Church Sponsorship

The Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University is here to attract, develop, and place men and women of faith, character, and professional ability who will become outstanding leaders capable of dealing with change in a global environment. This atmosphere is created and preserved through commitment to conduct that reflects those ideals and principles. All members of the BYU family—faculty, administrators, staff, and students—agree to maintain the highest standards of honor, integrity, and morality. They strive to follow the example of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Members of the campus community also follow modest dress and grooming standards that enhance the learning atmosphere. Individuals who are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ are expected to maintain the same standards of conduct.

BYU students commit to be honest in all their dealings. All work must be their own unless specified. Students should avoid academic dishonesty in all its forms, including but not limited to plagiarism, falsification, cheating, and other academic misconduct. A com­plete description of the BYU Honor Code is found at honorcode.byu.edu.

Recognized by recruiters around the world as one of the best places to hire gradu­ates with high ethical standards, BYU supports David O. McKay’s teachings that character is the highest aim of education. BYU Marriott professors recognize this truth and its importance in becoming a trusted leader. The development of strong moral and spiritual values along with essential management skills help BYU gradu­ates conduct business with integrity.

BYU is privately-funded by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The focus of the exchange program is not to convert you to The Church of Jesus Christ. However, it may be beneficial for you to know some of the language and basic beliefs about the church to help create understanding as you are submerged in a new culture.

Part of participating in an exchange program is to experience a new culture. You will come to understand that BYU has a very distinct culture of its own. We hope you enjoy learning more about this unique culture during your exchange program.

Basic Beliefs

  • We believe that God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost are three separate and distinct beings.We believe that only through Jesus Christ that all people can be forgiven of their sins.
  • We believe that the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price are all words written by true prophets of God.
  • We believe in modern revelation. This means we believe that a prophet on the earth today still speaks on God’s behalf, and that everyone who lives according to God’s laws can obtain revelation from God for themselves.
  • We believe that there was a period of time when God had no prophet or church on the earth because people were disobeying God’s laws and rejecting and twisting the truth to become lies. We call this “The Great Apostasy.”
  • We believe that God brought His church back to the earth by calling a modern prophet. That prophet was Joseph Smith, and the church he restored was The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
  • We believe that the truth and good word of the gospel should be available to anyone who will listen. The church sends thousands of missionaries all over the world every year to accomplish this cause.

Official Church Websites

Common LDS Terms

Some of the vocabulary that you will hear will probably include:

  • Book of Mormon—An account of ancient inhabitants of the Western Hemisphere, recorded on gold plates and translated by Joseph Smith. The record contains both a history of the people and the fullness of the everlasting gospel as revealed by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants. We view it as a companion to the Bible.
  • Bishop—A office whose bearer has been ordained and set apart to preside over a ward. This man is responsible for the temporal and spiritual needs of the members of the ward.
  • Ward—A geographic ecclesiastical unit in the church, consisting of several hundred members presided over by a bishop.
  • Stake—A geographic ecclesiastical unit of the church, composed of several wards.
  • Priesthood—(1) The power of God; (2) the authority to act in God’s name; (3) the right and responsibility to preside within the church organization; (4) a term referring to the men of the church in general.
  • Family Home Evening (or FHE)—A program in which families gather (usually on Monday evening) for family-centered spiritual training and social activities.
  • Prophet—The president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He speaks for God to reveal truth to men on earth.
  • First Presidency —The president of the church and his counselors; the highest ranking in the church.
  • Firesides —Informal gatherings of church members and friends, often in homes or churches and usually on Sundays, that feature a speaker or program of a spiritual theme. Occasionally church-wide firesides are held under the direction of the First Presidency.
  • Commandment—Instructions given by God that always have rewards or blessings for living by them.
  • Blessing—Help given by God to men on earth.
  • Prayer—The way to communicate with God.
  • Hymns—Religious songs normally sung at church-related meetings.
  • Sacrament —The main part of Sunday worship services where bread and water are blessed by the priesthood and then eaten by the congregation to remember Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for men.  
  • Tithing—A voluntary donation of 10% of all monetary gain. God promises great blessings for the sacrifice.
  • Temple—A sacred building, the “House of the Lord,” in which members of the church perform sacred ceremonies and ordinances of the gospel for themselves and for the dead.
  • Holy Ghost—Also called the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, and the Comforter. He witnesses and testifies of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and reveals truth to those actively seeking it.
  • Word of Wisdom—A law from God promises people who take care of their bodies, by avoiding harmful substances, will have health, protection and knowledge. This is why members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do not drink coffee, beer, wine, or many types of tea. They also do not use any tobacco products or illegal and addictive substances.