I would like to become a member of the church but I have a lot of questions. If I'm Mormon, can I use a crucifix or jewelry with a picture of Jesus in it? How can I recognize a true prophet? What's the deal with tithing? When do you guys have worship services? When can I find the church open? Thanks so much for your help.

Azulgrana, 11/1/2009

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Webmaster from La Jolla, CA:




Hi Azulgrana,

 I'm happy you've decided to join the church and that you visited this site to ask your questions!  The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been a tremendous blessing in my life. It's had such a profound influence on every aspect of my life that I'm not sure who I would be without it.  I've grown closer to Jesus as I've learned more about Him through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I confess that I get quite excited when others consider joining the church! I hope you find the same spiritual blessings that I've found in my life.

Most Mormons do not use crucifixes or other jewelry with Christ's image. However, this is more of a cultural choice than a doctrinal choice.  There are no church policies forbidding the use of crucifixes or other religious jewelry.  Mormons certainly place great importance on Jesus Christ's crucifixion and, even more importantly, on his resurrection. If your crucifix helps you remember Jesus Christ, I think you can continue to wear it.

As you know, the Bible teaches about true prophets and false prophets. It's important to recognize the difference between the two. The best way to tell the difference is to ask God directly. First, you should study and ponder the teachings of the prophet. When you feel you're ready, pray to God and ask him directly. God can communicate the truth to us, usually in subtle ways. He can touch our hearts and give us feelings of peace. These feelings of peace can confirm spiritual truths; they can help us recognize a true prophet of God.  In the same way, you can know that the Book of Mormon, like the Bible, contains the words of God. You can know whether or not you should become a member of the church.

 In many churches, tithing is used to pay the pastor! I have seen some churches with pastors that have very fancy cars. :) In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the pastors are not paid. They are all volunteers. All of the tithing money is used to build churches and temples, to help others learn about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and to help fund the church's worldwide humanitarian efforts.  For me, it is a blessing to contribute to such a worthy cause.

 One Protestant church that I visited in Brazil surprised me.  Though the congregation was very poor, the pastor wanted each member to pay him 1,000 reals!  This is not how tithing works! The word “tithing” comes from the word “tenth.” If one member of the church earns $1 million, he would pay $100,000 in tithing. If another member earns only $10, he would pay only one dollar in tithing. Both of these members would be full tithes payers. In God's eyes, both would be equally dedicated, because God doesn't care about the money. He cares only about our willingness put Him first in our hearts.

 In most parts of the world, Mormons meet together on Sundays to worship. You can learn the address and meeting time of the Mormon chapel nearest your house online. Please let me know if you have any trouble. I'd be happy to help you in any way I can.

 You may also wish to meet with Mormon missionaries. These missionaries can help teach you more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They can help you get ready to become a member of the church! You can request a missionary visit online as well.

 Good luck! May God bless you as you seek to grow closer to Him.
Pamela Dean from Clarenville:



Actually, there is church policy on the use of crucifixes. We don't use them because they are symbols of Christ's death, and we believe that he lives.

As for jewellery with a picture of Jesus in it, that is a personal choice. We are encouraged to have pictures of the Savior in our homes, and many LDS artists have created wonderful depicted of the Savior. Some lovely examples can be found in the church history museum.
Webmaster from La Jolla, California:




Very interesting article, Pamela. That article certainly gives an excellent explanation of why most Mormons do not use the cross, and why the Church as an institution does not use crosses on its buildings. However, if a convert wishes to continue to wear a crucifix as a private symbol of their faith, I don't think the Church "expressly forbids it," so to speak. Certainly none of the temple interview questions touch on the use of religious jewelry, for example. Could there be a better metric of what it means to be a "good Mormon" than that?

I recently learned that in the 19th century, when Mormonism was founded, most Protestant religions didn't use the cross. Thus, it is actually Protestantism that has changed, not Mormonism. Very interesting.

I readily acknowledge that my view of the cross is probably somewhat "theologically liberal" as far as Mormons go. Most Mormons would probably discourage the use of the cross in jewelry, preferring to remember the triumphant, living, resurrected Christ, as opposed to the dying one. Given that Mormon chaplains use the cross and that the cross is featured in Mormon art, however, I see this view as paradoxical.
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