What do Mormons do? Most Interesting Mormon Temples Mormon Church

Numerous Mormon temples are very different from each other in their design, size, capacity and originality. This list included all temples already dedicated or announced and under construction, as well as Mormon temples built before the prophetic appointment schism and no longer owned by the Church (for example, the Kirtland Temple). However, this list does not include late "Mormon" temples built by Mormon offshoots (eg, the Independence Temple built by the Community of Christ Church).

Note that at the time of this writing, 144 temples are dedicated, 12 are under construction, and 12 more have been announced for construction, making our list only 12.5% ​​of all Mormon temples. Consequently, not all temples were included in the list, but this does not make them less significant, because important work is being done inside each of them.

Well, without further ado, I invite you to familiarize yourself with this most complete, completely subjective list of the most interesting Mormon temples.

21. Laya Temple, Hawaii

Dedicated by Heber J. Grant in 1919.

The Temple in Laie, Hawaii was a bold move into Polynesia and a major cultural and economic investment in the North Shore region of Oahu.

It shares architectural features with the Cardston and Mesa temples and was the only remote temple in the Pacific until the time the New Zealand temple was built.

20. Preston Temple, England

Of course, the temple in London was built long before the Central Counties of England (more than 40 years earlier), but it was here that the first missionaries set foot in Great Britain (if not all of Europe). And today this part of Great Britain is the most populated by the number of Mormons in Europe, so it is not surprising that this area deserves its own temple.

19. Hamilton New Zealand Temple

Dedicated by David O. McKay in 1958.

The New Zealand Temple has the distinction of being the first temple in the Southern Hemisphere. It is also interesting to note that this temple was built in order to stimulate the growth of the Church, and not because of the already existing number of members of the Church, as is usually the case. Although there are temples built today in response to expected demand, this is a very rare occurrence. President McKay was very brave!

Is in the process of construction.

It's hard not to fall in love incredible story Tabernacle in the city of Provo, which became the second temple in this city. While this is not the first temple to be built in an existing building with a new purpose, this transformation is the most dramatic and is a perfect example of such a unique temple.

17. Temple in Hong Kong

Dedicated by Gordon B. Hinckley in 1996.

The Hong Kong Temple made this list because it was the first temple to be built in a building used for various purposes. The temple occupies only 2 floors of the entire building. Think how innovative this idea was. Later we will also see this idea implemented in the Manhattan New York temple project.

Equally interesting is the fact that in 1997, Hong Kong again fell under Chinese control, so even though Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region, technically, this means that China has a Mormon temple.

16. Vernal Utah Temple

Dedicated by Gordon B. Hinckley in 1997.

President Hinckley proved to be a true visionary in the matter of building temples. We have already mentioned the temple in the multi-purpose building in Hong Kong and the innovative, if formulaic, “mini” temples that have doubled the number of dedicated temples in less than a year.

The Vernal Utah Temple, built in the former Vernal Tabernacle building, was the first temple project to be built in an existing but repurposed building. Temples in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Provo City will follow.

15. Monticello Utah Temple

Dedicated by Gordon B. Hinckley in 1998.

The temple at Monticello is one of the so-called "mini" temples built in the 2000s. Designed to build small, uniform temples where membership is small, the Monticello Temple represents a huge step forward in making the temple accessible to the Saints.

The importance of such temples cannot be underestimated. Of course, some see these temples as dull, featureless in design, but the construction of these tiny temples (about 10,000 square feet in total) helped realize President Hinckley's vision of having at least 100 active temples by the end of the year 2000. And he managed to do it. And now Church members in Perth, Australia don't have to fly to Melbourne or Hong Kong to visit the temple.

14. St. George Utah Temple

Dedicated by Wilford Woodruff in 1877.

This temple would have made our list only because its low spire had once been struck by lightning, and when the spire was to be replaced with a taller one (which is what Brigham Young originally wanted to do), the Saints protested because they would have more work to do. it interesting story, despite the fact that many rumors are woven into it.

However, this temple made our list because it is the oldest operating temple and the very first temple dedicated in Utah. This temple represents the resilience of the Mormon movement.

It is interesting to note that its interior design originally resembled that of the Nauvoo Temple, especially on the top floor, which is a large room with movable partitions. Later renovations adjusted this temple to the "standard".

13. Los Angeles California Temple

Dedicated by David O. McKay in 1956.

This is the real animal. Prior to the addition of the Salt Lake Temple, the Los Angeles California Temple was by far the largest temple in the Church in area (190,614 square feet), but that was not to last. The construction of this temple was originally planned in the 1940s, but the Second World War delayed construction (a similar fate awaited the temple in Idaho Falls, Idaho). While waiting for construction to begin, changes were made to the design, and a full-scale assembly hall for priesthood holders was added, as well as large rooms for various rites - each with a capacity of 300 people.

The land for the Los Angeles Temple was purchased from the Los Angeles Film Studios, and the area now houses the temple, visitor center, store, missionary home, living quarters, and stake headquarters.

12. Temple in Kyiv, Ukraine

Dedicated by Thomas S. Monson in 2010.

Among all that is in Ukraine, and what Russia cannot boast of, is that the only Mormon temple in the entire former Soviet Union is located on the territory of Ukraine. Of course, the first stake has already appeared in Russia, but Ukraine is ahead of Russia in this too.

The temple in Kyiv was announced back in 1997, but construction was delayed for 10 years. Even a few years after the first stake was formed in the former Soviet Union, there were rumors that stake formation in Kyiv was rushed, and leaders waited until membership in the region stabilized.

In any case, this is the only temple in all of Eurasia - from Europe to Hong Kong. The next closest temple (not in Europe) is located in Africa.

11. Washington DC Temple

Dedicated by Spencer W. Kimball in 1974.

When this temple was dedicated in 1974, it was the only American temple on the east side of the Mormon Corridor. As federal agencies attracted more and more Church members to DC, the number of Church members increased. The area continues to be the epicenter of Mormon activity in the eastern United States.

The temple in the District of Columbia is the most high temple Churches. Its height is 288 feet. It is also the only temple outside of Utah that has 6 ordinance rooms located around the celestial room, similar to the design of the Jordan River, Provo, and Ogden temples.

And the last thing: this is a seven-story building, where each floor is distinguished by a unique symbolism. The first 6 floors symbolize the 6 days of creation, while the seventh (containing the large meeting hall) is the day of rest.

10 Sao Paulo Brazil Temple

Dedicated by Spencer W. Kimball in 1978.

Just 37 years ago, few could have imagined the sudden boom in the membership of the Church in Brazil. The São Paulo Temple is the first temple in all of South America, but certainly not the last, and because it symbolizes the continued growth of the Church in South America, it deserves tenth place on our list.

President Kimball literally shocked everyone during a regional conference in Brazil when he announced not only that a temple would be built in that country, but also shared the ideas of the designers and revealed that São Paulo would be the home of the new temple.

Brazil, in general, was the very turning point for the Church on the issue of race, since in this country it is very difficult to determine and name who is a representative of the African race and who is not, thanks to such an unusual fusion of different races and nationalities. The strict rules regarding priesthood ordination in the past have been loosened over the years, leading to the Second Official Declaration.

9. Cardston Alberta Temple Canada

Dedicated by Joseph F. Smith in 1913.

It is hard to argue with the fact that this is one of the most beautiful temples of the Church. It was a pioneer temple in the following:

• First temple in Canada
• First temple outside the United States
• The first temple designed by architects from abroad (not the USA)
• The first temple without an assembly hall

It is also one of only three temples without a spire (although the Boston, Massachusetts temple could also be included here for a short time).

8. San Diego California Temple

Dedicated by Gordon B. Hinckley in 1993.

Well, I'll tell you a secret - I got married in this temple - so my opinion may be biased, but I will try to be as objective as possible.

The San Diego California Temple is unparalleled in that no other temple resembles it in its architecture. Of course, some temples are also completely unique, but they still follow the general standards of architectural plans to some extent. There is not a single temple that even slightly resembles the temple in San Diego.

Interestingly, this temple was mainly designed by Roman Catholics who had never seen a Mormon temple before visiting the Las Vegas Temple during an open house in 1989.

This temple could have been higher on our list, but we had to deduct points for the inconvenient location of the exit, which is used for wedding ceremonies. Newly married couples have to go through an atrium with a huge staircase (in the east tower) and then go down an auxiliary staircase to exit through a nondescript door that opens onto Route 5. A very strange idea.

7 Accra Ghana Temple

Dedicated by Gordon B. Hinckley in 2004.

The temple in Ghana is not the first temple in Africa. The fame of the first temple goes to the temple in Johannesburg, South Africa, which preceded the temple in Accra by as much as 20 years.

Why, then, did we include this temple on the list instead of the Johannesburg Temple? The Johannesburg Temple was built after 1978, when the revelation concerning the priesthood was received. But most of The people of South Africa and the members of the Church now living there are descendants of European settlers. There is nothing wrong with that, it's just that South Africa is not as “African” as Ghana in this sense (and we understand that this is a very simplistic view of a difficult issue).

We gave this temple the 7th place because it was the first temple to serve an African population of African descent. In this sense, this temple is very symbolic, and the great growth in the membership of the Church in Africa is just one of the omens of a great future.

6 Freiberg Temple, Germany

Dedicated by Gordon B. Hinckley in 1985.

At the time of its dedication, this temple was the smallest temple of the Church ever built, measuring only 7,840 square meters. ft. It has since doubled in size and has just been closed for a renovation that will last until 2016.

And he got a place on our list, because it was the first temple built in the communist world - then East Germany - while beating West Germany, where there was no temple yet.

This was made possible because the Church worked diligently with the East German government to enable Church members to travel to Switzerland to attend the temple. As a result, the East Germans, tired of Mormons constantly applying for visas to Switzerland, asked the leaders of the Church if they would like to build a temple right there in East Germany. What do you think Salt Lake City responded to?

From the announcement of the temple to its dedication, only three years passed, thanks to the support of the East German government. However, although the most best materials, as far as possible, the temple was built "on the cheap". Maybe that's why it was closed for such a long time last month.

5. Temple in Bern, Switzerland

Dedicated by David O. McKay in 1955.

The Swiss Temple (akin to the Hamilton, New Zealand Temple) was the first temple in Europe (barely ahead of the London, England Temple - though it's debatable whether the UK is part of "Europe"). It was also the first temple outside the United States and the first temple built in a country that spoke a language other than English. Therefore, the temple was on our list in fifth place.

This temple was also the first temple to use video recording for the endowment ceremony. President McKay was very interested in using technology to spread the gospel, and it helped solve the problem the temple was facing. In Europe, of course, there were members of the Church, but there were not enough of them to conduct endowment ceremonies live in separate languages. The only way out was to make a film and dub it into these languages. This helped reduce the number of temple workers and opened up endless possibilities for endowment ceremonies, leading to a fundamental change in the Church's approach to declaring and building future temples. That's why the Bern Switzerland Temple made it to the top five on our list.

4. Kirtland Ohio Temple

Dedicated by Joseph Smith in 1836.

The importance of this temple cannot be underestimated. Although the Kirtland Temple is not currently a Mormon Church and has never been the site of full temple work, this temple plays a very important role in the history of the Saints. last days. Can we argue with that, knowing that it was in this temple that the sealing authority was restored, that the Savior himself was there, and that the Saints dedicated much of their money and energy to building the house of the Lord worthy of His visit? No, I don't think we can.

After the financial collapse of the Kirtland Insurance Society, the Church lost ownership and the temple went through several owners over the years, at some point serving as a seminary for teachers. Eventually, the temple came into the possession of the Church of the Community of Christ (originally CRPD) when members of that church and descendants of Joseph Smith laid claim to it. To date, the Community of Christ has ownership of this temple.

But, fortunately, it is open for tours!

3. Nauvoo Temple (1) / Nauvoo Illinois (2)

Originally dedicated by Orson Hyde in 1846. Subsequently dedicated by Gordon B. Hinckley in 2002.

To make it easier, we have combined these two temples into one, despite the fact that each of them has a completely different history. Suffice it to say that if the recent temple (2) had not been built, the earlier temple (1) would still occupy its place. But since the renovation of this temple was a completely unexpected announcement that shocked modern Mormonism, these two temples received a higher place in our ranking.

At the time of Joseph Smith's death, the original temple was only half completed. Brigham Young continued the work, and temple work began before the temple was dedicated.

When the Mormons were forced to move west, the temple was hastily dedicated in April 1846. Those who remained were forced out of Nauvoo by September of that year. In 1848, unknown people set fire to the building, and then only the walls remained of it. A hurricane later demolished one of these walls. The remaining stones were used to build other buildings around Nauvoo. And in 1865, the Nauvoo City Council voted to demolish the remaining building, destroying what was left of its former splendor.

However, the Smithsonian Museum still has an original of one of the original sunstones.

In the period from 1937-1962. The church was able to buy the land on which the first temple was built, and in 1999 Gordon B. Hinckley announced it was being renovated. The new design differs from the previous one in its plan, but is still a testament to the will and endurance of Latter-day Saints.

2. Salt Lake Temple, Utah

Dedicated by Wilford Woodruff in 1893.

How? This temple is not number one? It is true that the Mormons really think so of this temple. It is true that for people all over the world it is he who symbolizes Mormonism. It is true that it is beautiful both inside and out. It is also true that, as before, the endowment ceremonies are held in it live, which is very cool. But he's not number one. And now we will explain why.

This temple, which took 40 years to build, is a real symbol. It is located on Temple Square and is so rich in history that it is very difficult to describe it in brief.

It took Herculean forces to build this most important Latter-day Saint temple. The hardships that went through to build this temple are deeply woven into Mormon culture, and every Mormon will try to "make a pilgrimage" to this temple at least once in a lifetime.

It is also the first temple to have the angel Moroni installed on its spire. Now we take it for granted, but in the old days, placing the angel Moroni on top of the temple had certain prerequisites. Moreover, the tradition of installing the agela of Moroni became the norm starting in the 1970s, and then Moroni was installed in other temples, such as the Provo Temple. There are now only 8 temples without a statue of Moroni: St. George, Utah, Mesa, Arizona, Logan, Utah, Manti, Utah, Laie, Hawaii, Cardston, Alberta, Hamilton, New Zealand, and Oakland, California.

So why is this temple not number one on our list? Well… even though this is the largest temple, it wasn't always like that. It became the largest thanks to extensions added over the years. Maybe it's because of my childhood devotion to the Los Angeles Temple, but I'm proud that the Mormon "stronghold" in Southern California was massive from the start. Without any attachments.

Also, the official name of this temple is "Salt Lake City" and not "Salt Lake City, Utah", making this temple the only temple without a full location. Just a note, but I don't support exclusivity.

This is without a doubt a beautiful temple. And he is in second place, not because he has any flaws, but because he simply cannot beat number one. And this…

1. Manti Utah Temple

Dedicated to Lorenzo Snow in 1888.

The Manti Temple has all the same goodies as the Salt Lake Temple, but without the extra hype, which is a good thing that puts it above Salt Lake City's iconic monolith.

Firstly, the exterior interior of the building, located on the top of the mountain, is very impressive. Although the façade of the Salt Lake Temple is definitely Gothic, the Manti Temple is an example of a combination of Gothic Revival, French Renaissance Revival, Second Empire and Colonial style - but somehow they fit together.

Also, initially the design contained an underground tunnel. Underground tunnel!

Inside the temple, in its two large towers, are self-supporting staircases, which in themselves are an architectural marvel of their time.

And like its companion with live endowment ceremonies and the 801 code, the Manti Temple also boasts a staggered arrangement of endowment rooms. However, while in Salt Lake City, the procession participants move from one room to another on the same floor and only then climb the stairs to get to the last 3 rooms located on the floor above, the design of the Manti temple implies a transition from one rooms to another from one level to another, even better conveying the symbolism of approaching heaven at the end of the session. This is a small thing, but a special feature, and since the temples are based on symbolism, even such small adjustments are very important.

The Manti temple also features authentic pioneer-era pews, rather than the standard, reclining padded seats.

Lastly, the Manti Temple retains original art from the time it was built. Such, for example, as the wall painting of the Hall of Peace, which far surpasses any other paintings of later authors.

If you have never been to this temple, be sure to visit it.

Well, this is our list, in which we have included the most interesting Mormon temples. Do you agree with him? What temples are on your list?

Mormons

MORMONS-ov; pl. Members of a religious sect, in whose doctrine the provisions of the Christian religion and religions that preach polytheism coexist.

◁ Mormon, -a; m. Mormon, -and; pl. genus.-nok, dates-nkam; and. Mormon, th, th. My teaching.

Mormons

(“Latter Day Saints”), members of a religious sect founded in the United States in the first half of the 19th century. J. Smith (J. Smith), who published in 1830 the "Book of Mormon" (supposedly a record of the mysterious writings of the Israeli prophet Mormon, who migrated to America) - the main source of dogma, including the provisions of Judaism, Christianity and other religions. In 1848, the Mormon community founded the state of Mormons in Utah, a theocratic state similar to ancient Israel. Mormons preached and practiced plural marriage. Conduct missionary activities around the world. The main sources of Mormon doctrine are the Book of Mormon and the Bible.

MORMONS

MORMONS, the common name for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In the scientific and theological literature, it has received contradictory, sometimes mutually exclusive characteristics, ranging from definitions of Mormonism as a neo-Protestant church of a conservative persuasion, and ending with the characteristics of the Mormon organization as a syncretic neo-pagan occult sect with a chiliastic (cm. CHILIASM) bias, or as a new religion, enriched with an occult temple ritual, in which the appeal to the Christian-Biblical beginning is only externally decorative. The United States is home to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; the main center is in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Mormonism occupies a marginal position among traditional Christian denominations. The special position of the Mormons in the religious movement, their attitude towards the Christian world and the response of the Christian denominations to the Mormon community are determined by the history of the creation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the characteristic features of its doctrine.
Periodization of Mormonism
Mormons believe that the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can be divided into six historical periods: New York Period (1820-30), Ohio-Missoura Period (1831-38), Nauvoo Period (1839-46), Western Settlement (1846) -98), the expansion of the Church (1899-1950) and the last period (1951 - present) has been called the World Church. The worldwide period is characterized by the dynamic spread of the creeds of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout the planet from the United States. This is the period when the teachings of the Mormons go beyond the boundaries of the ethno-confessional community. The greatest missionary success is achieved primarily in those countries where the foundations of national cultures and traditional religions have been lost or eroded (the states of Asia and Africa that have freed themselves from colonial dependence, the post-communist space of Eastern Europe, the CIS countries, etc.). If in the late 1980s a new Mormon appeared in the world every four and a half minutes, then in the late 1990s - after 80 seconds. The first Mormon missionaries arrived in the USSR in 1990, and in May 1991 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was registered.
Mormon ideas about the origin of their church and their idea of ​​messianism
The period before 1820 was called by the Mormons the period of the Great Apostasy. Its selection is associated with a number of tragic events for the human race. During earthly life, Jesus Christ founded His Church. He transferred priesthood authority in leading the Church to the apostles and prophets and called them to lead the Church on His behalf after His death. But the people rejected the Truth and killed the apostles. As a result, God punished the people by taking His Church and priesthood authority from the earth. Although many priests had honest intentions, they no longer possessed the fullness of the Truth and the power of God. People fell away from the Truth, and false teachings began to spread. But according to Mormon beliefs, God promised that His gospel and priesthood power would be restored and never leave mankind. The latter was done according to the Mormons in the person of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Thus, the Mormon historiosophical view is that the earthly development of the human race is divided into three global periods. The first period is associated with the founding of His Church by Jesus Christ, the second - the departure of humanity from the basic values ​​of Christianity and their perversion, the third - the restoration by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of the purity of Christian doctrine.
Mormonism comprehends itself in the context of theological concepts, according to which it is the main executor of the providential plan for the spread of Christianity from East to West. All other religious creeds continue to be captivated by false prophets and aspirations. The powerful messianic idea of ​​the Mormons is supported, firstly, by the functionally developed organizational structure of the church, based on the principles of "universal priesthood" (rejects the traditional division into laymen and clergy) and the equality of all before God, and secondly, by the missionary program: almost every Mormon parishioner - preacher.
Activities of Joseph Smith
The beginning of the restoration of the purity of Christian doctrine was laid by Joseph (Joseph) Smith, who received the high title of a prophet in the Mormon environment. He was born December 23, 1805 in the northeastern United States in the town of Sharon, Vermont, the fifth child in a poor family of Joseph and Lucy McSmith. The youth of the future prophet was spent in Palmyra, New York. In the first half of the 19th century virtually the entire United States was on the path of religious quest. Young Joseph also found himself at a Protestant crossroads.
In the early spring of 1820, near his home in a grove, Joseph Smith received his first vision. During the prayer, God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him in the flesh. Joseph approached Them with the question of which of the modern religious sects was the true one and which one he should join. In response, according to the Mormon creed, Jesus Christ replied that the lad should not join "none of them, since they are all wrong," and that "all their creeds are abominable in His eyes," because they only look divine, but deny His power. The results of Joseph Smith's encounter with God the Father and Jesus Christ are as follows: first, a 14-year-old youth was called to restore the lost gospel and the true Church of Jesus Christ among the people; secondly, he was called by God the Father and Jesus Christ to be Their prophet; thirdly, already at the first steps of the formation of Mormonism, the rejection of sacred tradition was categorically proclaimed.
On September 21 and 22, 1823, the angel Moroni visited Joseph Smith and gave further instructions from God. On the first day, the young man was told of the record of the Book of Mormon, written on gold plates, which contains the fullness of the gospel. Moroni was the last of the prophets who, as early as the 5th century BC, wrote a chronicle of the former inhabitants of the American continent, and at the direction of the Lord hid it on Cumorah Hill (New York State) along with special translation tools - the magic stones Urim and Thummim attached to chest shield. On the second day, Joseph Smith went to the designated place, where he found everything named. The angel told the prophet about the thoughts of God and how His Kingdom would be built. Only on September 22, 1827, the golden plates were handed over to the prophet for translation into English (according to Mormon tradition, the text was written in a modified ancient Egyptian language). Due to the fact that the attackers made several attempts to steal the gold plates, Joseph and his wife Emma moved to the home of their father-in-law, Isaac Hale, in Harmony, Pennsylvania. While translating, the original text was shown to three witnesses by the direction of the Lord. Further evidence followed. And eight more witnesses confirmed in writing that they had seen the ancient manuscript. In the summer of 1829, the translation of the book was completed, and already on March 26, 1830, the first printed copies appeared in Palmyra, New York. And just a few weeks after this event, on April 6, 1830, Joseph Smith, along with five supporters, founded the "Church of Jesus Christ" in Fayette, New York, USA. Subsequently, in 1878, this name was supplemented with the words: "Latter-day Saints." This is how the Mormon doctrine was institutionalized.
From the first steps in the formation of Mormonism, Joseph Smith drew attention to the fact that the Old Testament forefathers (Abraham, Jacob, David, etc.) had several wives. Joseph Smith prayed to God and received the answer that, first, at certain times and for special purposes, God approves and blesses plural marriage on earth according to heavenly laws; secondly, in the near future there will be a message from God about the chosenness of a part of the Latter-day Saints, and they will have more than one wife.
The new community, which grew up primarily on fertile soil and in an environment of Protestantism, quickly established itself not only in the state of New York, but also in the East of the country - in Ohio, Missouri and Illinois. Since 1839, the city of Nauvoo (Illinois) has become the spiritual center of the Mormons. In 1840 the Prophet Joseph Smith publicly proclaimed baptism for the dead. The authority of the prophet's decisions was so high that Joseph Smith became mayor of the city. Adherents even nominated him for the presidency of the United States. But a splinter group from the movement, through a newspaper, publicly accused the followers of the prophet of polygamy. By order of the mayor, the newspaper was closed, and the printing house was destroyed. The Governor of Illinois intervened. Joseph Smith and his friends were thrown into prison. On June 27, 1844, a crowd of armed men stormed the Carthage prison. Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum were shot dead.
Brigham Young and the conquest of Utah
After the tragic events for the Mormons, the question of a successor arose. Replaced Joseph Smith as prophet of the Lord, seer, and revelator Brigham (Brigham) Young (1801-1877). But the members of the family of the Prophet Joseph Smith were dissatisfied decision and split by organizing their community under the name The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Its size turned out to be much smaller than the main Mormon community, it does not have the degree of influence that traditional followers have. spiritual center"reorganized church" is still located in Independence, Missouri.
Under the guidance of a new prophet, 15,000 Mormons reached the deserted wilderness on the shores of the Great Salt Lake on July 24, 1847, to lead a solitary life away from a hostile environment. In 1850, by order of the US federal authorities, Brigham Young was appointed head of the newly formed Utah Territory. After his forced retirement in 1857, he continued to develop the economic and cultural life of Utah and the adjacent territories. Thanks to the extraordinary organizational skills of Brigham Young, coupled with a modernized Protestant work ethic, Mormons have turned a barren desert into a flourishing land. Wherever the doctrine was widely spread, temples were built and consecrated. Mormon places of worship were influenced Masonic architecture. By 1877, with the direct participation of Brigham Young, more than 350 Mormon settlements were organized.
But the nearby area around the Great Salt Lake was formally part of Mexico. A proposal to the US Congress to incorporate the territory as a state was initially rejected. The reason was the polygamy that existed among the Mormons (officially, a Mormon was allowed to have up to 10 wives). in the United States in the late 1880s. additional laws were passed, according to which those citizens who practiced polygamy were deprived of the right to vote and could not hold judicial positions. For The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, these laws also meant that they greatly limited the rights and property of the church. On October 6, 1890, a Manifesto was adopted at the Mormon General Convention, ending the practice of plural marriage. Mormons arrested for violating polygamy laws were released and persecution largely ended. As a result of all the actions of the US government and Mormons in 1896, the area around Salt Lake City was annexed to the US as the state of Utah.
Organizational structure
The mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to help people come unto God. The organizational structure of the church is subordinated to the implementation of the mission. The main structural unit of the Mormon Church is the parish. Its number usually does not exceed 250-500 people. Fieldwork is the most important task of the missionary work of the parishes. As soon as the parish grows and reaches such a limit that it becomes difficult for them to lead, it automatically divides in half. And this is repeated several times. The head of the parish is the president and two advisers to the president. As soon as the number of parishes in a given territory increases significantly, a special organizational unit arises, called the stake. The stake is also headed by the president and his two assistants. In those areas where there were no Mormon structures, a mission was initially formed with elders leading propaganda, the purpose of which was to organize parishes, and then “stakes”.
The supreme leadership consists of a quorum of seventy, led by a presidency of seventy (70 because Christ sent 70 apostles to preach). Above the quorum of seventy is a quorum of 12 apostles. The highest ranking person in the church is the prophet, who has two presidential advisers. The Prophet and his two assistants form the first presidency. The members of the first presidency and the quorum of the twelve apostles are the prophets of the last days. The change of power in the church is as follows. In the event of the death of a prophet, the first counselor from the first presidency is usually chosen as the new prophet, the second counselor becomes the first counselor, and the most influential of the quorum of 12 apostles becomes the second counselor. All representatives of the supreme power are moving one step forward.
Twice a year, general meetings are held in the church, at which new officials are elected. The meetings are held at a high organizational level, and all nominated candidates are agreed in advance by the higher management and, as a rule, meet with unanimous support from the voters.
Two well-illustrated magazines are published in Russian: the Liahona and its children's supplement, Rostock.
Book of Mormon and Mormon exegesis
There are four books included in the Mormon scriptures: the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. The designated list of the Holy Scriptures contains absolutely everything that a person needs for life, happiness and salvation. The attitude towards the Bible is expressed in the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith: “We believe in the Bible as the word of God, insofar as it is correctly translated; as in the word of God we believe in the Book of Mormon (Item Eight of the Thirteenth Article of the Confessions of Joseph Smith, 1841). In most cases, American missionaries used the Anglican King James Bible, but its text is not the only one and is supplemented by a number of translations that are important from a philological point of view (including the so-called English "New Version" of the Old Testament of 1881, translated from Hebrew language).
The Book of Mormon is not only the word of God, but also Mormon New Testament, which is what the subtitle of the book says: "A New Testimony of Jesus Christ." The Book of Mormon is not only a kind of key for the followers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to understand the true content of the Bible, but also a creation equal to the Bible. True happiness on earth can only be achieved by those who have built their lives on the guidelines of the Book of Mormon. A similar conclusion can rightfully be attributed to two other works - the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price.
The Book of Mormon consists of 15 books, mostly of a narrative nature. The main direction of the narrative is to establish a connection between the events of the Old Testament, the history of the Israelite people and the history of the inhabitants of North America. The books were written by the Nephite Mormon, separate parts by Nephi and Moroni, the son of Mormon. According to the Book of Mormon, North Americans are immigrants from Mesopotamia and Palestine. The first were the so-called Jaredites, who, after the unsuccessful construction of the Tower of Babel (cm. BABEL) set sail across the Atlantic Ocean to the land given to them by God. Subsequently, the Jaredites split into two hostile clans and in the battle at the hill Cumor in 590 BC they destroyed each other. But after some time, new settlers from the Middle East landed on American shores, led by Lehi from Jerusalem. The "remnants of Israel" quickly settled in uninhabited America. Life on the new continent was going well. They preserved the traditional culture and, in particular, built an exact copy of Solomon's temple in 19 years.
Time passed, and the sons of Lehi - Nephi and Laman - became the ancestors of two peoples. The Nephites were God-fearing, industrious, conscientious, and godly people. The direct opposite was the Lamanites. For godlessness and disobedience, they were punished by God with a dark skin color (according to the Mormons, blacks and Indians are of Jewish origin and are descendants of Laman). There were constant military clashes between the two peoples. In the last battle, which took place in 421 after the birth of Christ, already at the hill Cumor we know, more than two hundred and thirty thousand Nephites were killed. The Lamanites destroyed the Nephites. But it was on this hill that Moroni, the last of the Nephites, buried the gold plates. After many centuries, he returned as an angel to Joseph Smith during prayer.
Mormon exagetics, aimed at revealing the divine meaning of the Holy Scriptures (the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Magic Pearl) is based on the writings of modern apostles. The Mormon view of the Scriptures is based on the principle of progressive revelation, according to which divine truths are communicated in an accessible form gradually, as the individual develops and matures. Despite the fact that the Mormons deny Holy Tradition, they recognize themselves as Trinitarians.
Holy Scripture and Tradition
The "co-operation" of God and man in Mormonism is in the nature of a contract. Contractual obligations exist for both parties. If a person fulfills his obligations, God, for his part, must guarantee salvation. The peculiarity of accepted contractual obligations is that God works through man. Hence, in Mormonism, the value of human freedom and responsibility of a person for his life is very high.
Mormons believe that before they were born on earth, humans lived as spirits with their heavenly Father. People were and are the children of the Heavenly Father in the literal, direct sense of the word. They were created as individuals in the likeness of the Father. The main difference between the Father and man was that the Father was more spiritually developed and also had a physical body (while man initially did not have a physical body). In order to enable full likeness to God, Heavenly Father prepared a plan that allowed people to come to earth. When a person is born on earth, according to Mormons, the spirit enters the physical body. This is the first step towards receiving that immortal body that Heavenly Father has. Therefore, the fall of Adam, the Mormons emphasize, was not accidental, but was prepared by the Father in accordance with His plan. However, people have no memory of their premortal life. To restore memory is the teaching of the Mormons. Through Mormon prophets on earth, Heavenly Father gives commandments to people. A person is left with the freedom of choice - to follow or not to follow the received prophecies. That physical death that overtakes a person in earthly life is part of Heavenly Father's plan for Mormons. Physical death is necessary for a person to receive an immortal physical body and rise to the level of God. With the death of a person, the spirit leaves the physical body, but remains alive and passes into the Spiritual world, where it awaits resurrection and judgment. In the spirit world, the scriptures (the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, the Magic Pearl) are preached to all those who did not have the opportunity to meet Jesus Christ in mortal life. This, in part, explains the desire of Mormons to baptize the dead.
Mormons believe that the second coming of Jesus Christ will take place in America. He will remain there forever, according to the prophecy of Joseph Smith, in a beautiful temple in Independence, Missouri.
Prayer, baptism and communion
Mormons do not have a canonized text of prayers. The Mormon prayer emphasizes the special confidence of a person's appeal to God and clearly manifests an improvisational character.
Baptism among Mormons occurs through a complete triple immersion in water and the pronunciation of the triune formula. If any part of the body was not covered with water, then the action is repeated and the baptism is not recognized as completed. Infant baptism is rejected by Mormons. As a punishment, baptism can be canceled for people who have fallen away from the Mormon community or have been excluded from it.
The Mormon communion acts as a renewed union of God with people and the Mormon brotherhood in general. As a rule, communion takes place on Sundays. Instead of wine, communicants are given water blessed by the parish president.

encyclopedic Dictionary. 2009 .

See what "Mormons" are in other dictionaries:

Religious American sect founded in 1827 by American Joe Smith and preaching theocracy and polygamy. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. MORMONS Religious sect in North America,… … Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

- (Latter Day Saints), members of a religious sect founded in the USA in the 1st half of the 19th century. J. Smith, who published the Book of Mormon in 1830 (allegedly a record of the mysterious writings of the Israeli prophet Mormon who migrated to America), the main ... ... Modern Encyclopedia

- (Latter Day Saints) members of a religious sect founded in the USA in the 1st half. 19th century J. Smith, who published the Book of Mormon in 1830 (allegedly a record of the mysterious writings of the Israeli prophet Mormon who migrated to America) the main source ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Latter Day Saints) members of a religious sect founded in the USA in the 1st half of the 19th century. J. Smith, who published the Book of Mormon in 1830, allegedly a record of the mysterious writings of the Israeli prophet Mormon, who migrated to America, H main ... ... Historical dictionary

MORMONS, Mormons, units mormon, mormon, husband North American sect whose doctrine is a mixture of polytheism and Christianity. Dictionary Ushakov. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov

August 25, 2016, 19:35

Matters, as they say, of bygone days - I was 16 years old, I lived in a relatively small city in Siberia and studied English on my own. After three months of cramming grammar and reading Jane Austen in the original, I wanted to practice live, and I decided to look into the Mormons. I think it's no secret to many that Mormons have free classes. of English language in order to attract people to the church. I went there only for the sake of classes, but in the end I got stuck for two or three years. I have already forgotten much of what I saw in the church, and I probably completely lost sight of much, because, to be honest, I did not turn out to be an exemplary Mormon. Just sharing some facts and stories.

The Mormon Church is the unofficial name of the organization. The full name is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was organized in the United States in the 19th century by a man named Joseph Smith, who is considered the first prophet of the Church. Brief history: little Joseph tried to find truth on earth, went to church, studied the Bible, but could not find answers to his questions. One day he decided to go to the forest and pray to God. There he had a vision - God and the Son of God appeared before him and declared that all current teachings and churches are false, and his mission is to open people's eyes to the truth. Then he had visions of the angel Moroni, who told him about the Book of Mormon, which must be found and translated from ancient languages ​​into English. Joseph dug up this book in New York State and spent 2 years translating it. Well, in general, it is already clear that the story is rather delusional and there is no point in retelling it completely. How Joseph Smith, a simple uneducated guy who does not know any ancient languages, could translate is incomprehensible. Well, supposedly the stones Urim and Thummim came to his aid - they were used by Jewish priests in order to find out the will of God (I had to look about the stones on the Internet). So, the book was ready, Joseph met rich people who helped him in financing, and now the church began to exist. Soon the church was persecuted and the Mormons had to flee. Someone managed to run to Utah, many were killed, including Smith himself. In Utah, the Mormons built the city of Salt Lake City, which is still the main home for American Mormons.

This concludes the story. I will briefly talk about the main aspects of the church.

Faith

The faith was based on very strange things that do not allow the Mormon church to be attributed to traditional Christian teaching. I have already told about the prophet Joseph Smith (it's funny that the Baptists have a prophet - Joe Smith. Twin brothers, maybe? :)). Mormons believe in three comings of Christ - one is generally accepted, next is the coming to Joseph Smith ("coming to the American continent"), the third is the coming before the end of the world, which can happen at any moment (allegedly hard times will come - and I don’t remember already , whether it's related or not, it's a Mormon tradition to keep a stockpile of food just in case (it's rumored that there are entire food stores in Utah). Mormons have a broad kingdom system - not just a division into heaven and hell. A pious person falls into the highest tier, not the most pious one into the middle tier, and so on. A non-Mormon, according to their faith, will never enter the higher kingdom, even if he is a wonderful person - for he did not accept the truth. And without truth, the path is closed there.
Mormons believe in eternal life. On earth, a person undergoes bodily tests, tests his faith and himself for strength. After physical death, the soul is distributed to one of the kingdoms. The marriage of two Mormons is sealed in the temple and "sealed for eternity." People believe that, having married on earth, they will be together for eternity (here, by the way, it is appropriate to say about polygamy - a man married one wife, she died, he married again - and again "sealed for eternity." Polygamy with perspective into eternity :)). It seems to me that the main joke of the Mormons is connected with this - because. they believe in eternal life, they want the family to be together in eternity. To do this, they baptize ... dead relatives. A whole system is built on this - super-powerful archives are being created, round-the-clock genealogical work is being carried out. All data is stored in a centralized archive in Utah. Suppose a Mormon did research, got to the bottom of some kind of knee, and - voila. Without asking, he took and baptized all previous relatives. As they say, sounds creepy.

In addition to the Bible and the Book of Mormon, there is a large amount of sacred literature - this is the Pearl of Great Price, the Articles of Faith, the Liahona magazine, etc. Obviously, this all serves to cover all aspects of life as much as possible and to make life more normalized and subject to the "Scriptures". My observation: The Bible is not held in high esteem. Whether it's because it is objectively more difficult than the Book of Mormon, or people are just too lazy to read it, but the fact is that at Sunday speeches, in religion classes, etc., the Book of Mormon is always at the forefront. And the Bible can just lie on the floor (I never understood why you take the Bible out of your bag and throw it on the floor).

Another interesting point - the church is strictly hierarchical. There are simple parishes for the sacrament and baptism, and there are temples in which Mormons can perform the most important rituals (marriage, baptism of the dead, some missionary things). It is not easy to get into the temple. You need to be an exemplary Mormon for a long time, pay tithing (10 percent of monthly income), attend all church events - in short, plow for a recommendation from the parish president. I did not receive a recommendation - not to see the temple (and therefore not a reliable and pious Mormon).

All Mormon men are required to serve a mission. As soon as 19 years old - it's time. For most, this is a great honor, they have been working since their teenage years to save money for a mission that lasts two years. If there is no money, the church itself will pay. Girls can serve from the age of 21. On a mission, it is strictly forbidden to start a romantic relationship, you can’t even hug a person of the opposite sex. However, violations do happen. The missionaries fall in love, wait for the mission to end, and then return for their mate. Thus, many Russian girls end up in the USA - they marry former missionaries.

A family

The most important value in life is the family. Mormons strive to build relationships only within the church, relationships outside the church are not only condemned, but ... it’s better not to. :) (Mormons are too "extravagant" to find understanding and love among non-Mormons). Church leaders encourage youth to go on dates from the age of 16 and at the same time advise not to make hasty decisions and try to go on dates with different partners - there is an opportunity to find out the largest number people and understand with whom exactly you want to build a family for eternity. All sorts of camps, discos, evenings, sports events are held for young people and unmarried people so that people, discussing church things, can get to know each other better and fall in love. One of the bases for building a family is family evenings. Every Monday, Mormon families should stay at home and devote time to study the sacred together. writings or other ecclesiastical matters. Back in the days when I went to church, my family had great family nights. We just invited all the missionaries to visit, played, baked cookies and cakes, practiced English and generally had fun in every possible way - no tediousness. :)

Everyday life

Yes, there are things in ordinary Mormon life that seem strange. For example, daily (!) reading of scriptures and frequent prayers (before every meal, in the morning and before going to bed, and in general at any moment. I was amused by the stories: “I couldn’t find my passport, but then I prayed - and found it!”) . Frequent church visits, meetings with missionaries and other church members. The bottom line is that active participation in the life of the church should be visible - if you read a page in the Book of Mormon, make a note, otherwise suddenly someone wants to ask the question: "what new did you learn today?" (well, again - what I wrote about above - if you want a recommendation to the temple, do everything as it should be).

But other than that, Mormon life is the same as everyone else's. They strive to receive better education(even the Brigham Young University was created, which gives great discounts and scholarships to Mormons), build a career (I know guys who work at Microsoft in the USA, for example), play sports seriously, value friendship and human relationships.

Mormons love to have fun. Strange to say, but I think they throw the coolest parties (albeit without alcohol). At parties, everyone sings, dances, plays various games - they show their talents in every possible way. They are open to everything new, not afraid of experiments. Play basketball with an American missionary whose height is 190 cm? Great, I'll learn how to score in the basket! Called for a baking class? Yes, it's time to learn how to bake donuts. And so on.

Z health

Mormons believe that our body is the temple of God, so its condition must be carefully monitored. It is considered ideal to minimize all addictions - the use of coffee, black tea, tobacco, alcohol, and drugs is prohibited. Cola, chips, snickers are not prohibited, but people understand that this is not the healthiest food in the world :), so few people consume it. Sports are "promoted" - the church regularly arranges football and basketball tournaments, small hikes, and dances. So, by the way, the evenings are filled up - today is football, tomorrow is a religion lesson, then - a gathering at someone's house or dancing - Mormons try to spend time usefully, and not to hit the TV screen.

Tattoos and piercings are also prohibited (in the ears only). Like, there is nothing to spoil the ideal body (and any body is ideal, because it was created by God).

Conclusion

Although I have not been a Mormon for a long time (well, I never considered myself one - I have never even read the Book of Mormon), in general I have a positive attitude towards them. Maybe this is due to the fact that I still keep in touch with some of them, or was initially easier on them, but it seems to me that they live well. Yes, the aspects of faith seem crazy, but, as they say, whatever the child amuses himself with. If they treat Mormonism as a way of life, then there are no questions at all - they value family, education, career, talent development. Here you can only be happy for them. Such rabid fanaticism (like - ah, I'll get myself ten wives!) is not observed now.

Basically, the Mormon church is just a well-built social organization. They are characterized by close ties, mutual assistance and support. The church is one of the wealthiest institutions in the US. They own large territories, expensive buildings, and diverse businesses (including the Marriott hotel chain). In a sense, they have even become a brand - now the play on Broadway "The Book of Mormon" is a huge success. I don’t know in what way the Mormons are presented there (rather ironically), but the fact itself is interesting to people. And the Tabernacle Mormon Choir tours all over the world.

Among the Mormons there are famous people. My favorite is Brandon Flowers, frontman of The Killers. :) By the way, before his concert in Moscow in 2013, he gave a speech at the local parish on Novokuznetskaya. I have not been there:(

There is also a writer who wrote "Twilight", Mitt Romney, once a presidential candidate, athletes, a famous blogger girl from Sweden. Or here's a family - a guy created an application, sold it for 54 million dollars, and now with his wife and two children travel the world. By the way, they met on a mission in Vladivostok.

Among modern religious teachings, there are several areas, whose representatives to this day play a special role in politics and business. Anyone who wants to get to know them better should start with an interest in who Mormons are and what role they have played in human history.

Mormons - who are they?

The religious culture created in the United States in the first half of the 19th century by Joseph Smith was based on the ideas of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but later broke away from them. Mormonism continues to be identified by many scholars as the direction of this Church, but they can be distinguished by the main book, the scripture of the religious offshoot. A Mormon is a person who considers not the Bible, but the Book of Mormon, as the main book of his life. At the same time, in order to consider himself a member of the community, he must share the following beliefs:

1. Name the Church of New Testament Christianity with traditional values.
2. Find refuge from the injustice and uncertainty of the world in the texts of the Gospel.
3. Clearly see the reality and understand for yourself who the Mormons are - people who came to earth with a divine destiny.

Mormon symbol

The highest purpose of the birth of everyone who considers himself a member of this religion is revealed even in symbolism.

Her image means:

1. Protective sign. From the time of ancient egypt it is used to protect against otherworldly forces or gain control over them, since demons and Satan cannot go beyond the five-pointed star.
2. Unity of all elements. Mormonists believe that only Jesus could subdue the earth, fire, water, air, and ether.
3. Desire to share your faith with people. Scholars who know who Mormons are can cite many religious fanatics related to this faith.

Mormons - who are they in our time?

In the 21st century, the followers of the Church have to put up with the fact that in most countries they are treated with hostility. This is due to the concept of the doctrine itself, striving to create an elite closed order beyond borders and laws. Since the 80s of the last century, the number of his supporters has doubled - and this could not but frighten representatives of other faiths. Today, a Mormon is a man who arouses suspicion because his brothers in the faith regularly try to infiltrate military bases, schools, and universities to recruit new followers of the Book.

What do Mormons believe?

The religious beliefs of Mormonism are somewhat similar to the Catholic and Orthodox faiths in terms of the basic concepts of good and evil, love and betrayal. At the same time, do not forget that the Mormon religion also has significant differences:

1. The central character of beliefs is Heavenly Father, who sent Jesus Christ to redeem mankind from sins.
2. The Savior's teachings must permeate every area of ​​life, so Mormons must live by their rules.
3. God continues to communicate with mankind: each generation has its own prophets.
4. Anyone who wants to understand who the real Mormons are will not be able to do so until they have read the Book.
5. Education and self-development are not just the highest values, but also a real duty to religion.

How do Mormons live?

The main country of residence of the followers of this religion is in the United States. In almost every state, one can find both radical communities living a life closed from prying eyes, and modern churches open to everyone to visit. The Mormon Society forbids television, but actively uses the Internet. The stratification of society into layers in it is minimal, because rich believers should help the poor. The best work for which Mormons have been blessed by God himself is considered to be cultivating the land and caring for livestock.

How to become a Mormon?

Acquaintance with a new religion for most people begins with communication with missionaries who preach the word of God all over the planet. If a person feels closeness of spirit with the principles he has heard, he is offered to join the ranks of the supporters of the Church. According to Mormons, a religion can be considered native to a believer after three conditions are met:

• the sacrament of baptism through immersion in water;
• absolution;
• blessing the highest member of the Church to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Are Mormons a sect or not?

Questions about officially recognizing Mormons as sectarians and prosecuting them under the law have long been heated debates. Prominent lawyers and Christian religious figures are sure that the Mormons are a sect that aims to influence the consciousness of the masses. Several facts about their faith support this statement:

1. Jesus Christ is the brother of Satan. According to the Book, his destiny was challenged by his brother, Lucifer, greedy for power and glory.
2. For the first 50 years Mormons were taught that Adam was the only God worth believing in.
3. The Book of Mormon contradicts the historical events described by the chroniclers of ancient times.

Why are Mormons dangerous?

If he treats the followers of the Church as sectarians, it becomes clear how they can threaten the world. They aggressively promote their views on life, sometimes almost by force forcing a person to change his faith. The Mormon Church has nothing against dishonest campaigning methods, such as substitution of concepts or humiliation of the content of the Bible. Believers in their places of residence sometimes do not take into account the opinion of local residents who oppose the construction of prayer houses.

Mormons - interesting facts

Due to the fact that believers prefer to hide the details of their lives from curious neighbors and journalists, few people know their attitude to raising children, family values ​​and attitudes towards other religions. The teachings of Mormons do not reveal such aspects of their lives that exist in practice:

1. polygamy. Followers of the faith are officially forced to comply with the laws of the countries in which they live, but Mormons and polygamy are related concepts. One man in these communities can have 6-7 wives and 15-20 children.
2. Dominance over other religions. A good missionary must show his respect for other people's beliefs, but try to prove them false.
3. Compulsory seminary education. For 4 years, schoolchildren learn the rules that will help them adapt in life.

Notable Mormons

Presidents, boxers, actors, singers and royalty - all these public figures in different time possessed the Book of Mormons. Some of them tried to hide their belonging to this faith from the public, while others mentioned their religious preferences in almost every interview. Famous Mormons who are regularly mentioned in the international media can be represented in one list:

Movies about Mormons

Followers of the Church rarely become heroes of feature films, but plots with their participation sometimes still fall into the field of interest of famous directors. The list of films that reveal what Mormons preach includes:

1. "On the other side of the sky". Young country boy John Groberg goes to the Tongan Islands as a missionary after being separated from his wife Jean. Her letters help him cope with loneliness, and he shares with her the wisdom acquired in the process of communicating with the islanders.
2. "Return of the Missionary". Mormon missionary Jared Phelps spends several years on a religious trip, counting on the fact that his girlfriend and mother are waiting for him at home. By the time he arrives, it turns out that the beloved is marrying another, and the mother is pregnant with another child. He has to start new life without money, housing and loved ones.
3. "Best Two Years". Two pairs of missionaries live in the same rented apartment on the outskirts of Harlem, but they are burdened by existence next to each other because of the difference in generations.
4. "My name is Trinity". The Mormon community takes the professional killer Trinity for a benefactor and asks for help in finding justice for the local landowner and his gang.
5. "Guardian". After divorce main character paintings named Jonathan, out of desperation, falls into a religious community, where a girl takes patronage over him, planning to restore his faith in love.

Salt Lake City is a Mormon city. In 1847, the followers of the sect moved with their families to the area where the state of Utah is now formed. A huge Mormon temple was also erected here, which is considered one of the largest among those erected in recent centuries. This building, made in a restrained manner, impresses not only with its size, but also with the harsh environment that surrounds it.

History of the Mormon Temple

Joseph Smith was born in 1805 in Vermont to a very religious family. After 10 years, he moved to New York with his father. From an early age, Joseph spoke out against the fact that Protestant sects were at enmity with each other, figuring out whose organization was better. According to legend, when the boy was walking one day, two shining figures descended to him from the sky. One of them gave a speech, according to which Smith was not to join any of the sects, but always remain faithful to God. Four years later, an angel appeared to the boy again and said that God wanted Smith to find the holy book. The angel accurately described the place where this relic is kept. Exactly where the angel said, Smith found a silver-bound book and 2 more stones. These stones were exactly the same as those worn by the priests from. It was these church ministers who were supposed to help in translating the scriptures. The book was translated in 1827, when Smith was 22 years old. The angel again appeared to the young man and called himself Moroni. Smith then proceeded to translate. For sixteen days and nights Smith translated scriptures without being distracted even by eating, sleeping or just relaxing. Thus was born the Book of Mormon, which formed the basis Church of Christ Latter Day Saints.

After Smith's death, his successor, Brigham Young, began looking for places where no one would want to settle. In 1847, he traveled with a group of believers to what is now Utah. Soon over a thousand Mormon families moved here. While Smith was still alive, he planned a Mormon city, which he named Desert (Land of the Bees). It is now Salt Lake City. In 1896, Congress recognized the independence of the new state. Young became the first governor and the first head of the Mormon sect.

Immediately after the state was formed, construction began on the main Mormon temple. The entire construction was calculated strictly in seconds and lasted exactly 40 days - this number was taken from the Bible. Young's son-in-law, Truman Angell, supervised the construction.

In 1854 the temple was opened to all believers. Until now, it is a shrine only for Mormons. Everyone is not allowed inside - only those who belong to the Mormon sect can enter here.

Features of the structure of the Mormon Temple

The strict Gothic temple is built of granite. The structure has 6 large pointed towers and is practically devoid of any external decorations. Building length - 57 meters, width - 36 meters, thickness bearing walls almost 6 meters. The highest part of the building is the spire, which is 64 meters long. At the very top is the figure of a trumpeting angel holding a golden plate in his hands, symbolizing the book that was sent to Smith. The angel is made according to the project of the sculpture of Dallin and is cast from copper, and is covered with gold foil on top. The statue is 3.8 meters high.

Next to the main temple is Tabernekle - a chapel. It features an unusual roof in the shape of a large turtle. It is 76 meters long and 46 meters wide. The hall can accommodate more than 8,000 people. Almost everything here is made of wood - benches, balconies and even organ pipes. Above the hall is a wooden lattice made of pine.

The chapel has amazing acoustics. You can hear any word spoken softly, even if you are in the far part of the hall.

In the center of the elevation is an organ, which is considered one of the largest on our planet - it has 19,746 pipes and 6 keyboards. The choir, which includes 300 people, sings every day in the prayer hall.

There is also a meeting hall where worship services are held. In fact, the hall is a whole building made of granite. In front of the hall is a monument to the seagulls that saved the first Mormon settlements from locust invasions. Mormons considered this event a sign of God, which blesses them for a righteous cause.

Not far from the temple is the Museum of Church History and Art, which exhibits more than 66,000 exhibits, one way or another connected with the life of the Mormons. The Genealogical Library has a huge genealogical tree displaying all those who are members of the Mormon sect - one way or another they are all related to each other.

Of course, the residents could not help but honor the first head of the Mormon sect and the founder of the community, Brig Young. An 8-meter monument was erected to him.