The Name of the Church

Today President Nelson made this significant statement, “The Lord has impressed upon my mind the importance of the name He has revealed for His Church, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We have work before us to bring ourselves in harmony with His will.”  The new style guide for discussing the Church reads, “When referring to Church members, the terms ‘members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ or ‘Latter-day Saints’ are preferred. We ask that the term ‘Mormons’ not be used.”  This is an appeal to the media to be sure, but surely it is also an appeal to the general membership of the Church to focus on who we are: followers of Jesus Christ.  Using the term Mormon is certainly convenient because it is so recognizable, but focusing on the Savior as the basis for our identity is what the prophet is asking us to do. 

               Of course we are not ashamed of the name Mormon because it comes from the sacred book of scripture, the Book of Mormon.  It was presumably Moroni, the last to write in the book, who named the Book of Mormon in its title page (Helaman 2:14 to me suggests that Mormon would have named it the “Book of Nephi” instead).  I remember once a professor at BYU making the statement, “I’m not ashamed to be called a Mormon because I know who Mormon was.”  Certainly we look to Mormon, the great prophet historian who gave us so much of the book called after his name, as a powerful example of goodness and perseverance and faith in the Lord.  And where did his name come from?  He told us this much: “And behold, I am called Mormon, being called after the land of Mormon, the land in which Alma did establish the church among the people” (3 Nephi 5:12).  So Mormon was named after his father who was named after the land of Mormon where so many were baptized and covenanted with the Savior to follow Him.  Mormon described the place this way at the time of these conversions of the people of Alma: “The place of Mormon, the waters of Mormon, the forest of Mormon, how beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer; yea, and how blessed are they, for they shall sing to his praise forever” (Mosiah 18:30).  The place Mormon was so special and worthy to be named after because it was the place where people came to the knowledge of their Redeemer. 

               Mormon gave us this description of who he was: “Beholds, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life” (3 Nephi 5:13).  This is what we should remember as we are called Mormons—that Mormon himself was a disciple of Jesus Christ and so should we.  And we have a mandate also to “declare his word,” and surely we can do that better as people see us and label us as followers of Jesus Christ instead of as Mormons or some other name that doesn’t point to the Savior.