Globalization and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

              The topic I have chosen to address is certainly broad: The Globalization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  To baptized members of the church, the globalizing of the ecclesiastical entity is a fulfillment of prophecy.  The Resurrected Savior commissioned his disciples to, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:19).  This has meant a continual increase in missionary and humanitarian efforts world-wide, which has greatly blessed the lives of many thousands of people who feel lost or forsaken, either spiritually or physically.

                As members, we support and sustain this growth.  We desire all to receive the blessings so prevalent in our lives.  How do non-members feel about these efforts?  This is what I plan to focus on, and to whom I will address my Issues Paper.  As I address either agnostic or religious individuals outside of the church, I plan to evaluate a few specific benefits to which they will be privileged as the church continues to grow.

                The most disputed movement recognized by non-members is the building of temples.  From my research and observation thus far, it seems that they are fairly impartial until a new temple is announced in their neighborhood.  In recent years, it has almost become a fad to protest the building of temples in many forms – most popular, however, tends to be disputations pertaining to size, lighting, and traffic.  To counter this argument, I will address the economic benefits that accompany the building of new temples.  There are facts that support the increase of real estate and business value in the area surrounding the temple. 

                Additionally, I will analyze the benefits of missionary work and humanitarian efforts.  I will also briefly discuss the Boy Scout Program and Family History efforts along with other programs offered by the church to members of all faiths.

                To illustrate these points, I will first establish with statistical data that the church is rapidly expanding.  The increase in overall church membership, membership outside of the United States, and the recent surge of missionaries are just a few staggering figures that narrate this point.  I will also add testimonials from members and non-members of the spiritual and temporal advantages to being involved with the church and its functions.

                I continually worry about the organization of my paper.  I want it to flow well with very specific structure.  In order to do this, I will choose a few specific topics to deeply analyze, as stated above.  My hope is to make more clear the many blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ as we strive to fulfill the Savior’s commission and honor the covenants we've made to stand as witnesses of God at all times.