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SALT LAKE CITY — President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints further explained Sunday the church’s August decision to clarify the name of the church and discourage the use of nicknames, such as “Mormon Church” or “LDS Church."
Responses to the announcement of the name clarification have been mixed, President Nelson said. However, he said using the proper name of the church is “not negotiable” because it follows directives given in scripture that the church should be named after Jesus Christ.
"What’s in a name? When it comes to the name of the Lord’s Church, the answer is, everything!" President Nelson said. "Jesus Christ directed us to call the church by His name because it is His church, filled with His power."
Church officials announced the name clarification on Aug. 16, and asked to be referred to by media and others as “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” on first reference and as “The Church,” “Church of Jesus Christ” or “restored Church of Jesus Christ” in abbreviated names.
Members of the church should be referred to as "members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" or "Latter-day Saints,” not “Mormons,” church officials said. The commonly-used term "Mormon" refers to the ancient prophet who church members believe compiled the book of scripture, The Book of Mormon. Another nickname, "LDS," is an abbreviation of "Latter-day Saint."
"The Lord impressed upon my mind the importance of the name He decreed for His Church, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. " @NelsonRussellM#GeneralConferencepic.twitter.com/8Bm71SiH9W
— The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (@LDSchurch) October 7, 2018
“It is not a name change, it is not rebranding, it is not cosmetic, it is not a whim and it is not inconsequential. Instead, it is a correction,” President Nelson said at the Conference Center during his Sunday morning address. “It is the command of the Lord. Joseph Smith did not name the church restored through him; neither did Mormon.”
He added that critics say a correction now might be “unwise” because of digital trends and search engine optimization.
“If this were a discussion about branding a man-made organization, those arguments might prevail," President Nelson said. "But in this crucial matter, we look to Him whose church this is and acknowledge that the Lord’s ways are not, and never will be, man’s ways.”
President Nelson also said if church members would make an effort to use the correct name when referring to the church, they would be given power and blessings from God "the likes of which we have never seen."
