Mitt Romney Mormon

Maybe it will come in handy in 2012 or 2016.

In the last General Conference, which occurred one week ago, Elder Richard G. Scott spoke about prayer, mentioning President Hinckley’s prayer at the conclusion of the October 2001 General Conference as an example of effective and sincere prayer.

I have learned much about prayer by listening to President Hinckley offer supplications in our meetings. You can also learn from him by carefully studying the exceptional public prayer he offered at the conclusion of the October 2001 conference for Father’s children throughout the world. He prayed from his heart, not from a prepared manuscript.

Study that prayer, and you will find that there are no vain repetitions, no posturing to impress others, as sometimes occurs. He combines simple words eloquently. He prays as a humble, trusting son who knows well his beloved Father in Heaven. He confides in the certainty that His answer will come when most needed. Each prayer is tailored to its purpose, with a clear statement of what needs resolution, as well as ample expression of gratitude for specific, recognized blessings. His spontaneous prayers are like crafted gems, a silent witness to the fundamental place prayer has occupied in his life for many, many years. (Elder Richard G. Scott, “Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer”)

Here is the text of the prayer to which Elder Scott referred. This was one month after the September 11th attack.

O God, our Eternal Father, Thou great Judge of the Nations, Thou who art the governor of the universe, Thou who art our Father and our God, whose children we are, we look to Thee in faith in this dark and solemn time. Please, dear Father, bless us with faith. Bless us with love. Bless us with charity in our hearts. Bless us with a spirit of perseverance to root out the terrible evils that are in this world. Give protection and guidance to those who are engaged actively in carrying forth the things of battle. Bless them; preserve their lives; save them from harm and evil. Hear the prayers of their loved ones for their safety. We pray for the great democracies of the earth which Thou hast overseen in creating their governments, where peace and liberty and democratic processes obtain.

O Father, look with mercy upon this, our own nation, and its friends in this time of need. Spare us and help us to walk with faith ever in Thee and ever in Thy Beloved Son, on whose mercy we count and to whom we look as our Savior and our Lord. Bless the cause of peace and bring it quickly to us again, we humbly plead with Thee, asking that Thou wilt forgive our arrogance, pass by our sins, be kind and gracious to us, and cause our hearts to turn with love toward Thee. We humbly pray in the name of Him who loves us all, even the Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and our Savior, amen. (President Gordon B. Hinckley, “Till We Meet Again”)

The Mormon church encourages modest dress and demeanor. Mormon girls and boys are encouraged to follow the guidelines in the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet:

Servants of God have always counseled his children to dress modestly to show respect for him and for themselves. Because the way you dress sends messages about yourself to others and often influences the way you and others act, you should dress in such a way as to bring out the best in yourself and those around you. However, if you wear an immodest bathing suit because it’s “the style,” it sends a message that you are using your body to get attention and approval, and that modesty is not important.

Immodest clothing includes short shorts, tight pants, and other revealing attire. Young women should refrain from wearing off-the-shoulder, low-cut, or revealing clothes. Young men should similarly maintain modesty in their dress. All should avoid tight fitting or revealing clothes and extremes in clothing and appearance.

Source: For the Strength of Youth: Dress and Appearance

Since recent fashion trends are toward bare midriffs and sleeveless styles, several clothiers have sprung up to bridge the gap (pun intended) between what faithful Mormons want to wear and what is sold in stores. Companies like Modbe, ComforTeez, and Great Lengths sell a variety of camisoles, cap sleeves, and tank tops that Mormon girls and women can wear underneath their clothes, making it possible to wear a wider variety of styles.

1. Endowed Mormons are those who have participated in a series of Mormon temple ceremonies called the endowment. This usually occur before leaving on a Mormon mission or before getting married. Read more about the Mormon temple endowment.

USA Today reports that 15 members of Congress are Mormon. The Church encourages participation in civics, which explains this more than proportionate participation by members of the Church. As to whether a Mormon can become president of the United States, BYU Professor Quin Monson says, “If a Mormon can be elected as governor of Massachusetts and a Mormon can be Senate majority leader, certainly a Mormon can be president.”

When Tucker Carlson mentioned that some Southern christians don’t consider Mormon christians, Michael Graham responded that “evangelicals [don't] consider Judaism a form of Christianity either, and yet Joe Lieberman is wildly popular and is probably the most popular Democrat among Southern Republicans. In the modern era, it is not one religion versus another.” (MediaMatters.org)

Speaking of the Church, Senator Reid said: “The church has been a wonderful thing in my life. It helps me try to always do the right thing, understand that what you do has consequences.”

Source: USA Today

“Mormonism is a Christian religion, but the biggest thing is we believe we know where we’re going when we die. It’s not just about heaven and hell. The Bible says we’re all made in God’s image but we believe that literally – that God is a man. Other religions have always shied away from embracing that particular concept, but we don’t: we really think God’s a dude.” Flowers laughs. “I’ve always been a believer. It’s always been a big part of my life even when I was young. There’s always been that push-and-pull of living in Sin City and believing in God. And now it’s become absolutely incredible, after all that’s happened to us.”

Source: The Saints of Sin City (The Guardian)

Additional reading: Former BYU’s student’s brother is lead singer of the Killers (BYU Daily Universe)