Mormons in Canada will join others on 1 July 2013 to celebrate Canada Day. For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, citizenship and national pride are extensions of their faith.
| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
On Canada Day, some may attend a parade or a flag raising ceremony. Others may display the Canadian flag on their lawn. Still others may gather with friends and neighbours to share food, talents and watch fireworks. While the holiday is Canadian, the expressions of love of country are not exclusive to Canada.
One of the Articles of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.”
The freedom to practice religious convictions and rites is very much a part of the Church, regardless of where Latter-day Saints gather in the world. Another closely held belief is “We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.”
Latter-day Saints strive to demonstrate good citizenship by also taking care of one another in their local communities.
Mormons believe that by doing their best to be good citizens, they are making the world around them a more beautiful, peaceful and fair place for their own families and their fellow human beings.