February 2009
LDS leader speaks on learning, religion (2-28)
President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has told his wife that when he is gone, she should get a cottage near the Brigham Young University campus "so she can see what God's up to."
MormonTimes--'Making a Case for Church History' (2-28)
The historian and recorder for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints feels no obligation more keenly than to "infuse church members with a sense of the practical, spiritual benefit and the eternal importance -- not to mention the joy -- of acquiring a knowledge of church history.
MormonTimes--LDS history detectives' case files (2-28)
Coded notations? Alphabetic mysteries? An unfinished masterwork? Sounds like a job for the LDS history detectives -- well, it would if there were such a group or TV show.
MormonTimes--Huntsman, Buttars, D.C. voting and monuments (2-28)
It seems it has been a mixed bag when it comes to how U.S. media played recent newsmakers' relationship to their faith. Suprisingly, the stories about Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman supporting civil unions and Utah state Sen. Chris Buttars lambasting gays had a passing mention of the elected leaders' LDS affiliation.
MormonTimes--BYU Muslim compares religions (2-28)
The first time Sameer Ahmad saw members of the Brigham Young University student body "rise and shout" he thought he'd made a big mistake coming to BYU.
MormonTimes--Church News viewpoint: 'What is Primary for?' (2-28)
On a recent pre-dedication public open house tour of a newly completed temple, a family was viewing the temple's ordinance rooms.
MormonTimes--Brazilian Mormon's collection a 'private museum' (2-28)
Brother Cavalheiro, 40, a member of Industrial Ward, Sao Paulo Brazil Ipiranga Stake, has a room in his home filled with old books, photos, films and
magazines -- all produced by or about the church.
MormonTimes--Take a look back at LDS history (2-27)
Kenneth Mays has been pointing his camera at Mormon history for years.
MormonTimes--Some EFY warnings (2-27)
I have a friend who used to say the Especially for Youth program is like a vending machine: pop in a quarter, get a disposable testimony. I don’t necessarily agree with him, but I can understand his concern.
LDS donation has Iraqis wheelin' good (2-26)
The LDS Church does more than donate food or supplies to disaster-stricken areas. It recently donated 2,000 wheelchairs to the disabled people of the Babil Province in Iraq.
MormonTimes--Miller's legacy includes ties with LDS history, BYU (2-26)
On the day Larry H. Miller "retired" from teaching at Brigham Young University, Ned Hill entered the classroom to express his appreciation.
MormonTimes--Can a print shop be a sacred place? (2-25)
A thoughtful man once came to me during a tour and shared a concern. "The itinerary says we are going to visit the Grandin Press," he said quietly. I nodded. "Do we have time for that?" he went on. "We have sacred places to visit here in Palmyra. Is a print shop the best use of our time?"
MormonTimes--Mormon neighbors have taken Shipps on a real trip (2-25)
Jan Shipps met her first Mormon in 1961 when she and her husband moved to Cache Valley, Utah. And "it's been a real trip since," she said as she spoke to a full auditorium at Utah State University on Tuesday.
MormonTimes--Confessions of an LDS nitwit (2-25)
Most religions have a version of what Mormons call "feeling the spirit." It amounts to having our hearts sprinkled with meat tenderizer. For me, it is feeling that beneath the pavement and pollution the world is still good and beautiful, that inner peace is available, that God is accessible, and that love and a desire to share that love are part of my core.
MormonTimes--Dispelling myths to sharing wheelchairs (2-25)
LDS youths dispel myths about their faith
MormonTimes--National camps prepare youths for missions, future (2-25)
In recent weeks, some 17,000 Central American youths have participated in nationwide camps organized by their respective local leaders in Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
MormonTimes--'Power in that text': The Joseph Smith manual (2-25)
Most Mormons may never see even one volume of the Joseph Smith Papers -- let alone pay $50 to own one. But already, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have benefited from the scholarship of that project as reflected in "Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith." "I think there is great power in that text," said Ronald O. Barney (pictured above), a project editor and executive producer of "The Joseph Smith Papers" program on KJZZ-TV in Salt Lake City.
NewsHounds1--Deseret News (2-24)
DNews to Become “Mormon Niche Publication”?
Religion Dispatches--Birth of the Bloggernacle (2-24)
Mormons are natural storytellers, they say, and commanded by the church to research family history and take an account of their lives. LDS and the internet: a match made in heaven.
MormonTimes--Writing songs easier with the Lord on board (2-24)
Songwriting is not easy for Hilary Weeks.
MormonTimes--Bible is key to seeing Joseph Smith through new eyes (2-24)
Using the Bible as an entry point can help people better understand the mystery that is Joseph Smith, a prominent scholar of LDS Church History advocates. Utah State University professor Phillip Barlow said the Bible is a key to seeing Joseph Smith through different eyes Monday evening in a special public lecture at Weber State University's Lindquist Alumni Center. peaking on "Joseph Smith, the Bible, and the Modern Mormon Mind," Barlow, the Arrington Chair of Mormon History and Culture at USU, said the Bible "represents a DNA strand of Joseph Smith's thinking."
MormonTimes--Taking time out a welcome event for Mormon women (2-24)
The first time Shauna Hostetler headed to a Time Out for Women, she and a friend from her ward drove about three hours to Orlando, Fla.
MormonTimes--Web site communicates in youths' 'language' (2-23)
The LDS Church is speaking to youths in their own technology-savvy language with the creation of an Internet site launched at the turn of the year.
MormonTimes--Nicole Sheahan finds her voice (2-23)
At one point or another, every child imagines he or she were someone else. Nicole Sheahan dreamed of being Ariel from "The Little Mermaid."
MormonTimes--Ready for recession (2-23)
How long would the food supply in your home last without grocery shopping? A couple days? A few weeks? A year?
MormonTimes--Modern-day girls revisit pioneer times (2-23)
Before Saturday, Feb. 20, the 8- and 9-year-old girls in Girl Scout Troop 2104 had never shot a muzzle-loader rifle or sewn a handkerchief doll. Neither had three 10-year-old friends from Pleasant Grove, Utah, or a pair of cousins from Eagle Mountain, Utah.
MormonTimes--All gospel opportunities offered in Hong Kong (2-23)
With Hong Kong having a decade of close alignment with the People's Republic of China under its belt, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has another opportunity to strengthen its ongoing ties of trust with the Chinese government.
'An extraordinary life:' Jazz owner Larry H. Miller 1944 - 2009 (2-21)
Larry H. Miller--car dealer, Utah Jazz owner, philanthropist, entrepreneur, Utah icon--died Friday at his Salt Lake mansion at the age of 64 after a long battle with various health problems. Miller's health declined steeply after he suffered a heart attack in June 2008.
Feds object to man's release in LDS temple shooting plot (2-21)
A man accused of plotting a shooting rampage at a South Jordan temple for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will remain in jail pending an emergency appeal by federal prosecutors.
MormonTimes--Lucy Mack's copy of the Book of Mormon (2-21)
Church acquisition likely belonged to Prophet's mother
LDS historians allow documents to speak for themselves (2-21)
A main thrust of "The Joseph Smith Papers," one of the most exciting new developments in LDS Church history, is to allow historical documents to
speak for themselves.
MormonTimes--St. George women publish 32 original hymns (2-20)
Author Marilyn Arnold, along with Maurine Ozment and Lisa Farr, created a book of 32 original hymns based on the words of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints scripture, the Book of Mormon.
MormonTimes--Review: 'Unlocking the Doctrine and Covenants' (2-20)
A book released in October of 2008 combines the text of the Doctrine and Covenants with commentary and historical background in an effort to make the modern-day scriptures more accessible.
MormonTimes--Daniel Ludlow loved his family, church, and having fun (2-20)
Daniel H. Ludlow was impressive in his work and in his church.
Rampage plot nets federal indictment (2-20)
A federal grand jury has indicted a man suspected of plotting a shooting rampage at an LDS temple in South Jordan.
Sacramento Newsreview.com--Why I go to church: You don’t have to be crazy for sitting in pews to know it’s the right place to be (2-19)
Every time I read an SN&R article by some “ex-Mormon” who has finally “seen the light” after years of “oppression, suppression and blind obedience,” I just roll my eyes and chalk it up to the typical closed-minded, utterly cool downtowner mentality that seems to plague many SN&R readers.
Federal grand jury investigates FLDS (2-19)
A federal grand jury has apparently been convened to investigate the Fundamentalist LDS Church in the aftermath of the raid on the Utah-based polygamous church's Texas ranch.
Willes to take helm of LDS firms (2-19)
Mark H. Willes will take over the helm of seven companies in March when he becomes president and chief executive officer of Deseret Management Corp., which oversees for-profit commercial enterprises affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including the Deseret News.
MormonTimes--Re-creating Brigham Young's buttermilk doughnuts (2-19)
Nobody had as good a breakfast as Brigham Young. At least that was the opinion of his daughter, Clarissa. "To be sure, there was corn-meal mush and milk, which was no great treat, but there were also hot doughnuts and syrup, codfish gravy ... squabs from the pigeon house, and some little delicacy from our own garden," Clarissa said.
MormonTimes--Ground broken for Gila Valley LDS Temple (2-19)
On a clear, crisp morning near the base of snow-covered Mt. Graham in eastern Arizona, ground was broken for a much-anticipated temple in the farming community of the Gila Valley.
MormonTimes--Nibley explains gospel best (2-19)
During my weekly commute from Greensboro, N.C., to Buena Vista, Va., I listen to books on CD. As this semester began, I began to listen to "Time Vindicates the Prophets," a lecture series by Hugh Nibley, which the church broadcast from Temple Square in 1954.
MormonTimes--LDS African-Americans reflect on Obama, racism (2-18)
For John Kwarm, Jan. 20, 2009, was a significant day. Seeing an African-American occupy the most powerful position in the United States speaks volumes about how far this country has come, says Kwarm, a recent BYU graduate from Virginia.
MormonTimes--From a baseball pitcher to Glenn Beck (2-18)
Read about a new top LDS major league pitcher in Miami, The New York Times' "distemper," Darwinism and Mormonism, the link between a Mormon filmmaker and lesbian priest, Glenn Beck talking about his faith, and a new leader of a Jewish organization who is also a Latter-day Saint.
MormonTimes--Finnish pop star optimistic about her future (2-17)
Jonna Pirinen responded to the Mormon missionaries' oft-asked question with a wary reply. "Do you think it’s important to find out for yourself that the Book of Mormon is true?" one elder asked. "Yes," she responded. "It is important for me to find out that it’s not true."
MormonTimes--Chaplain 'school' offered at BYU (2-17)
The U.S. military requires chaplain candidates to earn graduate degrees that include at least 36 hours of course work in religious study.
MormonTimes--Growing together: Alabama ward divides (2-16)
The Tuscaloosa Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has split into two wards because of an increase in
membership.
Elder Daniel H. Ludlow dies at age 84 (2-15)
Elder Daniel H. Ludlow, 84, former director of the Correlation Department for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; college professor; and editor of the "Encyclopedia of Mormonism" died Feb. 14, 2009, at his home in Provo of causes incident to age.
MormonTimes--Church shares gospel messages on YouTube (2-14)
The church has established official church channels on YouTube as another way to share the gospel message. The YouTube channels "MormonMessages" and "MormonNewEraMessages" feature short video clips that teach gospel principles.
MormonTimes - 'Temple Worship' provides reverence and perspective (2-14)
Andrew C. Skinner's "Temple Worship" is illustrated by an Al Rounds painting that depicts the Bountiful Utah Temple on a hillside with a panoramic view of a valley soaked in sunset colors.
MormonTimes--Gila, Az. temple groundbreaking Saturday (2-13)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that Elder Neil L. Andersen, the senior president of the Presidency of the Seventy, will preside at
The Gila Valley Arizona Temple's groundbreaking.
MormonTimes--Students feel safe at BYU's Jerusalem Center (2-13)
Highland's Bryan Bozung wanted to spend a semester at Brigham Young University's Jerusalem Center, but when he enrolled at BYU, the center had been closed due to violence in the region.
MormonTimes--Mormons, lawyers told to ask 'the right questions' (2-13)
Ward clerks keep meticulous records of who attends sacrament meeting each week, but church leaders should instead be concerning themselves with who isn't attending, said Elder Clayton Christensen during an address at Harvard Law School.
MormonTimes--LDS singer now loves writing her songs (2-13)
Amy Van Wagenen has lyrics and music playing inside her head. And she's writing them down and singing them.
MormonTimes--Seagulls: heroes or trash birds? (2-13)
The California seagull may have saved Utah pioneers from hordes of crickets in 1848, earning the bird a heroic place in state history. But to the rest of the world, gulls are known as garbage birds.
MormonTimes--Projects reflect Janice Kapp Perry's lifetime (2-13)
"Janice Kapp Perry: A Life of Service and Song" will debut on BYU Television on Monday, Feb. 16, at 8 p.m. (MST).
MormonTimes--New BYU-TV documentary on Janice Kapp Perry (2-13)
Janice Kapp Perry project a daunting task
LakeCitiesSun.com--Helping others is part of Latter-day Saints (2-12)
Recently, 230 youth from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathered for a weekend "Youth Conference" that involved activities such as workshops and service projects. These teens came from Lewisville, Flower Mound, Highland Village, Double Oak, Lantana and Corinth with the goal that helping others was going to be an important part of their weekend. The theme for this year's youth conf
Polygamists at the Capitol proclaim: 'We're families, not felons!' (2-12)
Leslie Wayman raised her hand to ask a question. "Will you please help us get the felony charge dropped?" the Bluffdale woman asked Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff.
MormonTimes--Thomas Kane not only helped Mormons, but wrote history (2-12)
Many of the enduring popular images of Nauvoo-era and pioneer-era Mormons flowed from of the gifted pen and oratory of Thomas L. Kane, a former Brigham Young University professor said Wednesday. "My sense when I first read 'The Mormons' was yes, I know that, that's exactly how it was," Edward A. Geary said of reading Kane's 1850 book.
MormonTimes--Brandon Osmond -- all in the family (2-11)
Brandon Osmond has run out of excuses. Although he was blessed with talent as the third son of a famous musician, Osmond kept finding reasons not to devote time to music. Initially, the huge success of his father, Donny Osmond, turned him away from that path. He'd seen behind the scenes and realized how up-and-down the music business is. Attending college, serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a recent marriage also prevented any musical pursuits.
MormonTimes--From Latin America growth to Wyoming 'conspiracy' (2-11)
Reuters reporters did pretty good job when they focused on the growth of the LDS Church in Central and South America.
Author speaks on Lincoln, Mormons (2-10)
Abraham Lincoln's faith and reliance on God is surprising, says a Utah author of a new book on the 16th U.S. president.
FLDS leader's life on the run is detailed in his dictations (2-10)
As a fugitive sought by the FBI, Warren Jeffs traveled the country delivering the judgment of God.
MormonTimes--Coach also an expert on Emma (2-10)
Throughout her career, Lori Woodland has become an authority on two subjects in particular. One is basketball. The other is Emma Smith.
MormonTimes--Choir concert in PBS top 10 (2-9)
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Christmas concert has continued a tradition of being one of the top 10 most-viewed December programs over the Public Broadcasting System.
MormonTimes--New DVD About President Thomas S. Monson (2-7)
This is the cover of the new DVD "On the Lord's Errand," a short video biography of President Thomas S. Monson that was broadcast between sessions of the October 2008 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
MormonTimes--Church News: Funeral recalls Douglas H. Smith (2-6)
During funeral services Feb. 4, family, friends and church leaders remembered Douglas Hill Smith -- a former general authority -- for his tender heart, strong work ethic and steadfast testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Elder Smith died Jan. 29, 2009, at his home in Salt Lake City of causes incident to age.
MormonTimes--Latter-day Saint harpists find harmony in Arizona (2-6)
About half the students enrolled in one of the nation's top university harp programs belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The University of Arizona in Tucson is known for its harp program because of Harp Fusion, a traveling ensemble tied to the program.
MormonTimes--Internet fame getting to people's head (2-6)
In this world of Facebook groups and blogspot, it's easy to become a prominent voice in the LDS singles community -- even if you don't know the difference between "its" and "it's."
MormonTimes--'Bound on Earth' shows triumph of familial commitment (2-6)
Life has been tough for several members of the Palmer family -- vocational disability, mental illness, wayward child, broken marriage, runaway child, almost-broken marriage, to name some of the challenges.
Polygamists will learn to lobby the Legislature (2-5)
Proclaiming "we're families, not felons!" members of Utah's polygamous communities are becoming more politically active.
Leadership changing for church businesses (2-5)
Rodney H. Brady, 76, will retire next month after 13 years as president and chief executive officer of Deseret Management Corp., which oversees for-profit commercial enterprises affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
MormonTimes--RM once again a champion (2-5)
Chris Hoke has some friends in France who already know he owns one Super Bowl ring. He suspects they'll find out soon about the second one.
MormonTimes--Are Mormon-bashing comments free speech or hate? (2-4)
Are online Mormon-bashing comments free speech or hate? Across the United States news organizations are in a quandary about how to deal with those popular but pesky reader comments at the end of news stories. The online vitriol knows no bounds. When it comes to LDS-related news, LDS critics always seem to come out of the woodwork online.
Former LDS bishop charged in Southwick's Ponzi deal (2-3)
A former bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints planned to turn himself in to law enforcement authorities Tuesday evening, after he was charged Monday with 10 counts of securities fraud in the St. George area, according to his attorney.
Gay-rights advocates begin media blitz (2-3)
If its efforts on Capitol Hill haven't caught your attention yet, Equality Utah hopes newspaper advertisements, radio spots and billboards along I-15 will do the trick.
Lawyer asks to quit FLDS custody case (2-3)
A lawyer appointed to represent a 14-year-old girl believed to have been married at age 12 to Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs is seeking to drop out of the child custody case.
MormonTimes--Church issues Prop 8 rebuttal to news reports (2-3)
The LDS Church issued a statement Monday that is repeated below in its entirety.
MormonTimes--What's missing in Joseph Smith's historical record? (2-3)
The first clause of the first revelation given to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on the day of its establishment states, "Behold, there shall be a record kept among you."
FLDS leader's daughter among 5 dropped in Texas case (2-2)
The custody battle over the children from the Fundamentalist LDS Church's YFZ Ranch is winding down rapidly, with only three children left under court oversight.
MormonTimes--Mormons take lead on 'social' bills in Wyo. (2-2)
Mormons comprise more than 10 percent of the membership of the Wyoming Legislature, yet Mormon lawmakers are not known for voting as a bloc or working together to promote legislation.
MormonTimes--LDS Church spent about $190,000 on Prop. 8 campaign (2-2)
The Mormon church has revealed in a campaign filing that the church spent nearly $190,000 to help pass Proposition 8, the November ballot measure that
banned gay marriage in California.
MormonTimes--Handcart statue to be placed in Norway museum (2-1)
For generations, it has been an LDS icon, one of the most famous artworks of Mormonism. Now, a copy of Torleif S. Knaphus' "Handcart Pioneers" sculpture, viewed by millions of Temple Square visitors over the years, will grace the Norwegian Emigrant Museum in Ottestad, Norway, about a two-hour drive north of Oslo.
Oquirrh Temple open house is set (2-1)
The dates for an open house and the dedication of the new Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple in South Jordan were announced Saturday by the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
MormonTimes--Men are, that they might have joy (2-1)
I've been thinking a lot lately about a verse in the Book of Mormon, "...men are, that they might have joy."