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What Does God Look Like?

Well it depends who you ask. That’s for sure. If you look at thousands of paintings produced by western culture, you’ll find a number of stereotypes arising. God is often depicted as… What Does God Look Like? (According to AI) In hopes of producing an unbiased answer to the question, “What does God look like?” […]

What Does LDS Mean? | LDS Explanations

Family in front of LDS temple

What Does LDS Mean? LDS stands for “Latter-day Saints,” which is a nickname that has been given to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Latter Day Saints are a Christian denomination that believe themselves to be a restored version of the original church established by Jesus Christ during his mortal ministry. […]

How many LDS Temples are in the Philippines?

LDS Temple

As of October 2023, there are seven operating temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) in the Philippines. They are located in the following cities: Manila Temple (opened in 1984) Cebu City Temple (opened in 2010) Urdaneta Temple (opened in 2015) Cagayan de Oro Temple (opened in 2018) Davao Temple […]

Brigham Young vs Joseph Smith

Painting of Brigham Young & Joseph Smith

The relationship between Joseph Smith and Brigham Young was, at times, tumultuous. The two were key figures in the early years and assembly of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Joseph Smith, who founded the LDS Church in 1830, led the organization through its early years and oversaw the publication of […]

Why Do Mormons Go On Missions?

Two sister Mormon missionaries

Mormons, or members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), go on missions as a way to serve others and share their beliefs with others. Missionaries serve voluntarily, typically for a period of 18 months (normal length of assignment to women) to 2 years (normal length of assignment to men). Missionaries […]

Why Was Oliver Cowdrey Excommunicated?

Oliver Cowdery was a key figure in the early history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and played a significant role in the translation of the Book of Mormon. However, he was excommunicated from the church in 1838 for what were considered to be serious transgressions against the teachings of […]

What Is A “Mormon Gazing Party”? | LDS Explanations

AI generated image depicting what a mormon gazing party at BYU might look like

There is an old wive’s tale about students who attended BYU or BYU Idaho holding what is now referred to as a “Mormon gazing party.” The story exists in different varieties but the core details suggest that a “Mormon gazing party” would hypothetically go as follows: 1. Members of opposing sexes form two distinct lines […]

Why Don’t Mormons Drink Tea? | LDS Explanations

cup of tea

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes known as the Mormon church, advises its members to abstain from consuming “hot drinks,” which are defined as tea and coffee. This practice is based on the church’s Word of Wisdom, a code of health and dietary guidelines that are believed to have been revealed to […]

Why Don’t Mormons Drink Coffee? | LDS Explanations

Overhead image of Scattered Coffee Beans

Mormons, also known as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, abstain from drinking coffee as part of their commitment to follow the “Word of Wisdom,” a set of dietary and health guidelines that are considered revelation from God. According to this revelation, which is recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants, a […]

Why Is Marriage Ordained of God? | LDS Explanations

A man and a woman holding hands in wedding clothes

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that marriage is ordained of God because it is considered a sacred covenant between a man, a woman, and God. Members of the LDS Church believe that the purpose of marriage is to provide a stable and loving environment in which to rear children and to […]