"Latter-day Saints still have more children, but their families are shrinking. The church's top leader addressed declining U.S. birth rates during the faith's semiannual General Conference in October, which millions of members tune in to from around the world. (There are more than 17.5 million Latter-day Saints globally, according to the church.) Dallin H. Oaks, the newly appointed prophet and president of the church, said that while birth rates within the church are higher than national numbers, they've still declined "significantly.""
"Our relationship to God and the purpose of our mortal life are explained in terms of the family. In Latter-day Saint theology, people live as spirits in a pre-mortal world. Being born on Earth is how humans get a body and learn and grow. They also believe it's a commandment from God for people to "multiply and replenish the Earth.""
Families worldwide are having fewer children as people change life decisions. Latter-day Saints historically had larger families, with about one and a half extra children in the early 1980s, but family sizes are shrinking. Church leaders note that U.S. birth rates within the faith remain higher than national averages yet have declined significantly. Latter-day Saint theology emphasizes the purpose of marriage, the value of children, pre-mortal existence, and a divine commandment to "multiply and replenish the Earth." Local clergy report fewer children in congregations and express concern about lost intergenerational learning and the importance of eternal families. The faith counts over 17.5 million members globally.
Read at www.npr.org
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