3.1 Creating a Recognizable Voice

Church communications should reflect these attributes:

Welcoming

Consider:

Journalists, if you are considering attending a local Latter-day Saint congregation, we welcome you! We appreciate you taking the time to understand our faith. Remember that Sunday services are worship services with an atmosphere of friendship, sociability, and reverence. If you’d like to interview local members or leaders or if you’d like to get photos or videos for your story, please contact us.

Instead of:

Church sacrament meetings are sacred services in which photos, videos, and formal interviews are not appropriate. Media representatives should request permission from local Church authorities.

Compassionate

Consider:

Marriage is an eternal relationship between husband and wife and forms the foundation of a family. Strong, stable families, headed by a father and mother, are the anchor of society. Not everyone will have a chance to get married or be part of a traditional family, but God has promised that all of His faithful children will receive His eternal blessings.

Instead of:

Along with other principles and ordinances, exaltation depends on marriage. We believe that marriage is the most sacred relationship that can exist between a man and a woman. This sacred relationship affects our happiness now and in the eternities.

Global

Consider:

The prophet Isaiah suggested that Sabbath activities shouldn’t be about our own pleasures (see Isaiah 58:13). Think about ways you can spend the Sabbath visiting the sick or lonely, showing gratitude to God, strengthening relationships with family and friends, or learning about the Savior and His gospel.

Instead of:

The prophet Isaiah suggested that we should turn away from doing our own pleasure on the Sabbath. Instead of going boating, to a movie, or to a restaurant, we could make and deliver cookies to neighbors, visit a rest home, or watch Church videos as a family.

Straightforward

Consider:

We believe that all people were part of God’s family before this life, in a state we call the premortal existence. God’s children are born to get mortal bodies, learn, be tested, and grow during their lives.

Instead of:

God’s universal plan of salvation includes the preexistent spirit world. While we lived there, we chose to come to this earth to receive a physical body and face the trials and tribulations of mortality.

Honest and True

Consider:

“I love science—how it answers questions logically. But I look at it as just one set of tools. Really, science is not very useful with questions like ‘Am I happy?’ or ‘Do I have a good relationship with my wife?’ or ‘Does God know me?’ Spirituality is just a different way of obtaining information. It deals with different aspects of my life.”

This example uses the person’s own words.

Instead of:

Kevin Livingstone’s profession is grounded in science, but he separates the academic information he relies on from his testimony. He has come to realize that questions of eternal value are answered spiritually.

This example summarizes someone’s words.

Hopeful

Consider:

As part of His plan, God promises we can live in joy with Him and our families again. Ideally, mothers and fathers will teach their children about the gospel of Jesus Christ through words and by example. Relatives and friends can be a powerful influence for good to all family members. Learning and living principles of faith, repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost bring joy to all of God’s children.

Instead of:

Parents are commanded to teach their children the gospel. The Lord warned that if parents do not teach their children about faith, repentance, baptism, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, the sin will be upon the heads of the parents.

Humble

Consider:

The Savior continues to create opportunities that allow Latter-day Saint missionaries to share His gospel in new places. Through the influence of the Holy Ghost, many of God’s children have come to love and accept eternal truths.

Instead of:

Latter-day Saint missionaries are a powerful force for the Church, opening new areas of the world to bring people to the true gospel.

Inspiring

Consider:

As you prepare to teach, think about the people in your class and what they need to know. Ponder the lesson and how it can be meaningful to them in their lives today. If you don’t understand a particular topic very well or you don’t know the answer to a question, it’s OK to say so. Use the scriptures and words of latter-day prophets and apostles to testify of what you do know. You can still share a powerful message as you follow guidance from the Holy Spirit.

Instead of:

Before you teach, study the lesson thoroughly, including the additional scriptures listed. Never speculate about doctrine or topics you don’t understand. Teach only what is supported by the scriptures, the words of latter-day prophets and apostles, and the Holy Spirit.

In addition to the Communication Attributes, the following characteristics help unify our written and verbal communications:

Scriptures and Doctrine

Use accurate doctrine as it is presented in the scriptures and as taught by prophets. Use words from the scriptures to teach doctrine. Clearly explain unfamiliar or complex terms.

Focused Message

Make the message concise and focused. Don’t use extra words that make the message harder to understand. Simplicity keeps the message clear (see 3.3.3).

Clear Organization

Present ideas in a logical order, and avoid long paragraphs. All paragraphs and sections should support the message (see 3.3.3).

Relatable Words and Tone

While formal language is appropriate for the Lord’s Church, communications should not be overly complex, stiff, or impersonal. Avoid perceptions of an institutional tone by applying Communication Attributes such as Straightforward, Welcoming, and Humble. Communicate “plain and precious” truths as the Savior did in simple, loving language (see 1 Nephi 19:3).

Style Guidelines

The formatting and style of messages help identify Church communication. Cite reliable sources, emphasizing the scriptures, teachings of living prophets, and current Church publications. Follow your area’s general guidelines for writing style, usage, and grammar. Section 3.5 includes a list of Church style resources for writing and editing.

While not exhaustive, this list includes examples of commonly used Church jargon and alternative word choices that apply Church voice characteristics.



Be mindful of using terms that may be unfamiliar to people with varying experience with the Church. Use words and phrases that are clear, doctrinally correct, and understood by all. Apply the principles explained for word choices like these to all Church communications.