Some weeks ago, I released a statement regarding a course correction for the
name of the Church. I did this because 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. Let me explain why we care so deeply about this
issue. But first, let me state what this effort is not. 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. When it comes to nicknames of
the Church such as "LDS Church," "The Mormon Church," or "The Church of the Latter-day
Saints," the most glaring omission is the absence of the Savior's name. When we
discard the Savior's name we are subtly disregarding all that Jesus Christ did
for us, even his Atonement. Every Sunday as we partake worthily of the sacrament
we make anew our sacred promise to our Heavenly Father that we are willing to
take upon us the name of his Son, Jesus Christ. We promise to follow Him, repent,
keep His commandments and always remember Him. When we omit His name from
His Church we are inadvertently removing Him as the central focus of our lives.
Because of the digital world in which we live and with search engine optimization
that helps all of us find information we need almost
instantly, including information about the Lord's Church, critics say that a
correction at this point is unwise. Others feel that because we're known so
widely as "Mormons" and as "The Mormon Church" we should make the best of it. If
this were a discussion about branding a man-made organization those arguments
might prevail 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. If we will
be patient, and if we will do our part well, the Lord will lead us through this
important task we will want to be courteous and patient in our efforts to
correct these errors. Responsible media will be sympathetic in responding to our
requests. So, what's in a name? When it comes to the name of the Lord's Church
the answer is everything. Jesus Christ directed us to call a church by His name
because it is his Church filled with His power.