Who are Mormons?

Washington DC Temple Festival of Lights

2010-12-02T17:15:00.000-08:00

The LDS Temple in Kensington, Maryland, which stands near the I-495 Capitol Beltway Freeway, is known for its gorgeous grounds and the annual Festival of Lights, a free event open to the general public. The event features a presentation of hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights and numerous international nativity scenes on display.

Between December 3 and January 1, the lights are on from dusk until 10pm. Also, fantastic musical presentations (by local groups and performers, both LDS and not) are held nightly at no cost to the general public. For more information, see the official website: http://dctemplelights.lds.org/

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Lai'e Hawaii LDS Temple Rededicated

2010-11-25T17:02:00.000-08:00

The Laie temple was the first finished Mormon temple outside of Utah. The building has stood as a community landmark on Oahu's north shore for many decades. The temple has been closed since late 2008 for remodeling (second time since the temple's construction) and was rededicated by President Monson on November 21, 2010.

For more information about the Laie temple, please visit: http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/laie/

The Rise of a new generation of Mormons

2010-11-09T05:46:00.001-08:00

Readers are encouraged to read this great article which was published in the Financial Times about four months ago. The article highlights Mormons' success in business, the arts, and politics. It describes the Church's international missionary efforts, including how missionary experiences helped influence prominent LDS leaders. Access the article online at the Financial Times: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/938ff454-8a32-11df-bd30-00144feab49a.html#ixzz14nDEvUV3

Mormon.org profiles

2010-11-09T05:36:00.000-08:00

Mormon.org was recently revamped and now features a variety of great videos about members of the LDS Church, their lives, their conversion to the Restored Gospel, and their beliefs. It's a great site - please check it out!

180th Semiannual General Conference

2010-10-02T10:33:00.000-07:00

Today and tomorrow, members of the LDS Church all over the world will participate in the Church's international "General Conference", a worldwide event for Mormons held every 6 months. For more information, or to view the conference via simulcast online, please visit this page.

Meet John Chen

2010-09-24T20:16:00.001-07:00

This story is really inspiring. Please check it out here. The new Mormon.org website is full of amazing stories of people who are examples of strength and faith.

Mormon.org profiles

2010-09-19T18:37:00.001-07:00

The newly launched Mormon.org features personal profiles and video vignettes of real live members of the LDS Church.

Click here to see the videos. (http://www.mormon.org/people/)

CNBC reports on Mormons, missionaries, and LDS business leaders

2010-06-22T11:58:00.001-07:00

CNBC's Erin Burnett traveled to Taiwan, Utah, China, and Brazil to explore the world of LDS missionaries and former missionaries who have become international business leaders. Overall a pretty good report - one of the most favorable we've seen from the mainstream media in a long while. Watch the report in this video:

CNN reports on new LDS temple in Vancouver, British Columbia

2010-06-17T11:36:00.000-07:00

CNN featured a video report about the new Mormon temple in Vancouver. Watch the video here below:

How does this report compare to other media reports on LDS temples? Please share your thoughts and comments.

Miami teen reports on LDS Church's help with Haiti earthquake relief

2010-01-20T16:07:00.001-08:00

An LDS teenager is reporting for CNN (via iReport) in this video, seen here.

The LDS Church has sent extensive aid to help those affected by the earthquake in Haiti,

much of it being

handled through Miami and the LDS community there. The Mormons have also been

sending medical teams and supplies to supplement the efforts of

government agencies and the Red Cross, among other charities.

More info on the Church's contributions to Haiti here.

Also, several LDS meetinghouses in the Port-au-Prince area are being

used as shelters for those displaced by the disaster.

Washington DC Festival of Lights

2009-12-09T14:31:00.000-08:00

The LDS temple in the Washington DC area is hosting its annual Festival of Lights celebration. During the Christmas season, the temple grounds hosts a variety of arts and musical groups for free entertainment for the local community. There are several international exhibits as well.

Please visit this website for more information.

The Church in China

2009-08-07T00:16:00.001-07:00

I just read an old speech by Elder Dallin Oaks about the Church in China. Mormons have been in and out of China for decades and there has been a lot of progress for the Church in that region of the world. This talk was given in 1991 at BYU and should be re-given with the amazingly positive developments that have happened in the past 18 years!

The speech is available for free at:

http://speeches.byu.edu/reader/reader.php?id=7070

I reflect on the improved religious liberties granted to the Chinese during recent years. Chinese leaders have been increasingly willing to support their people's rights to pursue faith and religious beliefs.

President Carter established official diplomatic ties with China in 1979, just a year after LDS Church President Spencer Kimball issued very prophetic remarks about the opening of the Church and the spread of the restored gospel in China. It is remarkable that President Obama has appointed a Mormon fluent in Mandarin, Jon Huntsman, to serve as the bridge between the U.S. and China. What a great opportunity for the LDS community globally and especially in Asia!

Please take a few minutes to read this. It really inspired me and I believe that the time will come for the LDS Church to truly grow and flourish throughout China.

10th annual Mormon Night at the Los Angeles Dodgers

2009-08-06T22:35:00.001-07:00

This evening was the annual Mormon Night at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. It was perfect weather, the game was exciting, and the Latter-day Saints were out in the thousands. LDS singers performed the national anthem and a few other songs. Elder Ballard threw the night's first pitch. It was a great evening!

The L.A. Dodgers host Mormon Night on an annual basis as a way to thank and recognize the Mormon community in Southern California for being the most active supporting organization. According to the Dodgers' website, this was the 10th annual Mormon Night!

For more information, check out:

http://www.mlb.com/la/ticketing/supergroup.jsp?group=lds

Mormons and LDS General Conference on top of Twitter trends!

2009-04-05T11:16:00.000-07:00

During this weekend's General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Twitter tag #ldsconf reached the #1 spot on Twitter. Thousands of Latter-day Saints have been using Twitter to share favorite quotations and references from conference talks, as well as to share their own feelings and testimonies of the gospel and Church.

To follow #ldsconf on Twitter, visit: http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23ldsconf

We are now on Twitter!!

2009-01-25T15:13:00.001-08:00

Please FOLLOW this blog's Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/whoaremormons

I hope to have regularly updated info on Mormons in the news, and updated to this blog. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

https://twitter.com/whoaremormons

LDS Democrats no longer outnumbered by LDS Republicans in U.S. Senate

2009-01-25T01:07:00.001-08:00

For the first time in at least twenty years, among Mormons serving in the U.S. Senate, there are as many Democrats as Republicans:

Democrats:

Harry Reid (Nevada)
Tom Udall (New Mexico)
Mark Udall (Colorado)

Republicans:

Orrin Hatch (Utah)
Robert Bennett (Utah)
Mike Crapo (Idaho)

The Udall cousins were elected in 2008 and entered the Senate earlier this month. Gordon Smith, the moderate Republican from Oregon, lost in his race against liberal Democrat, Jeff Merkley.

I'll try to post info on current LDS in the House of Reps.

Mormon Artist magazine is launched

2009-01-25T00:47:00.000-08:00

The new magazine, Mormon Artist, is available online for free here.

Ben Crowder (not pictured above) is founding editor of the newly launched magazine, Mormon Artist. The magazine is dedicated to Latter-day Saints in the arts and Mormon themed art, music, photography, dance, theater, and cinema.

The magazine looks great and will serve a highly needed role in the Mormon arts community.

Church in Jamaica

2009-01-25T00:40:00.000-08:00

The Church is growing in Jamaica and has attracted attention of the Jamaica Gleaner News.

Taken from the article:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is also known as the Mormon Church, has congregations in every parish in Jamaica, and there is the prospect that two more congregations will be established by 2010 - one in Port Antonio and the other in Old Harbour.

Mormon scholar receives honor for work on international religious freedom and human rights

2009-01-25T00:04:00.000-08:00

Professor Cole Durham, of the BYU Law School, was in Richmond, Virginia, earlier this month to receive the First Freedom Award.

Professor Durham's work in promoting international religious freedom has gained him much attention around the world. He has worked to improve religious liberties throughout the world in places such as Russia, Peru, and Iraq.

Durham also organizes the annual International Law and Religion Symposium, held each October in Salt Lake City and Provo, Utah. The event attracts government officials, religious leaders, clergy, scholars, and others from over 50 countries, including China, Spain, and India.

Church's new video

2009-01-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

A beautiful new video produced by the Church:

http://mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/learning-center-video-popup?mediaId=finding-happiness-6-03

Pres. Uchtdorf and Elder Ballard at Obama's Inauguration

2009-01-24T23:52:00.003-08:00

“It is always an honor for the Church to be represented at the inauguration of a new president,” said President Thomas S. Monson. “We send our best wishes to President Obama and pray for the blessings of a loving Father in Heaven to be upon him and his administration.”

In this second photo, the Church leaders attend and participate in the National Prayer Service on Wed., Jan. 21, 2009.

Mormons in the Obama Administration

2009-01-24T23:49:00.000-08:00

We are just starting to get word on the details of the incoming administration. Here are some members of the Obama Administration who are Latter-day Saints:

Gordon Flake, advisor on Korea and East Asia
Jon Huntsman, U.S. Ambassador to the People's Republic of CHINA

BYU football: loss of Teo?

2009-01-24T23:48:00.001-08:00

Report: Cougars lose out on Te'o

Several recruiting publications, including Total Blue Sports, are reporting that BYU has lost out on the Manti Te'o sweepstakes.

Teo, the top outside linebacker in the country, has narrowed his top three choices to USC, UCLA and Notre Dame. Te'o told TBS that "when it came down to it I just thought I could make a bigger impact and be a bigger influence elsewhere. I think at a school like USC or UCLA, I could really represent the Mormon church well."

Tom Hanks issues apology to Mormon community

2009-01-24T23:45:00.001-08:00

From this morning's Chicago Tribune:

Tom Hanks is rethinking his comments about Mormons who supported Proposition 8, People.com reported Thursday.

Last week he spoke out about the religious group's involvement in passing the California law, which bans same-sex marriage. Referring to the group's financial support of the law, Hanks said, "There are a lot of people who feel that is un-American, and I am one of them."

Kim Farah, speaking for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, told Fox News, "Expressing an opinion in a free and democratic society is as American as it gets."

Now Hanks says, "Everyone has a right to vote their conscience—nothing could be more American. ... No one should use 'un-American' lightly."

The top 10 most famous Mormons in 2008:

2009-01-22T00:09:00.000-08:00

Mitt Romney
Harry Reid
David Archuleta
Glenn Beck
Aaron Eckhart
Thomas S. Monson
Orrin Hatch
Gordon Smith
Bob Bennett
David Neeleman

Mormons at the Inauguration of President Barack Obama

2009-01-20T09:38:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday morning, thousands of American Latter-day Saints attended the Inauguration of America's 44th president, Barack Obama. Among the millions in Washington for the events, many Mormons shared the moment of Obama's new administration. Some prominent LDS in attendance:

Senator Harry Reid, U.S. Senate Majority Leader (D-NV)
Senator Robert Bennett (R-UT)
Other LDS members of Congress, e.g. the Udall cousins (D-Nm, D-CO), Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), etc.
Mayor Mufi Hannemann, mayor of Honolulu, Hawai'i
David Archuleta, singer
Dieter Uchtdorf, 2nd counselor in the LDS Church's First Presidency (not American citizen)
Russell Ballard, member of the Church's Quorum of the 12 Apostles

Mufi Hannemann one of earliest supporters of Obama

2009-01-19T11:34:00.000-08:00

President-elect (until 22 hours from now) Barack Obama received early support from the mayor of his hometown, Honolulu: Mayor Mufi Hannemann, an LDS Democrat who has served in several presidential administrations, including Carter, Clinton, and Reagan.

David Archuleta at Sundance

2009-01-19T11:25:00.000-08:00

The Los Angeles Times covers an encounter with the young Mormon singer, David Archuleta, while partying during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

Jeff, watching with me, nodded and said: "This is how Mormons party. It's just like kids everywhere, just without the sex and drugs. But there's always lots of music." He credited the Mormon faith for encouraging this devotion to music. "It's about instilling in them a sense that there are no limits to what you can be."

If one wonders where a David Achuleta comes from — a prodigy who expresses himself more naturally in music than in words — this seemed a glimpse at the answer. Through the night, the wandering tribe of 9- to 19-year-olds rarely paused, breaking into song at every possible moment — even, as I soon learned, in extreme circumstances.

ABC News take a look inside the new LDS Temple in Draper, Utah

2009-01-19T10:38:00.000-08:00

Mayor of Honolulu and Samoan heritage

2009-01-16T11:31:00.000-08:00

As the first Samoan-American to graduate from Harvard University, Mayor Mufi Hannemann honors his Samoan heritage at an event in Hawai'i. Mayor Hannemann is the second Mormon to serve as mayor of the city of Honolulu. He has served as a high councilor in the Honolulu West Stake.

He recently participated in a celebration honoring Samoan culture and heritage.

Christmas Lights at Washington DC LDS Temple

2008-12-14T16:39:00.001-08:00

If you're in the Washington DC area, please visit the LDS Temple during evening hours. The Temple's grounds are beautifully decorated with thousands of Christmas lights. This year's lighting ceremony was conducted by Neil Andersen of the Church and the Honorable Ronen Sen, Ambassador of India to the United States.

The temple is located just outside of Washington at: 9900 Stoneybrook Drive, Kensington, Maryland 20895. It is a quick drive through the woods from the I-495 freeway. Open through the beginning of January!

Canadian students research Mormonism because of David Archuleta

2008-12-14T02:22:00.001-08:00

This is an interesting, kind of random video. Some Canadian schoolgirls decided to look into Mormonism because their favorite American Idol finalist, David Archuleta, is LDS.

Take a look:

Mormons in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, etc.

2008-12-14T02:18:00.000-08:00

This is an excerpt from one of my favorite Church-made videos, "Ensign to the Nations":

Do Mormons Drink Caffeine? - video

2008-12-14T02:15:00.000-08:00

Latter-day Saints live by a health code known as the Word of Wisdom that counsels against the use of alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, coffee, non-herbal teas, etc. Some have asked if we Mormons drink caffeinated drinks such as Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, etc. Thank you to these nice young LDS girls for posting this video and giving us a good answer. Thanks!

Five (5) Mormon authors are currently on the New York Times Bestsellers list

2008-12-14T02:13:00.000-08:00

Five members of the LDS Church have fiction books currently listed among the New York Times Bestsellers! Article here.

Mormon Temple to be constructed in Trujillo, Peru

2008-12-14T02:11:00.000-08:00

The LDS Church has announced that a new temple is planned to be constructed in the city of Trujillo, Peru. This will be the second LDS temple to built in Peru, where the Church has had phenomenal growth. This article contains more information.

LDS Temple to be constructed in Rome, Italy

2008-10-05T10:36:00.000-07:00

President Thomas Monson announced yesterday that the Church has plans to construct a new temple in the area of Rome, Italy.

There are over 22,000 members of the LDS Church in Italy, who will be served by the newly built temple. Also included in the temple district will be other regions of southern and eastern Europe.

Other Mormon temples are located in Copenhagen, Bern, London, Madrid, Frankfurt, Stockholm, and the Hague, among other European capitals and cities.

Boston Globe looks at Mormon growth in urban centers

2008-09-15T22:29:00.000-07:00

This article discusses a new LDS stake center in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The LDS Church is strengthening its efforts to grow in major urban centers from Boston to New York and Miami.

The Church in Taiwan

2008-09-15T14:34:00.001-07:00

Found a great article on the Church's growth and expansion in Taiwan. Find it here.

Romney's political future?

2008-08-29T16:21:00.000-07:00

Some Mormons have expressed disappointment over John McCain's choice as running mate: Sarah Palin of Alaska. Many Latter-day Saints were hoping that McCain would choose former Mass. governor Mitt Romney. Romney's credentials are somewhat strong, and many speculate that he has a strong political future on the horizon.

Now that Mitt won't be President of Vice-President (this time, at least), perhaps John McCain--if he wins in Nov. '08-- will recruit him for a cabinet-level position. With Romney's solid "economic" experience, he could fill positions such as Sec. of Commerce or Sec. of Treasury in a Republican administration.

Now we'll look to see if there is any room for Mormons in an Obama administration. Stay tuned.

Mia Michaels issues a statement on Mormons and Utah

2008-08-04T00:03:00.000-07:00

World famous choreographer and judge on FOX's "So You Think You Can Dance", Mia Michaels (pictured above to the right), issued the following statement yesterday:

First of all, I have tons of friends who are from Utah and who are Mormons. I love them. I respect their choices and their belief system. And the fact that they don’t have the same vices that we do is great. They’re so focused in their lives. They’re so clear. And they are workhorses. Their work ethic is just amazing. Any dancers that I’ve worked with in Utah? Oh my god, they do not stop.

And it’s not just the dancers. There are so many great choreographers and teachers out there. More than a handful. A double handful. Whenever anybody talks about Utah, it’s about how it’s a really strong dance capitol. They have even better dancers than New York, sometimes. In New York, we get really strong Broadway dancers, theater dancers, concert dancers. But the dancers who come from a really solid dance state usually come out of Florida or Utah. Their dancers are trained at the highest level. I think it’s because there’s so much support there and it’s so family based. I think it’s really cool.

So I totally apologize if what I said came out wrong because putting down their way of life is NOT what I meant, at all. I think it’s so admirable, what they do. I respect their way of life. I should take their advice. My sister and her husband are going to build a home and retire in Deer Valley, Utah. It’s gorgeous there.

The bottom line is: Any dancer who came to me and said they came out of Utah? I’d say: Come on in.

Courtesy WISC, NBC affiliate in South Carolina

Latter-day Saint is Mr. Hong Kong 2008

2008-08-03T23:50:00.000-07:00

Returned Mormon missionary and BYU student, Michael Tsu, has won the 2008 Mr. Hong Kong competition. Michael studies at Brigham Young University and served a full-time LDS mission in Hong Kong.

The 23-year-old winner had not caught the eye of the media as a potential winner, but he seemed to adopt an additional sparkle in his glance on the night and led in the mature group from the beginning, eventually taking top spot with a total score of 574 points.

Michael is a student from the USA, lists snowboarding, singing and wakeboarding as his hobbies and says his ambition is one day to be a good father.

For video footage of Michael's victory: http://tvcity.tvb.com/special/mrhk2008/news/index.html?20080802/20080802230720975-01h3g_900k.flv&20080802/20080802230720975-01h3g_900k-0001.jpg&0

Mormon Night at the Los Angeles Dodgers

2008-08-01T00:08:00.000-07:00

The L.A. Dodgers played (and lost to) the Arizona Diamondbacks at home this past Thursday. We attended the game as a part of Mormon Night.

Elder L. Tom Perry of the Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was invited to throw the first pitch.

Mormons leading Beijing Olympic Committee's legal team

2008-07-28T11:40:00.000-07:00

Two LDS attorneys are heading legal operations on behalf of the BOC (Beijing Olympic Committee).

They are based out of both Beijing and Los Angeles.

The full article here.

Taiwan's President praises contributions of LDS Church in Taiwan

2008-07-16T15:56:00.000-07:00

Taiwan is very "dear" to my heart... so I was really pleased with this news:

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) of Taiwan met yesterday with LDS Church leaders and members and praised the Church's contributions in terms of service, education, and community. The Taipei Times covered the story here. What an honor to have the president of Taiwan recognize the efforts of LDS missionaries, LDS service projects, and LDS history in the U.S., Asia, and abroad.

Mormon Night at the Los Angeles Dodgers

2008-07-14T22:54:00.000-07:00

The annual tradition continues:

the L.A. Dodgers host "Mormon Night" at their stadium.

July 31, 2008

7:00 pm

All are invited!

Mormon interviewed in CNN's Black in America

2008-07-14T11:17:00.001-07:00

Marvin Perkins, a Black Latter-day Saint, was interviewed by CNN for the network's series, Black in America. Thanks to Marvin for his contribution!

The interview can be seen here.

No Mormon PRESIDENT in 2008, but how about as Vice President???

2008-07-13T21:33:00.001-07:00

On the Republican side of the presidential race, there are two prominent Mormon political leaders who are rumored to be on McCain's short list of VP potentials.

To the left above is Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr. He is the current governor of Utah and has enjoyed one of the highest approval ratings among American governors this decade. He is a moderate Republican in favor of school vouchers.

On the right above is a guy we all recognize: W. Mitt Romney, ex-savior of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Also, he worked as governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Now, how about among Democrats? Are there any Mormons on Barack Obama's list of potential running mates? I don't think so. The most prominent LDS Democrat is Harry Reid.

Gladys Knight and her Mormon faith

2008-07-12T00:04:00.000-07:00

Gladys Knight shares her testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through music and the spoken word as she tours the world. A Canadian newspaper takes a look at Ms. Knight's music and work on behalf of the LDS Church.

She was recently in southern California with her Las Vegas-based multicultural Mormon choir. The show was fantastic!

First Edition 1830 Book of Mormon on display in Oakland, California

2008-04-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

This weekend we went up to the San Francisco Bay Area, and enjoyed a small exhibit at the Oakland LDS Temple's Visitors Center. There they have on display an original first edition Book of Mormon from 1830. Really cool to see it. I took these pictures on Friday afternoon. The display is open to the public.

The address is:

4770 Lincoln Avenue
Oakland, California 94602

From the Temple one can see across the Bay to the City of San Francisco, etc. The Temple is so ideally located on the hills of Oakland that the ships and boats in the SF Bay use it and its lights as a landmark to navigate through fog, storms, darkness, etc.

Also, we in Los Angeles are looking forward to the day when our new LDS Temple Visitors' Center will be open to the public. They have torn down the old one and are constructing another in its place on Santa Monica Boulevard in West L.A.

Howard W. Hunter Foundation at the Claremont University

2008-04-13T16:20:00.001-07:00

Claremont University's School of Religion has launched a major Mormon studies program: the first of its kind outside of Utah.

Claremont, east of Los Angeles, is a highly ranked educational institution dedicated to the liberal arts. The School of Religion at Claremont is the top theological school outside the Ivy League (dominated by Divinity schools at Yale, Harvard, and Princeton).

Claremont has graduated many Mormon students, taught numerous Mormon Studies classes, and held many conferences on the topic. Now Claremont will have a research institute with endowed professorships, etc. The Howard W. Hunter Foundation is in charge of obtaining the funds necessary to establish the school's new Mormon Studies program.

Quite exciting!

Dr. Keith Finlayson, M.D. of the Mormon Tabernacle Choice

2008-04-13T16:12:00.000-07:00

This article in the Deseret News is about my medical doctor (ENT) in Salt Lake City, Dr. Keith Finlayson. He also served a mission in Brazil, and he sings in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir!

Street named after President James E. Faust in Brazil

2008-04-12T22:26:00.000-07:00

The street leading to the temple in the city of Campinas has been renamed "James Esdras Faust Street". In Curitiba, there is also a square named "Joseph Smith Plaza".

Mormon humanitarian efforts: $4 million in 2007 in 85 countries

2008-04-12T22:19:00.000-07:00

The LDS Church has offered over $4 million in humanitarian aid in 85 countries around the world. This article from a California newspaper covers this here.

"In Ethiopia, the Church helped communities access clean drinking water. The Church drilled wells and constructed storage tanks. Communities organized a water committee and dug the trenches needed to pipe the water from the storage tanks to each village. In some cases this was a distance of over 5 kilometers," said Bishop Burton.

For more info about the Church's humanitarian efforts, please visit here.

LDS women win first place in international film festival

2008-04-12T22:16:00.001-07:00

(courtesy Rodger L. Hardy, Deseret News)

Two LDS women, Anne Bradshaw of Mapleton, Utah, and Jeanne McKinney of San Diego, Calif., joined forces via e-mail to write a screenplay that took first place at the recent International Family Film Festival.

The festival took place at Raleigh Studios in the Charlie Chaplin Theater in Hollywood.

The women drew from the history of politico-religious strife to create a tale of time travel that brings about change in today's world. The screenplay, "The Ardanea Pendant," was entered in the science fiction category and competed against hundreds of others from 17 countries, McKinney said.

Latter-day Saints among finalists on American Idol

2008-04-12T22:12:00.000-07:00

David Archuleta and Brooke White are going all the way and David is favored in some polls to win the entire competition.

New Young Women general leadership

2008-04-12T22:07:00.001-07:00

The new presidency of the LDS Church's Young Women program was organized during General Conference in April 2008.
Sister Dalton proclaimed that, “We have met with many government leaders and many have asked us what we have to offer for the young women in their nations,” she said. “We have stressed education, standards and virtue.” She said that when a person is virtuous they are free to do and accomplish many wonderful things.

She recounted that one leader from Africa saw the Church’s booklet, For the Strength of Youth, and asked for more copies in French. When Sister Dalton offered her four more, the government leader said, “Oh, I need boxes and boxes of this book for my country. This is what the women and young women need to help them rise up.”

Elder D. Todd Christofferson

2008-04-12T22:04:00.000-07:00

The Church's newest member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is Elder D. Todd Christofferson, an American with a juris doctorate from Duke University, and lots of experience in Washington DC.

Elder Christofferson was sustained by members of the Church last Saturday during the Church's annual General Conference in Salt Lake City.

Consul General of Bangladesh visits LDS Church HQ

2008-04-09T16:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the Consul General of Bangladesh visited the office of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City. He was visiting on official diplomatic business from Los Angeles, where the Consulate is located.

LDS General Conference

2008-04-09T16:32:00.000-07:00

LDS General Conference, an event held twice annually, just concluded.

The Conference lasted during last Saturday and Sunday. Members from around the world gather in the Conference Center (shown above), or via satellite, internet, television, or radio. The Conference's proceedings are simultaneously translated into over 80 languages.

Australian Mormon assists Aussie Prime Minister Rudd

2008-04-08T16:30:00.000-07:00

An Australian Latter-day Saints helped Prime Minister Rudd during his much anticipated speech, in which he apologized formally for the Australian's government treatment of Aboriginese Australians.

The Church in Australia has grown significantly. There are five LDS temples in Australia.

Mormon business executive to launch a new airline in BRAZIL

2008-04-03T08:45:00.000-07:00

While I was in São Paulo, Brazil (where I served my LDS mission) last week, everyone was buzzing with the news of Brazil's newest airline. The airline is being launched by JetBlue founder David Neeleman, an LDS entrepreneur made famous by his vast business success. The company is not yet named. In the photo above, Mr. Neeleman is shown with a model plane painted with the phrase "Você Escolhe," meaning "you choose", referring to the current contest open to the public to name the new airline. The first place winner of the contest will win free air travel for life!

David Neeleman has a lot of interest in Brazil: he was born in Brazil, served an LDS mission there, and has dual citizenship, and his son is currently there on a mission, as well.

The New York Times covers this news here. Bloomberg covers it here.

Since the miserable failure of the Brazilian flagship carrier, VARIG, caused a major void in Brazilian air travel, the country of nearly 200 million people has suffered in terms of a problematic aviation sector, high airfare, etc. The new airline hopes to address the needs of the Brazilian aviation market by providing decent fares and regular flights between even more cities throughout the country.

Conference on Global LDS Church and Public Perception

2008-04-03T08:40:00.000-07:00

This coming Monday at BYU (Brigham Young University) in Provo, Utah, scholars, journalists, students, Mormons, non-Mormons, will gather at an all-day international conference to discuss the public perceptions of the Church throughout the world.

For more information, click here.

Los Angeles Times discusses Mormons & Muslims

2008-04-03T08:15:00.000-07:00

(This photo courtesy Meridian Magazine; in the photo are Mr. Flake, of LDS Church humanitarian services, with Mr. Shawky, his counterpart at the partner organization Islamic Relief, with tons of load of international food and medical aid.)
(Photo courtesy a professor at Oxford who took this picture of a Muslim gentleman with two Mormon missionaries in France.)

Last night my sister-in-law showed me an article in the Los Angeles Times by David Haldane about Mormons, Muslims, and the relationship between the two groups.

The full text of the article is available here.

Recently I attended an event held at UCLA featuring a panel discussion of representatives from Islam and Mormonism. I wrote on the event here. The reporter responsible for yesterday's L.A. Times article, David Haldane, was at that event as well.

The Los Angeles Times article addresses the interaction of Arabic scholars at Brigham Young University and the Islamic clerical community. BYU has become a sort of center for Arabic text translation. Also, while I was a student at BYU, the school partnered with the FBI to become an official Arabic language training location for the agency.

The relationship between the Mormons and Muslims demonstrate just how much the two peoples and religions have in common.

The late LDS scholar, Dr. Hugh Nibley, wrote extensively about the similarities between Islam and the Restored Gospel (LDS), citing among other things, the religions' dedication to humanitarian service and prophetic visions. In fact, many in the LDS Church have recognized that Mohammed was called by God and received divine inspiration.

LDS Missionaries in Taichung, Taiwan help Mayor

2008-04-02T08:13:00.000-07:00

The Mayor of Taichung, Taiwan, Mr. Jason Hu, has requested that the Mormon missionaries serving in his city assist in a city-wide translation service project. As Taiwan is attracting more and more international business and investment, the need for good English is stronger. The LDS Missionaries will help the city correct poor translations, etc.

For more information, read this story from the LDS Newsroom.

I was in Taipei, Taiwan, last week and found many examples of "Engrish":

Snoop Dogg becomes member of the LDS Church

2008-04-01T08:10:00.000-07:00

The musician, Snoop Dogg, has joined the Mormon Church in the Los Angeles area.

For more information, read this article from CNN.

LDS Church hosts major artwork in Denver, Colorado

2008-03-21T15:47:00.000-07:00

The LDS Church has opened a collection of artwork of considerable size at several chapels in Denver, Colorado. The collections include art by Rembrandt.

Expect fewer posts within the next 2 weeks:

2008-03-20T14:42:00.000-07:00

I will be all over the place during the next two weeks, so I'm not sure how much I'll be able to post.

Check back next week for a post or two!

Church warns against financial fraud, etc.

2008-03-16T22:34:00.001-07:00

This morning a letter from the First Presidency was read during Sacrament meetings at LDS wards and branches across the United States. The letter warned Church members from the many financial scams that threaten people's livelihood, etc.

The Deseret Morning News in Salt Lake City, Utah, covers the story here.

Great Video about the myths and realities of the Mormons

2008-03-15T13:57:00.000-07:00

Click on the play button below to start the video.

Really good!

The Mormon Way of Doing Business

2008-03-15T13:27:00.001-07:00

Mormon Helping Hands in New Zealand

2008-03-14T18:46:00.000-07:00

According to the LDS newsroom, over 5,000 Church members volunteered across the island nation of New Zealand to clean and refurbish neighborhoods this past Saturday.

Volunteers in Auckland painted the Glenfield Presbyterian Church and Takapuna Girl Guide Hall, landscaped the Yendarra Kindergarten, and renovated the Hindu Heritage Trust property in Mangere. Mormon volunteers cleaned, painted, organized, hauled, etc. to get their communities looking lovely.

The Church's Helping Hands program is active throughout the world, and started in Brazil. The Brazilian program, "Mãos que Ajudam", has been highlighted in Brazilian national media several times.

(New Zealand Mormon trivia: The Church has a temple and a church school in New Zealand.)

LDS Church involved in new Northwest African American Museum in Seattle

2008-03-14T18:28:00.000-07:00

The Mormon Church has donated software and materials to the new Northwest African American Museum in Seattle, Washington. The new museum includes a genealogical research center. The center has received volunteer efforts and genealogical records as a gift from the LDS Church.

See this article.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been deeply involved in promoting genealogical research--a.k.a. family history--throughout the world.

The Church has helped launch and operate a similar endeavor in Cincinnati, Ohio: The Freedom Center, a museum dedicated to the National Underground Railroad/African American History. The Church collaborated with the Museum to set up the genealogical center of the Museum there.

Mormons Polynesian dancers at Washington DC visitors' center

2008-03-13T22:24:00.000-07:00

An acquaintance posted this on youtube:

Live from DC . . . .

BYU-Hawaii Devotional

2008-03-13T21:54:00.000-07:00

John Muaina gave a great talk at a recent BYU-Hawaii Devotional.

Following his mission in Samoa, Muaina enrolled at BYU-Hawaii and began working at the PCC, where he met his wife. Like many young couples here, the Muainas

"loved our experience at TVA [Temple View Apartments married student housing]. It embraced the true spirit of fellowship and being with the Saints. It would solidify my feelings about this BYUH campus of destiny and the Polynesian Cultural Center."

LDS Mission Reunions April 2008!

2008-03-13T21:38:00.001-07:00

The Church's annual General Conference is coming up soon (April 5-6, 2008), which means that LDS mission reunions are being scheduled for that week. Mormon missionaries love to get together and remember the good ol' days of full-time missionary work. Check here to see information about dozens of mission reunions, mostly in the Wasatch Front area in Utah.

NPR reports on opposing Mormon legislators in Arizona

2008-03-13T21:33:00.002-07:00

Two LDS Arizona state congressmen were highlighted in a story yesterday on National Public Radio (NPR). Above is Phoenix legislator, Bill Kopenickee. NPR highlighted the disagreement between Mr. Kopenickee, and his colleague, Russell Pearce, of Mesa, Arizona.

Both legislators are members of the same political party, but disagree starkly on the right approach to address immigration issues in Arizona. Interesting story at NPR.org.

Southern California Mormon Choir schedule

2008-03-13T21:29:00.001-07:00

The 2008 schedule of the Mormon Choir of Southern California is available here.

Mormon musical performances in Southern California

2008-03-13T21:26:00.000-07:00

Father and son will unite in song next week in two Poway performances of Handel's "Messiah" oratorio.

Steve Blinco and his son, Michael Blinco, will be two of the four featured soloists in an Easter-themed concert presented at 7 p.m. March 19 and 20 at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts, 15498 Espola Road in Poway. The concert will feature the Poway Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' 70-member choir and soloists Anna Bjarnson-Carson and Jan Jensen.

Bass Steve Blinco has performed as a "Messiah" soloist all over Southern California and performed with the Southern California Mormon Choir. Baritone Michael Blinco, a recent vocal performance graduate from Chapman University Conservatory of Music and graduate of Rancho Bernardo High School, has performed in numerous operas in Orange County.

Call (858) 675-9870.

(Story provided by the North County Times, California)

Puertas Abiertas al Templo de Panamá

2008-03-11T15:04:00.001-07:00

The Panama City Temple will be open to the public between 11 July and 26 July, 2008.

La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias, Panamá

Open House of Curitiba Brazil Temple

2008-03-11T15:00:00.000-07:00

THE CURITIBA TEMPLE will be open to the public from May 10 to May 24, 2008. This gorgeous temple will be open to all in the general public for two weeks before the temple is dedicated and closed to the public.

O templo de Curitiba Brasil será aberto ao público entre o dia 10 ao 24 de Maio, 2008. Por favor, venham conhecer a Igreja de Jesus Cristo dos Santos dos Ultimos Dias.

Trailer to American Mormon

2008-03-09T13:44:00.000-07:00

A fun film made a few years ago to see what people think about/know about Mormons:

So people confuse Mormons with Amish? Lots of interesting opinions about Latter-day Saints, even in the U.S. where there are nearly 6 million of us!

(The guy in the white t-shirt on Venice Beach in Los Angeles is my favorite.)

Newly Organized First Presidency

2008-03-09T13:42:00.000-07:00

President Monson, President Eyring, and President Uchtdorf

Latter-day Saints share common ground with Eastern religions

2008-03-09T13:29:00.000-07:00

This article from BYU Newsnet explains how Mormons are similar in some ways to those of many Asian religious denominations.

Mormons' focus on families is similar to the emphasis on family values found in Islamic and Hindu traditions, for example.

Hindus and Jews topped the survey in religions that receive post-graduate education and a higher income, with Mormons following.

Mormons have a thing for dancing: Dancesport USA at BYU

2008-03-09T13:24:00.000-07:00

Each year Brigham Young University is host to the annual Dancesport USA event, featuring professional and amateur ballroom dancers from around the United States, and some from abroad. BYU is chosen each year to host the event due to its impressive dance facilities and department. BYU boasts the largest collegiate dance department in the United States!

I have attended the Dancesport competition numerous times while I studied at BYU, and enjoyed the wonderful performances by children, teens, college students, and young professional dancers.

(Photo courtesy the Deseret Morning News)

Spanish-speaking membership of the Church

2008-03-08T11:27:00.000-08:00

The Arizona Star has written a story about growth of the Mormon Church among Spanish-speakers in the U.S.

BYU Business School ranks 7th in the U.S.

2008-03-04T21:07:00.001-08:00

Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Management (business school) has been ranked as the 7th top business program in America, by Business Week. Congratulations to the students, faculty, administration, and staff! Business Week's rankings are created by recruiters and analysts around the country.

(The building is currently undergoing some major expansion work.)

Mormons volunteer to aid post-earthquake efforts

2008-03-03T20:31:00.001-08:00

The February 21 earthquake in Wells, Nevada ranked stronger than 6.1 on the richter scale. (even people in Salt Lake City felt the vibrations) As residents in that area are cleaning up and restoring structures, Mormon volunteers from throughout the region, including full-time missionaries, are helping the community. This article from the Deseret News reports.

BYU Young Ambassadors in Long Beach, California

2008-03-02T00:06:00.000-08:00

I attended the Young Ambassadors performance last night.

The BYU Young Ambassadors is a group of students from my alma mater, Brigham Young University. They are talented singers, musicians, dancers, actors, and performers in general. They travel the world sharing musical theater, dance, and the gospel with everyone.

The group is currently on a Nevada/California tour, and last night we saw them in Long Beach, California.

Ghana man explains to the media why he joined LDS Church

2008-03-01T23:58:00.000-08:00

The Church's growth in Africa is best understood by hearing the story and experiences of African Latter-day Saints. Read this wonderful personal essay by a Mormon convert in Ghana.

Mormons in Hollywood's "Bonneville"

2008-02-29T00:02:00.000-08:00

Viewers of the film "Bonneville" will hear the LDS Church and related topics mentioned several times in the film. I want to share this NY Times review of the film. (Overall, the film has received poor ratings.)

Mormons have America's largest families

2008-02-28T21:40:00.000-08:00

According to a recent study from the Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life, Mormons have the largest families overall among religious denominations (in 2nd places in this category are Muslims) in the U.S.

Another interesting finding of the research shows that Mormons are the 2nd most married religious group in America, after Hindus.

Mormon Church's lay ministry & service organization draw attention in media

2008-02-28T21:33:00.001-08:00

The following text (and the above photo) has been extracted from the LDS Church's Newsroom.

According to Terryl Givens, professor of literature and religion at Virginia’s Richmond University, the practice of providing universal volunteer service opportunities to youth and adults in any given congregation leads to personal and social benefits.

“The value of the system is that it prevents religion from ever becoming a spectator sport. One doesn’t go to church to be ministered to, but to minister,” he said.

“And since we tend to love those people and institutions we invest in,” he adds, “lay service forges powerful bonds of interdependency and unity.”

In order to understand what makes Mormon congregations “unusually cohesive faith groups,” as Givens calls them, a closer look is necessary.

According to former Mormon bishop Chris Rutter, lay service “gives members a chance to learn new skills and knowledge, strengthening their faith and enhancing their religious experience.”

Rutter says that young people, new members and all others who are capable of contributing are given a church duty, such as leading the music, teaching a class or organizing the scout troop.

David Archuleta exceeds on American Idol

2008-02-28T21:29:00.000-08:00

A Latter-day Saint youth named David Archuleta has taken American television waves by fire. Archuleta is a Mormon, and is posed as the favorite in this season of American Idol.

Sri Lankan Mormon student hopes to effect peace and stability

2008-02-28T19:55:00.000-08:00

Student Asala Wickramaarachchige came to the United States from Sri Lanka to study at Brigham Young University - Hawaii (BYU-H).

His is a very interesting story, featured on his university's news website.

(BYU-H is a school located in Laie, on the beautiful northern coast of Oahu. The school is owned and operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Nearly two thirds of students at the school are not U.S. citizens.)

Tom Lantos remembered

2008-02-27T21:38:00.000-08:00

"The entire memorial service was a gentle back and forth of Jewish and Mormon perspectives on remembering Lantos..."

Click here to read more about Congressman Lantos' memorial services.

"Aunty" Genoa Leilani Keawe passes away

2008-02-26T18:13:00.001-08:00

"Aunty" Genoa Leilani Keawe passed away yesterday. She was a famous LDS musician, known for her beautiful Hawaiian-style music. NPR covered this story briefly today.

Known as the "Hawaiian Lady of Song," she regularly performed at Church events, and many public venues. Her first claim to fame was her designation as an official performer for the soldiers stationed in Hawaii prior to the second world war. Until recently she even played every week at the Marriott hotel on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu. Aunty Genoa and her music will be missed dearly. She was just about 90 years old when she passed away at home in Oahu.

Visit her official website (and turn on your speakers to hear the music that automatically plays).

Mitt Romney's son may enter politics in 2008

2008-02-25T21:55:00.001-08:00

Governor Mitt Romney's son, Josh, may decide to run for Congress in Utah. If he enters the race, he will challenge incumbent Jim Matheson to represent Utah's 2nd congressional district. (Utah only has 3 congressional districts.) We'll see if Josh Romney actually chooses to run against Jim Matheson... could turn out to be an interesting clash of two influential Mormon political families.

*** Attention all readers: Please send me interesting stories about Mormons you see online, in the news, etc. I would love to receive recommended articles and links. Also, please leave comments on the posts in this blog! :)

Church Historian's Press Announced

2008-02-25T21:37:00.000-08:00

This morning, the LDS Church announced the creation of the new Church Historian's Press, a new imprint responsible for a series of Church historical documents. The Press will target scholars and researchers to enable and facilitate further research on the Church's history and origins. The picture above is an artist's rendition of the Church History Library, which is currently under construction on the northeast corner of North Temple and Main Streets in Salt Lake City, Utah.

New Book on Charity

2008-02-25T16:46:00.000-08:00

I recommend a new book by Latter-day Saint, Eric Lundquist. His book is available for purchase here.