"Utah Speak" Part One - The Must Knows

Life in Utah is easier if one can avoid that “village idiot” feeling of which I am so familiar. So, I created a “Utah Speak” Glossary. I am blown away by how many terms I now know that I had NEVER heard before our move. There is a lot to take in, so I offer it to you in parts. Today’s Bit … The Must Knows – if you don’t know these you are lost!

LDS – Latter Day Saints (Mormons)

Ward – Members of a local church in a geographical area (you don’t get to pick where you go to church)

Stake – Group of Wards

Bishop – the religious leader of a ward (your neighbor)

Missionary – single young men and women in their late teens and early twenties assigned to a church mission usually far away from home (not a sexual position)

Elder – title for male missionaries (not an old man)

Temple – sacred LDS buildings where ceremonies are performed for the living and the dead. The temple is off limits to non-Mormons and Mormons without a temple recommend

Temple Square – 10 acre city block in Salt Lake City where the Salt Lake Temple and Tabernacle are located

Book of Mormon – part of the Mormon scriptures

Joseph Smith – founder of the LDS faith and first prophet

Brigham Young – the LDS leader who led the movement to Salt Lake City (Mormon Moses)

Prophet - refers to Joseph Smith or the President of the Mormon Church (Thomas Monson is current prophet)

Deseret –Book of Mormon word meaning “honey bee” (many LDS owned business’ use this term)

DI – Deseret Industries which is like the Goodwill (Funny story – see post on 4/30/09)

Garments – sacred ceremonial undergarments associated with temple covenants (often referred to as secret underwear)

The U – University of Utah

The Y – BYU (Brigham Young University)