What are the Utah Mormons?

I'm sure if you've ever looked into visiting Utah... you've heard about the Mormons.  So what IS a Mormon?  And how do they relate to vacationing in Utah?

To put it simply, "Mormon", is a popular nickname for the religion called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  LDS is also a shortened nickname for this religion.  Mormons believe in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost all as separate beings who seek the same purpose/ or are "one" in purpose.  They are considered Christians who worship God and Jesus Christ.  The Mormons, or LDS, also believe in ancient AND modern prophets.

So what does all of this have to do with you visiting Utah? Statistically, as of 2007, 60.7% of Utah residents are considered members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.*  This simply means that you will likely encounter a few Mormons on your trip.  It also means that you will get to see some of the architecturally amazing structures that the Mormon religion builds.  Among these are the various LDS temples, Salt Lake Tabernacle, Conference Center, Temple Visitor centers, Seagull Monument, local church houses, Salt Lake Assembly Hall, and others. Many of these buildings are open to the public for free tours or partial grounds tours(also free.)

I have gone to several public tours, and by far my favorites are the free partial grounds tours offered by the LDS temples.  Pictures are welcomed, church membership is not required, and the architectural design and landscaping designs are simply outstanding.  Any visitor to Utah could appreciate the sheer architectural genius in these buildings.  Definitely a must see for someone visiting Utah.

* Statistical information "as of 2007, 60.7% of Utah residents are considered members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints." gathered from U.S. Religious Landscape Survey 2008, the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, pp 99–100.