Home
News & People
Mormon Voices
Arts & Entertainment
Around The Church
Studies & Doctrine
Mormon Living
Emily Jensen updates “Today in the Bloggernacle” every weekday, containing the best of what we've seen from the world of LDS-oriented blog sites.
The extended “Bloggernacle Back Bench” is published Tuesdays.
Monday, November 2
Mormon ads: On the heels of the news that an international group recognized a Mormon Homefront ad, I decided to see if there was a place to view recent Mormon advertisements, and what do you know, there is! Enjoy more than 30 "Television and radio messages for families" such as "The Phone Call" or "Ballet" or "Family Harmony." Note: It only worked for me in Internet Explorer.
Temple studies: For the many of us who were unable to attend the "Temple Studies Group Symposium" on "The Holy Anointing Oil" held Saturday in England, David Larson has kindly provided his notes. Lecturers included Margaret Barker, who spoke on "the nature and use of the holy anointing oil in the Temple of Jerusalem"; Laurence Hemming, who spoke on "the anointing with oil in the Roman Catholic Tradition"; and BYU professor John F. Hall, who "talked about Egyptian temple rites and the role of anointing in them and how these traditions may have influenced Israelite practice." Wow, sounds absolutely fascinating!
Simple testimony: "That I love God, that I am grateful for the community of faith in the church, but I don't understand everything and that is ok." This part of "A Simple Testimony" borne yesterday in a fast and testimony meeting is both simple and profound. As she explained, "it is in being vulnerable that we allow ourselves the most growth and I truly feel grateful for multiple communities in which I can be myself. And I did it without passing out or tripping up and down the stairs." Nice.
Friday, October 30
Maine question: The LDS Law blog tackles the big differences of "How Maine Q. 1 is different from Prop. 8." First "same-sex marriage was legalized in Maine through legislative act rather than judicial opinion." Second, "Maine was also prudent enough to delay issuing marriage licenses to gay couples pending the outcome of Question 1." And third, "the LDS Church has not taken an active role in the Maine initiative like it did in California." Hat-tip to DMI Dave for pointing out this measured but fascinating summary.
Halloween history: "On November 1, some Christian faiths celebrate All Saints' Day. Although we don't officially recognize this holiday in the (church) there are some traditions of this day that we have inherited and can have meaning for us." So begins an interesting post that puts "All Saints Day (in) an LDS Context." Did you know that an All Saints' Day hymn is included in the LDS hymnbook? Click to find out more!
Halloween date: It's not often that Halloween falls so serendipitously on a weekend, so maybe you need some "Great Date Ideas: The Halloween Date." Carve pumpkins, dress up as a famous couple or even rent a Halloween movie from the provided list. Enjoy!
Halloween costume: "...to allow it to fall into obscurity would be a crime against the spirit of the holiday, I give you now The greatest Mormon Halloween costume of all time." I really don't think anyone will ever top it.
Thursday, October 29
Sir Maxwell: "The 'Whole Armor of God' -- Is This What They Mean?" intrigued me as a title, and then delighted me as a post when I clicked in and saw who was dressed up in full armor regalia. Check it out!
Judging covers: Taking the old maxim, "You can't judge a book by its cover" this blogger highlights two women: Sister A and Sister B. "Sister A married at 20 and had her first child 10 1/2 months later. She now has 5 children and is a stay-at-home mom.... Sister B is a fledgling environmentalist. She recycles as much as possible, composts, and uses a rain barrel to water her garden." Different as they come? Well, "On Books and Covers" has a surprising twist that wonderfully teaches the importance of not judging based on appearances.
Halloween memories: Remember the good old days of not having to check through your Halloween candy? Or how you could go door-to-door unchaperoned? "Oh how times have changed" laments this blogger, who proceeds to provide her favorite memories of Halloweens gone. Add your own!
Halloween treat: How do you do go "Trick or treating adult style"? Easy. "I went to Wal-Mart and bought a big bag of my favorite candy. No having to walk around all night to get candy. No having to deal with all the types of candies I don't like. Just a huge bag of everything I like." Nice.
Wednesday, October 28
Panoramic photos: Take a visit to Temple Square today without leaving your computer. All you have to do is click into 3dUtah, which portrays "Temple Square in Salt Lake City" in glorious panoramic splendor. You can zoom left, right, up or down and visit the tabernacle, the assembly hall, the grounds of Temple Square, and the Christus statue in the Visitors Center. Hat-tip to LDS Media Talk, who found these "really great" panoramic photos.
Conference calls: Have an amazing, scholarly idea for a paper? Then check out these two venues in which to present your research. "The European Mormon Studies Association Annual Conference 2010, Call for Papers" wants articles that tackle "European Mormonism and its Experience in Media and the Public Sphere." If you'll be in Holland this July, consider applying. Or, in April at Claremont Graduate University in California, you could present on "What is Mormon Studies?" Click in for details about both conferences and paper deadlines.
Halloween celebration: Donut bobbing, mummy wrap, fear factor room and pumpkin decorating. Need some ideas for an upcoming Halloween activity? Then check out the fun ones outlined in this "Halloween Celebration Night." Creative!
Tuesday, October 27
Researcher's beginnings: "Wow! You can't make up stuff this good. No one would believe it." This fitting comment illustrates Ardis E. Parshall's fascinating background story of "How I Got Hooked" into family history and history research.
Youth conference: Enjoy a lovely slides how from the Mormon New Era Message YouTube channel highlighting "LDS Youth at General Conference, Oct. 2009" set to a stirring rendition of "Choose the Right" by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Mormon celebrity: Meeting President Monson in the LTM. Watching Donny Osmond buy budget cereal. Running into Thurl Bailey. Or having a famous quarterback in your bishopric. Have you had any "Brushes with Mormon Celebrity"?
Happy Birthday: "The Juvenile Instructor Turns 2" and to celebrate this milestone, they reintroduce themselves and look back at some of their favorite posts. What a nice present for us! Happy Birthday JI and I hope for many more to come!
Monday, October 26
Lebanon dedicated: On Thursday, "Lebanon Dedicated for the Preaching of the Gospel" by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. And with this amazing announcement "Lebanon becomes the first country in the Middle East to be dedicated for missionary work in recent years."
School of the Prophets?: Saturday "President Monson was honored as the distinguished University of Utah fan of the game" and a few months ago, this blogger joked that with the signing of Joseph Smith to the Utah football team, that the University of Utah was the "School of the Prophets." In reality, he may be right! Click to read the quote from a prophet that this blogger found that corroborates this claim.
Nursery etiquette: "You wouldn't crash the nine-year-olds' class or the priests' quorum with a random person who doesn't fit the age requirements... Nursery is not day care. Please don't drop off your precocious sixteen-month-old because you're “very understandably -- tired of chasing her around the halls." So explains this nursery worker, who outlines "Nursery Etiquette, or, What I Wish Others Knew About My Calling." And I love the added comments such as "As elders quorum president, I wished people didn't think I was the CEO of a moving company, expecting me to organize their move because they didn't think to do it themselves."
Halloween visiting: It's the end of October, which means two things: Halloween and hurrying-to-get-visiting--teaching done. So let's combine these with this lovely "Halloween Poem to share with your sisters." Grab a treat and make a date for a visit!
Friday, October 23
Balancing life: "The first step to rectify the situation is to recognize it. Make a conscious commitment to prioritizing relationships and family more, along with faith and spiritual growth." So advises Richard Eyre, who, in a guest post at By Common Consent, discusses how to achieve "Four-Dimensional Success." Find out the four dimensions that lead to happiness and how to balance them better in your life!
Big heart: I've been following the progress of Our Sweet "Heart" and am happy to report that "He's here." I add my hearty congratulations and wish for luck in all future surgeries. And I loved the testimony of his parents: "We are so grateful for this sweet boy and for the true miracle that his is. We are so grateful to our Heavenly Father for the blessing of getting to be (his) parents."
Christmas spirit: Even with Halloween just around the corner, I've seen store Christmas displays and Christmas television commercials. So I'll give in to the Christmas cheer today, especially in highlighting this wonderful story of one missionary sister who experienced "A Bulgarian Christmas." She remembers "The Christmas I spent as a missionary was not what I'd thought or wanted it to be, but it did teach me many things. We were blessed with safety, and given the chance to serve members of the Church in Sofia." Click to read the whole account!
Leaves project: If you have an abundance of leaves littering your lawn, then this easy and beautiful "Fall Leaves Project" may be just the thing to add to your holiday decorating. And bonus, it'd be fun to do with kids, who could pick out the leaves and decide where to put your finished creations!
Faith site: Check out the new Faith in Jesus Christ site recently launched at LDS.org. Earlier I noticed a few tweets about it and clicked in to find some beautiful videos discussing what it means to have faith in Jesus Christ and some downloadable pictures of the Savior.
Human life: Rosalynde Welch takes on the difficult and complicated topic of the morality of artificial reproductive therapies in “Human life, religious voices and the public square.” She specifically focuses on the Stansels, a Mormon couple in the news recently who refused selective reduction and had six babies prematurely, only two of which are alive. What do you think?
Free books: What’s better than books? Free books! And Deseret Book is offering a collection of pdf books, all for free! Authors include Elder Richard G. Scott, John Bytheway, Richard Holzapfel, Jack Weyand and more.
Wednesday, October 21
Conference highlights: I eagerly awaited it, and now LDS Media talk reports that "A video with highlights from the October 2009 LDS General Conference was just posted." Hooray! Watch all your favorite "General Conference highlights" by downloading the 16:16 minute video. Prepare to be spiritually touched again by the beautiful words and insightful counsel of our leaders.
Apostles testify: "Oh sweet the joy this sentence gives, I know that my Redeemer Lives" -- President Thomas S. Monson. So concludes this beautiful and inspiring video "Lifting Burdens: The Atonement of Jesus Christ" wherein the apostles each testify of the Atonement in their own powerful ways. Please watch.
Tuesday, October 20
Conference statistics: How many people viewed or listened to general conference online? "There were 587,870 unique live video streams across KBYU.tv, KSL.com, and the two video options on LDS.org during the 4 general conference sessions." Wow! And according to this blog post, the "Live Access to LDS General Conference" is growing, at least video-wise, up 16% from last April.
Honor chillings: It took me a moment to get what Jeff Lindsay was referring to in his title "A Barbaric Practice: Honor Chillings" but he explained quickly "occasionally we hear about the horrors of honor killings, but a much more widespread barbaric practice among many faiths is honor chillings--cold treatment due to religious difference." Using the scriptures as a guide, he further explains that while it sometimes may be necessary to excommunicate people, "the purpose is not to justify chilling... May we all avoid the cruelness of honor chillings, and follow the example of the Savior in loving and ministering to all around him."
California earthquake: What would it be like if a large earthquake hit near your home? Twenty years ago, this blogger and his family went through one. And in "Remembering the Loma Prieta Earthquake (1989)" they discuss what happened and provide good advice on being prepared. But it was very scary: "There are moments, even 20 years later that I cringe or my heart skips a beat when I feel the floor shake from someone walking across or sitting on an overpass when a large truck passes."
Monday, October 19
One temple: Which “Countries With The Most Members (Have) Only One Temple”? I’ll give you a clue, all of them are in Central or South America. But this blogger surmises that “Unless the Church initiates a more aggressive temple building program similar to the late 1990s, these nations will likely not receive a second temple until membership increases dramatically in number and activity.”
Being Mormon: “Can I tell you how refreshing it is to read such a positive post on Mormons from someone who is NOT? Thank you for this!” Throughout the comments you’ll find similar sentiments as well as joyous explanations for being Mormon, all sparked by this delightful post from a non-Mormon who exclaims “I love Mormons!” Why? She describes that she loves the practice of having large families, the sense of community and the wonderful family traditions.
Oquirrh Mountain: Enjoy a beautiful video depicting the “The Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple (HD)” to begin your Monday. And accompanying the beautiful scenery and images is both stirring music and a nice summary of the newly constructed and dedicated temple.
Building collapse: “Suddenly A Creaking Noise Was Heard, Followed By A Sound Like A Crash Of Thunder.” Wow! And read what happened next at a gathering of Saints in England in 1852: “ and immediately the lofty ceiling of exactly one-half the hall, divided in the centre of a large beam, fell almost flat upon the multitude below.” The story continues just as exciting, so click in to read the miraculous results!
Friday, Oct. 16
Understanding evangelicals: "Anti-Mormonism is not a key focus of evangelicals" and "in general, evangelicals don't know much about Mormonism, and what they do 'know' is likely wrong or incomplete." So explains Eric, an LDS member who was raised evangelical. In "What Mormons Should Know About Evangelicals," he tries to dispel some of the misunderstandings he's seen both online and in real life. He does not wish to downplay the differences, but wants people to find common ground since "we have much we can learn from each other, but we can do that only if we make efforts to understand each other." Fascinating!
Conference phrases: Warm fuzzies. Sunshine moments. Boys of the Lord. Will any of these "Conference Terms" become standard in Mormon speak? So wonders this blogger who rightly observed that "warm fuzzies" is already getting a lot of blog attention. Check out his full list, which includes definitions and references to the talk sourced.
Bitton papers: "Researchers, start your laptops," declares Ardis E. Parshall in announcing that the "Davis Bitton Papers (are) Now Available at BYU." Bitton was the assistant church historian under Leonard J. Arrington as well as a history professor, and his collection spans 40 boxes. What a treasure trove!
Thursday, Oct. 15
Great news: "'Really? Are you serious? Really?' Then I couldn't speak. I started sobbing like a baby. Right in the middle of the Hobby Lobby parking lot." Find out why this blogger is so emotional (excitedly so) in "Signed, Sealed and Delivered."
Basic workout: Been meaning to strengthen your body and/or exercise more? Then you need to check out Trainer Momma, a fun and informative blog dedicated to passing on this blogger's personal training expertise to all who will click in. Check out her newest post detailing a basic leg workout. How nice to include pictures along with the instructions!
Random talents: "Honestly, most of the time when stuff is required of me I feel like I'm scrambling through my purse-o-talents and coming up empty. Service is so hit and miss. But every once in a while I have the right tools for the challenge and it feels so satisfying." I loved this message in "Let's Make a Deal" and how one woman's talents wonderfully align to thoroughly brighten a young girl's cast and day.
Favorite links: So within my favorite link list I'm highlighting the "FHE blog favorite links" of the week. So you get a 2-fer! Check out the links to a confidence printable, some October visiting teaching kits, an activity days lesson on manners & a tea party, and a Halloween date night idea.
Wednesday, Oct. 14
Austrian cemetery: Follow Peter LLC on a virtual photo essay tour of the newly dedicated Mormon section of Vienna's massive Central Cemetery, complete with gorgeous architecture and an incredibly symbolic bronze sculpture. What a significant event for the Austrian Saints!
Stirring video: Seth Adam Smith has taken Elder Holland's recent conference address and interwoven it with music and pictures to make a stirring video testimony montage of "Joseph Smith & The Book of Mormon -- An Apostle's Testimony." Wow!
Spice season: I dare you to get through "Spice is the reason for the season" without almost smelling the glorious spices associated with fall. Photos of donuts brushed with cinnamon, crisp pumpkin patches, colored leaves and a steaming mug of herbal tea all combine for a delightful homage to autumn.
Facebook quizzes: I admit it, I quite dislike all those Facebook quizzes clogging my Facebook inbox because I like to see what people are doing and saying, not what celebrity they are most like. Well if you're like me, you'll hope that the rumor that we may soon be able to "Kill Those Quiz Apps With Facebook's New Create Applications API" becomes the reality sooner rather than later. Hopefully!
Monday, November 2
Mormon ads: On the heels of the news that an international group recognized a Mormon Homefront ad, I decided to see if there was a place to view recent Mormon advertisements, and what do you know, there is! Enjoy more than 30 "Television and radio messages for families" such as "The Phone Call" or "Ballet" or "Family Harmony." Note: It only worked for me in Internet Explorer.
Temple studies: For the many of us who were unable to attend the "Temple Studies Group Symposium" on "The Holy Anointing Oil" held Saturday in England, David Larson has kindly provided his notes. Lecturers included Margaret Barker, who spoke on "the nature and use of the holy anointing oil in the Temple of Jerusalem"; Laurence Hemming, who spoke on "the anointing with oil in the Roman Catholic Tradition"; and BYU professor John F. Hall, who "talked about Egyptian temple rites and the role of anointing in them and how these traditions may have influenced Israelite practice." Wow, sounds absolutely fascinating!
Simple testimony: "That I love God, that I am grateful for the community of faith in the church, but I don't understand everything and that is ok." This part of "A Simple Testimony" borne yesterday in a fast and testimony meeting is both simple and profound. As she explained, "it is in being vulnerable that we allow ourselves the most growth and I truly feel grateful for multiple communities in which I can be myself. And I did it without passing out or tripping up and down the stairs." Nice.
Friday, October 30
Maine question: The LDS Law blog tackles the big differences of "How Maine Q. 1 is different from Prop. 8." First "same-sex marriage was legalized in Maine through legislative act rather than judicial opinion." Second, "Maine was also prudent enough to delay issuing marriage licenses to gay couples pending the outcome of Question 1." And third, "the LDS Church has not taken an active role in the Maine initiative like it did in California." Hat-tip to DMI Dave for pointing out this measured but fascinating summary.
Halloween history: "On November 1, some Christian faiths celebrate All Saints' Day. Although we don't officially recognize this holiday in the (church) there are some traditions of this day that we have inherited and can have meaning for us." So begins an interesting post that puts "All Saints Day (in) an LDS Context." Did you know that an All Saints' Day hymn is included in the LDS hymnbook? Click to find out more!
Halloween date: It's not often that Halloween falls so serendipitously on a weekend, so maybe you need some "Great Date Ideas: The Halloween Date." Carve pumpkins, dress up as a famous couple or even rent a Halloween movie from the provided list. Enjoy!
Halloween costume: "...to allow it to fall into obscurity would be a crime against the spirit of the holiday, I give you now The greatest Mormon Halloween costume of all time." I really don't think anyone will ever top it.
Thursday, October 29
Sir Maxwell: "The 'Whole Armor of God' -- Is This What They Mean?" intrigued me as a title, and then delighted me as a post when I clicked in and saw who was dressed up in full armor regalia. Check it out!
Judging covers: Taking the old maxim, "You can't judge a book by its cover" this blogger highlights two women: Sister A and Sister B. "Sister A married at 20 and had her first child 10 1/2 months later. She now has 5 children and is a stay-at-home mom.... Sister B is a fledgling environmentalist. She recycles as much as possible, composts, and uses a rain barrel to water her garden." Different as they come? Well, "On Books and Covers" has a surprising twist that wonderfully teaches the importance of not judging based on appearances.
Halloween memories: Remember the good old days of not having to check through your Halloween candy? Or how you could go door-to-door unchaperoned? "Oh how times have changed" laments this blogger, who proceeds to provide her favorite memories of Halloweens gone. Add your own!
Halloween treat: How do you do go "Trick or treating adult style"? Easy. "I went to Wal-Mart and bought a big bag of my favorite candy. No having to walk around all night to get candy. No having to deal with all the types of candies I don't like. Just a huge bag of everything I like." Nice.
Wednesday, October 28
Panoramic photos: Take a visit to Temple Square today without leaving your computer. All you have to do is click into 3dUtah, which portrays "Temple Square in Salt Lake City" in glorious panoramic splendor. You can zoom left, right, up or down and visit the tabernacle, the assembly hall, the grounds of Temple Square, and the Christus statue in the Visitors Center. Hat-tip to LDS Media Talk, who found these "really great" panoramic photos.
Conference calls: Have an amazing, scholarly idea for a paper? Then check out these two venues in which to present your research. "The European Mormon Studies Association Annual Conference 2010, Call for Papers" wants articles that tackle "European Mormonism and its Experience in Media and the Public Sphere." If you'll be in Holland this July, consider applying. Or, in April at Claremont Graduate University in California, you could present on "What is Mormon Studies?" Click in for details about both conferences and paper deadlines.
Halloween celebration: Donut bobbing, mummy wrap, fear factor room and pumpkin decorating. Need some ideas for an upcoming Halloween activity? Then check out the fun ones outlined in this "Halloween Celebration Night." Creative!
Tuesday, October 27
Researcher's beginnings: "Wow! You can't make up stuff this good. No one would believe it." This fitting comment illustrates Ardis E. Parshall's fascinating background story of "How I Got Hooked" into family history and history research.
Youth conference: Enjoy a lovely slides how from the Mormon New Era Message YouTube channel highlighting "LDS Youth at General Conference, Oct. 2009" set to a stirring rendition of "Choose the Right" by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Mormon celebrity: Meeting President Monson in the LTM. Watching Donny Osmond buy budget cereal. Running into Thurl Bailey. Or having a famous quarterback in your bishopric. Have you had any "Brushes with Mormon Celebrity"?
Happy Birthday: "The Juvenile Instructor Turns 2" and to celebrate this milestone, they reintroduce themselves and look back at some of their favorite posts. What a nice present for us! Happy Birthday JI and I hope for many more to come!
Monday, October 26
Lebanon dedicated: On Thursday, "Lebanon Dedicated for the Preaching of the Gospel" by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. And with this amazing announcement "Lebanon becomes the first country in the Middle East to be dedicated for missionary work in recent years."
School of the Prophets?: Saturday "President Monson was honored as the distinguished University of Utah fan of the game" and a few months ago, this blogger joked that with the signing of Joseph Smith to the Utah football team, that the University of Utah was the "School of the Prophets." In reality, he may be right! Click to read the quote from a prophet that this blogger found that corroborates this claim.
Nursery etiquette: "You wouldn't crash the nine-year-olds' class or the priests' quorum with a random person who doesn't fit the age requirements... Nursery is not day care. Please don't drop off your precocious sixteen-month-old because you're “very understandably -- tired of chasing her around the halls." So explains this nursery worker, who outlines "Nursery Etiquette, or, What I Wish Others Knew About My Calling." And I love the added comments such as "As elders quorum president, I wished people didn't think I was the CEO of a moving company, expecting me to organize their move because they didn't think to do it themselves."
Halloween visiting: It's the end of October, which means two things: Halloween and hurrying-to-get-visiting--teaching done. So let's combine these with this lovely "Halloween Poem to share with your sisters." Grab a treat and make a date for a visit!
Friday, October 23
Balancing life: "The first step to rectify the situation is to recognize it. Make a conscious commitment to prioritizing relationships and family more, along with faith and spiritual growth." So advises Richard Eyre, who, in a guest post at By Common Consent, discusses how to achieve "Four-Dimensional Success." Find out the four dimensions that lead to happiness and how to balance them better in your life!
Big heart: I've been following the progress of Our Sweet "Heart" and am happy to report that "He's here." I add my hearty congratulations and wish for luck in all future surgeries. And I loved the testimony of his parents: "We are so grateful for this sweet boy and for the true miracle that his is. We are so grateful to our Heavenly Father for the blessing of getting to be (his) parents."
Christmas spirit: Even with Halloween just around the corner, I've seen store Christmas displays and Christmas television commercials. So I'll give in to the Christmas cheer today, especially in highlighting this wonderful story of one missionary sister who experienced "A Bulgarian Christmas." She remembers "The Christmas I spent as a missionary was not what I'd thought or wanted it to be, but it did teach me many things. We were blessed with safety, and given the chance to serve members of the Church in Sofia." Click to read the whole account!
Leaves project: If you have an abundance of leaves littering your lawn, then this easy and beautiful "Fall Leaves Project" may be just the thing to add to your holiday decorating. And bonus, it'd be fun to do with kids, who could pick out the leaves and decide where to put your finished creations!
Faith site: Check out the new Faith in Jesus Christ site recently launched at LDS.org. Earlier I noticed a few tweets about it and clicked in to find some beautiful videos discussing what it means to have faith in Jesus Christ and some downloadable pictures of the Savior.
Human life: Rosalynde Welch takes on the difficult and complicated topic of the morality of artificial reproductive therapies in “Human life, religious voices and the public square.” She specifically focuses on the Stansels, a Mormon couple in the news recently who refused selective reduction and had six babies prematurely, only two of which are alive. What do you think?
Free books: What’s better than books? Free books! And Deseret Book is offering a collection of pdf books, all for free! Authors include Elder Richard G. Scott, John Bytheway, Richard Holzapfel, Jack Weyand and more.
Wednesday, October 21
Conference highlights: I eagerly awaited it, and now LDS Media talk reports that "A video with highlights from the October 2009 LDS General Conference was just posted." Hooray! Watch all your favorite "General Conference highlights" by downloading the 16:16 minute video. Prepare to be spiritually touched again by the beautiful words and insightful counsel of our leaders.
Apostles testify: "Oh sweet the joy this sentence gives, I know that my Redeemer Lives" -- President Thomas S. Monson. So concludes this beautiful and inspiring video "Lifting Burdens: The Atonement of Jesus Christ" wherein the apostles each testify of the Atonement in their own powerful ways. Please watch.
Tuesday, October 20
Conference statistics: How many people viewed or listened to general conference online? "There were 587,870 unique live video streams across KBYU.tv, KSL.com, and the two video options on LDS.org during the 4 general conference sessions." Wow! And according to this blog post, the "Live Access to LDS General Conference" is growing, at least video-wise, up 16% from last April.
Honor chillings: It took me a moment to get what Jeff Lindsay was referring to in his title "A Barbaric Practice: Honor Chillings" but he explained quickly "occasionally we hear about the horrors of honor killings, but a much more widespread barbaric practice among many faiths is honor chillings--cold treatment due to religious difference." Using the scriptures as a guide, he further explains that while it sometimes may be necessary to excommunicate people, "the purpose is not to justify chilling... May we all avoid the cruelness of honor chillings, and follow the example of the Savior in loving and ministering to all around him."
California earthquake: What would it be like if a large earthquake hit near your home? Twenty years ago, this blogger and his family went through one. And in "Remembering the Loma Prieta Earthquake (1989)" they discuss what happened and provide good advice on being prepared. But it was very scary: "There are moments, even 20 years later that I cringe or my heart skips a beat when I feel the floor shake from someone walking across or sitting on an overpass when a large truck passes."
Monday, October 19
One temple: Which “Countries With The Most Members (Have) Only One Temple”? I’ll give you a clue, all of them are in Central or South America. But this blogger surmises that “Unless the Church initiates a more aggressive temple building program similar to the late 1990s, these nations will likely not receive a second temple until membership increases dramatically in number and activity.”
Being Mormon: “Can I tell you how refreshing it is to read such a positive post on Mormons from someone who is NOT? Thank you for this!” Throughout the comments you’ll find similar sentiments as well as joyous explanations for being Mormon, all sparked by this delightful post from a non-Mormon who exclaims “I love Mormons!” Why? She describes that she loves the practice of having large families, the sense of community and the wonderful family traditions.
Oquirrh Mountain: Enjoy a beautiful video depicting the “The Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple (HD)” to begin your Monday. And accompanying the beautiful scenery and images is both stirring music and a nice summary of the newly constructed and dedicated temple.
Building collapse: “Suddenly A Creaking Noise Was Heard, Followed By A Sound Like A Crash Of Thunder.” Wow! And read what happened next at a gathering of Saints in England in 1852: “ and immediately the lofty ceiling of exactly one-half the hall, divided in the centre of a large beam, fell almost flat upon the multitude below.” The story continues just as exciting, so click in to read the miraculous results!
Friday, Oct. 16
Understanding evangelicals: "Anti-Mormonism is not a key focus of evangelicals" and "in general, evangelicals don't know much about Mormonism, and what they do 'know' is likely wrong or incomplete." So explains Eric, an LDS member who was raised evangelical. In "What Mormons Should Know About Evangelicals," he tries to dispel some of the misunderstandings he's seen both online and in real life. He does not wish to downplay the differences, but wants people to find common ground since "we have much we can learn from each other, but we can do that only if we make efforts to understand each other." Fascinating!
Conference phrases: Warm fuzzies. Sunshine moments. Boys of the Lord. Will any of these "Conference Terms" become standard in Mormon speak? So wonders this blogger who rightly observed that "warm fuzzies" is already getting a lot of blog attention. Check out his full list, which includes definitions and references to the talk sourced.
Bitton papers: "Researchers, start your laptops," declares Ardis E. Parshall in announcing that the "Davis Bitton Papers (are) Now Available at BYU." Bitton was the assistant church historian under Leonard J. Arrington as well as a history professor, and his collection spans 40 boxes. What a treasure trove!
Thursday, Oct. 15
Great news: "'Really? Are you serious? Really?' Then I couldn't speak. I started sobbing like a baby. Right in the middle of the Hobby Lobby parking lot." Find out why this blogger is so emotional (excitedly so) in "Signed, Sealed and Delivered."
Basic workout: Been meaning to strengthen your body and/or exercise more? Then you need to check out Trainer Momma, a fun and informative blog dedicated to passing on this blogger's personal training expertise to all who will click in. Check out her newest post detailing a basic leg workout. How nice to include pictures along with the instructions!
Random talents: "Honestly, most of the time when stuff is required of me I feel like I'm scrambling through my purse-o-talents and coming up empty. Service is so hit and miss. But every once in a while I have the right tools for the challenge and it feels so satisfying." I loved this message in "Let's Make a Deal" and how one woman's talents wonderfully align to thoroughly brighten a young girl's cast and day.
Favorite links: So within my favorite link list I'm highlighting the "FHE blog favorite links" of the week. So you get a 2-fer! Check out the links to a confidence printable, some October visiting teaching kits, an activity days lesson on manners & a tea party, and a Halloween date night idea.
Wednesday, Oct. 14
Austrian cemetery: Follow Peter LLC on a virtual photo essay tour of the newly dedicated Mormon section of Vienna's massive Central Cemetery, complete with gorgeous architecture and an incredibly symbolic bronze sculpture. What a significant event for the Austrian Saints!
Stirring video: Seth Adam Smith has taken Elder Holland's recent conference address and interwoven it with music and pictures to make a stirring video testimony montage of "Joseph Smith & The Book of Mormon -- An Apostle's Testimony." Wow!
Spice season: I dare you to get through "Spice is the reason for the season" without almost smelling the glorious spices associated with fall. Photos of donuts brushed with cinnamon, crisp pumpkin patches, colored leaves and a steaming mug of herbal tea all combine for a delightful homage to autumn.
Facebook quizzes: I admit it, I quite dislike all those Facebook quizzes clogging my Facebook inbox because I like to see what people are doing and saying, not what celebrity they are most like. Well if you're like me, you'll hope that the rumor that we may soon be able to "Kill Those Quiz Apps With Facebook's New Create Applications API" becomes the reality sooner rather than later. Hopefully!
NEW TODAY
MOST POPULAR
YESTERDAY