There are 3 LDS wards, and therefore 3 LDS ward churches in Garland. Two have predominantly Anglo congregations, and one has a predominantly Hispanic congregation. All ward churches in Garland, Sachse, Wylie, and far NE Dallas are part of the Richardson TX Stake of the LDS Church.
The Garland LDS ward church is located in a 1980s brick building at 2701 N Garland Avenue in Garland TX. It is of the same vintage and floor plan of similar LDS ward Churches in the D/FW Metroplex.
This waymarked church serves the Garland TX 4th ward and the Sachse TX Ward, and is part of the Richardson TX Stake, Dallas TX Temple District.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS or Mormon Church) is organized into wards and stakes. An LDS ward is very similar to a Roman Catholic parish. The ward church serves a small georgraphic area, like a Catholic Church serves as the seat of the parish.
An LDS "stake" is made up of small wards all located in a local geographical area, and is like Catholic Diocese, which is formed from several individual parishes.
Several LDS stakes form a Temple District, which is again very like a Roman Catholic Archdiocese, which encompasses many Catholic Dioceses.
A key difference in the organization of the LDS and Catholic Churches is that unlike in the Catholic Church, where all Catholic rites can be held in any church, certain LDS rites can only be performed inside the LDS Temple. See: www.mormon.org (
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"Our churches are dedicated public places of worship where Mormons and visitors can meet to pray, study scripture, partake of the sacrament, and continue to learn their responsibilities as children of God. The temple is literally, as it has been throughout history, the "house of the Lord" (see 1 Kings 6:1, 37). The primary purpose of the temple is to provide a dedicated place where sacred ordinances needed for eternal life can be performed. Because of its sacred nature, attendance in the temple is limited to Mormons who obey God's commandments and therefore are worthy to enter.
Roger answered:
Church meeting houses are used for daily meetings such as worship services, youth activity nights, and social gatherings for families or other groups. They are places where we meet together to strengthen one another. While we respect and care for our Church buildings, they are meant to be used--by everyone for any good purpose--as often as needed.
In contrast, temples are special buildings dedicated to performing ordinances (sacred rites performed under the authority of the priesthood) that we believe are necessary in our journey home to Heavenly Father. Those ordinances give us knowledge and let us enter into covenants (sacred promises) with Heavenly Father. We perform those ordinances first for ourselves, then, as we return to the temple, we can serve our family, and all of the human family, by performing those ordinances for others who have passed from this life. In the process, we have a chance to listen, learn, ponder, and pray about the covenants we previously made ourselves.
Because of the sacred and serious nature of the covenants we make, we do not share details of those ordinances outside of the temple. In addition, only church members who demonstrate commitment to living the principles of the gospel may enter the temple. All members are invited to become and remain worthy to enter the temple, receive the sacred ordinances, then return again and again to deepen their understanding and serve our ancestors."
Fun facts: There are 4 Temples (in Dallas, San Antonio, Houston & Lubbock), 8 Missions, 71 Stakes, and 540 wards in the State of Texas. Source: (
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