Globalization and the Church

One cannot debate that we live in a globalized world.  Globalization, which can be defined as the spread of political, economic, and cultural dynamics beyond the borders of any one particular country, is largely responsible for this (Samuels, 2013).  There are many arguments for and against globalization.  Some say that it sends jobs overseas and weakens the economy.  Others argue that a larger economy produces more and increase the standard of living. This leads members of the LDS faith to ask, how does globalization affect the LDS church?  We will use recent events and accomplishments in missionary work as well as quotes from scriptures and modern-day prophets to show that globalization has both negative and positive effects on the Church and that overall it provides a net benefit to it.

            One positive effect on the Church as a result of globalization is the efficiency of missionary work.  In other dispensations, the Gospel was limited to just the surrounding regions of the prophets at the time.  Yet, as transportation has become faster and easier, the Gospel has been brought to nearly all the world.  This has allowed the Church to go from having just one foreign mission in 1837 to having many in Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, and Central and South America (“Missions”).   Currently, there are 100 foreign language options in which one can view the Church website (“Select a Language”).  Furthermore, the internet allows the Gospel to become globalized as people from all over the world can learn about it. All of these factors result in more converts and members of the Church, in large part due to globalization.  In this way the Church has benefited immensely from globalization. 

            Despite these gains from cultural and economic globalization, the Church can suffer as a result of political globalization, which can erode some of the very principles the Church believes in and advocates – that of freedom and individual liberty.  This can happen as unelected governing bodies such as the United Nations introduce treaties and laws that affect the United States, such as the Arms Trade Treaty, which, if passed, would regulate the trade of small arms that enter the U.S. (“UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty”).  Laws such as this can weaken the political sovereignty of the United States and is in direct violation of the Second Amendment of the Constitution.  Regarding the Constitution, Joseph Smith said, “Come, all ye lovers of liberty, break the oppressor’s rod…and bring to condign punishment all those who trample underfoot the glorious Constitution and the people’s rights” (“Joseph Smith Quotes on Freedom”).  Furthermore, an unelected global organization such as the U.N. may have even been mentioned by Moroni in the Book of Ether of the Book of Mormon, in which he describes a secret combination in our day that “seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries…” (“Ether 8”).  Therefore, political globalization can weaken a nation’s sovereignty and freedom, both of which are principles that the LDS Church advocates and believes in.

            Thus, while globalization has had very positive effects for the Church due to the greater efficiency of missionary work and the ability to disseminate knowledge of the Gospel all over the world, it can also be a threat to individual liberty, which is contrary to the Gospel.  However, many of these threats to freedom are not in the near future, while the advances in missionary work are increasing every day.  Therefore, while political globalization can harm certain principles the Church believes in, cultural and economic globalization have been extremely positive for the Church, thus creating a net gain from globalization.      

Works Cited

"Ether 8  ." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.             <http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/ether/8?lang=eng>.

"Joseph Smith Quotes on Freedom, America, Constitution, Liberty, Etc.” Latter-day         Conservative. N.p., n.d.             Web. 4 Dec. 2012.      <http://www.latterdayconservative.com/quotes/joseph-smith/>.

"Missions." Encyclopedia of Mormonism. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.             <http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Missions>.

Samuels, David. Comparative politics. New York: Pearson Education, 2013. Print.

"Select a Language." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec.       2012. <http://www.lds.org/languages?lang=eng>.

"UN Conference on the Arms Trade Treaty." United Nations. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.             <http://www.un.org/disarmament/ATT/>.

Blog 10: Globalization and the Church

`               The effect of globalization has long been debated. One sort of globalization in debate is in the cultural realm. This would involve the globalization of religion. When studying its effects on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it seems that globalization is a good thing.

                Although globalization is very difficult to define, one definition is that it is the process of the world becoming a single market in terms of supply and demand,¹ which constitutes a spread of culture and ideas across countries. Although this can have some negative effects for the church, including the disintegration of the family and of morals, overall, it helps the church to spread the gospel across the world.

                The LDS church has seen amazing growth in their membership numbers, even in a time of declining participation in religion in the world. In 1840 there were only 30,000 members. In 1900 this number had grown to 268,331. By 1950 it had reached the million mark, with 1,111,314 members.² And since then, this number has grown dramatically, as there are currently more than 14,441,346 members.³ And globalization is part of what has helped church membership to grow this much. Through this spread of culture throughout the world, the church has been able to preach the gospel to many parts of the world.

                One way that the LDS church has benefitted from globalization is through the globalization of technology. Cell phones, the internet, and many other sources of technology and media have become widespread in the world. Although this can have some bad consequences, the church has responded to it in a way that helps move along the work of the church. The church has created many websites, including lds.org, mormon.org, and familysearch.org. The church has apps and movies and music and many other forms of media sources.  It broadcasts firesides, music programs, and general conferences all over the world. The LDS church has taken advantage of this technological globalization and used it as a missionary tool to give millions access to the message of the gospel.

                The church has also benefitted from the globalization of politics. Through the globalization of politics and of culture, many different people and religions and governments have become more connected. This allows missionaries to be sent to many different areas of the world. This has also helped in the area of temple building and of the general authorities of the church and their ability to visit with many religious and political leaders in other countries. And it has allowed the church to provide a great deal of service throughout the globe.

                According to David J. Samuels, although globalization makes cultures more uniform, through a counterattack, it also allows them to flourish.⁴ This shows how the church can, indeed, use globalization effectively despite its many drawbacks. This spread of culture spreads the gospel. From the LDS church we can learn how to deal with the negative aspects of globalization and take advantage of the positive ones. They have taken advantage of technological, political, and cultural globalization to make the church global.

¹Professor Hawkins. Class Lecture. 3 Dec. 2012.

²The Annual Report of the Church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Jul 1972. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.

³Facts and Statistics. Newsroom. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 31 Dec. 2011. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.

⁴Samuels, David J. Comparative Politics. Pearson Education, Inc. 371.

The Church and Globalization

In 1833, in Kirtland, Ohio, the following prophecy was received: “And then cometh the day when the arm of the Lord shall be revealed in power in convincing the nations, the heathen nations, the house of Joseph, of the gospel of their salvation. For it shall come to pass in that day, that every man shall hear the fullness of the gospel in his own tongue, and in his own language, through those who are ordained unto this power, by the administration of the Comforter, shed forth upon them for the revelation of Jesus Christ” (D&C 90:10–11; emphasis added). The interesting thing about this prophecy is that when the Prophet Joseph Smith received it, to that point in time and for thousands of years prior, a good rider on a fast horse was the ticket for communication at a distance (Christensen, 2008). Following the Restoration of the gospel, an outpouring of innovation and invention took place that has connected the world in ways never before seen. As we read in the text, technology has transformed and progressed the development of globalization. Globalization has been a means in which the Church has prospered into an international religion. Globalization benefits the Church’s widespread development, the well-being of members and nonmembers, and the light in which others perceive the Church.

Globalization is, as defined by our guest speaker, the process by which a web of global connections between states and individuals becomes both increasingly intensive and extensive, or as Hawkins simply stated, the process by which the world becomes a single market (demand and supply).  Globalization has enabled millions more opportunities to learn of the gospel and be benefited by it.  The Church sends out 53,000 missionaries to over 350 missions in 162 nations (Wasden, 2004). Transportation has enabled missionaries, apostles, and prophets to travel to any country in the world to teach the people, dedicate temples, aid education and work opportunities, establish religion programs (institute and seminary), and direct the progress of the Church. Humanitarian aid has been offered in places, like Haiti, and in ways that were not previously possible in a less-globalized world due to the increase of communication and access to those areas.  “President Spencer W. Kimball mentioned that in his opinion, the scientists who developed jet aircraft were inspired by the Spirit in order to enable the leaders of the Church to travel rapidly from one place to another around the world to supervise the Church and its progress. He added that ‘of course, we let other people ride them (Christensen, 2008).’” As a result of globalization, the Church has changed countless lives in immeasurable ways.

Missionaries and other prominent leaders traveling are not the only sources for proclaiming the gospel worldwide; in fact, the Internet has caught the attention of more eyes and more hearts than personal meetings with missionaries.  Due to globalization, the Church has made itself known worldwide through websites like lds.org or Mormon.org and other broadcasts. General Conference is all-inclusive every six months and publicized through various sources in order to reach a larger audience. Social networking has taken the Church into a whole new light.  Many famous bloggers, such as Nienie Dialogues, or “I am a Mormon” Ads are created by members of the Church for various and often inspiring reasons.  These blogs, videos, and other works on social networks are viewed daily by millions of people worldwide. Technology and globalization have transformed the Church into a flourishing international religion.

The Church tries to maximize on every opportunity to share the gospel.  Globalization has opened up doors that have never existed due to the increase in the world’s interconnectedness. Globalization has enabled the Church to reach ears and hearts in more places and at more frequency than has ever been permitted. The prophet and apostles have repeatedly encouraged members to take advantage of the ways in which the gospel can be shared with others. Globalization interlinks the world by providing many ways to interrelate and communicate: online, radio, television, phone, satellite communication, jet-propelled aircrafts, etc. Globalization has facilitated ways and methods for “every man” to hear the fullness of the gospel.

Sources

Joe J. Christensen, “The Globalization of the Church Educational System,” in Global Mormonism in the 21st Century, ed. Reid L. Neilson (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2008), 183–201.

Samuels, David J.  “Comparative Politics”.  Pearson Education, 2012.  p. 346 

Wasden, K. L. (2004, October 05). Lds mission network. Retrieved from http://www.mission.net/

Globalization and the Church

Kyle Bradarich

Blog 10: Globalization and the Church

                Finding an answer to the overall impact globalization has had on nations and peoples continues to be one of the most widely contested issues of our time.  Globalization “refers to the increase in the scope and extent of political, economic, and cultural connections between governments, organizations, and individuals across state borders” (Samuels 2011, 346).  Proponents of globalization say that globalization has increased and accelerated economic growth worldwide and created greater peace and cooperation between nations.  Critics of globalization argue that globalization has benefited the advance economic states at the cost of the less developed states.  They argue that globalization has encouraged and produced even greater inequality between nations and peoples as advanced economies have largely exploited the less developed economies.  While it is certain that globalization has had both negative and positive consequences worldwide, I argue that the positive benefits globalization has brought the world largely outweigh the negative.  As your fellow BYU student and also as a member of the LDS Church I would like to focus specifically on how globalization has impacted the LDS Church and on how the Church has responded by taking advantage of this powerful global force.  Once again, I argue that the effects of globalization on the church have been largely positive.

                Not only as a resident of this world or as an American, but also as a Latter-day Saint, I feel very strongly that globalization has been and will continue to be largely a force for good in this world.  With increasing interconnectedness between nations and peoples, understanding for others, their beliefs, and their cultures has been greatly enhanced on a global scale.  The media, television, and the internet have helped immensely in this regard.  Where once the LDS Church was persecuted for being known as a cult, it is now being recognized for its high moral standards, humanitarian efforts, and dedicated members.  Ugly rumors about Joseph Smith or weird Church doctrines used to greatly mar the Church’s appearance.  With the creation of the internet, the church has responded by creating websites like LDS.org to help clearly explain Church truths, and prophets like Gordon B. Hinckley or Thomas S. Monson are interviewed on live television, even on such popular television shows as Larry King Live.  With the world becoming smaller, many of the things the Church does has come under closer scrutiny, yet because the Church really has nothing to hide, this has only blessed the Church with greater media attention to items such as its especial focus on the family, its extensive family history services, or its ongoing humanitarian efforts. 

Not only has the world’s perspective of the LDS church been demystified, but members too have greatly benefitted from the effects of globalization.  Church conference talks are made available to all members everywhere through live satellite broadcasts; and afterwards, church members can download from the internet these same talks and put them on their I-phones so that they can listen to them anytime they want.  The quick and efficient dissemination of important information such as conference talks to church members from Church leaders is a vital service that the tools of globalization have brought.  And nonmembers who are investigating the Church may look up information on the Church anytime they want.  

                Finally, the role that globalization has had in increasing economic and cultural connections between peoples internationally has played a very important part in the Church’s overall goals.  The LDS Church seeks worldwide to share its message of the restoration of the true Church of Jesus Christ.  Its goal is to proclaim repentance to literally all of the nations, kindred, and peoples of the world.  However, for this to happen, countries must first be willing to open their doors to foreign influences.  Economic globalization has pushed most countries to open up their borders through foreign trade and investment.  Among other things, today, the role of multinational corporations in providing jobs and revenue has proved so attractive that many countries have greatly lowered their tax rates and cut their labor costs just to attract MNCs to operate within their borders (Samuels 357-361).  This openness to foreign investment and influence has further spurred the dissemination and subsequent acceptance of foreign cultures and beliefs.  Increased tourism, another effect of globalization, has also helped countries further open their borders to outside influence.  The LDS Church has benefitted greatly by this openness as it has allowed for the Church’s establishment and missionary efforts in such countries which no one even 50 years ago would have imagined possible; countries such as Russia, China, or Israel (there are LDS branches in China and Israel; however, the Church is not allowed to proselyte there, yet).  The Church now has worldwide membership of 14,441,346 with a strong presence in at least 128 countries and with members in many more countries (Newsroom).  Furthermore, the increasing acceptance of cultures worldwide has fostered greater love and understanding between peoples.  The principles of love, compassion, and understanding are central to the doctrine of the LDS Church. 

                It is true that globalization has brought some negative consequences to the Church.  Some of these include negative media attention directed at the Church, incorrect information published online about the Church including anti-Mormon literature, and the widespread reach of pornography into virtually every home now occupied by a computer or television set.  However, for the most part, globalization has been largely positive for the Church as it has enhanced the Church’s image in the eyes of millions, perhaps billions.  Just consider for instance the good that has come to the church by the mostly positive media attention it attracted during presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s run for the U.S. presidency.  Through television and the press, people in countries across the globe were able to pay close attention to that election, many of whom previously probably didn’t know much anything about the Church.  This is just another one of the many ways that the Church has benefitted from the effects of globalization.  By looking at the way the Church has responded to globalization, we learn that the tools and effects of globalization such as television, the internet, and greater understanding of other cultures, can be very good things.  We learn that globalization creates great opportunities for the sharing of values and beliefs.  To summarize, I hold that although globalization may not have equally benefitted all peoples the same, it has greatly increased jobs, connections, understanding, peace, and acceptance for different peoples worldwide.

REFERENCES

 
Samuel. "Comparative Politics." Globalization, 346-372. New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2011.


Newsroom: Facts and Statistics. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints  http://www.mormonnews room.org/facts-and-statistics/ (accessed December 5, 2012).

Globalization and the Church

BLOG 10: Globalization and the Church

            Globalization is something that affects every country and civilization in the world. It is something that is becoming more apart of people’s lives. David J. Samuels defines globalization as, “The spread of political, economic, and cultural dynamics among government, groups, and individuals beyond the borders of any one particular country” (Samuels 346).  Overall, despite globalizations comebacks, it is good for the world and for the Mormon Church as ideas and views are spread that helps them to convert more people to the gospel.

Globalization has benefits and disadvantages, however often times the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. For example, globalization allows for an increased standard of living for the populations of the world because as big companies go to poorer countries, they are able to get benefits and a decent wage (Samuels 363). It also allows for spread of cultures and ideas because of trade. As countries become intertwined because of trade they are less likely to go to war. However, this decreases a countries ability to take care of themselves, because they become reliant upon different countries to sustain their needs (Samuels 363). This can become problematic when there are tensions in the region they are reliant upon. The international community also pays attention to human rights abuses, which can help to stop things like genocide from happening. However overall globalization’s benefits outweigh the costs if we compare the two.  

            Globalization is good for the Mormon Church. This is because they are now able to go into areas they may have not been able to before as Western culture is spread to more areas.  Donald Cannon and Richard Cowan in their book “Unto Every Nation” wrote, “Globalization is more than just an interesting topics; it is an urgent priority. The mission of the Church is to bring all people everywhere to Jesus Christ so that they might enjoy the eternal fruits of His gospel” (More Good Foundation 2006). A worldwide Church is certainly in a better position to accomplish this mission than one that is only local or even regional. Indeed, as globalization happens, the church is able to spread their ideas and views easier. No longer is Mormonism just a small church in Utah, but a worldwide church that can reach to a small village in Africa or a spacious city such as Mumbai. This is the spread of ideas through globalization.

            Indeed, it is the church’s mission to visit every location to try and convince all to come unto Christ. In D&C 84:62 we read: “Therefore, go ye into all the world; and unto whatsoever place ye cannot go ye shall send, that the testimony may go from you into all the world unto every creature.” Globalization enables the church to spread the gospel throughout the world to every creature. Globalization makes people more willing to accept Western culture and ideas because they are used to it through seeing Western things like coke. It also spreads ideas such as education for all, which the church supports.

            Globalization also helps the church by spreading technology. As technology is spread, it is easier to share the gospel. Not only can members now hear and see the prophet and apostles, but people can also use the Internet and TV to learn more about the church. This can make it a lot easier to share the gospel, especially as the church is increasing their base through things like Internet commercials and their websites.

            As the church is spread to countries through globalization, this can help the people, as they are able to lift themselves from poverty and other problems such as violence. Living by the church’s standards can change bad habits and give people resources to help themselves. For example, things like the church’s perpetual education fund can help first generation college students to get an education. They can also help to keep things like genocide from happening by promoting love of God and love of all people. As people understand the love of God for all people, it will be easier to love those that they hate.

            Globalization is the key to spreading the gospel, and one of the best ways to make the spreading of the gospel possible. Where missionaries can’t go, information about the church can go because of globalization as it spreads different cultures and ideas. It is one way to fulfill Joseph Smith’s prophecy, “The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; …the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.” (Joseph Smith). The work is being done and will continue to be done through the spread of globalization as ideas and cultures are spread.

REFERENCES

Smith, Joseph. History of the Church. Print.

More Good Foundation. 2006. Globalization for LDS. http://blog.moregoodfoundation.org

/67/globalization-for-lds-adopt-a-wiki (Accessed December 4, 2012)

Samuels, David J. 2013. Comparative Politics. New York: Pearson Education. Print.

Blog 10: BYU Political Review Article

            Globalization is a household word in our day. I discovered this while serving my mission: as I sat in the Los Angeles apartment of a Mexican immigrant family, my friends readily used the Spanish word globalización. I do not now remember the bulk of our conversation, but I remember feeling astonished at the facility with which this cognate seemed to be used across languages. Globalization is a real subject of conversation throughout the world. Yet – even among members of the Church – I have not been able to distinguish an overwhelmingly positive or negative reaction to globalization. The general consequences of globalization are indeed a subject of debate, so it is not too surprising that members of the Church and students at BYU disagree on this point. Despite the differing opinions of individual members of the Church, I propose that globalization is helping the Church to progress, particularly through the globalization of liberal politics and the culture of moral individualism.

            In order to clearly uphold this argument, allow me to define globalization here. By globalization, I understand the international diffusion of political, economic and social institutions, practices, values, and beliefs.

            First, the Church has progressed as a result of political globalization. Early on, Joseph Smith sent several missionaries among Native Americans to preach the restored gospel to them, with the particular promise of restoring the gospel to the Lamanites. The Church continued to identify native tribes as modern-day Lamanites through the Indian Placement Program, which was active from 1947 to 2000.[1] However, the Church recently revised the introduction to the Book of Mormon to teach that the Lamanites “are among the ancestors of the American Indians” where it previously taught that the Lamanites were their “principal ancestors.”[2] While it may be argued that this change is a result of new hypotheses regarding the origins of Native Americans, it must be noted that the idea that Native Americans came to America from the Orient is not a new one. The truth is that the Church has responded to the research available on the subject due to an increasing need to recognize political equality as part of the civil rights of all. While the original missionaries thought of themselves as the sons of Ephraim restoring the degenerate seed of Manasseh, Native American civil rights activism – spurred on by international recognition of human rights – has caused the Church to recognize the accuracy of research regarding native origins. Thus, political globalization has improved the accuracy of Church historiography.

            Second, cultural globalization has helped the Church to discern between truth and error. As the xenophobia that followed the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 has died off, American Christians have seen an increasing need to accept the legitimacy of Islam as a major world religion, and have become increasingly accepting of other belief systems in general. As members of the Church have experienced this shift to a global acceptance of religious liberty, they have frowned upon the old anti-papal Mormon idea that the Catholic Church was the church of the devil, described in the Book of Mormon as “the whore of all the earth.”[3] Members of the Church have come to cherish President Gordon B. Hinckley’s admonition to non-Church members to continue to value what truth they have gleaned from their previous religious experience and to then receive more truth as they enter the Church.[4] It is clear that the Church is no longer a religious society located in and around Utah, but rather a world-wide Church: one that has come to recognize – as a result of cultural globalization – the presence of truth in various belief systems.

            I would like to make two more observations regarding the impact of globalization on the Church. First, it must be observed that the Church abandoned more radical doctrines such as plural marriage early on, as the frontier closed, that is, as mainstream (monogamous) American culture diffused throughout the continent. Second, as the Church has stepped more and more in line with traditional American culture, it has adopted the culture that is currently dominating throughout the world as a result of globalization. Thus, globalization may facilitate the expansion of the Church, since it facilitates the assimilation of new members into Church culture.

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[1] Matthew Garrett, "Mormons, Indians and Lamanites: The Indian Student Placement Program, 1947-2000." Ph.D. dissertation, Arizona State University, 2010.

[2] Moore, Carrie A. (2007). Debate renewed with change in Book of Mormon introduction. Deseret News. Retrieved from http://www.deseretnews.com/article/695226008/Debate-renewed-with-change-in-Book-of-Mormon-introduction.html?pg=all, 04 Dec 2012.

[3] See 1 Nephi 14:10; McConkie, Joseph Fielding (2003), “The Mormon Doctrine Saga, 1958 and 1966”, The Bruce R. McConkie Story: Reflections of a Son, Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book, ISBN 1-59038-205-6.

[4] Hinckley, Gordon, B. (Aug. 1998). Excerpts from recent addresses of President Gordon B. Hinckley. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved from https://www.lds.org/ensign/1998/08/excerpts-from-recent-addresses-of-president-gordon-b-hinckley?lang=eng, 04 Dec 2012.

Globalization and the Church

                In a time where the world is becoming further and further globalized politically, economically, and culturally, institutions across society have been forced to adapt and change to stay viable. One such institution is the LDS church. Since its establishment by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1830, the Church of Jesus Christ has grown to have a membership of over 14 million in at least 162 countries (Facts. As global society becomes increasingly globalized, the LDS Church has been affected positively.

                Globalization can be defined as “the spread of political, economic, and cultural dynamics among governments, groups, and individuals beyond the borders of any one particular country.” (Samuels) Out of the three categories of globalization – political, economic, and cultural – cultural is most applicable to the effects of globalization on religion. Cultural globalization is defined by the McWorld trend – “the idea that globalization homogenizes and Americanizes different cultures.” (Samuels) The effects of globalization on the LDS church extend into the areas of media-technology and missionary work.

                As new technologies, including the internet and satellite television, have spread across the world, so has the extent of church news and broadcasts into members’ homes. Church buildings all over the world can view General Conference, a semiannual broadcast in which the leaders of the church speak to the members, via modern technologies. With the internet widely available, investigators can visit websites such as lds.org or Mormon.org to find answers to questions they may have. The church has surely taken advantage of technological globalization within culture.

                With cultural globalization, growing acceptance of different religions has allowed missionary work to become more accepted by both governments and societies of foreign countries. Because the LDS Church doesn’t send missionaries into countries that don’t formally permit missionaries within their borders, religious acceptance due to globalization is a key part of spreading missionary work. As the government of a country becomes more globalized, they become more accepting of other cultures and religions, which leads to missionaries being permitted within the country. However, the effects of globalization on missionary work don’t end there; as societies and cultures become globalized, they become increasingly ready to accept missionaries from other countries that don’t share their culture or history, but have brought the gospel message to share. The statistics show this: in 1950, 90% of LDS Church members lived within the United States; by 1997, in a far more globalized world, over half of all Mormons lived outside of the US and Canada (Global).

                As the world has become increasingly globalized, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has indeed benefited. With technologies available throughout the world and various societies warming up to foreign religions and cultures, the LDS church has been able to enhance communications, teaching, and missionary work.

SOURCES CITED

"Facts and Statistics." Www.mormonnewsroom.org. Web. 04 Dec. 2012. 

Samuels, David. Comparative Politics. New York: Pearson Education, 2012. Print.

"Global Mormonism." Global Mormonism. Web. 04 Dec. 2012.