‘Mormons’ capture the imagination.
Sometimes by missionaries with a name tag. Sometimes by American politics. Sometimes by documentaries about Utah. Sometimes by stories about polygamy, temples, special clothing, or strange customs. And sometimes just because someone around you turns out to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and you think: what do those people actually believe?
I am a member of that church myself. In Flanders we are usually still called ‘Mormons’, although we prefer to use the full name of the church, because Jesus Christ is central to us. Not Joseph Smith, not Utah, not a culture, not a nickname, but Jesus Christ.
That does not mean there is nothing special about our faith. We believe in the Bible and in the Book of Mormon. We believe that God still speaks today. We believe in prophets, covenants, temples, eternal families, personal revelation, and a life before and after this earthly life. We believe that Jesus Christ is literally the Savior of the world and that His atonement is not just something for later, but also gives strength to change, to endure, and to start over today.
At the same time, members of our church are ordinary people. Not better than other believers. Not holier by nature. Not immune to doubt, sorrow, mistakes, or stubbornness. We try to follow Christ within a community that, like any community, is both beautiful and imperfect.
On this page you will find texts in which I try to explain what Mormons believe, what is often misunderstood, and why this faith remains meaningful to me in a Flemish context.
Start here
Read these texts if you have questions such as:
- Are Mormons Christians?
- Why do Mormons use the Book of Mormon?
- What happens during a Mormon church service?
- Why do Mormons have temples?
- Do Mormons still believe in polygamy?
- What is true about stories of Mormon clothing?
- How do you actually become a member of the church?
A gentle thought to start with
You do not have to share our faith right away to get to know it honestly. Curiosity is enough. My hope is not that you trade caricatures for propaganda, but that you see beyond the caricatures a faith community that sincerely tries to follow Jesus Christ.
Read more
Below you will find personal texts, explanations, and reflections about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, written from the life of a Mormon in Flanders.
- Are Mormons a cult? What does AI say.
- Are Mormons Christians?
- Why do we need a church?
- Mormon position on evolution
- ‘Discourse with the boys’: podcast about my faith
- Five reasons why I am a Mormon
- Mormon dress standards
- How do you deal with Mormon missionaries
- When actually are those last days?
- Eternally married
- Choosing our faith
- The Book of Mormon: the evidence is growing
- Charity of the church
- Mormon info
- Self-reliance is central
- 10 differences between the Catholic faith and Latter-day Saints