MormonInfo.org

November 2005

Ex-BYU professor praised, attacked as trial begins (11-30-5)
A dedicated husband and father, faithful church member and an exceptional teacher--that's how attorneys described Richard Thwaits--a former Brigham Young University professor whose suit charges his former employer with unlawful termination--during the first day of jury trial Tuesday.

LDS church charting rapid growth in Mexico (11-29)
Gabriel Lopez Gonzalez was 14 when the first group of missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the Mormons arrived in his Mixe Indian town of San Juan Guichicovi, Oaxaca. He was immediately impressed.

Final chapter for bookstore (11-27)
It's hard to miss the large white banner hanging on the east side of The Bookmark.

Ministry is offering free 'Narnia' tickets (11-26)
A local evangelical Christian ministry is joining scores of other like-minded Christian groups who are looking to get moviegoers talking about faith during the Christmas season.

Residents in Draper believe LDS temple is worth any drawbacks (11-25)
With the announcement of two new LDS temples in the Salt Lake Valley, some people have questioned why construction on the Draper temple, which was announced more than a year ago, still has not begun.

Religions decry use of torture (11-24)
Dozens of Utah religious leaders joined their national counterparts Wednesday in petitioning against torturing prisoners taken in the war on terror.

LDS Church to appeal verdict on sex abuse (11-23)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said Tuesday it plans to appeal a $4.2 million award decided on by a Washington jury in a case alleging an LDS bishop failed to report to law enforcement the sex abuse of two teenage girls at the hands of their stepfather.

Y. to boost tuition 6.2% (11-22)
Brigham Young University will raise tuition 6.2 percent for most of its student body this coming year, the largest hike in a dozen years, but the rising costs of higher education will be felt most by those who are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Church liable in girls' abuse (11-22)
In a decision that could reverberate through clergy sexual-abuse cases everywhere, a King County Superior Court jury has awarded $4.2 million to two sisters who were sexually abused for years by their stepfather, a Mormon priest.

Real 'Sons of Provo' is stocked on shelves (11-21)
OREM--"Sons of Provo," the LDS Church-themed movie that was the center of controversy when DVD purchasers found a pornographic movie inside the case instead, has been restocked on bookstore shelves.

15,000 hear Tabernacle Choir (11-20)
In a concert like no other it has presented, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square performed in Denver Saturday evening to the largest indoor audience outside the state of Utah.

Pre-game fireside fits Y. team to a T (11-19)
On the night before the big rivalry game, most football players pore over last-minute notes, watch game film or go to a movie--anything to deal with the pressure.

Do you snooze in church? (11-19)
Americans are considered sleep-deprived in today's modern society, but is that lack of enough "Z's" also causing worshippers to snooze in church? Most local ministers say no, but many have strived to make services more interactive and less napper friendly.

Focus on Savior, Elder Nelson says (11-19)
The holidays won't be the same this year at the Nelson home.

BYU center is moving downtown in 2007 (11-19)
The Brigham Young University Salt Lake Center will be moved in fall 2007 to building 3 of the Triad Center, located between North and South Temple and 300 and 400 West.

Faithful Home caters to LDS (11-18)
Values and fashion are often at odds, like all-you-can-eat salad. In the realm of home decor, consumers trying to find stylish accoutrement often find themselves on the lip of a black void, according to Heather Carson and Adabelle Carson.

Judge is urged to dismiss anti-LDS group's Net suit (11-17)
A lawsuit filed by a Salt Lake group known for its criticism of the LDS Church should be dismissed since the group hasn't proven damages and has not responded to offers to rectify the problem, attorneys argued Wednesday.

Make temple a goal, Elder Hales says (11-16)
Temple blessings should be a central focus when dating relationships grow serious between members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Robert D. Hales told Brigham Young University students during a campus devotional on Tuesday.

Joseph Smith film to debut (11-14)
A new film about the life of Joseph Smith, founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will begin showing in the Legacy Theater of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building on Saturday, Dec. 17.

Fake family trees online may trip up genealogists (11-12)
Genealogists beware. A software company is marketing a new program to Internet advertisers that could quickly generate Web sites full of extensive, but fake, family trees.

Dutcher is simply the best in LDS film genre (11-11)
By most public acclamation, Richard Dutcher is the father of Mormon movie-making, for better and for worse.

Rare books are stolen from LDS Institute (11-11)
University of Utah police Thursday were looking for two rare books stolen from the LDS Institute of Religion on campus.

Wanted: Armed and Dangerous (11-10)
As the FBI chases polygamist Prophet Warren Jeffs, work continues 24/7 on his religion's foreboding new Texas capital

Tenants signing up for Old Navy site (11-9)
As renovation work intensifies at the Old Navy building on Main Street in downtown Salt Lake City, the tenant roster too is firming up. And signs point toward the commencement of construction on the massive redevelopment project by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Y. students praised for positive image (11-9)
Brigham Young University spokeswoman Carri Jenkins believes the school's 30,000 students are effective assistants in her intimidating job--dealing with local, state and national news reporters who often seem hungry for stories about missteps by BYU or its students.

'Make wise choices,' Pres. Monson says (11-7)
The gift of eternal life with God does not come without effort, but is the result of a lifetime of righteous actions and an accumulation of wise choices, said President Thomas S. Monson during a Sunday night CES Fireside.

Depth of Joseph Smith lauded (11-6)
The importance of Joseph Smith in the history of mankind is greater than even LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley can fully grasp, a church leader told a group of church history enthusiasts Saturday.

Women's inner strength extolled (11-6)
Women seeking inner strength, either spiritual or otherwise, have a variety of options not often discussed in religious circles, particularly among Latter-day Saints, according to speakers who addressed a local group of feminists Saturday.

Joseph Smith exhibit ends Jan. 16 (11-6)
The Joseph Smith bicentennial exhibit at the Museum of Church History and Art will close on Jan. 16.

Utah Has Lowest Military Recruitment Rate (11-5)
Utah has the lowest military recruitment rate because many of its young men are fulfilling an obligation to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-days Saints on proselytizing missions.

New Biography Casts Joseph Smith As 'Tough CEO' (11-5)
In the opening lines of his new book, author and historian Richard Bushman says that 200 years should be enough time to gain perspective on the life and work of Joseph Smith, founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Portrait of a president-prophet (11-5)
To this day, no Mormon has served longer in the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles than David Oman McKay the ninth of 15 presidents and prophets of the 12.3 million member church.

Daybreak owner sues South Jordan (11-5)
The developers of South Jordan's new Daybreak community have accused the city of making "back-door" deals to pave the way for a high-density housing development that they say threatens the character of the master-planned community and will make a traffic nightmare for visitors to the new LDS temple there.

Filmmaker's 'New York Doll' is more than a 'rockumentary' (11-4)
Greg Whiteley says his film "New York Doll" has already been a success--even though it's only been playing theatrically for about a week in New York and Los Angeles.

Son of 'God's Army' (11-4)
Filmmaker Richard Dutcher arrived on the cinematic scene with a major splash, scoring a hit with his 2000 drama "God's Army." He quickly followed that with the 2001 thriller "Brigham City."

Gutsy and challenging, 'God's Army 2' is thriller (11-4)
Dutcher proves his skills in a movie that takes some chances

Experience taught Dutcher to stay in the driver's seat (11-4)
When Richard Dutcher released "God's Army" in 2000, it was pretty much a do-it-yourself project. In addition to producing, writing, directing and co-starring in the film, he even booked the theaters.

'Krueger' on DVD (11-4)
An all-new, limited-edition DVD marking the 25th anniversary of "Mr. Krueger's Christmas," featuring James Stewart conducting the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, is available through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Justice may be disbarred (11-3)
Polygamist Walter Steed said he believes being spiritually married to more than one wife is essential to reach the highest degree of glory in the afterlife.

Opera about Joseph Smith premiering at Y. (11-3)
Writing an opera is a daunting task, but add in a tight deadline and working without the music and it's almost impossible.

Airman says officer biased over wearing LDS apparel (11-1)
Air Force officials and a Utah congressman are investigating claims that an LDS airman faced religious discrimination from his commanding officer.

LDS ask to intervene in lawsuit (11-1)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is seeking to intervene in a court case that could hamper its plans for a new Church History Library on the northern border of its downtown campus.