The Church Office Building in downtown Salt Lake City. Deseret News file photo
SALT LAKE CITY — Tuesday morning, the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced a change to its online presence to emphasize the correct name of the church.
The changes come after President Russell M. Nelson made a call to members in August of last year.
“The Lord has impressed upon my mind the importance of the name He has revealed for His Church, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” President Nelson said.
“We have worked before us to bring ourselves in harmony with His will. In recent weeks, various Church leaders and departments have initiated the necessary steps to do so,” he wrote in the letter sent in August.
The correction was later emphasized during the 188th Semiannual General Conference of the church, held in October.
“It is a correction. It is the command of the Lord,” he said.
The changes made effective on Tuesday look to draw many of the online properties of the church in line with the direction from the First Presidency. They include changes to:
The change comes after 189 years of history, where other names for the church and its members were used out of convenience.
“It’s hard work to undo nearly 189 years of history, culture and practice,” the church said in a statement released Tuesday, “but with God the impossible is possible.
“As President Nelson made clear in August 2018, ‘we have a work before us to bring ourselves in harmony with [God’s] will.’ Church leaders understand that this is a complex, multifaceted effort.”