Glossary
Plain-language definitions of the LDS (Latter-day Saint) terms used in this site. You don't need to believe any of this for the reframes to be usable — but knowing the vocabulary makes everything readable.
| Term | Plain meaning |
|---|---|
| LDS / Latter-day Saint | A member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Sometimes called "Mormons" (an older nickname the Church no longer prefers). |
| The Standard Works | The four books Latter-day Saints treat as scripture: the Bible (King James Version), the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. |
| Book of Mormon | A volume of scripture Latter-day Saints believe records God's dealings with ancient peoples in the Americas. Cited by book and chapter, e.g. Alma 37:6 or 2 Nephi 2:25. |
| D&C (Doctrine and Covenants) | A book of revelations, mostly given through Joseph Smith in the 1800s. Cited by section and verse, e.g. D&C 121:7. |
| Pearl of Great Price | A short book of scripture including the Book of Moses — hence citations like Moses 1:39. |
| Agency | The God-given ability and right to choose for yourself. A core LDS doctrine: you are free to act, not merely to be acted upon. |
| The natural man | Scriptural shorthand for the untrained, selfish, ego-driven part of human nature — the part that must be outgrown. |
| Atonement of Jesus Christ | Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection, which Latter-day Saints believe makes forgiveness, healing, and change possible. |
| Repentance | Honest change: recognizing a wrong, feeling real (not self-hating) sorrow, making it right, and turning forward. Viewed as joyful progress, not punishment. |
| Tender mercies | Small, personal, well-timed blessings — the little coincidences believers read as God's individual attention. |
| Word of Wisdom | The LDS health code (D&C 89): no alcohol, tobacco, coffee, or tea; emphasis on wholesome food and moderation. Comes with promised physical and mental blessings. |
| Ministering | The Church's practice of members deliberately watching over and caring for one another. |
| Holy Ghost / the Spirit | The third member of the Godhead; the quiet inner voice believers say gives comfort, warning, and ideas. |
| Eternal progression | The doctrine that growth doesn't end at death — you can keep learning and becoming forever. |
| Zion | Both a place and an ideal: a community of one heart, no poor among them. |
| Testimony | A personal conviction that something is true, gained by living it and asking God — not by proof alone. |