The Mission: Inside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints [Hardcover]

Matthew Naythons (Author), Gordon B. Hinckley (Author), Roger Rosenblatt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1995

oversized, unique portrait of the Mormons at work, worship, and play includes essays by the church's fifteenth prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley, and others. 100,000 first printing.

The Mission is an extraordinary look by a team of international photojournalists at the customs, culture and spirit of the people of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormons. Over the course of a year, fifty of the world's most talented photographers journeyed to six continents and were given unprecedented access to Church members. They accompanied them on their missions; slept in their homes; and attended their baptisms, weddings, summer camps, church services, and funerals. They shared family home evenings, parades, and festivals. They laughed with them, and sometimes cried with them. The result is a collection of many never-before-seen photographs that create a riveting and entirely human portrait of the Church through the lives of its faithful.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With the cooperation of Mormon Church authorities, 50 "of the world's best" photojournalists (including three Pulitzer Prize winners) were given unprecedented access to Mormon leaders and Mormon life in order that they might capture both the private moments and the ritual gatherings of Latter-Day Saints around the world. And the resulting, handsome coffee-table volume does indeed open what has previously been for most outsiders the vaguely mysterious world of approximately nine million Latter-Day Saints, only half of whom live in this country. These images portray a committed community that concentrates on family and missionary work but that also likes to go dancing and to the rodeo. With the feel of the A Day in the Life books and with useful text that does not overwhelm, this is a valuable volume that should also be the gift of the year for Mormons. More than 300 color and b&w photos.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

This lavish and beautiful book is not just A Day in the Life of the Mormons, although the series of national photo portfolios is what its pictures of happy families, worshipers, and missionaries suggest. Its three parts present the essence of Mormonism. "Families Are Forever," proclaims the first part, demonstrating both the centrality of family ties to Mormonism and the Mormon belief that such bonds are eternal. The second part, "A New Church for a New Land," stresses the communalism of the church and the qualities of character--industriousness, reliability, sobriety, and optimism--that practicing full church membership fosters. Finally, "Spreading the Word" shows plenty of the familiar black-suited, white-shirted young Mormon men taking the gospel to such benighted places as the former Soviet Union and the South Bronx (nowadays, young women and older people also do this work) and performing a lot of good works--a Catholic nun remarks that others just talk to the elderly residents of her nursing home, "but when the Mormons come, they come to work." Altogether, this vibrant and moving album from the producers of the best-selling Clinton: Portrait of Victory (1993) affords a sunny view of a most sunny brand of Christianity that demonstrably works for an ever-growing number of adherents throughout the world. Ray Olson

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Warner Books; 1St Edition edition (October 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446518891
• ISBN-13: 978-0446518895
• Product Dimensions: 12.5 x 11.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #512,510 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent overview, October 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Mission: Inside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Hardcover)

"The Mission" provides an excellent high-level overview of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While the book doesn't address doctrinal-related issues (nor should it, as that's not its purpose), it does provide the reader with a foundation of some of the Church's key teachings.

I found the book thoroughly enjoyable to read and re-read, as many pictures prompted a recall of my own experiences.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Neat pictures, not much info, August 5, 2003

By 

Matt Quayle (Salt Lake City, UT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mission: Inside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Hardcover)

The title would lead one to believe that this book would help explain the foundation and workings of the Mormon faith. This is not the case. The limited text supplies the reader with just a basic explanation of what is being depicted in the photo. This is a good book for someone just interested in getting a superficial intro to this belief system, but nothing more.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stunning look at the lifestyle and basic beliefs of Mormons., December 10, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Mission: Inside the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Hardcover)

Beautiful pictures and simple descriptions of Mormon culture from an 'outsider on the inside' perspective. Enjoyable for all ages and faiths. It will inspire, motivate, and uplift you.