LDS Living - Mormon Report

Elder Dallin H. Oaks honored for championing religious freedom

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:57:00 -0600

source: Newsroom.lds.org

MR says: A great honor--Elder Oaks received the Canterbury Medal from the Becket Fund, a non-profit public-interest law firm that seeks to protect religious freedom. Speaking to what he termed the most influential audience he's ever addressed on the subject, Elder Dallin H. Oaks, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, encouraged people of all faiths to unite and “walk shoulder to shoulder on the same path” to strengthen and defend religious freedom (see full transcript).

“The free exercise of religion is the basic civil liberty because faith in God and His teachings and the active practice of religion are the most fundamental guiding realities of life,” Elder Oaks said.

Hundreds watch as Angel Moroni statue placed on LDS temple in Phoenix

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:51:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

MR says: This moment has been five years in the making. Wonderful to see the temple is getting close to completion! Hundreds of people, including dozens of families, braved triple-digit temperatures Wednesday in the Valley of the Sun to watch as construction crews placed a golden statue of the Angel Moroni on top of the new Phoenix Arizona Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"It was supposed to be low-key — just the construction workers and their families," said Cheryl J. Taylor, whose husband, Scott, is president of the church's Arizona Phoenix Mission. "But it's hard to keep it quiet when there are these two massive cranes towering over the temple. People have been watching and waiting for this for so long, so word got out pretty quickly."

World Congress of Families: Interview with Shelly Locke, Founder of The Power of Mothers

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:46:00 -0600

source: wellbehavedmormonwoman.blogspot.com

MR says: It's kind of surprising that something like this would attract the negative attention it does. At dinner I had a wonderful opportunity to interview Shelly Locke, former Utah's 2007 Young Mother of the Year and delegate to the United Nations and The Howard Center for Religious Studies, humanitarian and attendee of nearly all the World Congresses.

Locke spoke about the power and courage of all of the people (presenters, speakers, organizers, etc) involved with the World Congress of Families. “They have all experienced persecution, death threats, hostility and have made incredible personal sacrifices in defending the traditional family and religious belief."

Watch a video tribute to Sister Frances B. Monson

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:33:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

MR says: This tribute to Sister Monson was made for Mother's Day last Sunday. We're sad to learn that she passed away this morning at age 85, but we're warmed by these remembrances of her. Read more about Sister Monson's life and death here.

Don’t Stand So Close to Me: On Not Hearing Elizabeth Smart

Fri, 17 May 2013 10:05:00 -0600

source: juvenileinstructor.org

MR says: A really interesting analysis of Elizabeth Smart's recent address and the way that media reacted to it (namely, how it pointed to her Mormon upbringing). Elizabeth Smart made headlines this month when she advocated for human trafficking survivors at a conference hosted by Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about Smart this year – I made her kidnapping (or rather Jon Krakauer’s treatment of Smart’s captivity in his inexorable Under the Banner of Heaven) the focal point of a national conference paper and a key element of my dissertation chapter on anti-Mormon religious intolerance. But I missed that she’d spoken at this conference until the blogosphere erupted over her alleged condemnation of abstinence-based sex education.

During her 13 minute presentation, Smart recounted the details of her captivity and emphasized the need to teach children that they have intrinsic worth, regardless of how others might abuse or exploit them. She further noted that “one of the questions that is most commonly asked [of her] is ‘well, why didn’t you run away? Why didn’t you yell? Why didn’t you scream?’”

This question immediately raised the hackles of my inner humorless feminist, who was already riled after a year of teaching Women’s and Gender Studies 101. This question, as Smart notes, is common – an almost knee-jerk refrain when people feel survivors didn’t resist their own exploitation and abuses enough.

Frances B. Monson, wife of Pres. Thomas S. Monson, passes away

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:56:00 -0600

source: Newsroom.lds.org

MR says: This is heartbreaking. She will be sorely missed. Our prayers are with President Monson and his family as they work through this difficult time. Watch a video tribute to Sister Monson here.

Photo from Mormon Newsroom.

Frances B. Monson, wife of Thomas S. Monson, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, passed away at 6:35 a.m. this morning in a Salt Lake City hospital surrounded by family. She had been hospitalized for several weeks and passed away peacefully of causes incident to age. Sister Monson was 85 years old. Funeral arrangements are pending.

Recognized by her husband as the family’s beacon of love, compassion and encouragement, Sister Monson lived a Christ-centered life in word and deed. She will forever be remembered for her kindness and quiet, sustained support of her husband in his Church duties.

Photo from Mormon Newsroom.

Born on 27 October 1927, Frances Beverly Johnson was the youngest and only daughter of Franz E. Johnson and Hildur Booth Johnson’s five children. Her parents were delighted to have a little girl in the family whom they promptly named Frances, after her father Franz.

She grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah as a child of the Great Depression where she learned the value of hard work and thrift, which served her well throughout her life. She graduated from East High School and the University of Utah where she excelled in math and science. When asked why she enrolled in these difficult classes she replied with a twinkle in her eye, “… because that is where all the cute boys were.” Frances was also an accomplished pianist and was often seen playing tennis in Liberty Park during her teenage years. Later, she worked in the accounting department of a large department store to help pay for her college education.

Teaching Materials Especially for Children

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:42:00 -0600

source: ldsmediatalk.com

MR says: Wow. Today seems to be the idea day for tips on teaching children; lots more at the full article. (Get another great article with tips here.) The Church provides a variety of materials to help parents and leaders in teaching children.

The Handbook 2 and the Family Guidebook provide principles for teaching children.

The following provide suggestions for teaching at a child’s level: Teaching, No Greater Call, the Teaching section of LDS.org, and Teaching Children in the Primary section of LDS.org.

Below are some of the key materials provided by the Church:

Articles of Faith (8.5” x 11” and card)
Children’s Conference Activities
(ConferenceGames.lds.org)
Children’s Lesson Helps (LessonHelps.lds.org)

How to engage youth and kids in Sunday lessons

Fri, 17 May 2013 08:34:00 -0600

source: the-exponent.com

MR says: LOTS of good ideas at the full blog post. (Get another great article with tips for teaching younger children here.) Since moving back to a family ward I have spent most of my time working with the youth. Other than a brief stint as a Relief Society teacher (cushiest calling ever…) I have either worked in the Sunday School with the 14-15 year olds or as the Laurels advisor. I found Sunday School to be particularly challenging, both because the mixing of genders often changes the dynamic, and because you tend to have less of a personal relationship with the kids than if you work in the Young Women/Men organization. To make matters worse, when I was teaching Sunday School we were still using the Gospel Doctrine manual, which had no suggested activities and was in no way tailored to help teachers reach teenagers. I like to think my frequent complaining letters about this through lds.org helped them move toward the new curriculum.

The women of Exponent II were having a conversation on the backlist about how to work with youth and there were so many good ideas that we decided to make it into a post. Many of these ideas come from the other bloggers. If you readers have any more ideas of how to make church more engaging for teenagers, we would love to hear them.

Classroom management:

If this is the first time teaching your class, have all the students introduce themselves and say what grade they are in, where they go to school, and what they are interested in doing post-graduation

Ten Commandments come down in Oklahoma school district

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:42:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

MR says: Most surprising quote, by a minister of another religion: "Every religious person should object to having the Ten Commandments in schools because you are allowing other people — people over whom you have no control — the responsibility of interpreting said commandments." For the second time in as many months, a local school district has ordered the removal of Ten Commandments displays from a public school.

Following an emotional meeting Monday of the Muldrow School Board in Oklahoma, board attorney Jerry Richardson confirmed that despite residents' strong feelings to the contrary, the plaques once posted in classrooms of the local high school will stay off the walls.

Mormonism in the News: Getting It Right| 15 May 2013

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:37:00 -0600

source: Newsroom.lds.org

MR says: Three articles the Mormon Newsroom has identified as speaking accurately about the Church (two of which we have run this week: here and here). Huffington Post: Understanding the Mormon Experience by Speaking With Mormons

As we have written previously, the “full symphony of the Mormon experience — or any religious experience — is comprehended only through personal and profound acquaintance.” A prime example of this is Danielle Tumminio, an Episcopal priest and author. In her most recent Huffington Post column, she writes eloquently about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ proselytizing efforts and beliefs. Importantly, her conclusions are based on personal discussions with Mormon missionaries and members in Boston.

The mainstreaming of Mormonism

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:34:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

MR says: "Seeing the word 'Mormon' sprinkled all over the media today like popcorn salt means members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints need to have a good sense of who they are and must learn to factor in all types of assumptions and opinions." I remember, as a missionary in Bolivia, picking up a newspaper one morning and reading the word “Mormon” on the front page.

I was stunned.

Up until that moment, I’d never read the word “Mormon” in print that hadn’t been written by a Mormon. This, however, was a column about American Imperialism by the editor of a major La Paz daily.

In sarcastic tones, the editor wrote, “Even God is American now. He’s Mormon.”

Mitt Romney to live in Utah — at least some of the time

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:30:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

Mitt Romney is once again going to have a home in Utah.

"Even though he's lived in different places around the country, I think we all count him as a Utahn. It's nice to see him back home," Romney's longtime friend Fraser Bullock said Wednesday.

Was anti-Mormon sentiment on 'Survivor' responsible for Dawn's demise?

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:23:00 -0600

source: patheos.com

MR says: Interesting article that talks more about what the author calls a "double standard" for religious players in general (and not just Mormon players). If you’re like me, you love the first episode of every Survivor season, when people from completely different backgrounds are stuck on an island and forced to live together and work together until… well, every person gets voted off but the sole Survivor. It’s a brilliant concept that’s only gotten better with age.

But the 26th season displayed a troubling undercurrent of religious hostility and double standards when the show’s contestants managed to demonize, humiliate, and mock a Mormon contestant beyond the show’s normal constraints.

Good Ideas: Family History Activities

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:00:00 -0600

source: mormonmommyblogs.blogspot.com

MR says: Fun and fresh ideas for getting the whole family to capture the spirit of family history. Family History can make a great activity for a church function, FHE, or just for yourself. Check out these eight superb ideas to get you going . . .

Missionary history: The first missions to England were daring and inspired

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:58:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

MR says: Did you know in 1851 there were more Mormons in the British Isles than in Utah? During a Sunday meeting on June 4, 1837, in the year-old Kirtland Temple, Joseph Smith approached Heber C. Kimball, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “Brother Heber,” Joseph spoke quietly into his ear, “the Spirit of the Lord has whispered to me: 'Let my servant, Heber, go to England and proclaim my Gospel, and open the door of salvation to that nation.'”

Elder Kimball was stunned. He had grown up the son of a Vermont blacksmith, learning that trade himself but ultimately becoming a potter. Obliged to drop out of his sporadic country schooling at the age of 14, he was painfully conscious of his lack of education and deeply intimidated at the thought of preaching to, as he viewed them, the much more cultured and sophisticated English.

Mormon NFL safety Eric Weddle makes a point to attend Sunday meetings

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:52:00 -0600

source: deseretnews.com

MR says: He says he went for a couple years without attending church on game day Sundays and it made a difference (not for the better). Now when he travels, he finds the local meetinghouse and attends for as long as possible. For other installments in this series of excerpts from his new book, click here. Less than six hours before kickoff between the San Diego Chargers and Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2009, some players slept in while others ate breakfast and watched ESPN "SportsCenter."

At least one player left the team hotel to drive home and change into a white shirt and tie.

Before going to work, Eric Weddle needed to feed his soul.

Here's what the new Meridian, Id. LDS temple will look like

Thu, 16 May 2013 08:39:00 -0600

source: ktvb.com

MR says: What a unique look! This temple will not have the traditional towers on it--and it has a dome. (This rendering was released by the Church to the public as part of a neighborhood meeting in the government approval process.) Officials with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have released a rendering showing Meridian's future LDS temple.

A non-affiliated LDS church website published the image earlier this week. According to LDSChurchTemples.com it will be the fifth temple built in Idaho.

The website says Meridian's temple will be slightly different than other church temples, since it will be built without traditional towers and steeples. Instead, the four-level building will be topped with a gold dome supporting a gold-leafed statue of the angel Moroni.

Phillip Phillips 'Home' - by the Piano Guys

Wed, 15 May 2013 19:43:00 -0600

source: youtube.com

MR says: LOVE this song, and the Piano Guys have pulled it off again with a beautiful but original cover.

Story from Pres. Uchtdorf: A Mother's Hope

Wed, 15 May 2013 14:33:00 -0600

source: radio.lds.org

MR says: Such a beautiful retelling of this story from Pres. Uchtdorf's talk "The Infinite Power of Hope." Favorite quote: "I know with certainty: her faith overcame her fear, and her hope overcame her despair."

LDS Living - Mormon Report

Elder Dallin H. Oaks honored for championing religious freedom

Hundreds watch as Angel Moroni statue placed on LDS temple in Phoenix

World Congress of Families: Interview with Shelly Locke, Founder of The Power of Mothers

Watch a video tribute to Sister Frances B. Monson

Don’t Stand So Close to Me: On Not Hearing Elizabeth Smart

Frances B. Monson, wife of Pres. Thomas S. Monson, passes away

Teaching Materials Especially for Children

How to engage youth and kids in Sunday lessons

Ten Commandments come down in Oklahoma school district

Mormonism in the News: Getting It Right| 15 May 2013

The mainstreaming of Mormonism

Mitt Romney to live in Utah — at least some of the time

Was anti-Mormon sentiment on 'Survivor' responsible for Dawn's demise?

Good Ideas: Family History Activities

Missionary history: The first missions to England were daring and inspired

Mormon NFL safety Eric Weddle makes a point to attend Sunday meetings

Here's what the new Meridian, Id. LDS temple will look like

SPONSORED: J. Reuben Clark International Academy Opens New Homeschooling Program

Phillip Phillips 'Home' - by the Piano Guys

Story from Pres. Uchtdorf: A Mother's Hope