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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.
Wednesday, November 25
Prophet followers: Follow “The activities of God’s living prophet” via the just launched FollowtheProphet.net. It’s mission? To collect all the news, activities, talks and teachings of President Monson, post it to the site, and allow church members to easily and technologically follow the prophet. I love the integration with Google Maps, you can literally see where President Monson is, as reported in the post. Very neat!
Church growth: Swine flu is hampering missionary meetings in Mongolia. New branches were created in Zimbabwe and Kenya. Convert baptisms are up in the United States. Click to read these and more “Church Growth Updates.” Cool!
Fireside song: If you haven’t heard “The Fireside Song,” a parody of Adam Sandler’s Chanukah Song but instead filled with famous Mormons, then enjoy these two different versions and be humming the rest of the day. “Meet me in the back row of the fireside!”
Eating strategies: Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and if you have a picky eater, prevent their complaining with these marvelously creative “Eating Strategies.” Try making the food fun, quizzes, food races or even animal bites. Fun!
Tuesday, November 24
Cute turkeys: Check out these easy-to-make and oh-so-cute "Thanksgiving M&M Turkeys." Call the kids together to make these darling edible crafts.
Species origin: "Happy Mutability Day" declares S. Faux in honor of today's 150th anniversary of the publication of The Origin of Species. So "Did that famous Thursday change our religion? NO! As we revise our conceptions and misconceptions (our minds are mutable too), we should NEVER throw out the baby Jesus with the bath water." Insightful.
Fourth Mission: The three-fold mission of the church is 1. Proclaim the gospel, 2. Perfect the saints, 3. Redeem the dead. However there is a buzz about a "Fourth Mission of the Church" patterned after taking care of the poor and needy. However regardless of those claims, this post on "Hearts & Hands" wonderfully illustrates how a family service project, combined with some photos and delightful humor, can result in meaningful service for those who really need it.
Monday, November 23
Deportation frustration: "Keep our Family Together" pleads the van der Speks, an LDS family facing deportation back to Belgium. They hope (and in full disclosure I hope since my husband loves this family as they opened their home to him while on his mission) that by "sharing their story, we'll be able to keep our family together in the United States." If you are so inclined, visit their Web site to see how you can help.
Historical Ohio: Hearken O Ye People: The Historical Setting for Joseph Smith's Ohio Revelations is fast becoming one of the books Mormon history aficionados want this Christmas. Mark Staker is a senior researcher of the Church Historic Sites Division and has imparted his vast know-how about the Kirtland era of the church.
Poetry night: "This was one of the most enjoyable Mormon Studies events I've been to." Why? The music. And although he can't impart the musical part of the evening, Jared T. provides thorough and fascinating "Notes From A Celebration of Eliza R. Snow: The Complete Poetry with Jill Derr and Karen Davidson." Learn about this amazing woman, her history, her conversion, and her creativity. And come away learning something new.
Monkey house: Do you live in a "Monkey House"? This blogger believes that "everybody lives in the Monkey House to some extent. Each day our time gets divided amongst our most pressing obligations, and we decide what we're willing to live with (and without)." And that's OK because "Part of having a happy and fulfilling life means recognizing that I'll never get it all done."
Friday, November 20
Missionary ideas: Custom pass-along cards. AskaMormon.com. The Mormon Challenge. Or, my personal favorite, a ward blogger. These were just a few of the fantastic ideas brainstormed by some young single adults at the recent LDS Education Conference in Boston. And there's many more awesome ideas, plus links to videos of some of the presenters. Check it out!
New Moon: New Moon opens in theaters across the United States today, and in honor of its release, Stephenie Meyer recently fielded multiple questions about her incredibly popular series. Find out her favorite scene from the movie. Or if she was in this movie. Or even if Breaking Dawn will become a movie. And much more.
Thursday, November 19
Gospel Principles: It'll be here before you know it, the new year of Relief Society and priesthood instruction, and with it, a new manual. Learn about it at "Gospel Principles Manual: A Brief History." Did you know it was developed in the 1970s "to simplify teaching materials for undeveloped areas of the world"? And did you know that there is a page to send suggestions or comments about the manual, in the manual? Cool! Thanks DMI Dave for the link.
Saving Trotsky: Did you know a Mormon tried to save the life of the Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky? After Trotsky was attacked Joe Hansen (his personal secretary) "tackled the assassin before the death-blow could be delivered, shouting for help. While Hansen didn't manage to save his teacher's life, he certainly prolonged it. Trotsky would die the next evening." Wow, click to read the fascinating historical story about an "exemplary" Mormon couple in "Remembering Joe and Reba Hansen," who both championed the cause of the working class throughout their lives.
Best pen: What is the best pen for marking your scriptures? Well according to S.Faux, who is in no way making any money from his endorsement, it's "The Zig Millennium Pen." Doesn't the name just strike you as wonderfully Mormon? Plus, "The ink in the 'Millennium' pen is acid free, archival quality, waterproof, fade proof and nonbleeding." Click for more of his enthusiastic descriptions about finding and using the pen, because as he says, "mistakes are permanent."
Educational videos: What happens when "YouTube Meets Wikipedia"? A new site called WatchKnow.org "aggregates educational videos for students ages 3-18. Its library currently includes 11,000 videos."
Wednesday, Nov. 18
Random thankfulness: "I'm thankful for my job." "I love the wonderful weather." "I'm thankful for my minivan." "Lunch, Breakfast, and Dinner, I'm thankful for that." These and other delightful sentiments of gratitude from random New Yorkers fill the new Mormon Messages video "In the Spirit of Thanksgiving." Includes some insightful counsel from Elder Oaks' on thanking the Lord for all things. So "what are YOU thankful for?"
WRI petition: "Support the Women's Research Institute" is the goal of this blog, and, if you are so inclined, you can sign a petition calling for the creation of a Women's Research Council. What's are they proposing? "The Women's Research Council will maintain the symbol of women's studies at BYU and as well as provide for strengthening and streamlining of women's studies across campus units." Click to learn more, and petition signing closes Wednesday night.
Old Testament: You could say this is a postscript to my column yesterday on the Old Testament. The Book of Abraham Project blog has pulled together it's "Old Testament Study Resources" into one convenient post. Find links to "Jerome's text of the OT ... historical info about how the (Pearl of Great Price) came about...an English version of the Holy Qur'an" and many more useful and fascinating links.
Christmas twitpic: Get excited for the coming holiday season with this festive photo heralded by the LDS Newsroom twitter feed. "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas on Temple Square! #LDS #Mormon." Gorgeous!
Tuesday, November 17
About suicide: Using counsel from Elder Ballard and linking to helpful resources, the women at Ask a Mormon Woman discuss the question of "What do Mormons Believe About Suicide?" Elder Ballard explains "Obviously, we do not know the full circumstances surrounding every suicide. Only the Lord knows all the details, and he it is who will judge our actions here on earth."
Jan Shipps: If you're in Salt Lake City tomorrow night, make your way over to the Salt Lake City Library for lecture by "Jan Shipps on What Does Religious Studies Bring to the Study of Mormonism?"
Monday, November 16
Strictest parents: "Being on TV is not what I expected. It was better. In January of 2009 the BBC asked us to participate in an English documentary called 'The World's Strictest Parents.'" So explains Nicholeen Peck in "Guest post: the world's strictest parent speaks!" And one her favorite moments: "one thing I will never forget is when James and Hannah both expressed that they thought our family was perfect and that they wanted to have families like ours one day." Click to read more and find a link to watch the show!
Feedback wanted: The LDS newsroom wants you! Why? To "Help us Improve Newsroom.lds.org." The Newsroom has been around for almost a decade and "as the site adapts to the changing needs of journalists and the emergence of social media, we are updating it once again... As we improve the site for news media, bloggers and the other public audiences that it serves, we invite your feedback."
Missouri chronology: What happened June 7, 1831? How about April 16, 1839? Click in to learn the important details about the "LDS Chronology in Missouri 1831-1839." It's fascinating and I can almost guarantee you'll learn many things new.
Happy anniversary: Mormon Soprano just turned 2, making her "A blogging toddler." And I love how she uses "blogging parenting" advice from various outlets to track her milestones.
Friday, November 13
Questions, doubts: "Is it all right to have questions about the church or its doctrine?" So asked President Uchtdorf in last Sunday's CES fireside for Mormon young adults. And then he proceeded to wonderfully answer: "My dear young friends, we are a question-asking people. We have always been, because we know that inquiry leads to truth. That is how the church got its start, from a young man who had questions. In fact, I'm not sure how one can discover truth without asking questions. In the scriptures you will rarely discover a revelation that didn't come in response to a question." Wow! Click to read more and how commenters are discussing his candid response.
Her turn: What do you do when you are a mother suddenly realizing that you are past the newborn stage? Freak out? Rejoice? Or take it in stride: "The water's fine, really." She explains that "It's our turn." For what? To continue the exhilarating ride of motherhood through grade school and beyond, because "Someday, like leaves falling from the family tree, they will scatter." So enjoy the ride.
General conference: Hooray! The "LDS General Conference DVDs and Audio CDs" are now available. Click to find out where.
Thursday, Nov. 12
Phoenix Temple: "I was touched that the members of the opposition side made such a distinct effort to point out that they were in no way opposed to the LDS faith or the members of the LDS community. They simply were opposed to the construction and physical aspect, location, size and lighting of the building itself. I don't know if they realize it, but their willingness to separate the religious side from this debate was a very, very kind gesture." So explains this blogger in his "Phoenix Temple Zoning Meeting Notes." The council ended up approving the temple unanimously.
Honoring veterans: I loved the many posts I found honoring those veterans who courageously served their country. However, I was floored by these "Powerful Monuments to Service." Not only were these photos a stark reminder of those who died, but were beautiful in their depictions of "emblems of belief" on the headstones. Scrolling through, it vividly reminds you that service men and women of all faiths served their countries together. And find the Mormon emblem.
Nondiscrimination ordinances: To get a more inside look at the significance of why the church "declared its support of nondiscrimination regulations that would extend protection in matters of housing and employment in Salt Lake City to everyone," click in to "Church Discusses Support of Nondiscrimination Ordinances on KSL's The Doug Wright Show."
Sharing faiths: Two 7-year-old girls each preparing for a major religious event: one is Mormon, one is Catholic. And yet they share each other's joy and experiences in attending both churches. Read about "My First Communion" and why this Latter-day Saint is so grateful for "our parents being tolerant of the other's religion and teaching us the same. There is a picture of she and I at age 8 in our white dresses, standing in the church parking lot with our arms around each other, the temple is behind us. I love that picture, we look so happy. Today my friend is still Catholic and I am still a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."
Wednesday, Nov. 11
Happiest state: If you live in Utah, then enjoy this "Good News: Utah -- The Happiest State." That's according to a recent survey called the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. Utah even beat out Hawaii, but just barely. Click to find out more.
No. 1: Did you know a Mormon author currently tops the New York Times Hardcover Fiction Bestseller List? A few years ago, Brandon Sanderson was chosen to finish Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, following Jordan's untimely death. So Sanderson finished Jordan's most recent work, "The Gathering Storm," and now it sits at No. 1. Congratulations!
Walking instead: "Wherefore, the days will come that no flesh shall be safe upon the waters." I've always been confused about this Doctrine and Covenants scripture. Are the waters so dangerous? Well, in "Walking to Church," James Goldberg wonders that since the Lord "couldn't warn them about cars and have them understand, he tried to teach them that acceleration often includes isolation instead. That always speeding to somewhere else means forgetting where you are." Hat-tip Times & Seasons.
Juvenile Instructor: I loved the format of "The Little Girl and the Sunday School Superintendent: A Story in Four Short Acts." It involves The Juvenile Instructor magazine, spans 40 years and delights in its charming conclusion. Check it out!
Tuesday, Nov. 10
Mormon Messages: "The LDS Church's Mormon Messages channel was just named the 'Best Use of YouTube' at the 2009 Utah Social Media Awards," reports LDS Media Talk. Congrats, Mormon Messages, for this well-deserved honor!
Sesame Street: In honor of the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street, I found this post from a few months ago that wonders about a "Sesame Street Approach to Primary." BiV explains, "The reason I mention Sesame Street in connection with Primary is because I have heard a lot of complaining about how difficult it is for adults who have Primary callings to spend the majority of their church instructional time with the little children. Primary workers often feel a void in their spiritual and social needs, and a Sesame Street approach could help."
Mormon poet: In the same vein of choosing the Great Mormon Novel, this blogger wonders about "Lance Larsen: The Great Mormon Poet?" Here is an example of his work from his poem "Interview" depicting a Mormon missionary: "He wants / to build a church for her out of words, invite her to pass inside."
Stakes discontinued: How many stakes would you guess have been discontinued this year? As of last week, when there was a "Stake Discontinued in Dominican Republic," there have been three. While it's unfortunate when any stake is discontinued, "so far 2009 is shaping out to be the year with the fewest stakes discontinued since 1999 when only two stakes were discontinued. The last year in which no stakes were discontinued was 1997."
Monday, November 9
Miraculous newspaper: Likely you've heard the story of "Henry Ballard's Miraculous Newspaper Delivery." In 1884 in Logan, Utah, two men dropped off a newspaper listing genealogical information for more than 60 people, just three days after the newspaper was printed in England. Ardis E. Parshall intriguingly dissects this story, and finds nothing amiss with it, except one small detail: "The thing is, though, that Henry Ballard's copy of the paper is not housed in the Church History Library" as reported, at least not that anyone's found, it could still be in the collection, somewhere.
Swine flu: "Mormons are often reluctant, whether through zeal or sense of duty, to miss Sunday services." But what if you're sick with a cold, or worse, the flu? This can quickly turn into a health problem, when something like swine flu is going around. So "What is your ward doing about swine flu?"
Here are a few great ideas: "Bishops could explicitly tell people to not come if they are ill. We could podcast services to those who cannot make it to church for health reasons. We could encourage the use of Purell when passing sacrament trays and request that parents with clean hands take bread and water for their children. We could have a lesson on how to use Sundays in a reverent way when one is too sick for church."
Swine flu 2: How are the missionaries handling the swine flu at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah? It's "Still (a) Problem Months Later at the MTC." Why? One MTC missionary reports: "A lot of people are in quarantine, and we are TRYING to stay healthy. It's just hard when we are all in such tight quarters!" But what can you do? As this blogger says, "You can't necessarily put all the missionaries in isolation since not all show signs of the flu and some never get it." Note that missionaries who are sick are supposed to delay entering the MTC, to lessen the spread of sickness.
General conference handouts: Check out Emma's Place for some sweet handouts depicting "Conference Quotes."
Friday, Nov. 6
Worldwide leadership: Tweeted from asoftanswer -- "Materials from some Worldwide Leadership Training meetings are available in multiple languages." Cool, check it out!
New media: "Don't allow confusion to invade your home because the piano and TV are in the same room, causing the TV to be turned louder, the viewers to strain harder to hear and the pianist to hit the keys with extra force." Click to read more do's and don'ts regarding the newfangled television set that was, in the 1950s, the thrilling technology of the time. Similarly to today's Ensign articles that counsel on Internet and social networking sites, this article from the Instructor briefed "Mormon Families on the New Media: Television, 1959" using photos "Illustrating common television-viewing bad habits and the corresponding elements of an 'excellent family entertainment philosophy." Fascinating!
Apostle's diaries: Want an inside look at one of the early apostle's life and times? Then click in to read "Church, State, and Politics: The Diaries of John Henry Smith." Just from the introduction, it sounds like he was an intriguing and well-loved man: "In its report of the funeral on October 18 the Tribune noted the presence of many non-Mormons at the service. This proved, it stated, 'that John Henry Smith was held in highest esteem outside of his church as well as in it.'" Hat tip to the By Common Consent sidebar and Mormon Church History.
Wednesday, November 25
Prophet followers: Follow “The activities of God’s living prophet” via the just launched FollowtheProphet.net. It’s mission? To collect all the news, activities, talks and teachings of President Monson, post it to the site, and allow church members to easily and technologically follow the prophet. I love the integration with Google Maps, you can literally see where President Monson is, as reported in the post. Very neat!
Church growth: Swine flu is hampering missionary meetings in Mongolia. New branches were created in Zimbabwe and Kenya. Convert baptisms are up in the United States. Click to read these and more “Church Growth Updates.” Cool!
Fireside song: If you haven’t heard “The Fireside Song,” a parody of Adam Sandler’s Chanukah Song but instead filled with famous Mormons, then enjoy these two different versions and be humming the rest of the day. “Meet me in the back row of the fireside!”
Eating strategies: Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and if you have a picky eater, prevent their complaining with these marvelously creative “Eating Strategies.” Try making the food fun, quizzes, food races or even animal bites. Fun!
Tuesday, November 24
Cute turkeys: Check out these easy-to-make and oh-so-cute "Thanksgiving M&M Turkeys." Call the kids together to make these darling edible crafts.
Species origin: "Happy Mutability Day" declares S. Faux in honor of today's 150th anniversary of the publication of The Origin of Species. So "Did that famous Thursday change our religion? NO! As we revise our conceptions and misconceptions (our minds are mutable too), we should NEVER throw out the baby Jesus with the bath water." Insightful.
Fourth Mission: The three-fold mission of the church is 1. Proclaim the gospel, 2. Perfect the saints, 3. Redeem the dead. However there is a buzz about a "Fourth Mission of the Church" patterned after taking care of the poor and needy. However regardless of those claims, this post on "Hearts & Hands" wonderfully illustrates how a family service project, combined with some photos and delightful humor, can result in meaningful service for those who really need it.
Monday, November 23
Deportation frustration: "Keep our Family Together" pleads the van der Speks, an LDS family facing deportation back to Belgium. They hope (and in full disclosure I hope since my husband loves this family as they opened their home to him while on his mission) that by "sharing their story, we'll be able to keep our family together in the United States." If you are so inclined, visit their Web site to see how you can help.
Historical Ohio: Hearken O Ye People: The Historical Setting for Joseph Smith's Ohio Revelations is fast becoming one of the books Mormon history aficionados want this Christmas. Mark Staker is a senior researcher of the Church Historic Sites Division and has imparted his vast know-how about the Kirtland era of the church.
Poetry night: "This was one of the most enjoyable Mormon Studies events I've been to." Why? The music. And although he can't impart the musical part of the evening, Jared T. provides thorough and fascinating "Notes From A Celebration of Eliza R. Snow: The Complete Poetry with Jill Derr and Karen Davidson." Learn about this amazing woman, her history, her conversion, and her creativity. And come away learning something new.
Monkey house: Do you live in a "Monkey House"? This blogger believes that "everybody lives in the Monkey House to some extent. Each day our time gets divided amongst our most pressing obligations, and we decide what we're willing to live with (and without)." And that's OK because "Part of having a happy and fulfilling life means recognizing that I'll never get it all done."
Friday, November 20
Missionary ideas: Custom pass-along cards. AskaMormon.com. The Mormon Challenge. Or, my personal favorite, a ward blogger. These were just a few of the fantastic ideas brainstormed by some young single adults at the recent LDS Education Conference in Boston. And there's many more awesome ideas, plus links to videos of some of the presenters. Check it out!
New Moon: New Moon opens in theaters across the United States today, and in honor of its release, Stephenie Meyer recently fielded multiple questions about her incredibly popular series. Find out her favorite scene from the movie. Or if she was in this movie. Or even if Breaking Dawn will become a movie. And much more.
Thursday, November 19
Gospel Principles: It'll be here before you know it, the new year of Relief Society and priesthood instruction, and with it, a new manual. Learn about it at "Gospel Principles Manual: A Brief History." Did you know it was developed in the 1970s "to simplify teaching materials for undeveloped areas of the world"? And did you know that there is a page to send suggestions or comments about the manual, in the manual? Cool! Thanks DMI Dave for the link.
Saving Trotsky: Did you know a Mormon tried to save the life of the Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky? After Trotsky was attacked Joe Hansen (his personal secretary) "tackled the assassin before the death-blow could be delivered, shouting for help. While Hansen didn't manage to save his teacher's life, he certainly prolonged it. Trotsky would die the next evening." Wow, click to read the fascinating historical story about an "exemplary" Mormon couple in "Remembering Joe and Reba Hansen," who both championed the cause of the working class throughout their lives.
Best pen: What is the best pen for marking your scriptures? Well according to S.Faux, who is in no way making any money from his endorsement, it's "The Zig Millennium Pen." Doesn't the name just strike you as wonderfully Mormon? Plus, "The ink in the 'Millennium' pen is acid free, archival quality, waterproof, fade proof and nonbleeding." Click for more of his enthusiastic descriptions about finding and using the pen, because as he says, "mistakes are permanent."
Educational videos: What happens when "YouTube Meets Wikipedia"? A new site called WatchKnow.org "aggregates educational videos for students ages 3-18. Its library currently includes 11,000 videos."
Wednesday, Nov. 18
Random thankfulness: "I'm thankful for my job." "I love the wonderful weather." "I'm thankful for my minivan." "Lunch, Breakfast, and Dinner, I'm thankful for that." These and other delightful sentiments of gratitude from random New Yorkers fill the new Mormon Messages video "In the Spirit of Thanksgiving." Includes some insightful counsel from Elder Oaks' on thanking the Lord for all things. So "what are YOU thankful for?"
WRI petition: "Support the Women's Research Institute" is the goal of this blog, and, if you are so inclined, you can sign a petition calling for the creation of a Women's Research Council. What's are they proposing? "The Women's Research Council will maintain the symbol of women's studies at BYU and as well as provide for strengthening and streamlining of women's studies across campus units." Click to learn more, and petition signing closes Wednesday night.
Old Testament: You could say this is a postscript to my column yesterday on the Old Testament. The Book of Abraham Project blog has pulled together it's "Old Testament Study Resources" into one convenient post. Find links to "Jerome's text of the OT ... historical info about how the (Pearl of Great Price) came about...an English version of the Holy Qur'an" and many more useful and fascinating links.
Christmas twitpic: Get excited for the coming holiday season with this festive photo heralded by the LDS Newsroom twitter feed. "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas on Temple Square! #LDS #Mormon." Gorgeous!
Tuesday, November 17
About suicide: Using counsel from Elder Ballard and linking to helpful resources, the women at Ask a Mormon Woman discuss the question of "What do Mormons Believe About Suicide?" Elder Ballard explains "Obviously, we do not know the full circumstances surrounding every suicide. Only the Lord knows all the details, and he it is who will judge our actions here on earth."
Jan Shipps: If you're in Salt Lake City tomorrow night, make your way over to the Salt Lake City Library for lecture by "Jan Shipps on What Does Religious Studies Bring to the Study of Mormonism?"
Monday, November 16
Strictest parents: "Being on TV is not what I expected. It was better. In January of 2009 the BBC asked us to participate in an English documentary called 'The World's Strictest Parents.'" So explains Nicholeen Peck in "Guest post: the world's strictest parent speaks!" And one her favorite moments: "one thing I will never forget is when James and Hannah both expressed that they thought our family was perfect and that they wanted to have families like ours one day." Click to read more and find a link to watch the show!
Feedback wanted: The LDS newsroom wants you! Why? To "Help us Improve Newsroom.lds.org." The Newsroom has been around for almost a decade and "as the site adapts to the changing needs of journalists and the emergence of social media, we are updating it once again... As we improve the site for news media, bloggers and the other public audiences that it serves, we invite your feedback."
Missouri chronology: What happened June 7, 1831? How about April 16, 1839? Click in to learn the important details about the "LDS Chronology in Missouri 1831-1839." It's fascinating and I can almost guarantee you'll learn many things new.
Happy anniversary: Mormon Soprano just turned 2, making her "A blogging toddler." And I love how she uses "blogging parenting" advice from various outlets to track her milestones.
Friday, November 13
Questions, doubts: "Is it all right to have questions about the church or its doctrine?" So asked President Uchtdorf in last Sunday's CES fireside for Mormon young adults. And then he proceeded to wonderfully answer: "My dear young friends, we are a question-asking people. We have always been, because we know that inquiry leads to truth. That is how the church got its start, from a young man who had questions. In fact, I'm not sure how one can discover truth without asking questions. In the scriptures you will rarely discover a revelation that didn't come in response to a question." Wow! Click to read more and how commenters are discussing his candid response.
Her turn: What do you do when you are a mother suddenly realizing that you are past the newborn stage? Freak out? Rejoice? Or take it in stride: "The water's fine, really." She explains that "It's our turn." For what? To continue the exhilarating ride of motherhood through grade school and beyond, because "Someday, like leaves falling from the family tree, they will scatter." So enjoy the ride.
General conference: Hooray! The "LDS General Conference DVDs and Audio CDs" are now available. Click to find out where.
Thursday, Nov. 12
Phoenix Temple: "I was touched that the members of the opposition side made such a distinct effort to point out that they were in no way opposed to the LDS faith or the members of the LDS community. They simply were opposed to the construction and physical aspect, location, size and lighting of the building itself. I don't know if they realize it, but their willingness to separate the religious side from this debate was a very, very kind gesture." So explains this blogger in his "Phoenix Temple Zoning Meeting Notes." The council ended up approving the temple unanimously.
Honoring veterans: I loved the many posts I found honoring those veterans who courageously served their country. However, I was floored by these "Powerful Monuments to Service." Not only were these photos a stark reminder of those who died, but were beautiful in their depictions of "emblems of belief" on the headstones. Scrolling through, it vividly reminds you that service men and women of all faiths served their countries together. And find the Mormon emblem.
Nondiscrimination ordinances: To get a more inside look at the significance of why the church "declared its support of nondiscrimination regulations that would extend protection in matters of housing and employment in Salt Lake City to everyone," click in to "Church Discusses Support of Nondiscrimination Ordinances on KSL's The Doug Wright Show."
Sharing faiths: Two 7-year-old girls each preparing for a major religious event: one is Mormon, one is Catholic. And yet they share each other's joy and experiences in attending both churches. Read about "My First Communion" and why this Latter-day Saint is so grateful for "our parents being tolerant of the other's religion and teaching us the same. There is a picture of she and I at age 8 in our white dresses, standing in the church parking lot with our arms around each other, the temple is behind us. I love that picture, we look so happy. Today my friend is still Catholic and I am still a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."
Wednesday, Nov. 11
Happiest state: If you live in Utah, then enjoy this "Good News: Utah -- The Happiest State." That's according to a recent survey called the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. Utah even beat out Hawaii, but just barely. Click to find out more.
No. 1: Did you know a Mormon author currently tops the New York Times Hardcover Fiction Bestseller List? A few years ago, Brandon Sanderson was chosen to finish Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, following Jordan's untimely death. So Sanderson finished Jordan's most recent work, "The Gathering Storm," and now it sits at No. 1. Congratulations!
Walking instead: "Wherefore, the days will come that no flesh shall be safe upon the waters." I've always been confused about this Doctrine and Covenants scripture. Are the waters so dangerous? Well, in "Walking to Church," James Goldberg wonders that since the Lord "couldn't warn them about cars and have them understand, he tried to teach them that acceleration often includes isolation instead. That always speeding to somewhere else means forgetting where you are." Hat-tip Times & Seasons.
Juvenile Instructor: I loved the format of "The Little Girl and the Sunday School Superintendent: A Story in Four Short Acts." It involves The Juvenile Instructor magazine, spans 40 years and delights in its charming conclusion. Check it out!
Tuesday, Nov. 10
Mormon Messages: "The LDS Church's Mormon Messages channel was just named the 'Best Use of YouTube' at the 2009 Utah Social Media Awards," reports LDS Media Talk. Congrats, Mormon Messages, for this well-deserved honor!
Sesame Street: In honor of the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street, I found this post from a few months ago that wonders about a "Sesame Street Approach to Primary." BiV explains, "The reason I mention Sesame Street in connection with Primary is because I have heard a lot of complaining about how difficult it is for adults who have Primary callings to spend the majority of their church instructional time with the little children. Primary workers often feel a void in their spiritual and social needs, and a Sesame Street approach could help."
Mormon poet: In the same vein of choosing the Great Mormon Novel, this blogger wonders about "Lance Larsen: The Great Mormon Poet?" Here is an example of his work from his poem "Interview" depicting a Mormon missionary: "He wants / to build a church for her out of words, invite her to pass inside."
Stakes discontinued: How many stakes would you guess have been discontinued this year? As of last week, when there was a "Stake Discontinued in Dominican Republic," there have been three. While it's unfortunate when any stake is discontinued, "so far 2009 is shaping out to be the year with the fewest stakes discontinued since 1999 when only two stakes were discontinued. The last year in which no stakes were discontinued was 1997."
Monday, November 9
Miraculous newspaper: Likely you've heard the story of "Henry Ballard's Miraculous Newspaper Delivery." In 1884 in Logan, Utah, two men dropped off a newspaper listing genealogical information for more than 60 people, just three days after the newspaper was printed in England. Ardis E. Parshall intriguingly dissects this story, and finds nothing amiss with it, except one small detail: "The thing is, though, that Henry Ballard's copy of the paper is not housed in the Church History Library" as reported, at least not that anyone's found, it could still be in the collection, somewhere.
Swine flu: "Mormons are often reluctant, whether through zeal or sense of duty, to miss Sunday services." But what if you're sick with a cold, or worse, the flu? This can quickly turn into a health problem, when something like swine flu is going around. So "What is your ward doing about swine flu?"
Here are a few great ideas: "Bishops could explicitly tell people to not come if they are ill. We could podcast services to those who cannot make it to church for health reasons. We could encourage the use of Purell when passing sacrament trays and request that parents with clean hands take bread and water for their children. We could have a lesson on how to use Sundays in a reverent way when one is too sick for church."
Swine flu 2: How are the missionaries handling the swine flu at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah? It's "Still (a) Problem Months Later at the MTC." Why? One MTC missionary reports: "A lot of people are in quarantine, and we are TRYING to stay healthy. It's just hard when we are all in such tight quarters!" But what can you do? As this blogger says, "You can't necessarily put all the missionaries in isolation since not all show signs of the flu and some never get it." Note that missionaries who are sick are supposed to delay entering the MTC, to lessen the spread of sickness.
General conference handouts: Check out Emma's Place for some sweet handouts depicting "Conference Quotes."
Friday, Nov. 6
Worldwide leadership: Tweeted from asoftanswer -- "Materials from some Worldwide Leadership Training meetings are available in multiple languages." Cool, check it out!
New media: "Don't allow confusion to invade your home because the piano and TV are in the same room, causing the TV to be turned louder, the viewers to strain harder to hear and the pianist to hit the keys with extra force." Click to read more do's and don'ts regarding the newfangled television set that was, in the 1950s, the thrilling technology of the time. Similarly to today's Ensign articles that counsel on Internet and social networking sites, this article from the Instructor briefed "Mormon Families on the New Media: Television, 1959" using photos "Illustrating common television-viewing bad habits and the corresponding elements of an 'excellent family entertainment philosophy." Fascinating!
Apostle's diaries: Want an inside look at one of the early apostle's life and times? Then click in to read "Church, State, and Politics: The Diaries of John Henry Smith." Just from the introduction, it sounds like he was an intriguing and well-loved man: "In its report of the funeral on October 18 the Tribune noted the presence of many non-Mormons at the service. This proved, it stated, 'that John Henry Smith was held in highest esteem outside of his church as well as in it.'" Hat tip to the By Common Consent sidebar and Mormon Church History.
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