Usage of the term

Origin of Latter Day Saint

The first known use of the term Latter Day Saint was in 1834, shortly before the Church of Christ was informally renamed “the Church of the Latter Day Saints” to distinguish it from other “Churches of Christ” that were being established at the time.[1] The term derives from Smith’s teaching that adherents of the religion God established were “saints” in the same sense that Paul of Tarsus used the term, meaning that they were followers of Christ. They are termed latter day saints in order to distinguish them from the saints of the early Christian church (former day saints)[citation needed]. The church adopted the term officially April 16, 1838 with a revelation delivered through Smith, “For thus shall my church be called in the last days, even the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.”[2]

Latter Day Saint vs. Mormon

Latter Day Saints are commonly referred to as Mormons, a nickname derived from the title of The Book of Mormon. However, the size and prominence of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have led to the terms Mormon and Mormonism being generally understood to apply only to the church and its members; that is, to the Latter-day Saints. The desire of the church to emphasize doctrinal teaching of Jesus Christ has led to its urging journalists to use the terms Latter-day Saint and Mormon only in reference to members of the church or as an adjective in such expressions as Mormon pioneers, while referring to the church as either The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or the shortened form, the Church of Jesus Christ.[3]

Notes

1. See “Minutes of a Conference”, Evening and Morning Star, vol. 2, no. 20, p. 160.
2. Burton, Rulon (1994) We Believe: Doctrines and Principles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City:
Tabernacle Books. ISBN 0964069601
3. LDS Style Guide