Back in the 1970s and early 1980s the LDS church produced a series of films called The Church in Action. These films were produced on a yearly basis, by BYU. The narrator was Rex L. Campbell a professor at the University of Utah and former broadcaster for KSL radio, a station owned by the LDS church. Rex passed away in the year 2000 at the age of 79. These films were each about 22 minutes long, each film showed the significant events that happened in the LDS church during those years.
Things that were addressed and covered in these films were events such as, the building the Provo and Ogden temples, Spencer W. Kimball visiting other nations, the publication of the Book of Mormon in other languages and the deaths of apostles and prophets. These films really show how the church grew during those year. These films also helped members of the LDS realize that they were part of something bigger than themselves. Church membership by 1980 was well over 3 million members. Today the church has over 14 million members worldwide a very significant increase.
These films are now all but forgotten however, the church did release the Church in Action from 1980 - 1985 on a Church History DVD collection back in 2004. These films have been replaced by The World Report.
As I was watching these I realized how fascinating modern church history really is. Many members of the LDS faith think of church history as the early and mid part of the 19th century. Many things have happened that have shaped the church and the members. These films show how the Lord prepares certain people to be prophets of the church for the time period that is best for them to serve.
By watching these videos you learn things about the church that otherwise you might never have learned. I was not aware until I watched one of these films, that the Relief Society of the church had to vote in their members. Joseph Fielding Smith one of the prophets of the church discontinued that practice and made sure that all worthy baptized sisters were automatically admitted into this ladies group.
These videos help inspire me to wants to go out and do missionary work and to help bring people into the church. A wise man once told me that it is not possible to love something of which you don't know the history. I think I love my faith more and more as I learn the history of my faith.
Trent Bowen is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is a collector of LDS media. He is the owner of http://www.prophetpaintings.com. He believes that LDS art can bless the lives of others.
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