Whether you’ve grown up as a member of the
Church or were more recently introduced to it, there are plenty of words and
phrases unique to Mormon culture that you hear used all the time. But have you
ever heard or seen one of these used incorrectly? Add to our list in the
comments below!
Councilor and Counselor
Did
the high councilor speak in sacrament meeting today or did you meet with the
second counselor in the Bishopric? While this one can be confusing whether
you’re a member of the Church or not, remembering which form of this word to
use can get especially tricky for Latter-day Saints, who use both words on a
regular basis.
What’s the difference?
A
councilor is a
member of a group that administrates. In the Church, high councilors are members of
the stake council and help coordinate and direct the activities of wards within
their stake.
A
counselor is
someone who gives advice. There are counselors in the Bishopric, Relief
Society, and many other organizations in the Church. Their job is to help give
advice, input, and support to the leaders of those organizations.
Patriarchal
With
all those consonants jammed together, no wonder this one gets tricky to spell,
let alone say! As much as we like showing respect for our country, it's not a
patriotical blessing. If you struggle with saying this word as much as I do,
try breaking it into four smaller words, MadGab-style: Pay-tree-are-call.
How do we use it?
This
word is most commonly used in the Church as part of the phrase “patriarchal
blessing.” Since a patriarch is a father or founder, a patriarchal blessing
from our ultimate Father and Founder—Heavenly Father.
Terrestrial, not Terrestial
Considering
that this one is usually surrounded by Celestial and Telestial,
it’s easy to forget that the Terrestrial kingdom has an extra “r” thrown in.
How do we use it?
The
terrestrial kingdom’s glory is compared to the light of the moon. D&C 76
tells us that those who will inherit this degree of glory will be honorable,
but will not have been “valiant in the testimony of Jesus.”
Proselyting or Proselytizing?
Though
the Church has used both of these words throughout the years, proselytizing has
become the more common and accurate word to use.
How do we use it?
Most
Latter-day Saints will be familiar with this word in connection to missionary
work. Serving a proselytizing mission or proselytizing while on a mission
simply means to go out and find people to teach about the gospel.
Melchizedek
This
one’s difficult to pronounce, but is frequently used in connection to the
higher priesthood.
How do we use it?
The
Aaronic Priesthood is considered the first step in the priesthood and has
certain responsibilities. The Melchizedek is the next and has additional
responsibilities. The Melchizedek Priesthood authority is actually the “Holy
Priesthood after the Order of the Son.” However, to avoid too frequent
repetition of the Lord's name, it began being called after Melchizedek,
because he was such a great high priest.
Stake or Steak?
The
stakes could be high when you invite a friend not from church to your stake
barbecue and there isn’t any steak!
How do we use it?
This
is a common term in the Church and refers to a group of wards—usually around
3-5 thousand members. The term originally came from D&C, which describes
large gatherings of saints as “stakes of Zion.” These
“stakes” are meant to stay firmly planted in the ground and help support the
“tent” of Zion.
MTC, not Empty Sea
Where
is the Empty
Sea
anyway? Is it near the Dead Sea? Or the Red Sea? While this one might be a more
common mix-up for neighbors and friends outside the Church, even children or
youth in the Church might be confused about why the missionaries had to report
to the Empty Sea!
How do we use it?
This
is a funny mistake that sometimes happens when we talk about missionaries going
to the MTC—short for “Missionary Training Center”—to learn how to be a missionary
before entering the field.
Deseret, dessert, or desert?
These
three words are more tricky to remember how to spell than to say. But they can
still be confusing when pioneers who didn't desert the faith are eating dessert
in their desert home of Deseret!
How do we use it?
Deseret
is a term that is originally found in the Book of Mormon, meaning “honeybee.”
The saints originally proposed “State of Deseret” for the name of their
territory, and the University of Utah was originally the University of Deseret.
Though this name is used much less frequently today, it is still recognizably a
part of one of the largest LDS bookstores, Deseret Book.
Kirtland vs. Kirkland
This
mix-up is pretty uniquely Mormon, thanks to our history in Kirtland, Ohio.
How do we use it?
Shortly
after the Church was formed, the Saints gathered in a settlement in northern
Ohio called Kirtland. Here they built a temple and remained until 1838, until
persecution forced them to move on to Missouri. Just remember: Kirtland
is the temple. Kirkland is the brand your mom buys at Costco.
