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ConstitutionIn congregations across the United States, Latter-day Saints discussed the importance and principles of freedom and moral agency found in the US Constitution, Declaration of Independence and other documents on Sunday, May 31, 2026.<\/p>\n
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in more than 14,600 congregations around the United States discussed the importance of the Constitution and other foundational documents during Sunday services on May 31, 2025.<\/p>\n
The Church provided a video and a discussion guide<\/a> titled \u201cCelebrating the Founding of the United States and the U.S. Constitution\u201d to use during a combined Sunday School lesson that included adults and youth. \u201cThis is not a history lesson or a political discussion,\u201d the guide directed. \u201cIt\u2019s an opportunity to rejoice in \u2018the Lord our God, who has redeemed us and made us free\u2019 (Alma 58:41<\/a>).\u201d<\/p>\n One small congregation (branch) of the Church in Tampa, Florida, includes members from almost every South American country. On Sunday,\u00a0branch members discussed what\u2019s happening in their home countries, the freedoms that have been taken away, and how grateful they are for the religious liberties that now allow them to worship as they wish. \u201cA lot of those things are what caused these members to want to come here to the United States of America,\u201d said Dade City Branch President Steven Hatch, who lives in the Tampa Florida Stake.<\/p>\n He said that even though his fellow congregants\u2019 diverse backgrounds mean they don\u2019t agree on everything, just like any congregation, \u201cthere\u2019s so much more that brings us together than there is that divides us.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n That feeling of unity was apparent on Sunday, he said. \u201cI\u2019ve seen that the Savior truly unites all of us together, and everything else gets put aside. Whatever is going on in the world or whatever politics are happening, the Savior unites us all together.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we\u2019re doing the work of the Lord, things will be better wherever that is taking place,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u201cI know the Lord\u2019s work will never be stopped. But it\u2019s up to us members of the Church and all American citizens to continue fighting for religious freedom for all.\u201d<\/p>\n A Conversation With Apostles<\/p>\n The video, shown at the beginning of each class before the group discussions, featured a conversation between President D. Todd Christofferson<\/a>, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, and Elder Quentin L. Cook<\/a> of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, both former lawyers with extensive knowledge of the Constitution and longtime advocates for religious freedom.<\/p>\n President Christofferson and Elder Cook explained that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution\u2019s support of religious freedom and God-given agency enabled the Restoration of the Church.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that the First Amendment was essential to the Restoration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,\u201d said Elder Cook.<\/p>\n \u201cLife, liberty and the pursuit of happiness\u201d are fundamental rights, Elder Cook said. \u201cThe Declaration and many constitutional principles were divinely inspired.\u201d<\/p>\n The pursuit of happiness as an inalienable right meant \u201cnot just feeling good. It meant the pursuit of lifelong virtue, not short-term pleasure,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The Bill of Rights and constitutional amendments further extended other freedoms, such as abolishing slavery and granting women the right to vote.<\/p>\n \u201cThese underlying principles have relevance not only for the United States and its citizens, but for the world,\u201d President Christofferson said. \u201cIn speaking about the Constitution, for example, the Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith that He had \u2018suffered the Constitution to be established for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles\u2019 (Doctrine and Covenants 101:77<\/a>).\u201d<\/p>\n The Apostles often referred to teachings by Church President Dallin H. Oaks<\/a>, a former attorney, law professor, law clerk to the chief justice of the United States Supreme Court, and a Utah State Supreme Court judge. He taught, \u201cWe should walk shoulder to shoulder along the path of religious freedom for all while still exercising that freedom to pursue our distinctive beliefs.\u201d<\/p>\n While the Constitution is not a perfect document, \u201cWe believe that the most important\u202faspect of the\u202fConstitution\u202fis its role in promoting and protecting the individual moral agency of God\u2019s children everywhere,\u201d said President Christofferson.<\/p>\n \u2018Moderate and Unify\u2019<\/p>\n The Church has consistently maintained an institutional neutrality regarding political parties and candidates<\/a>. Members are encouraged<\/a> \u201cto be active citizens by registering, exercising their right to vote, and engaging in civic affairs, always demonstrating Christlike love and civility in political discourse.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"5th](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Christofferson-Cook-Constitution.jpg\")
5th Sunday constitutionPresident D. Todd Christofferson of the First Presidency and Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles discuss religious freedom and America’s founding in a video that congregations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the United States watched together during Sunday services on Sunday, May 31, 2026.\u00a9 2026 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Download Photo<\/p>\n![\"210404_141009_CPowell_CEP00853.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/210404_141009_CPowell_CEP00853.jpg\")
210404_141009_CPowell_CEP00853.jpgPresident Dallin H. Oaks speaks about the United States Constitution, a document that he has studied for over 60 years of his life, during the afternoon session of general conference on Sunday, April 4, 2021. 2026 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Download Photo<\/p>\n