Pioneer Day

In this week’s newsletter we celebrate Pioneer Day a few days early. “What is Pioneer Day?”, you may ask. That is the day that celebrates the arrival of Brigham Young and his followers to the Great Salt Lake. For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it is an important holiday.

To help us celebrate Pioneer Day, I present the following trivia challenge about Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, the Sacred Texts, and all things Mormon.

Questions

1. 1. What did Joseph Smith use to translate the Golden Plates? (I will accept answers in either English or Hebrew)
2. 2. In what language were the Golden Plates written?
3. 3. Besides Joseph Smith, how many others have seen the Golden Plates?
4. 4. What did Joseph Smith do with the plates after translating them?
5. 5. Original name of the church?
6. 6. What were the church headquarters before SLC?
7. 7. What was Brigham young's position at the time of the murder of Joseph Smith?
8. 8. In what year did the LDS church prohibit new polygamous marriages?
9. 9. In what year did the LDS church reverse its policy against black men in the priesthood?
10. 10. Full name of the church?
11. 11. What are the three degrees of heaven?
12. 12. True or false - the New Testament addresses Baptism for the Dead?
13. 13. True or false - polygamous marriages exist in the Old Testament?
14. 14. The Word of Wisdom, a part of the Doctrines & Covenants, asks members to abstain from what:
15. 15. What four texts are in the Standard Works?
16. 16. Who is the current president of the LDS church?
17. 17. What four colleges and universities does the LDS church own?
18. 18. What is the name of the planet, closest to the Throne of God, as mentioned in the Pearl of Great Price?
19. 19. Which bible translation in English does the LDS church prefer? King James
20. 20. According to Doctrine and Covenants 109:8, members of the church should prepare for adversity with a supply of food, water, and money to last a minimum of how long?
21. 21. What is the maximum term for a member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir?

 

Answer

1. 1. Nephite interpreters or the Urim and Thummim
2. 2. Reformed Egyptian
3. 3. 11
4. 4. He gave them back to Moroni
5. 5. Church of Christ
6. 6. Kirkland OH first and then Nauvoo IL second
7. 7. Senior apostle of the Quorum of the Twelve
8. 8. 1890
9. 9. 1978
10. 10. Celestial, terrestrial, and telestial
11. 11. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
12. 12. True. “Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?” – I Cor. 15:29
13. 13. True -- polygamous marriages exist in the Old Testament? True. For example, Lamech (son of Cain) had two wives. Moses had two. Solomon had 700 (and 300 concubines)
14. 14. Coffee, tea, alcohol, and tobacco.
15. 15. Bible, Book or Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, Pearl of Great Price
16. 16. Russell M. Nelson
17. 17. BYU, BYU Idaho, BYU Hawaii, and Ensign college
18. 18. Kolob
19. 19. King James.
20. 20. Three months.
21. 21. 20 years or age 60.

 

For those who read my newsletter routinely, you know that I like to celebrate obscure holidays, including religious ones. I try to not show any favoritism and I personally have never made a public statement on my faith, or lack thereof. That said, if you have a holiday or religion you would like me to cover in a future trivia challenge, please let me know.

Written by: Michael Shackleford