Former Utah athlete happy with decision to join Mormon church

MR says: Nothing like a good conversion story... The relationship ended long ago. But for Hilary Taylor, it served its purpose. Because she had an irritating boyfriend who asked relentless questions about her religious beliefs, Taylor finally decided to take the missionary discussions and put this Mormon...

Orson Scott Card: What is the role of the husband?

I'm about to talk to the priests quorum about how to turn that miserable custom called "dating" into a positive experience that might actually help them and the young women they go out with to learn something useful about each other. The trouble is that the whole point of dating is to find a...

Nursery snacks: Climbing out of the pretzel rut

Toddlers love finger foods, so nursery snack-time would seem to be a worry-free part of the job. However, a little diversity beyond dry crackers and lukewarm water served in miniature paper cups has the potential to enhance the entire experience for everyone involved. Depending on the schedule of...

BYU looks to hire coaches with integrity

Every collegiate team relies on the leadership and charisma of a meticulously selected head coach, but at BYU, head coaches are held to a higher standard by not only representing the university but also the Church. “We’re seeking to find the most qualified people that are faithful members of...

Single in a family church

Michelle Marchant has never married. Keri Turley is divorced. Kathy McGregor is a widow. As such, all three are considered "single" -- a label none of them sought after. "In my journey, I had not intended to be single," Marchant said at a BYU Women's Conference presentation on April 30. Neither...

Charles Dickens and the Mormons (Seth Adam Smith)

Boise Relief Society sisters donate baby burial clothing

When a baby dies, the last thing the parents feel like doing is to go shopping in stores full of cute clothes their babies will never wear -- especially when there are few options for the tiny infants who've spent most of their few days in the hospital newborn intensive care unit. When Paramount...

Latter-Day Philo-Semite

MR says: A Mormon shares his love of the Jewish people and religion as well as giving some highlights of LDS-Jewish history. “There are no people in the world who understand the Jews like the Mormons.” —Prime Minister David Ben Gurion ”The Mormons are our brothers; the Christians are our kin.”...

DNA doesn't prove Book of Mormon historicity, either

The past several issues have established that DNA studies do not refute the historicity of the Book of Mormon. The flip side to this issue is the erroneous claim made by some Latter-day Saints that DNA studies prove the Book of Mormon. Because the pro-DNA argument is closely tied to a specific...

Catholic Church commends PCC in honor of Napela

Soon after the Catholic Church canonized Saint Damien of Molokai in October 2009, largely for his 19th century work at the leprosy or Hansen's Disease quarantine settlement on the isolated Kalaupapa Peninsula, senior service missionaries in the Polynesian Cultural Center's Hawaii Mission Settlement...

Answering the Mormon plastic surgery question

MR says: Some interesting responses here. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a column in which I wondered whether plastic surgery was a practice compatible with LDS principles. After describing a recent dinner conversation that had made me question whether it was truly a black-and-white issue, I asked for your...

B.H. Roberts spent most of his life defending The Book of Mormon

I ran across an interesting article in the Summer 1979 issue of Brigham Young University Studies. It’s “B.H. Roberts and The Book of Mormon,” and was written by Truman Madsen. Roberts was a remarkable man. Born in England, his birth father, and later a stepfather, both abandoned him and his...

Some not-so-common sites to see around Temple Square

So your summer plans include a visit to Salt Lake City to see the Tabernacle, Conference Center, visitors centers and the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, along with a trip to the new Deseret Book flagship store. Or maybe you've already seen them but still want to visit Temple Square. But there...

Orson Scott Card: Surprising insights in the Book of Mormon

"Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not," says Moroni (Mormon 8:35). "But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing." After these words were read, the seminary teacher challenged her high school students. "What did Moroni see, when he looked at...

Family has 4 children serving as full-time missionaries

Ask Debra Dunoskovic, and she'll freely tell you how much she loves missionary work. A convert who joined the Church in Australia as a young single adult, she never forgot how mighty a change the gospel wrought in her life. Sister Dunoskovic and her husband, Robert, strived to instill in their...