on May 4, 1842, Joseph introduced the temple endowment ceremony (History of the Church, Vol. 5, pp. 1-2).

Occultic and Masonic Influence in Early Mormonism

[kalee]

It happens frequently on Episcopalian threads, the Catholics show up to “invite us to come home”.

[Ozokerite Boryslaw]

I am amazed and appalled that Free Republic can be used in this manner as a proselyting opportunity for one religious sect.

Why is this allowed on the “News Activism” threads and not in the Religion Forum where it seems to belong?

If this is the way FreeRepublic wants to represent themselves then I suppose it is up to Jim Robinson. To me, the use of the News forum as a way to “missionary,” is totally inappropriate.

[Ozokerite Boryslaw]

Is this thread a joke?

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

I respect Mormons because I respect all human beings - well - I consider all human beings created by the One God of the Universe - in God's image - and each one as one for whom God the Son, Jesus Christ, died on that ugly cross in order to save from sin, death, and hell.

However, it is very very sad to me that millions of people are are deceived by Satan (who is not Jesus' brother but one of God's angels who rebelled and who is fully evil and is bound for the pit of hell) into following the Mormon "faith". I actually have no "blaming" for those who are in Mormonism. I have much blaming for Satan and his mighty power of deception.

Governor Romney is simply one of these so deceived.

Yes, this post is what I believe about Mormonism - with no posted "facts" - but I rely on what others have already posted on this thread and say that I have fully investigated Mormonism in my younger days when still searching for the TRUTH about life, about God, about Jesus, and about the Bible.

I wish every Mormon would have such a desire for truth that they would not stop until they had considered all the facts that ARE OUT THERE which contradict the tenets of "Mormonism".....instead of rejecting these "objections" outright.

[restornu]

I am sorry you are taking this that way but I am only defending my faith that has been held to scorn by many freepers for on going months because of a LDS who is running for president so my faith have become a free for all, if you go over the thread many have choosen to harpoon the LDS.

No opposition voice is being stifled

[Religion Moderator]

This thread is a backlash to my decision explained here. The disposition of it is pending review.

[Ozokerite Boryslaw]

The point you are trying to avoid is this; it isn’t NEWS and it is not ACTIVISM, it is RELIGION. The thread isn’t even tied in any way to politics, it does not reference Romney, policy, law, nada.

I lurked for a long time, wondering if Free Republic adequately reflected my ideas of conservatism. If this is what is seen as “news” by the administration, I am back in lurk mode.....or NO mode.

[HungarianGypsy]

You're right, restornu. I was for Mitt before I was against. No! j/k I wasn't for him.

Where politics can get ugly is when you have a politician who grew up in a particular ward and still has family there. Not even going by the issues people will say they are voting for him because they have known him his whole life and he's "a nice guy". But, I don't think this exclusive to the LDS church either.

[Ozokerite Boryslaw]

?

I respectfully question your tactics. Is this similar to a court who issues this statement? “We convicted an innocent man last time, so THIS time we will let a murderer go? Is that your reasoning?”

It seems that these Mormons have worked you into a place where you are now required by appearance of “fairness” to allow them to proselyte on your activism forum? Then why, must I ask, do you even have a Religion forum?

[HungarianGypsy]

You forgot to add Wiccans and any other pagans to your bashing allowed list.

[Homeschoolmom]

Thanks you for posting that “Lying for the Lord” link. I have to say that explains a lot as to why I can’t ever pin down a straight answer from a Mormon. I guess I can’t handle the truth. :-)

[FastCoyote]

I personally want to hear a rousing rendition of the hymn:

If You Could Hie to KOLOB

If you could hie to Kolob in the twinkling of an eye,
And then continue onward with the speed of light to fly**,
D’ye think that you could ever, through all eternity,
Find out the generation where Gods began to be?

Or see the grand beginning, where space did not extend?
Or view the last creation where Gods and matter end?
Methinks the Spirit whispers, “No man has found ‘pure space’,”
Nor seen the outside curtains, where nothing has a place.

The works of God continue, and worlds and lives abound;
Improvement and progression have one eternal round.
There is no end to matter; there is no end to space;
There is no end to spirit; there is no end to race.

http://www.nowscape.com/mormon/kolob-hi.htm

[Religion Moderator]

Your objection is noted and we are dealing with the problem caused by a major primary candidate having a religious conviction which can be offensive to some and which can be used against him.

[restornu]

However, it is very very sad to me that millions of people are are deceived by Satan (who is not Jesus' brother but one of God's angels who rebelled and who is fully evil and is bound for the pit of hell) into following the Mormon "faith".

I actually have no "blaming" for those who are in Mormonism. I have much blaming for Satan and his mighty power of deception.

Just understanding things in perspective! The bigger picture in the scheme of things.

When one ponders so was Cane our brother in the family tree kind of way!

Who was Lucifer/Satan?

At one time Lucifer sang among the Morning stars he was one of the good guys until pride over took him.

Job 38
7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Isa. 14:
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

2 Ne. 24:
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! Art thou cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations!

D&C 76:
25 And this we saw also, and bear record, that an angel of God who was in authority in the presence of God, who rebelled against the Only Begotten Son whom the Father loved and who was in the bosom of the Father, was thrust down from the presence of God and the Son,

26 And was called Perdition, for the heavens wept over him—he was Lucifer, a son of the morning.

27 And we beheld, and lo, he is fallen! is fallen, even a son of the morning!

28 And while we were yet in the Spirit, the Lord commanded us that we should write the vision; for we beheld Satan, that old serpent, even the devil, who rebelled against God, and sought to take the kingdom of our God and his Christ—

29 Wherefore, he maketh war with the saints of God, and encompasseth them round about.

[colorcountry]

Don’t forget this well-known Mormon hymn, “O My Father?” This hymn, written by Eliza R. Snow, a plural wife of both Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, is actually a prayer to the Father and Mother in Heaven, as is indicated by the words “Father, Mother, may I meet you / In your royal courts on high?” It also contains the lines:

In the heavens are parents single?
No; the thought makes reason stare!
Truth is reason; truth eternal
Tells me I’ve a Mother there.

[HungarianGypsy]

I have seen homeless visitors show up once in a while and they were welcome. Basically, we are to wear the best that we can. My son went this morning wearing his white shirt and a pair of jeans, since his slacks need repairing.

[Ozokerite Boryslaw]

Thank you for your response and it is duly noted.

I have refrained in the past from stating my views that Mormonism is clearly a cult. I won’t hesitate in the future as long as we are trying to show how his religion might impact Romney, and in the interest of opposing viewpoints.

Thank you.