MormonInfo.org

August 2006

Warren Jeffs won't fight extradition to Utah (8-31-6)
Captured polygamous leader Warren Jeffs waived extradition on Utah criminal charges in a brief hearing today in the Las Vegas Township Justice Court.

FLDS allowing ex-members back in the fold (8-31)
Under polygamist leader Warren Jeffs' reign, dozens of people have been kicked out of the Fundamentalist LDS Church.

'Mormon' term often misused (8-31)
It seems like just when the mainstream LDS Church gets some accurate media attention, another "Mormon" story blasts onto the scene, spawning a flurry of sound bites that often confuse those who live outside Utah.

Jeffs in Nevada jail (8-30)
Fugitive polygamist leader Warren Jeffs had proclaimed that God was protecting him. In secretly recorded sermons obtained by the Deseret Morning News, he made reference to a looming showdown with law enforcement.

SLCC to sell Main center (8-30)
Following lower than expected enrollments, Salt Lake Community College's Main Street Learning Center is expected to be sold to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for $5.2 million.

Fugitive polygamist leader Warren Jeffs arrested near Las Vegas (8-29)
Top law enforcement here praised the efforts of a state trooper who pulled over fugitive Warren Jeffs late Monday, crediting the professionalism of the officer for orchestrating a routine traffic stop that ended without incident.

LDS Church welcomes the Legion (8-28)
Service to others is what really matters, according to Elder Lance B. Wickman, addressing thousands of members of the American Legion on Sunday. Elder Wickman, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was keynote speaker at a patriotic religious service for the Legion, held in the church's Conference Center.

New film by ex-wife takes aim at FLDS (8-27)
As a former polygamist wife, Laurie Allen said it gave her common ground with the people she was filming for her documentary on the Fundamentalist LDS Church in Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz.

Y. professors dismiss 'Code' myths (8-24)
Popular media's modern depiction of religion tends to be negative, though some scholars see it as a double-edged sword that also gets consumers thinking about topics they may otherwise never consider.

LDS urged to share gospel with all people (8-23)
The restored gospel of Jesus Christ must be shared with all people--regardless of culture, ethnicity, religious background or heritage--and Latter-day Saints have an obligation to share their faith without arrogance or self-righteousness.

Minister arrested outside Mormon pageant (8-22)
For the second week in a row, an evangelical Christian minister has been arrested outside a Mormon-themed pageant in northern Utah. Daniel "Chip" Thompson, the 47-year-old director of Solid Rock Christian Fellowship, a campus ministry at Snow College in Ephraim, was arrested for investigation of criminal trespassing by the Cache County sheriff's office Friday night at the Clarkston Pageant. The pageant depicts the life of Martin Harris, an early follower of Joseph Smith, founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Thompson was with eight others handing out religious tracts that compare Mormonism with the beliefs of other forms of Christianity.

BYU is still 'most sober' (8-22)
Raise a glass, everybody, and toast the students at Brigham Young University. BYU, this milk's for you. For a record ninth year in a row, BYU is ranked No. 1 on the Princeton Review's "Stone Cold Sober."

Youths defend plural marriage (8-20)
Calling their lives blessed, more than a dozen children and young adults from Utah polygamist families spoke at a rally Saturday, calling for a change in state laws and the right to live the life and religion they choose.

LDS temple fuels jump in Nauvoo's tourism (8-20)
Chandler Whipple recently logged his third 1,000-mile drive from Salt Lake City to this tiny, out-of-the-way town overlooking the Mississippi River, where history and faith have forged one of Illinois' hottest tourism draws.

Choir joins Armed Forces for music special (8-20)
A star-spangled tribute to the U.S. Armed Forces played out for thousands of local military personnel and their families Saturday night in the Conference Center, featuring not only military anthems but Christmas music.

Things to see and do when visiting Nauvoo (8-20)
Historic sites: Dozens of historic LDS sites, including a five-story temple that opened in 2002, replacing the original structure destroyed after Mormons were chased from Nauvoo in 1846. The grave and home of church founder Joseph Smith also are located in Nauvoo, along with the home Brigham Young built before leading the Mormons to Salt Lake City.

Palestinians at home at Y. (8-19)
Hanging in the window of a Palestinian antique merchant's shop in Jerusalem's Old City is a sign that says, "My money and my daughter go to BYU."

Tabernacle Choir to honor armed forces (8-19)
Thousands of Utahns--many of whom have never set foot inside the LDS Conference Center--will attend a private concert there Saturday honoring the U.S. military.

Buzz vs. Brawn (8-18)
I went with a group to the Grand Opening of the Sacramento Mormon Temple last night. One of the people who showed us around was a Mormon bishop and lawyer. I met him through a friend, and appreciated the opportunity to get to know him. Overall it was an interesting and worthwhile experience. There was a very large crowd, and it was organized professionally. Somewhat surprisingly there were no overtly evangelistic overtures. They even said very little about Mormonism.

Wife of Elder Wirthlin dies in hospital (8-17)
Elisa Young Rogers Wirthlin, wife of Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died Wednesday night at LDS Hospital of causes incident to age.

Artists depict tragic handcart story (8-17)
Artists, authors and at least one documentary filmmaker are slated to release their interpretations of events surrounding the Willie and Martin Handcart Co. disaster, in which scores of Latter-day Saint converts died of starvation and exposure on the high plains of Wyoming 150 years ago in October.

LDS films timid, Dutcher says (8-16)
"I go into a movie looking for something to acknowledge my human condition, my brokenness," Richard Dutcher told an audience of LDS book and DVD sellers.

Minister arrested after taping part of LDS pageant (8-13)
An evangelical Christian minister claims he was unlawfully arrested after taping part of a performance of a Mormon-themed pageant in the Clarkston Cemetery near Logan Friday night.

He makes the music (8-13)
In the early 1970s, Ron Simpson and his business partner were walking back from a meeting in downtown Salt Lake City. As they paused at a streetlight, they noticed that on one side a man was whistling the tune to one of their songs. On their other side, a man was singing some of their song lyrics.

Move of trial sought in missionary slaying (8-13)
A judge is considering a defense request to move the trial of a man accused of fatally shooting a Mormon missionary and wounding another.

Eagle Gate replica now accurate (8-13)
In 2001, Barbara McGrath of Arizona learned that This Is the Place Heritage Park was erecting a replica of Salt Lake City's Eagle Gate at the park's entrance.

The love flows for 'Big Love' at Sunstone session (8-12)
There was a "Big Love"-fest at the 2006 Sunstone Symposium on Friday. Members of a panel discussing the impact of the HBO series about a family of polygamist heaped love upon it.

Ex-LDS author says art, church clash (8-12)
Six years ago, says author Brian Evenson, he had to make a choice between his church and his art. He chose his art. Evenson is the author of six books but may be best known in his home state as the professor who left Brigham Young University after a flap over the publication of his first book, "Altmann's Tongue."

LDS dentists travel the world (8-12)
As an old proverb says, give a man a fish, he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he will eat for a lifetime.

Site of Draper Temple dedicated (8-6)
"High on the Mountain Top" was an apt choice the opening song Saturday for the groundbreaking and site dedication of the Draper Temple: LDS Church leaders, city officials and residents sat thousands of feet high on the Corner Canyon site, looking over the Salt Lake Valley.

Church leaders break ground for LDS temple in Draper (8-5)
LDS Church president Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the building site of a new church temple in Draper Saturday, saying the faithfulness of church members necessitated the new building.

Agents of change--Faith and personal strength help women break abuse cycle (8-5)
Whether the will to stand up against evil and pain is inborn, or springs from an embryo of hurt deep inside the human heart, it seems to grow slowly for many whose family dynamics include a secret kind of dysfunctional behavior--sometimes spanning generations.

Should LDS insulate their children? (8-5)
Gary Stewart grew up in Kaysville during the 1950s, a decade he describes as "the time when the LDS Church was most in sync with the popular culture." But of course the 1950s were followed by the 1960s.

LDS-related seminar touches on racism, myths (8-5)
The first of three local LDS-related conferences scheduled this month began Thursday in Sandy, with speakers touching a broad range of topics including the faith's former priesthood ban for blacks and a retrospective on myths surrounding forged documents.

Book of Mormon as 'literature' (8-5)
Since it was first published in 1830, the Book of Mormon has drawn both praise and scorn from those with a vested interest in promoting it as either legitimate ancient scripture or a brilliant fraud.

Groundbreaking Saturday (8-4)
President Gordon B. Hinckley and other leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will break ground and dedicate the site for the church's Draper Temple Saturday.