October 2009
Group explores how Mormons, politics mix (10-31-9)
Mormons are a peculiar people--not only in their religious beliefs, but in the political arena as well, several professors and officials explained Friday.
Richard Paul Evans' latest work takes a look at redemption (10-31)
James Kier is a jerk. A cutthroat businessman who can't see beyond his own interest, his motto is "eat, or be eaten."
MormonTimes - Monument dedicated for 'impossible trek' (10-31)
It was this month 130 years ago, in October 1879, when early Mormon settlers in southern Utah left their base camp in Dance Hall Rock to embark on one of the most arduous treks in church history.
MormonTimes - Old Testament account relates a type of Christ, Sperry speaker says (10-31)
Sandwiched between two of the most spectacular stories in the Old Testament is a story about a borrowed tool.
MormonTimes - Debunk Mormon stereotypes by living your religion (10-31)
Earlier this week, a headline in the news caught my eye.
MormonTimes - Mormon family named Military Family of the Year (10-30)
The community service and involvement of a Camp Lejeune family received national recognition when they were named Military Family of the Year in Washington D.C. this week.
Christianity Today--Most Improbable Dialogue (10-30)
Robert Millet would do things differently if he were carefully strategizing how fellow Mormons could best pursue interfaith contacts.
MormonTimes - Book of Mormon geography articles by Joseph Smith? (10-30)
It was, for its day, as big a book-selling phenomenon as Harry Potter. For decades it was a No. 1 best-selling phenomenon unlike anything seen before in America.
MormonTimes - In defense of sister missionaries (10-30)
When I started dating the girl who would become my wife she already had decided to serve a mission. This put some extra pressure on me to be a stellar boyfriend.
MormonTimes - Obama salutes Mormon bishop's son killed in Afghanistan (10-30)
Sgt. Dale Griffin was the son of a Mormon bishop, a champion wrestler and college student who was struggling to find his way in the world when he turned to the military.
Portraits of the past: Joseph Smith hymnal (10-29)
In the Nauvoo newspaper, Times and Seasons, the Prophet Joseph Smith once noted the following: "I have been favored by receiving a Hymn Book from you, and as far as I have examined it, I highly approve of it, and think it to be a very valuable collection" (Vol. 2, No. 5, Jan. 1, 1841).
FLDS man tried in sexual assault of teen (10-28)
A 38-year-old man from a polygamist sect sexually assaulted a teenager less than half his age at the Yearning for Zion Ranch, a prosecutor charged Wednesday to open the first criminal trial since the ranch was raided.
MormonTimes - The 'right to know' versus the right of political expression (10-28)
As Americans and citizens of many other nations we cherish the "right to know." We have sunshine laws that let us attend government meetings and view government-held documents. We want to know about the backroom deals, the documents that may expose corruption and graft. This is part of the check and balance on governmental power.
MormonTimes - Lost 'Book of Commandments' witnesses found (10-27)
Joseph Smith needed someone to step up and testify of his revelations.
Calendar pokes fun at Mormon mom stereotype (10-26)
The latest installment of a calendar series that pokes fun at Mormon stereotypes is putting a twist on motherhood.
MormonTimes - 'Church ball' rises from humble beginnings (10-26)
Is basketball the one, true "celestial" sport?
MormonTimes - 'Reformed Egyptian' an evidence for Book of Mormon (10-26)
One of the few things upon which believers and critics agree is that Joseph Smith could not read ancient languages -- at least in the typical sense.
Monuments salute the Mormon Battalion (10-25)
For a year of military service, the 500 members of the Mormon Battalion purchased the future of their faith.
MormonTimes - Timothy Riggs is a magic Mormon man (10-25)
Timothy Riggs could probably work in Las Vegas as a magician year round.
MormonTimes - Book review: 80 evidences supporting Joseph Smith (10-25)
Michael Ash's apologetic articles have been appearing online and in LDS publications for more than a decade. What offensive thing could he possibly do to require such a lengthy apology?
MormonTimes - Faith column: Bashing Mormons, based on old doctrines, must stop (10-24)
Mormon-bashing continues to be alive and well.
MormonTimes - Harry Reid and son's political dynasty (10-24)
Could a dynasty of Reids, Harry and son Rory, both get elected to high office in Nevada a year from now?
MormonTimes - Former Black 14 member works to demystify racial issues (10-22)
Mel Hamilton took his first step by crossing a street.
Senator credits successes to his BYU college years (10-22)
During his first two years at BYU--long before he became a U.S. senator--Orrin Hatch went on two dates.
Portraits of the past: A place for preaching (10-22)
During the time Elder Wilford Woodruff labored as a missionary in the town of Ledbury, Herefordshire, he recorded the following story, dated April 30, 1840:
MormonTimes - Churches grow not because of doctrine (10-22)
Last week we looked at Rodney Stark's book "The Rise of Christianity: How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religious Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries."
MormonTimes - Elder Nelson dedicates branch meetinghouse in Russia (10-22)
Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve dedicated the Voronezh Branch meetinghouse on Oct. 20, a little more than 17 years after the first members of the church from the city in southern Russia were baptized.
MormonTimes - Congressman Jim Matheson speaks at Barlow Center (10-22)
Congressman Jim Matheson (D-Utah) met with students of the BYU Washington Seminar on Oct. 6 to discuss ways his Mormon faith and rearing have influenced his public service.
New $10M Utah Food Bank facility dedicated (10-21)
Wednesday was "chocolate chip cookie day" for Utah.
President Monson top octogenarian (10-21)
In addition to guiding more than 13 million members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Thomas S. Monson now leads Slate.com's annual list of the nation's most powerful octogenarians.
MormonTimes - School bus driver asked kids to sing LDS songs (10-21)
A Mesa school bus driver has been disciplined and will undergo training after he asked Mormon students to sing religious songs on the bus earlier this month.
MormonTimes - Leading black genealogist visits West Tennessee (10-21)
Genealogy and family ties were the focus of leading black genealogist Darius Gray as he spoke in several locations around West Tennessee, including The National Civil Rights Museum.
MormonTimes - Mormon swimmer named NCAA woman of the year (10-21)
Former Arizona swimmer Lacey Nymeyer was honored as the NCAA woman of the year at a dinner Sunday night.
MormonTimes - Sacred portraits: Photographer makes images for JSP project (10-21)
Welden C. Andersen says his career photographing Hollywood stars for movie posters and musicians for album covers pales in comparison to the portraiture project he is undertaking now.
MormonTimes - Compassion for church's enemies? (10-21)
President Thomas S. Monson is at it again.
MormonTimes - Mormon Media Observer: Elder Oaks debate, by the numbers (10-21)
It was to be expected. Elder Dallin H. Oaks reignited a debate about freedom of religion. Unfortunately, much of the landmark speech's message got derailed by journalist-created sideshows.
MormonTimes - Man gets 10 years for arson at LDS chapel (10-20)
A 39-year-old Palestine man accused of setting fire to a local Mormon chapel earlier this year has been sentenced to 10 years in prison by a Texas state district judge.
Teen details trysts she says she had with principal (10-20)
A former Lone Peak High School student Tuesday detailed several sexual encounters she said she had with the principal of the school's seminary program.
MormonTimes - Mormon girl competes in national Bible Bee (10-20)
When Tia Thomas isn't studying for her school classes, she's studying scripture.
MormonTimes - LDS world report available on YouTube (10-20)
The October 2009 edition of the LDS World Report -- the official LDS church news broadcast that runs in between sessions of conference and covers interesting stories about all things Mormon -- can now be seen online at the LDS newsroom blog, as well as on YouTube.
Daughters of Utah Pioneers celebrates history (10-19)
For the first few decades in the Salt Lake Valley, the Mormon pioneers were too busy working to pay much attention to what they had done.
No easy solutions in polygamous church land fight (10-19)
More than four years after Utah sought to protect assets in a polygamous church's land trust, the state's plan seems to have backfired--the trust is mired in debt, tangled in lawsuits and some of the land that was supposed to be preserved is poised for court-ordered sale.
MormonTimes - Former BYU football star writes book based on personal experiences (10-19)
When Chad Lewis returned home from a Mormon mission to Taiwan in 1992, his mother suggested he write a book.
MormonTimes - Analyzing the best historical Book of Mormon evidence (10-19)
Before I continue my analysis of the Book of Mormon in light of the overall discussion of facing anti-LDS accusations, I'd like to clarify a few things.
MormonTimes - LDS Church donates $1.5 million to help build St. Anne's Center (10-19)
Plans to move St. Anne's Center to a location outside of downtown Ogden got a huge boost Wednesday, Oct. 14, with the announcement that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will donate $1.5 million to help build the new shelter complex.
Pro career a snap for Denney (10-18)
As Erik Walden races downfield on punt coverage, the Miami Dolphins' special teamer often will glance over his right shoulder and glimpse the most amazing sight.
Mormons are entitled to defend their freedom of religion (10-18)
This past week, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the LDS Church raised a strong voice of warning in defense of religious freedom.
MormonTimes - Hebrew design in Mesoamerica: Temples match (10-18)
It probably isn't too surprising to learn that the tabernacle of Moses and the Temple of Solomon have the same proportions. They all came from the same culture, after all. But what if temple complexes in Mesoamerica matched those same architectural proportions?
MormonTimes - Intelligent design and the new atheism: Evolution has limits (10-17)
According to Michael Behe, there are limits to what evolution can explain. Behe spoke on Friday, Oct. 16, at BYU during the Wheatley Institution's "Symposium on Responding to the New Atheism."
MormonTimes - Helen Radkey and Salt Lake Tribune strike again (10-17)
It happened again this week. Call it the Helen Radkey Game. Radkey, a vocal critic of the LDS Church's proxy baptism, finds the infamous or famous in the vast genealogical database of the church.
Utah radio icon Joe Lee dies at 88 (10-17)
Utah broadcasting icon Joe Lee will be remembered as a true gentleman with a great sense of humor, according to his friends and family. The 88-year-old died Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009, after battling diabetes, heart and kidney problems for some time.
Gay groups disagree with Elder Oaks (10-16)
Four gay advocacy groups that include Mormons and former church members released a joint statement Friday disagreeing with points made earlier this week in a speech on freedom of religion by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
RNC boss hopeful religious bias past (10-16)
The head of the Republican National Committee said Friday he believes voters may have moved beyond the bias against Mormonism that hurt Mitt Romney in last year's presidential election.
Barzee competent, doctors say (10-16)
For the first time since her arrest six years ago, accused Elizabeth Smart kidnapper Wanda Barzee has been found competent by doctors at the Utah State Hospital to stand trial.
MormonTimes - Newly found revelation of Joseph Smith (10-16)
Nobody could prove them wrong. They said that Joseph Smith had a faulty revelation in 1830.
MormonTimes - Cole, McCullough to appear in Choir's Christmas concerts (10-16)
Singer, songwriter and recording artist Natalie Cole and two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough will join the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square for their annual Christmas concerts, themed "The Wondrous Gift of Christmas," the choir office announced Oct. 15. Mack Wilberg and Ryan Murphy will conduct the concerts.
MormonTimes - Inauguration at LDS Business College (10-16)
President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency and Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve spoke Oct. 13 in the Assembly Hall at Temple Square during the inauguration of J. Lawrence "Larry" Richards as the 12th president of LDS Business College.
Barzee, now medicated, returns to court on Friday (10-15)
The federal court case of Brian David Mitchell, who is accused of kidnapping Elizabeth Smart, has seen an abundance of activity lately.
MormonTimes - A history of Christian growth (10-15)
We Latter-day Saints often look at our own history as unique. Yes, there are echoes of past history -- our westward migration to Salt Lake City is redolent of the migration of the Israelites, Jaredites, and family of Lehi into their lands of promise.
MormonTimes - What's new: The Joseph Smith Papers, Season 1 DVD (10-15)
Joseph F. Darowski calls it "the best story there is."
MormonTimes - Researcher takes a new look at the death of Laban (10-14)
To some in ancient Jerusalem, it was murder, theft and kidnapping. To others, it was a divine mission of deliverance for a family and a nation. Even today, Mormons sometimes find that the death of Laban is a difficult event to understand.
MormonTimes - LDS Church in Austria, Italy and Wall Street (10-14)
The Mormon Media Observer is always on the lookout for news stories missed or underplayed elsewhere. Here are the latest finds:
MormonTimes - Nauvoo was filled with a spirit of newness (10-14)
The ancient pharaohs of Egypt hoped their stone monuments would be everlasting. But after only a few thousand years -- which does not resemble eternity even a little -- those monuments are ruins.
Reid criticizes LDS Church's Prop. 8 involvement (10-13)
Gay-rights activists say that in a private meeting with them, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., criticized the LDS Church for working to ban gay marriage in California.
5 LDS buildings are targets of vandals (10-12)
Five incidents of church vandalism over the weekend have detectives from at least two agencies investigating a possible hate crime, and federal authorities are expected to be called.
MormonTimes - Mormon ward hosted mosque prayers for more than a year (10-12)
One of only four Ahmadi Muslim mosques in California will officially reopen this month in Chino, six years after an electrical fire severely damaged the building.
MormonTimes - Book of Mormon in ancient setting, not 19th-century work (10-12)
As we continue our discussion about the Book of Mormon text, it might be good to point out again how this relates to the original theme of this series -- maintaining a testimony when challenged by anti-LDS accusations.
MormonTimes - Church releases DVDs that bring Old Testament to life (10-12)
The Old Testament just got a lot more accessible.
MormonTimes - Book of Mormon proves itself, says Richmond professor (10-11)
The Book of Mormon proves its own historical validity, BYU students learned at a lecture.
MormonTimes - Readers react to Glenn Beck controversy (10-10)
A lot of readers responded to the recent Mormon Media Observer column about Glenn Beck.
MormonTimes - From atheist to Mormon (10-10)
In his personal essay, "Maestro of Dissent: Finding my religion: A spiritual and intellectual journey," Daniel Ortner tells of his conversion to Mormonism from atheism.
MormonTimes - Building the LDS Conference Center organ (10-10)
When the mammoth new Conference Center was constructed in downtown Salt Lake City from 1997 to 2000, John Longhurst, chief Salt Lake Tabernacle organist, was appointed bychurch leaders to take a leading role in the planning and construction of an organ to befit the grand new edifice.
MormonTimes - Serial killer's daughter in the spotlight (10-9)
Telling her story on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" was not the most subtle of ways Melissa Moore could have reached out to people who, like her, spent years ashamed of circumstances they had no control over.
MormonTimes - Lehi and DNA X-theory is complicated (10-9)
A, B, C, D. These four letters represented the first DNA classifications of Native Americans into similar lineages, or haplogroups.
MormonTimes - Deseret International Foundation celebrates 20 years of healing (10-9)
To celebrate 20 years of healing and offering hope to lame, blind and disfigured children of the world, Deseret International Foundation hosted an evening of beautiful music.
MormonTimes - 'Children of Joseph' DVD released (10-9)
The producers of "Emma Smith, My Story" have released a new DVD, "Children of Joseph," about the descendants of the Prophet Joseph and Emma Smith.
'A chain of testimony': 1841 copy of Book of Mormon stays preserved (10-8)
The book normally sits in a box, in a dark room with a controlled temperature and humidity level.
White substance spurs scare at storage vault (10-8)
A suspicious white powdery substance shipped to the LDS Church's granite storage vaults Wednesday turned out to be harmless ground-up fiberglass, hazardous materials crews determined.
Pair charged in theft of bronze Book of Mormon (10-8)
Two men arrested Sunday for allegedly stealing a bronze Book of Mormon out of the hands of a bronze statue of Brigham Young, were hit with charges Wednesday for the crime, including two felonies.
MormonTimes - LDS Church using the Internet to its advantage (10-8)
Official LDS Church content on the Web now branches beyond lds.org.
MormonTimes - Mormons in the eyes of the New York Times (10-7)
In an occasional column, The Mormon Media Observer will look at the times when Mormons and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have made news in the New York Times.
MormonTimes - A temple for 'a slice of paradise' (10-7)
If you're not building a temple in Jerusalem, a good second option is Brigham City, Utah.
MormonTimes - Nauvoo sites venerate role of women in the church (10-7)
Without the events of March 17, 1842, the restoration of all things could not be complete. On that day, in a simple upstairs storeroom in Illinois, the Lord officially organized the women of his church.
MormonTimes - Reactivation, participation through church sports (10-7)
A story of returning to Mormon activity after being asked to coach a church basketball team, and President Thomas S. Monson's admonition that "when you put a player in a suit, put him in the game."
MormonTimes - New welfare center dedicated to sharing (10-7)
Before offering the dedicatory prayer for the LDS Church's Harrisville Welfare Center here, Bishop Richard C. Edgley, first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, spoke of the Christian propensity for caring for the needy.
MormonTimes - Virginia youths read Book of Mormon in two days (10-7)
Youths in the Scotchtown Ward, Richmond Virginia Stake, recently participated in a two-day Book of Mormon readathon.
LDS, Islamic relief supplies touch hearts (10-6)
Sitting in Tuesday morning's sun on the airport tarmac, the 150,000 pounds of relief supplies bound for Samoa bore product descriptions and the recognized logos of the LDS Church and Islamic Relief USA.
Cabin preserves Santaquin's history (10-6)
Preserving the heritage of Santaquin in the form of a cabin originally built about 1871 has become a focus for two local camps of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers.
"Untold Story of Black Mormons" is told (10-5)
"Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons" is thought-provoking, deeply personal and, at times, extremely difficult to watch.
MormonTimes - Mormon teens start day with faith classes in McKinney (10-5)
It's not as if Jenna Reeder doesn't have anything else to do, given that she's president of the senior class at McKinney High School, serves on student council, and takes dual credit courses from Collin College.
MormonTimes - Book of Mormon geography may be smaller than you think (10-5)
As explained last week, ancient "historians" often understood things differently than we do today.
MormonTimes - Objectives outlined for Relief Society meetings (10-5)
Using Relief Society meetings appropriately will increase the ability of the Relief Society to work in powerful ways with priesthood leaders in every ward, said Sister Julie B. Beck during the General Relief Society Meeting Sept. 26.
Conference has grown from humble beginnings in 1830 (10-4)
General conference is a tradition for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that dates from earliest days of the church.
Help others, LDS urged (10-4)
LDS Church members were encouraged Sunday during the final day of the 179th Semiannual General Conference to reach out and help others each day and also to heed God's words and commandments to survive this time of worldly permissiveness.
LDS urged to serve others (10-4)
Church members were encouraged to reach out and help others each day during the Sunday morning session of the 179th semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
2 men accused of swiping bronze Book of Mormon from Brigham Young statue (10-4)
The spirit of this weekend's LDS general conference did not extend to the nearby grave site of Brigham Young, where police say two men jumped a fence and ripped a bronze Book of Mormon from the church leader's hands Sunday.
Singers help conferencegoers 'maintain reverent spirit' (10-4)
In the cacophony of thousands of people leaving the Conference Center after a general conference session and thousands more lining up to get into the center for the next, the familiar sounds of LDS hymns are a spirit-calming extra.
MormonTimes - Mormons drawn into Glenn Beck controversy (10-3)
Controversial talk show host Glenn Beck is certainly making waves from his Fox News TV and syndicated-radio bully pulpit, nationwide appearances and, best-selling books.
MormonTimes - It was either a temple marriage or no marriage (10-3)
I ended up a member of the LDS Church because I gave my college sweetheart an ultimatum: Marry me or we'd go our separate ways.
Joseph Smith's sword is on display (10-2)
For the first time in 165 years, LDS Church founder Joseph Smith's Nauvoo Legion sword was displayed in public Friday.
Bookend libraries: Resources from 2 LDS Church libraries go hand in hand (10-2)
A couple of misconceptions persist regarding the Church History Library, opened in June by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Smart calls Mitchell "evil" (10-2)
Describing him as a master manipulator who used religion as a front to get sex, drugs, alcohol and anything else he wanted, Elizabeth Smart delivered unflappable testimony Thursday as she took the witness stand for the first time against one of her accused kidnappers, Brian David Mitchell.
MormonTimes - Historian says many 1800s plural marriages worked (10-2)
Elizabeth Kane had married for love, and expected to see nothing resembling her ideal when she visited Utah in 1872.
MormonTimes - 3 principles for looking at Lehi's DNA (10-2)
DNA science can't tell us if Book of Mormon prophet Lehi and his small group came to the Americas 2,600 years ago.
Utahn Cowley can't get his due on the big screen (10-1)
When it comes to Hollywood, Sam Cowley has never received his due.
Smart describes Mitchell as a master manipulator (10-1)
Taking the stand for the first time since she was abducted more than six years ago, Elizabeth Smart described Brian David Mitchell as a master manipulator who used religion to get what he wanted--including food, drugs and sex.
MormonTimes - Famous Mormons in many parts of the world (10-1)
Do you know Kent Derricott? Or Israel Folau?
MormonTimes - Loving life as an aspiring American pop star in China (10-1)
When Benji Schwartz competed on the "Super Idol" show, he sang every week and survived several elimination rounds.
MormonTimes - Canadian singer delights young crowds (10-1)
Most of Canadian singer-songwriter Bob King's fans look up to him -- literally. Much like fellow Canadian Raffi Cavoukian, Mormon musician King plays to enthusiastic crowds of children.
MormonTimes - Surfing legend isn’t shy about LDS faith (10-1)
Along with being called original, influential and legendary, Bob Cooper has been labeled "eccentric."