WHEN Jesus Christ was 30 years of age, He organised a church with 12 apostles which, Mormons believe, started to fall away within 100 years. The period that followed, often referred to as the dark ages, was a time of spiritual and intellectual darkness where little progress was made by the human family.

Over a millennium later, the discovery of the new world, the development of the printing press and the Reformation all blended to create an environment which was conducive to the Restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ in the latter days.

In spring, 1820, a 14 year old boy was visited by two heavenly beings, God the Father and Jesus Christ. This amazing event was the beginning of the restoration by Jesus Christ of the church which He had organised some 1,800 years earlier.

The boy, Joseph Smith, became the first prophet of the restoration. Although he had a poor education by today's standards, he translated the Book of Mormon from gold plates, published two other books of scripture, founded a city, established a worldwide church which now numbers nearly 10 million and died a martyr before his 39th birthday.

The church is led by Jesus Christ who speaks directly to the living prophet and 12 apostles. This communication between God and mankind is not confined to church leaders but is available to all who diligently inquire. Continuing revelation is a unique feature of the Church of Jesus Christ. Its mission is to bring all unto Christ by spreading the gospel to the entire world, strengthening its members and performing saving ordinances in holy temples for those who have died without them.

THE first Irish Latter Day Saint baptism was performed in 1840, four years before the first pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake valley. Most of those who were baptised (by immersion) over the next century emigrated to America to escape persecution and build up the church there. By the end of the war, members were asked to stay and build up the church in their ownlands.

Last February, for the first time, the number of members living outside the US is greater than those inside. More than 300,000 converts worldwide were baptised in 1995 and the church's membership has doubled in the last 14 years.

Ireland's progress has been slower than many other areas of the world. Irish people who do convert, however, are generally very committed to the restored gospel and become strong, dedicated members. Nearly 6,000 people living in Ireland are LatterDay Saints, and there are many more Irish members living abroad. Some 200 Irish converts are baptised each year.

Missionaries occasionally suffer persecution some local members have had similar problems and have had to move home. In general though, church members are respected. There is a reluctance by Irish people to consider seriously religions other than those perceived to be Irish. In the last few years, many have rejected the religions of their birth but they are not filling the void with anything better.

Ireland is now becoming a godless, materialistic and immoral society.

Irish society and indeed Christianity as a whole could benefit much from the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The family is the basic and most important unit in society, latter Day Saints put ideals into action. Every Monday, families spend the evening together.

The church maintains that the only form of sexual relationship God approves is that which takes place between a man and a woman within marriage. Refraining from sexual relationships before marriage and faithfulness within marriage strengthen the individual, the family and society. Divorce is frowned upon, but is recognised as a last resort in some cases.

It is possible for divorced people to remarry in the church. Couples living together rather than marrying, homosexual behaviour, pre marital sex, infidelity within marriage and abortion (except in the most extreme circumstances) are totally opposite to the church's moral code and Latter Day Saints could lose their membership by engaging in any of these activities.

There is no full time paid ministry so the involvement factor is high, for men, women and children. Priesthood leaders are strongly encouraged to be married. Every man should work to support his family. There is no ban on contraceptives but members are counselled not to limit the size of their families for trivial reasons.

THERE are about 50,000 missionaries in 159 countries. Most are aged between 19 and 25. Missionaries are not subsidised by the church but are supported by themselves and by their families. They put their education and careers on hold.

More than 150 serve in Ireland. Most of them are from the US or the UK. Their ages, their neat dress, their short hair and shiny faces are seen by some as barriers to conversion. Some feel that young American men and women should go to Africa, Russia or China which need conversion rather than coming to Christian Ireland.

The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is designed to help families and individuals find happiness in this, life and in the next. The church encourages individual freedom to "choose right from wrong. The consequences of decisions belong to the individual. The opposite to freedom is slavery or addiction. Addiction is contrary to God's will.

Church members avoid any substance or behaviour which is addictive. Unprescribed drugs, alcohol, tobacco, gambling, pornography, masturbation, homosexual behaviour all destroy individual freedom, self esteem, marriages, families and lives.

Probably the main reasons for the rapid growth of the church world wide is that it has answers to those age old questions ... Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where do we go when we die? In brief, each of us is literally a spirit child of God. We lived as spirits with spirit bodies before we came to earth. At birth, our spirit bodies are clothed with our physical body, which one day will die.

At death, our spirit does not die, neither does our personality, character or sense of humour. At the time of the resurrection, our spirit and physical bodies will be reunited, only this time they will be perfected resurrected bodies. Families who have been sealed together in temples can live together as a family for all eternity.