The Real Latter-Day Saint

When I was serving my mission, one P-day, my companion and I were doing our grocery shopping. A young lady, who is one of the staff in that store smiled at us and asked, are you two Mormons? My companion and I were surprised by how she knows that we are Mormons. Both of us are Filipinos and are both wearing our ordinary casual clothes and no name tags. We asked her how she knew it. She simply says, “Well, I just could feel it”.

Was there anything special she saw from us that she positively knew that we are Latter-Day Saints? For my companion and I, we could see nothing special about us except that we are Elders and missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. But on that day with our ordinary casual clothes and wearing no name tags, how could one knew who we are.

There is a saying that one could always tell a Mormon in a crowd. Do you believe in that? Is there anything so special about us that we could easily be identified among the crowd. Well, let me tell you something, in fact, there is.

Do you know what a “Jack Mormon” is? A Jack Mormon is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints who does not behave like a real Latter-day Saint.

A real Latter-Day Saint is different. A real Latter-Day Saint knows who he is. He knows that he is a special child of God. And because he knows that he is a child of God he upholds himself a unique standard in his everyday life.

As Latter-day Saints we have a unique culture. We call it the "Mormon Culture". We follow the admonition of the apostle Paul when he said, “Be ye in the world, but not of the world.” We know that Heavenly Father has given us a wonderful chance in this life to choose between good and evil. And we know that when we make wrong choices suffer its consequences.

Latter-Day Saints are very talented people. They do not hide their talents. They constantly develop their talents to make use of them for good. Latter-day Saints are hard-working people.

Latter-Day Saints have a spirit of thankfulness in all of the things they say and do. They thank God each day of their lives and heartfully express their appreciation to others who helped them.

Latter-day Saints are wonderful people. They are very educated people. Latter-Day Saints honor their parents and strengthen their relationship with their brothers and sisters.

Latter-Day Saints only chooses friends with high moral standards. They treat everyone around them with love and respect. Latter-day Saints speak kindly to one another. They are very careful not to offend anyone in their words and in their actions.

Latter-Day Saints dress modestly to show their respect for God and themselves. They never lower their dress standards for any occasion.

He knows that he has a Father in Heaven. He knows that it is not only by chance that he is here on earth but that he knows that he is born on this earth for a special purpose. He knows that his life is a gift from God, his Father in Heaven.

He knows that while on this earth he will be given challenges in his life. He will come to know what is good and what is evil. Satan will try him. Satan will do all he can to persuade him and to keep him from going back to the presence of his Father in Heaven. But he knows that he, too, is a son of God and that he has the power to cast away Satan.

Latter-day Saints know that they are now living in a world full of temptations. But they know that through the power of prayer and fasting they will always have the strength to overcome the power of evil.