After Christ was resurrected and left this earth, the essential doctrines and truths that He taught were slowly lost to the world. Eventually the world fell into a period of apostasy, in which no full truth or any priesthood power could be found. The restoration of all things was prophesied by Peter when he spoke about “the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”^[1] Mormons believe that the restoration of all things began when God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820.

Several events will be a part of the full restoration: the re-establishment of Christ’s church as He organized it during His mortal life; the restoration of the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods;  the restoration of sacred temple ordinances and priesthood keys; the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon, restoring essential gospel truths to the world; the gathering of Israel; the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and His consequent millennial reign on the earth; and the gospel of Jesus Christ accepted worldwide.

Several of these promised restorations have already happened. Peter, James, and John came to Joseph Smith to restore the power of the priesthood; The Church of Jesus Christ was officially established in these days in 1830; Moses, Elias, and Elijah appeared in the Kirtland temple to restore the essential priesthood keys of the gathering of Israel, the keys of the dispensation of Abraham, and the power of the sealing keys, which enables families to be sealed together forever.

God’s ultimate plan for this earth is coming together in the restoration of all things. This restoration includes worldwide missionary work and the building of temples all around the globe. The Lord seeks to make every one of His children aware of the truth so that they may have the opportunity to choose to follow Him.

The purpose of the restoration is to prepare the world and God’s children for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. God will not leave His children unprepared and has taken critical steps to ensure that His gospel will be made available to everyone through the restoration of all things. Without the restoration, the Savior could not come to reign on earth again, and truths crucial to our salvation would be out of our reach. Because of the restoration of all things, we can come unto Christ more fully and completely than we could before this restoration. The restoration of all things is evidence that God loves and cares for each and every one of His children and wants them to be happy both in this life and in the life to come.

How the Mormon Youth Program Is Structured

The Church of Jesus Christ has an structured organization for its youth. At 12 years old, boys and girls move from Primary, the children’s organization, to Young Men and Young Women. They stay in the Young Men and Young Women programs until they turn 18 or graduate from high school.

On Sundays youth have their own Sunday School classes with curriculum written for them and addressing their needs. They also attend classes specific to their gender and age group. Young women attend classes taught by Young Women leaders, where they learn about Jesus Christ, temples, and other doctrinal topics, as well as about family roles, education, and conduct standards. Young men attend specific priesthood classes where they learn about the same doctrinal tenets as the Young Women but in context of the priesthood they hold.

Mormon youth also meet once a week for Mutual, which other faiths might call youth group. Sometimes they separate into their Young Men and Women classes, and sometimes they have activities together. Their activities involve everything from sports and crafts to service and doctrinal lessons. They also hold camps and conferences throughout the year.

What Mormon Youth Learn about Jesus Christ

The curriculum designed for Mormon youth all points to Jesus Christ. At this point in their lives, these teenagers are coming to know their Savior better and may even been struggling with believing that He is real. The lessons taught to Mormon youth teach about Jesus Christ and His reality as our Savior and Redeemer. They learn about grace, repentance, and forgiveness. These are lessons crucial for youth, who all face challenging coming-of-age experiences and choices.

The primary focus of all the lessons written and taught Mormon youth is Jesus Christ. These lessons go beyond the basics taught in Primary and really hone in on application and understanding of doctrine. They learn that by living by high standards, they understand and come closer to the Lord.

Mormon youth are taught that they are sons and daughters of Heavenly Father, a piece of doctrine critical to teenagers, who are at a point where solidifying their identities is so important. The leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ has a great desire for the youth to know who they are, because when you know that you’re a child of God, the way you view the world and your choices is deeply affected.

Mormon youth are also given specific standards to uphold. These standards are found in the For Strength of Youth pamphlet issued by The Church of Jesus Christ. Mormon standards include being honest, abstaining from drugs and alcohol, paying tithing, remaining chaste, and expressing gratitude. The aim of all youth curriculum and standards is to bring youth unto Jesus Christ and empower them to make choices that will lead them to God’s temple to make and keep sacred promises.

Mormon Youth Have Achievement Programs

One of the key aspects of youth curriculum is the achievement programs for young men and young women. Young men are involved in Duty to God, a program that focuses on the boy’s priesthood responsibilities and helps him plan project to achieve specific goals. Young men in the United States are also encouraged to participate in the Boy Scouts of America program.

Young women are enrolled in Personal Progress, a program that focuses on applying the eight values of the Young Women program.^[1] This program typically takes four to six years to complete and involves frequent goal-setting and project planning. When young women complete Personal Progress, they receive the Young Womanhood Recognition award from The Church of Jesus Christ. Personal Progress teaches young women about their divine identity, the impact and value of meaningful service, and the active role faith should play in their lives, among other important life lessons.

The Church of Jesus Christ Prepares Mormon Youth

I was able to participate fully in the youth program of The Church of Jesus Christ, and it was an irreplaceable part of my adolescence. Not only did I make lasting friendships with my peers and leaders, but I also came to a deeper understanding of my purpose here on earth. I developed a stronger testimony of Jesus Christ and came to better understand that I am truly a daughter of God. My participation in the activities–as well as my participation in Personal Progress–taught me valuable life skills and essential gospel doctrines.

Mormon youth are especially prepared to face the challenges in today’s world. They have firm foundations in Jesus Christ and know where they need to be to be an effective disciple of the Lord. When people are strengthened and supported in these formative years, they are better equipped to handle the opposition and trials that they will encounter throughout their lives. Youth need to have their own testimonies of the Savior, and The Church of Jesus Christ gives them every opportunity to come to the Lord.

What Happens During Mormon Sunday Worship

It’s true. On Sundays Mormons go to church for three hours, and yes, that is a long time. The three-hour service is divided into three separate blocks, and the order of these varies from congregation to congregation. (Mormons call their congregations wards.) The most important service is sacrament meeting. For this meeting, the whole ward meets together in the chapel, with the service beginning and ending with a hymn and prayer. The crux of sacrament meeting is the blessing and passing of the sacrament, an ordinance similar to communion in other faiths. The sacrament is so central to Sunday worship services because it represents the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on our behalf. The sacrament is a time to reflect on the past week, repent of shortcomings, and resolve–through the Savior–to do and be better. This is a time where church members renew the promises they made with God at their baptism. Partaking of the sacrament is very sacred and personal. After the sacrament, the congregation typically hears a set of talks, or speeches assigned to fellow church members on specific gospel topics.

Because The Church of Jesus Christ is a lay clergy, the sermons delivered are often given by regular church members. The bishop of the ward, who is comparable to a pastor or minister, presides over sacrament meeting and will often spend a few moments speaking to the congregation himself. The second block of Sunday services is usually a Sunday School class. There are often several classes members can attend, ranging in topics from scripture study to family history to missionary work to family relationships. The teenagers and children have their own classes that they attend with age-appropriate curriculum. The final block on Sundays is dedicated to specific church organizations. The men convene together in priesthood classes, the women gather for Relief Society, teenagers separate to attend their respective Young Men and Young Women classes, and children go to Primary. All church members are given ample opportunity each Sunday to strengthen their testimonies of Jesus Christ and serve one another.

Blessings from Sunday Worship

One of the things I love about my Sunday worship is that Sundays feel different from the other days. I know that I will dress up and take my family to church, that we won’t engage in other work or pastimes because our focus will be on worshipping God. When Christ created the world, He rested on the seventh day, and He has asked us to do the same. Sundays and Sunday worship services provide me a simple and direct way to dedicate my time to Heavenly Father. I get to rest from my other stresses and responsibilities and focus on my relationship with Jesus Christ. Sundays are beautiful days. I’ve been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ my whole life, so I’m accustomed to my Sundays being dedicated to worship. I won’t pretend, however, that sometimes those three hours can feel long. Especially now that my husband and I have a baby, Sundays are sometimes a challenge to get through. Every single week, though, I am grateful for the opportunity to renew my promises with God through the sacrament. I love that I get to learn about my Savior and learn more about His gospel and doctrine. I have opportunities to connect with other church members and learn from them. I know that God blesses me when I go to church. Our friend has been to sacrament meeting with my family once or twice. I could see the Spirit touch him, even though he didn’t stay for the full three hours. I pray that someday he’ll understand the blessing of Mormon Sunday worship and see that those three hours are a special time in the week.