List of Mormon folk beliefs

The Seagull Monument located in front of the Salt Lake Assembly Hall on Temple Square.

In the largest group of the Latter Day Saint movement, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), folklore is usually distinguished from church doctrine, but there is no universally accepted method of determining where doctrine ends and folklore begins. Any other part of the expressive cultural aspects of Mormonism may be classified as Mormon folklore. ^[1]

On scriptural themes

Mormon folk beliefs on scriptural topics include:

• that Cain, the killer of Abel, is still alive and wanders the earth as punishment for killing Abel, wearing no clothing but being covered by hair, and that apostle David W. Patten encountered him once, ^{[2] [3] [4]} and that reported sightings of Bigfoot can be explained by this story ^[5]
• that Jesus was born on 6 April ^{[6] [7] [8]} which was later the date that Joseph Smith founded the Church of Christ (the predecessor of the modern LDS Church) in 1830 ^[9]
• modern encounters and assistance from one or more of "The Three Nephites", three Nephite disciples chosen by Jesus in the Book of Mormon, who were blessed by Jesus to "never taste of death; but ye shall live to behold all the doings of the Father unto the children of men". ^{[10] [11] : 209}

In church history

Tāwhiao

Folk beliefs regarding LDS church history include the following:

• that the writings of the early Church Fathers conform better with Mormonism than with modern Christianity ^[12]
• that in 1739 a Roman Catholic monk predicted that within 100 years an angel would be sent by God to restore the lost gospel to the earth and that the true church would be established in "a valley that lies towards a great lake", for Mormons the angel was Angel Moroni, the "lost gospel" was the Book of Mormon which Joseph Smith (who lived in the 1800s) translated from the Golden plates that Moroni gave him, the "true church" was the LDS Church founded by Smith with its location matching up with the LDS Church's modern headquarters in Utah where the "valley" is the Salt Lake Valley and the "lake" is the Great Salt Lake ^{[13] [14]}
• the miracle of the gulls, in which the crops of early Mormon settlers in Utah Territory were saved from destruction by a vast flock of seagulls that ate swarms of Mormon crickets that were devouring the crops ^{[15] [16] [17]}
• that when speaking to the Latter Day Saints after the death of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young took on the appearance, voice, and mannerisms of Smith and that this was a sign from God that Young was to be Smith's successor ^{[18] [19]}
• that Māori prophets or chieftains, including Paora Te Potangaroa and Tāwhiao, predicted the coming of Mormon missionaries to New Zealand ^{[20] [21] [22]}
• that various theories explain reasons for the priesthood ban on black people holding the priesthood before the 1978 Revelation on Priesthood, ^{[23] : 66  [24]} even when these reasons are repudiated by current LDS Church leaders and scholars ^{[23] : 132–135  [25] [26] [27] [28]}
  • that the curse of Cain ^[29] or the curse of Ham ^{[30] : 125} justified the racial restriction policy
  • that they were neutral in the War in Heaven ^[31]
  • that it was done in order to protect them from the lowest rung of hell, since one of few damnable sins is to abuse the exercise of the priesthood ^[32]

On temples

Laie Hawaii Temple

Folk beliefs regarding LDS temples include the following:

• that in designing the Salt Lake Temple, Brigham Young had the foresight to make space accommodation for future technological advancements such as elevators, air conditioning, and electrical wiring ^[33]
• that on December 7, 1941, Japanese aircraft pilots attempted to bomb or strafe the church's Hawaiian Temple just prior to or just after the attack on Pearl Harbor, but were prevented from doing so by mechanical failures or an unseen protective force, ^[34] and that the Japanese pilot who attempted to bomb or strafe the Hawaiian Temple was converted to the LDS Church after he saw a picture of the temple in the possession of Mormon missionaries in Japan ^[34]
• that Tāwhiao accurately predicted the site of the 1958 Hamilton New Zealand Temple before his death in 1894; ^{[35] [36]}
• that the Freiberg Germany Temple, which was the first Mormon temple in a Communist state when it was dedicated in East Germany in 1985 (at that time, the temple was called the "Freiberg GDR Temple", from "German Democratic Republic", East Germany's official name) by its very presence in the country had hastened the fall of the communist regime in 1989 which in turn led to its reunification with West Germany to form modern-day Germany, the Freiberg area's prosperity in the relatively poor eastern Germany is also attributed to the temple's location in the city ^[37]
• that wearing temple garments affords physical protection, and that some wearers have survived car wrecks, floods, and other calamities unscathed thanks to the protective power of the garments ^[38]

Predictions

Not to be confused with prophecies of Joseph Smith.

The following are examples of predictions or prophecies that are part of Mormon folklore:

• that the day will come that the United States Constitution will "hang by a thread" and that members of the church will be central in rescuing it and the United States from destruction. ^{[39] [40] [41]} (See also: White Horse Prophecy)
• that God will restore the Adamic language. ^[42]
• that the Dream Mine will provide financial relief for believers in Utah after the disasters leading up to the Second Coming. ^[43]

See also

• Culture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Symbolism in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Notes

1. Wilson, William A. (1992). "Folklore". In Ludlow, Daniel H (ed.). Encyclopedia of Mormonism . New York: Macmillan Publishing. pp. 518–520. ISBN   0-02-879602-0. OCLC   24502140.
2. Letter by Abraham O. Smoot, quoted in: Wilson, Lycurgus Arnold (1904) [1900], Life of David W. Patten, the First Apostolic Martyr, Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret News, pp.  46–47, OCLC   4922706
3. Whiting, Linda Shelley (2003), David W. Patten: Apostle and Martyr, Springville, Utah: Cedar Fort, p. 85, ISBN   1555176828, OCLC   51293310
4. Kimball, Spencer W. (1969), The Miracle of Forgiveness , Salt Lake City, Utah: Bookcraft, pp.  127–128, ISBN   0-88494-444-1, OCLC   20950
5. Arave, Lynn; Genessy, Jody (2003-07-24), "Living in Utah: A guide to separate reality from myths", Deseret Morning News , p. A1, archived from the original on October 21, 2013
6. Jeffrey R. Chadwick, "Dating the Birth of Christ", BYU Studies 49:4 (2010).
7. John P. Pratt, "Passover—Was It Symbolic of His Coming?", Ensign , January 1994.
8. James E. Talmage, "Chapter 8: The Babe of Bethlehem", Jesus the Christ (2006 ed., Salt Lake City, Utah: LDS Church).
9. Marquardt (2005 , pp. 224–225).
10. Wilson, William A. (1996). "Mormon Folklore". In Brunvand, Jan Harold (ed.). American folklore: an encyclopedia. New York: Garland Publ. ISBN   978-0-8153-0751-8.
11. Wilson, William A. Wilson (2013). "Freeways, Parking Lots, and Ice Cream Stands: The Three Nephites in Contemporary Society". In Eliason, Eric A.; Mould, Tom (eds.). Latter-day lore: Mormon folklore studies. ISBN   978-1-60781-285-2 . Retrieved 22 June 2017.
12. Michael T. Griffith (1996). One Lord, One Faith: Writings of the Early Christian Fathers as Evidences of the Restoration (Bountiful, Utah: Horizon) ISBN   0-88290-575-9
13. Jacob Spori, "True and False Theosophy", Juvenile Instructor , 28:672–74 (1893-11-01).
14. Paul B. Pixton, "'Play It Again, Sam': The Remarkable 'Prophesy' of Samuel Lutz, Alias Christophilus Gratianus, Reconsidered" Archived 2013-10-21 at the Wayback Machine , BYU Studies , 25:3 (1985) pp 27–46.
15. Pratt 1880a , pp. 276–277
16. Smith 1869 , p. 83
17. William G. Hartley, "Mormons, Crickets, and Gulls, A New Look at an Old Story", in D. Michael Quinn (ed.) (1992). The New Mormon History (Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books).
18. Hyde 1877 , p. 58
19. Lynne Watkins Jorgensen, "The Mantle of the Prophet Joseph Passes to Brother Brigham: One Hundred Twenty-one Testimonies of a Collective Spiritual Witness", in John W. Welch (ed.) (2005). Opening the Heavens: Accounts of Divine Manifestations, 1820–1844 (Provo and Salt Lake City, Utah: BYU Press and Deseret Book) ISBN   0-8425-2607-2 pp. 373–480.
20. Matthew Cowley, ""Maori Chief Predicts Coming of L.D.S. Missionaries", Improvement Era 53:696–98, 754–56 (September 1950), reprinted in Matthew Cowley (1954, Glen L. Rudd ed.). Matthew Cowley Speaks: Discourses of Elder Matthew Cowley of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book) p. 200–05.
21. Grant Underwood, "Mormonism and the Shaping of Maori Religious Identity", in Grant Underwood (ed.) (2000). Voyages of Faith: Explorations in Mormon Pacific History (Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University) pp. 107–26.
22. R. Lanier Britsch, "Maori Traditions and the Mormon Church," New Era , June 1981, p. 38.
23. Harris, Matthew L.; Bringhurst, Newell G. (2015). The Mormon Church and Blacks. Chicago: University of Illinois Press. ISBN   978-0-252-08121-7.
24. Smith, Darron (March 2003). "The Persistence of Racialized Discourse in Mormonism" (PDF). Sunstone.
25. Dallin H. Oaks (June 5, 1988), Interview with Associated Press, Daily Herald (Utah)
26. Jeffrey R. Holland (March 4, 2006), The Mormons, PBS
27. Sterling M. McMurrin affidavit, March 6, 1979. See David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism by Greg Prince and William Robert Wright. Quoted by Genesis Group Archived 2011-07-13 at the Wayback Machine
28. Peggy Fletcher Stack (January 12, 2015). "Black Mormons Lament that Race is Taboo Topic at Church". The Salt Lake Tribune.
29. Bush, Lester E. Jr.; Mauss, Armand L., eds. (1984). Neither White Nor Black: Mormon Scholars Confront the Race Issue in a Universal Church. Salt Lake City, Utah: Signature Books. ISBN   0-941214-22-2.
30. Reeve, W. Paul (2015). Religion of a Different Color: Race and the Mormon Struggle for Whiteness. New York, New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0-19-975407-6.
31. Stewart, John J. Mormonism and the Negro Salt Lake City, Utah: 1960, Bookmark (This book discusses and then dismisses this belief).
32. Horowitz, Jason (28 February 2012). "The Genesis of a church's stand on race". Washington Post. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
33. Paul C. Richards, "The Salt Lake Temple Infrastructure: Studying It Out in Their Minds", BYU Studies (1996–1997).
34. Baldridge, Kenneth W.; Chase, Lance D. (2000), "The Purported December 7, 1941, Attack on the Hawai'i Temple"", in Underwood, Grant (ed.), Voyages of Faith: Explorations in Mormon Pacific History, Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, pp. 165–90, ISBN   0-8425-2480-0 .
35. LDS Church (1958), The Mormon Temple, Temple View, Hamilton, New Zealand: Bureau of Information, Zealand Temple, LDS Church, p. 13, OCLC   367545393, alt.
36. Kezerian, Sandra L. (March 31, 2012), "Visiting our Family History Missionaries at the Archives", wellingtonnewzealandmission.blogspot.com
37. Taylor, Scott (2010-09-06). "Non-Mormons call Freiberg Germany LDS temple their own". Deseret News. Retrieved 2022-04-10.
38. Hank Stuever, "Unmentionable No Longer: What Do Mormons Wear? A Polite Smile, if Asked About 'the Garment'", Washington Post , 2002-02-26, p. C1.
39. Harold B. Lee, Conference Report, April 1942, p. 87.
40. Joseph Fielding Smith, Conference Report, April 1950, p. 159.
41. Ezra Taft Benson, Conference Report, April 1963, p. 113.
42. Robertson, John S. (1992). "Adamic Language". In Ludlow, Daniel H (ed.). Encyclopedia of Mormonism . New York: Macmillan Publishing. ISBN   0-02-879602-0. OCLC   24502140.
43. Papanikolas, Zeese (1995). "Dream Mining". Trickster in the Land of Dreams . Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press. pp.  64–5. ISBN   0803237030.

References

• Allred, David A. Representing Culture: Reflexivity and Mormon Folklore Scholarship. Thesis. Brigham Young University, March 2000.
• Fife, Austin E. and Alta S. (1956), Saints of Sage and Saddle: Folklore Among the Mormons, Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press, OCLC   387682
• Hyde, Orson (October 6, 1854), "The Marriage Relations", in Watt, G.D. (ed.), Journal of Discourses Delivered by President Brigham Young, His Two Counsellors, and the Twelve Apostles, and Others , vol. 2, Liverpool: F. D. Richards, pp. 75–87.
• Hyde, Orson (1857), "Man the Head of Woman—Kingdom of God—The Seed of Christ—Polygamy—Society in Utah", in Watt, G.D. (ed.), Journal of Discourses Delivered by President Brigham Young, His Two Counsellors, and the Twelve Apostles, and Others , vol. 4, Liverpool: S. W. Richards, pp. 257–263.
• Hyde, Orson (April 5, 1877), "Prayer the Medium for Blessing—Practical Morality Establishes Confidence—The Prophet Joseph Manifest in Brigham—Age Prevents Effort, but when Behind the Vail, Freedom from Obstruction is our Opportunity", Journal of Discourses Delivered by President Brigham Young, His Two Counsellors, and the Twelve Apostles, and Others , vol. 19, Liverpool: William Budge, pp. 57–60.
• Kimball, Heber C. (September 6, 1856), "Union of the Priesthood—Salvation of the American Nation—Punishment of the Saints' Enemies, etc.", Journal of Discourses, Delivered by President Brigham Young, His Two Counsellors, The Twelve Apostles, and Others , vol. 5, Liverpool: Asa Calkin, pp. 213–220
• Marquardt, H. Michael (2005), The rise of Mormonism, 1816–1844, Xulon Press
• Pratt, Orson (June 20, 1880a), "The Gathering of the Saints—Their Sufferings—Ancient Predictions Fulfilled—Crickets and Their Miraculous Destruction—Crops Saved—Desert Made Fruitful—God's Kingdom in the Mountains—Its Future Destiny—The Coming of the Lord", Journal of Discourses By President John Taylor, His Counselors, The Twelve Apostles and Others , vol. 21, Liverpool: Albert Carrington, pp. 272–280.
• Pratt, Orson (August 1, 1880b), "Introductory Remarks—Heaven and Earth to Pass Away—Not Annihilated—Heaven and Earth not Created from Nothing—Materials—Eternal Materials Under the Dominion of Laws—Central and Orbital Forces—Compound and Elementary Substances—Earth in the Beginning—No Mortality, then Known, on This Creation—The Fall—The Earth's Baptism in Water—Its Baptism in Fire—Its Baptism by the Spirit..Its Justification—Its Sanctification—Its Purification—Its Thousand Years' Rest, etc.", Journal of Discourses By President John Taylor, His Counselors and Others , vol. 21, Liverpool: Albert Carrington, pp. 319–331.
• Smith, George A. (June 20, 1869), "Historical Discourse by President George A. Smith", Journal of Discourses, Delivered by President Brigham Young, His Two Counsellors, The Twelve Apostles, and Others , vol. 13, Isleton, London: Horace S. Eldredge, pp. 77–87.
• Rudy, Jill Terry (2004), "Mormon Folklore Studies", in Stanley, David (ed.), Folklore in Utah: A History and Guide to Resources, Logan: Utah State University Press, pp. 142–52, ISBN   978-0-87421-588-5
• Wilson, William A. (2006), Rudy, Jill Terry (ed.), The Marrow of Human Experience: Essays on Folklore, Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, ISBN   0-87421-653-2, OCLC   70251152
• Wilson, William A. (January 1995), "Folklore, a Mirror for What? Reflections of a Mormon Folklorist", Western Folklore , 54 (1): 13–21, doi:10.2307/1499908, JSTOR   1499908 .
• Wilson, William A. (1995), "Mormon Folklore", in Whittaker, David J (ed.), Mormon Americana: A Guide to Sources and Collections in the United States, BYU Studies monographs, Provo, Utah: BYU Studies, pp. 437–454, ISBN   0842523154, OCLC   30892941 .
• Wilson, William A. (Winter 1989), "The Study of Mormon Folklore: An Uncertain Mirror for Truth", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought , 22 (4): 95–110, doi: 10.2307/45228265 , JSTOR   45228265, S2CID   254397459
• Young, Brigham (July 4, 1854), "Celebration of the Fourth of July", Journal of Discourses, Delivered by President Brigham Young, His Two Counsellors, The Twelve Apostles, and Others , vol. 7, Liverpool: Amasa Lyman, pp. 9–15.