Mormon Camp

Growing up in the Mennonite faith, community has alway been a big aspect of my life. Whether it be in church, with my friends, in school, or in sports, I was constantly trying to make connections with people, and to be part of a group that was bigger than just me. Being a piece in a community was, and still is, a way for me to find myself. Never have I felt more like a belong to a community than at Camp Mennoscah, a local church camp I’ve been going to since third grade. Camp Mennoscah is the place that has most defined who I am, and the people there have created their own little community, apart from the rest of the world. We only spend one week a year as a camper out there, but I have so many close relationships with other campers and counselors. Campfire is one of my favorite parts of camp, and the feeling of a trusting community is felt very strongly here. Every evening, two or three people speak at campfire, telling stories about what has brought them to where they’re at in life now. I’ve always loved listening to their stories, because I get to see such a different side of people than usual. These are people I’ve known for a lot of years, some of whom I’ve gone to school with or spent many hours in practice with. However, during campfire I get to see them separate from the context that I’ve known them for before; they’re telling stories you don’t hear in the casual conversations of high school, sometimes stories they’ve never even told before. People talk about

Every July the LDS church puts on an Easter pageant called Jesus the Christ, which shows the story of Joseph Smith and his discovery of the golden plates. I also learned that those who practiced the Mormon faith were persecuted. At the beginning of its founding, the Mormon faith had about 40 supporters and by 1831 there was more than 71 people who were Mormons in Ohio. However, the Mormons were chased away from Ohio.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints claim that they have 6.1 million members in the United States. Mormons make up 1.7% of the population in the United States. This makes it the fourth largest major religious group in the country with the vast majority of Mormons living in Utah, making up 58% of the state’s population. According to a study by the Pew Research Center Mormons, as a group, “are among the most devout and conservative religious people in the country.” The Mormons are well known for not only the two-year mission that all Mormon young adults are required to go on but also there lifestyle that keeps caffeine and other altering chemicals out of their body. Utah, the state founded by early Latter-day Saints, has the

Mormonism is a religious group part of the main branch of the Latter Day Saints movement, led by Joseph Smith in New York during the 1820s. Mormons believed in the Bible, as well as other scriptures, such as the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon was about Jesus’s travels around the Americas. They also believed that it was Christian to have more than one wife, but to non-Mormons this was abhorrent. Many violent outbreaks have occurred with Mormons and their neighboring states. Technically, Mormons didn’t have a choice to move or not. Because of their different religion, they were forced West, all the way from New York to Utah. Utah had a very open government allowing the Mormons to vote and have a say in government decisions. It also provided

With 14 million followers, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a very interesting religion for many different reasons. Mormons, as they are commonly known, have an interesting origin, different traditions, and a fascinating founder. Mormonism is the term used for describing the practice and beliefs of followers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The core belief is that a prophet named Joseph Smith restored doctrines of the church to earth. Smith became the founder of what is now considered The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and widely followed. One of the ideas most central to the Mormons is their love for Jesus Christ, the savior. That idea is stated very well when Joseph Smith said, “The fundamental

Mormons are well known for the missionaries that come door to door to proselyte non-believers, this is done in efforts to share the love of God and the mercy for His people. They want to unify the community in God because they are commanded to by their scripture and they believe this with better sustain society spiritually. I have known many Mormons in my life and while I never converted to Mormonism I do believe that their strong conviction to the family principals would definitely benefit society. We as a secular community have stayed from our traditions not only in faith & religion but with our funeral traditions that are dying out with cremation, “green burial”, and water resonation become increasingly more popular. Mormons place their traditions very high in the Mormon life.

When one thinks of the words “Church Camp,” the term is not always related to “fun.” That is, unless that person has been to Gull Lake Ministries. I will admit, before my first summer there I originally believed that the camp was going to be a boring place where biblical information was the focus all the time. I quickly learned that I was extremely wrong. Not only was my impression of the camp wrong, my outlook on what life at camp would be like was completely wrong as well. By providing me with experiences I would otherwise not have had the opportunity to enjoy, introducing my family and me to new people, and enhancing my relationship with God, the next two hours at Gull Lake was about to teach me more than I could have ever though that it

Who are the Mormons? The Mormons are a religious group, who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint. The Mormons were founded on April 6, 1830 by Joseph Smith, in Fayette, New York.

The Mormon religion was founded in the nineteenth century by a man named Joseph Smith. In 1890, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints banned the practice of polygamous marriages. As with many religions, when a main practice is resolved it can cause some parishioners to be upset. Some Mormons were not fond of the idea of dissolving the practice and moved to separate parts of the country to continue the practice. The most well known polygamous branch was given the name the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This group settled near the Arizona-Utah border (Andersen, 741). The group is mainly based in Colorado City and Hildale, Colorado (Urban, 62). The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day

When my two older boys were five and seven, I signed them up for a karate class. We liked the instructor, Vicki because she was encouraging, disciplined, and made the class. However, I didn’t feel like I had much in common with her. One day we talked for a moment in the parking lot and she asked if I was Mormon, the question surprised me since she didn’t seem Mormon and we had never discussed religion. When I said, ‘yes,” she replied that she could tell. Then she told me that she used to be Mormon and that two of her three kids were active in the church. She started talking about missions, priesthood, and the primary organization which gave us an instant connection. Immediately we had things in common to talk about and from that time since we have been good friends. My boys thrived under her training.

The religion commonly known as the “Mormonism” or The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints (LDS) is a religion divined from Christianity. Mormonism has been traced back to 1830 C.E in New York, where Joseph Smith formally organized The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints. During this time period of the 1800’s, also known as the time of the “Second Great Awakening” a religious boom was on the rise. There was much speculation and uncertainty centered on religious beliefs. Joseph Smith claimed that during this time he was called upon by God to restore the church that had been established on earth by Christ. Joseph responded to God’s message by reclaiming the church of Christ, through the creation

The religious group Mormonism, better known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has had their share of hardship and struggles. From this adversity the church and members have had a great impact on western civilization. Being a member myself, I can think of many different stories that have led me to believe that the early members of the church had a rough life. Anyone involved in the expansion westward who was willing to give up their safe lives in the east is a hero in my eyes. One great story that has stuck in my mind is the Mormon Battalion.

I spent most of the trip with a girl named Samantha. We played games and did rubics cubes together. Later, my two brothers Josiah, Jadon, mom, and I went to the dining cart where we had breakfast together. Afterwords mom and I sat upstairs in the dome, where we took pictures of the beautiful sunrise. On our way back to the sitting cart we had to go through several doors some were sliding doors and others were push doors.

But what I have found is that, while I do occasionally go to an Assembly of God Church which is Christian based. What sticks out to me though in doing the research in dealing with death, that can also help me move forward and find that connection with God and the mourning for my father. “Mourning not only is appropriate; it is also one of the deepest expressions of pure love:….. Mourning can heighten our faith and our hopes. The Prophet Joseph Smith said, "The expectation of seeing my friends in the morning of the resurrection cheers my soul and makes me bear up against the evils of life. It is like their taking a long journey, and on their return we meet them with increased joy" (Gillespie, K. L. (2011, May 27).) This to me is the biggest difference from my understanding of my religion. I have always felt that as long as I said I believed in God and was typically a good person, I would go to heaven and meet up with my family. However, for Mormonism, it is not as simple. You have to dedicate your life to God, and to your family. That is the reason why going on these missionaries are so important to them. You are giving back to others that are in need and are working to spread the knowledge from the gospel not only about creation and how to deal with death, but everything in between. While not specifically pertaining to death and

These are some of the controversies I have picked up on throughout my life when those who did not practice the religion brought up Mormons. I’ve had two insights into the Mormon religion; one being my trip to the Kansas City temple and another being family friend’s with one some might call a “hard core Mormon”. After many years of these assumptions I finally acted on my curiosity when I was granted the opportunity after a friend invited me to join them for their service. On impulse, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and take a look into this foreign religion.