Mormons believe that the prophet Joseph Smith was called upon to translate an ancient record of sacred writings.

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WE ARE YOUR NEIGHBORS: A LOCAL LOOK AT A DIVERSE & WORLDWIDE CHURCH

A Local Look at the Mormon Moment,

Date published: 2/12/2012

THE FREDERICKSBURG area is rich in people who firmly claim the right to religious freedom, a tradition that dates back at least to 1779 when Thomas Jefferson drafted the remarkable Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom in this community. As the ecclesiastical leader of my church in this area I am grateful to Mr. Jeffer-son for his foresight, not only as a leader in Virginia, but as an inspiration to the world.

My church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known more commonly as Mormons. Owing to the seeming hailstorm of questions and events surrounding the church at this time, I thought it a great opportunity to write about our beliefs and activities. My hope is to provide a moment of truth and reflection about us as a people, away from the distractions of politics and misrepresentations of our beliefs. I suspect that for many living in our region Mormons are a bit of a mystery.

WHO WE ARE

There are approximately 5,000 members of the church in the Greater Fredericksburg area. We meet in 14 different congregations, including one congregation for unmarried, young, single adults and another for those who speak Spanish.

Statewide, there are nearly 90,000 members meeting in nearly 200 congregations. Nationwide, there are more than 6 million members, making our church the fourth largest denomination in the country. Worldwide, there are more than 14 million members of our faith who gather for worship in more than 28,000 congregations in 177 countries, listening to services in more than 180 languages.

It is truly a worldwide church.

Local members in this area work as lawyers, doctors, nurses, plumbers, carpenters, car salesmen, real estate agents, congressional staff, housewives, retirees, computer programmers, and small-business owners. One is a state legislator, others are military professionals, and many more serve as professional and civil-service workers. In other words, we are your neighbors.