If you’ve ever seen two young guys in white shirts and ties biking through your neighborhood, you’ve probably wondered what they’re actually up to. Or maybe you have a neighbor who never seems to have a beer at the Saturday block party and politely declines the Sunday morning coffee run. There is a lot of mystery—and frankly, a lot of weird rumors—surrounding members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Honestly, it isn't all secret handshakes and underground bunkers.
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Most people use the term "Mormon," though the church itself has been nudging everyone toward the full name lately. But regardless of what you call them, the daily reality of their lives is a mix of the remarkably mundane and the deeply disciplined.
The Sunday Morning Shuffle (It’s Not Just a One-Hour Service)
Sundays for a Latter-day Saint are a marathon, not a sprint. While some churches have a quick 45-minute service, Mormons are basically at the "meetinghouse" for two solid hours.
The main event is Sacrament Meeting. This is where everyone—kiddos included—sits in the chapel. You won’t find a professional pastor at the pulpit. Instead, the "Bishop" (a local volunteer who has a day job as a dentist or an accountant) asks regular members of the congregation to give talks. You might hear a 12-year-old nervously stumble through a three-minute talk on kindness, followed by a grandmother sharing a deeply personal story about grief.
Then comes the bread and water.
This is the "Sacrament," similar to Communion. Young men, usually teenagers, pass trays of bread and tiny cups of water to the entire congregation. It’s a quiet, reflective moment. If you're visiting, you can take it or just pass the tray along—nobody’s going to give you the side-eye either way.
After the Chapel
Once the first hour is over, the building becomes a bit of a chaotic beehive.
- Primary: Kids from ages 3 to 11 go to their own wing for singing and lessons.
- Youth & Adults: Depending on the week, they either head to Sunday School (where everyone studies the same book of scripture) or "Quorum" and "Relief Society" meetings.
In 2026, the entire global church is actually studying the Old Testament. They use a curriculum called Come, Follow Me, which is designed so that what they talk about in church matches what they’re reading at home with their families.
What Do Mormons Do During the Week?
If you think they only do "church stuff" on Sundays, you'd be wrong. For most members, the church is their social life, their support network, and their Tuesday night plans.
Ever heard of Family Home Evening?
Basically, Monday nights are set aside for families to just hang out. No sports, no work, no outside commitments. They might play board games, have a short spiritual lesson, or just eat way too many brownies. It’s a way to keep the family unit from getting swallowed up by the busyness of modern life.
Then there’s the "Calling."
The church has no paid local clergy. Zero. This means if the trash needs taking out, a member does it. If the choir needs a pianist, a member does it. Almost everyone has a job, or a "calling," ranging from teaching the toddlers to managing the church’s welfare system. It’s a massive amount of volunteer work that keeps the wheels turning.
The Mission: More Than Just Biking
You've seen them. The missionaries.
As of 2026, there are over 84,000 missionaries serving globally. The church actually just announced it’s opening 55 new missions this year to handle the influx of young people wanting to serve.
Here’s the kicker: they pay to be there.
A young man (usually 18) or young woman (also now 18) saves up money to spend 18 to 24 months away from home. They don’t choose where they go. They might end up in Paris, or they might end up in a tiny village in Madagascar. They spend their days teaching people about Jesus, but they also do a ton of community service—shoveling snow, helping people move, or teaching English.
The Diet and the "Word of Wisdom"
The coffee thing is usually what people notice first.
Mormons follow a health code called the Word of Wisdom. It’s pretty straightforward: no alcohol, no tobacco, and no "hot drinks"—which the church has interpreted for over a century as coffee and tea.
Why? It’s not about the caffeine, though that’s a common misconception. You’ll see plenty of Latter-day Saints chugging Diet Coke or energy drinks. The idea is more about being "temperate" and keeping the body free from addictive substances. It's a spiritual discipline as much as a physical one.
Temples vs. Meetinghouses: There’s a Huge Difference
This is where people get confused.
That big, beautiful white building with the gold statue on top? That’s a Temple. That is not where they go for Sunday church.
- Meetinghouses (Chapels): Open to everyone. This is where the basketball hoops are, the Sunday services happen, and the potluck dinners go down.
- Temples: These are considered the most sacred places on earth. Only members who meet certain standards of conduct can go inside. Inside, they perform "ordinances" like Celestial Marriage (the belief that families can stay together after death) and baptisms for their ancestors.
Family history is a massive deal for them. If you’ve ever used FamilySearch, you’ve used a tool built by the church. They believe that by finding their ancestors and performing ceremonies for them in the temple, they are "linking" generations together for eternity.
Money and the 10%
You can't talk about what Mormons do without mentioning tithing.
Members are asked to give 10% of their income to the church. It’s a lot of money, and it’s a huge commitment. This money goes toward building those temples, maintaining meetinghouses, and funding a global humanitarian effort.
Beyond tithing, there's "Fast Sunday." Once a month, members skip two meals and give the money they would have spent on food to the Bishop. This "Fast Offering" stays local and is used specifically to buy groceries or pay rent for people in the neighborhood who are struggling—regardless of whether those people are members of the church or not.
What Really Happens Behind Closed Doors?
Despite the "secretive" reputation, the daily life of a Latter-day Saint is pretty... normal.
They watch Netflix. They go to the gym. They stress about their kids’ grades.
The difference is the underlying structure. Their lives are built around a framework of covenants—promises they've made to God.
Whether it's the "Garments" (sacred underwear worn as a reminder of those promises) or the daily scripture study on their phone via the Gospel Library app, the religion is integrated into the mundane. It’s not a Sunday-only hobby; it’s an identity.
Actionable Insights for the Curious
If you're actually looking to interact with the community or just learn more without the weirdness, here is how you handle it:
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- Visit a Meetinghouse: You don't need an invite. If the sign says "Visitors Welcome," they mean it. Dress is usually "Sunday best" (dresses for women, shirts and ties for men), but honestly, showing up in jeans is better than not showing up if you’re curious.
- Use the Apps: The Gospel Library app is free and contains everything they study. If you want to see what they're learning about the Old Testament this month, it's all right there.
- Ask a Member: Most are happy to talk about their faith, and they’re used to the "Do you have 10 wives?" jokes (the answer is no, by the way—polygamy was officially ended in 1890).
- Check out JustServe.org: This is a church-run site that lists volunteer opportunities in your local community. It’s a great way to see the "service" side of the faith in action without any proselytizing.
Ultimately, the life of a Latter-day Saint is defined by the effort to follow Jesus Christ in a world that is increasingly loud and distracting. They aren't perfect, and the culture can sometimes feel a bit "clannish," but at the core, they’re just people trying to make sense of the eternal while navigating the everyday.
To see these principles in practice, you can look into the local "Stake" in your area, which is essentially a group of several congregations that organize larger community service projects and youth events throughout the year.