In 2018, then-President Russell M. Nelson emphasized that church members should use the correct name of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Since then, the Church has updated its website address and social media account names, and it has encouraged Latter-day Saints everywhere to follow this prophetic direction when speaking with others about the Church. President Nelson’s instruction was accompanied by a promise of blessings:
I promise you that if we will do our best to restore the correct name of the Lord’s Church, He whose Church this is will pour down His power and blessings upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints, the likes of which we have never seen. We will have the knowledge and power of God to help us take the blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people and to prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord.
Since President Nelson’s reemphasis, much attention has been devoted to recentering Christ in the name of His Church. These discussions and efforts have sought to realize the promised blessings associated with the prophet’s counsel. Yet an additional, and often overlooked, opportunity remains—more intentionally centering Christ in everyday conversation.
As we begin to make a habit of referring to ourselves as Latter-day Saints rather than simply members of the Church, we can more fully realize the blessings associated with President Nelson’s counsel. This article examines three ways in which the title “Latter-day Saint” can influence personal discipleship, shape relationships, and reflect our devotion to our Savior.
What Calling Ourselves Latter-day Saints Does for Us
It’s true that the Church-approved term “Latter-day Saint” does not include Christ’s name directly. But the phrase “Latter-day Saints” evokes an aspirational attitude toward following Christ. King Benjamin invites us to become “a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord” (Mosiah 3:19). If we are to be saints in these latter days, we must strive to follow Moroni’s final invitation to “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny [ourselves] of all ungodliness” (Moroni 10:32).
In other words, “Saint” is a word that directly points to Christ. “Saint” is not a neutral label but a holy and demanding one. In my conversations with close Catholic friends, I’ve been impressed by the view of saints within their tradition. While our understanding of saints differs from that of our Catholic friends, recognizing the goodness and selfless service they honor in the saints can provide a useful point of reflection. We should each strive to be exemplary in the way we follow the Savior. As the Lord said unto Moses on Mount Sinai: “Ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation” (Exodus 19:6).
The phrase “Latter-day Saints” evokes an aspirational attitude toward following Christ.
Each week, as we take the sacrament, we bear witness that we are willing to take Christ’s name upon us. Shouldn’t calling ourselves Latter-day Saints be one way of doing so? Using this title can inspire us to live in a holier way of following Christ.
What Calling Ourselves Latter-day Saints Says to Others
Since the renewed emphasis on using the correct name of the restored Church of Jesus Christ (including approved shorthands on second reference), responses from the broader public have been mixed. Although some news outlets have adopted the Church’s style guide and use its full name on first reference, many do not. And others, unfortunately, continue to refer to members as Mormons.
Among fellow Latter-day Saints, I most commonly hear references to one another as “members” or “members of the Church.” While understandable within the Latter-day Saint community, these labels lack context when used with those outside our faith. When talking with neighbors and coworkers, a more descriptive identifier is often needed to distinguish The Church of Jesus Christ from other denominations. In these cases, what name should be used to describe members of the Church?
The Church’s style guide lists the following as preferred names:
- “members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints”
- “Latter-day Saints”
- “members of the Church of Jesus Christ”
- “members of the restored Church of Jesus Christ”
Of these options, “Latter-day Saint” is arguably the most likely to be adopted by our friends and neighbors. Besides its relatively short length, with even fewer syllables than the frequently used “member of the Church,” the “Latter-day Saint” tag comes with an additional benefit. It also works naturally as both a noun and an adjective. Phrases like “I’m a Latter-day Saint” and “Within the Latter-day Saint community” both work, just as one might use the names Lutheran, Catholic, or, previously, Mormon as both a noun and an adjective. Because we want others to adopt the Church’s preferred references, using one that more easily fits familiar speaking patterns, as “Latter-day Saint” does, may encourage broader use.
Using the Latter-day Saint moniker in our daily conversations also strengthens our argument for others to use the Church’s full name in broader contexts. “Latter-day Saints” is a part of the full name of the Church, and by using that identifier, we can draw ourselves and our listeners closer to the centerpiece of our worship, Jesus Christ. President Nelson modeled a simple answer we can use when we are asked whether we are Latter-day Saints: “Yes, I am. I believe in Jesus Christ and am a member of His restored Church.”
His talk also reinforces the need to use the proper names among ourselves.
The rest of the world may or may not follow our lead in calling us by the correct name. But it is disingenuous for us to be frustrated if most of the world calls the Church and its members by the wrong names if we do the same.
Since President Nelson’s reemphasis, the contrast between those who have updated their terminology and those who continue to use the term Mormon has grown. In news and entertainment media, how the Church is referenced often signals the extent to which a source has carefully engaged with the Church. If blogs, podcasts, or popular TV shows continue using the term Mormon after repeated, clear requests from Church leadership and publications, it is a clue that they have not put effort into accurately portraying the Church. Many of us can likely think of a media outlet that clings to the use of the name Mormon for sensational reasons.
To me, President Nelson’s instruction to recenter Christ’s name well before the recent renewed public attention to Latter-day Saints (much of which still gets basic components of our faith incorrect) signifies his call as a prophet. In a contemporary media environment, where sensitivity to preferred names and self-identification has become increasingly prominent, using the name Mormon as a default descriptor sends a clear signal about a speaker, show, or publication’s attitudes and goals.
The terminology my friends choose often reveals how much care and consideration they take in expressing their attitudes towards the Church.
This potential for signaling is true in our personal lives as well. A colleague of mine once shared that he grew up with a really good “Latter-day Saint friend.” I was pleasantly surprised to hear him use the term. In doing so, it suggested to me that he may still have a respectful connection with that friend, or at least he had encountered and chosen to respect the Church’s preferred terminology. It also indicated that his friend had likely told him about using the preferred term Latter-day Saint rather than Mormon, showing this friend’s efforts to follow the prophet. Despite having never met the friend, I immediately felt a kinship with him and an increased connection to my colleague.
I also have several friends who have left the Church. Some still refer to church members as Mormons, even after I have expressed a preference for the term Latter-day Saints. I am not always sure what this decision means, but the terminology my friends choose often reveals how much care and consideration they take in expressing their attitudes towards the Church.
If we truly want others to stop calling us Mormons—and to start using the full name of the Church and preferred shorthands—then consistently calling ourselves Latter-day Saints is a great first step. It subtly reminds us of the other half of the Church’s name, Jesus Christ, and marks us as His followers.
What Calling Ourselves Latter-day Saints Shows the Lord
Calling ourselves Latter-day Saints is not an imperative, and the prophet and apostles use terms like “church members” frequently. I am not advocating that this term become a phylactery, or something we focus on so intently that we miss the mark and lose sight of the end goal.
But I do think that calling ourselves Latter-day Saints, even in casual conversation with other Church members, can do a few more things for us. Our earnest attempts to do so can show the Lord our hearts, our desire to be connected to Him, and our effort to follow President Nelson’s admonition. This small outward expression can suggest our greater inward commitment to follow Jesus Christ. Nephi delighted in plainness and taught that the Lord speaks to us according to our language and understanding, and we can emulate Him as we seek to do the same.
Finally, I want to once again look at the blessing promised by President Nelson: if we do our best to restore the correct name of the Lord’s Church, “He whose Church this is will pour down His power and blessings upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints.”
Notice who those blessings are for: the Latter-day Saints.
As we take upon ourselves the Latter-day Saint title, we can more clearly see ourselves in the Church, become perfected in Christ, and tie ourselves to Him through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. By referring to ourselves in this way, we speak with plainness and open the door for others to use the full name of the Church. As we think of ourselves as Latter-day Saints, we take His name upon us and show our desire to follow Him and receive all the blessings prepared for His Saints.
