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LDS respond after disasters in Indonesia

LDS Church News - In addition to major flooding that has plagued Indonesia this fall, two major disasters struck the country Oct. 25 — the eruption of Mount Merapi and the tsunami that hit the Mentawai Islands. The volcano erupted again Nov. 3. The Merapi Volcano eruption, in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, left 42 people dead and displaced more than 20,000. All Church members and missionaries are safe following the disaster, that forced 5,500 individuals into evacuations camps and caused extensive damage to the environment, according to a Church welfare report. ...

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Sharing the stage with Brandon Flowers, lead singer of The Killers

Deseret News - For Rachel Kaiser, it was the surprise of a lifetime. Four days before Brandon Flowers, lead signer of The Killers, began a solo tour, Kaiser learned she would be joining the tour as a backup singer. "They called me at 1 on Tuesday and by 1:30 I was on the road to Las Vegas to audition," said Kaiser, whose name had been passed on to Flowers' manager. "After I auditioned they told me right away that I made it. Then, after I freaked out a little bit, they told me I wouldn't even have time to go back home and get...

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Church makes statement on immigration

Newsroom - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued the following statement of support today following the announcement of the Utah Compact, a document backed by a broad spectrum of community leaders: As a worldwide church dealing with many complex issues across the globe, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints promotes broad, foundational principles that have worldwide application. The Church regards the declaration of the Utah Compact as a responsible approach to the urgent challenge of immigration reform.  It is consistent with important principles for which we stand. ...

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Local Mormon churches' membership growing through active missionary work

Missourian - Tyler Hemenway and Sean Marett haven’t been home to Utah in nearly a year and a half. They talk to their families on the phone only twice a year, on Christmas and Mother’s Day. They receive letters, which they say helps with the homesickness, but are not permitted to watch TV, listen to the radio or to read newspapers and magazines. When they go jogging, they do it without an iPod. Hemenway and Marett, both 20, are part of the current crop of 51,000 Mormon missionaries spread around the globe. The two young men seem to relish following the rules. But,...

Transparent helper

Orson Scott Card: Traditions and when to change

Deseret News - When our oldest child was 5, he came to his mother and asked her for a box. "What do you need it for?" she asked. "Packing," he said. "Packing? Where are you going?" "For when we move," he said. "We aren't moving," she said. He looked at her in consternation. "I already had my birthday in this house," he said. "It's almost my birthday again." Only then did she realize that in his entire life, he had never spent two birthdays in the same house. He did not share our adult understanding that this was about going to graduate school, getting...

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To Break Your Addiction to Porn, Connect with Your Spouse

Mormon Mommy Blogs - He just knew he’d be going to hell. Throughout almost a decade of his life, Gene had resigned himself to the idea that he was hopelessly addicted to sex and would be spending the eternities suffering for it. A year ago he was convinced by a mentor in his church who had traveled the road before that there was a way out. It would require, however, this friend insisted, complete and utter honesty. Deep down Gene felt that what he was hearing was true. So, as painful as he knew it would be, he decided to be 100% honest with God,...

Transparent helper

Strengthening Families & Building Faith by Using Church Resources

LDS Media Talk - The following was delivered today as part of a panel discussion titled “Mormon Media Studies: Across Web Time, Cyberspace, and Blogging Disciplines” in the symposium “Mormon Media Studies: Across Time, Space, and Disciplines,” at the BYU Conference Center in Provo, Utah. The Church provides scriptures, teachings of the latter-day prophets and apostles, and other instructional materials to help individuals and families learn, live, and share the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the last few years, the Church has made great progress in providing materials electronically by way of websites, scriptures online, mobile applications, online videos, streamed radio content, and a huge...

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The strange connection between white shirts and LDS priesthood power

Standard-Examiner - I became my ward’s high priest group leader last Sunday. After I was ordained, I started to give a lesson on John the Baptist. The same church leader who ordained me interrupted to tell me that from now on, he wanted to see me wearing white shirts. Other colors, including the black, long-sleeve button up I was wearing, were not tolerated. I considered asking him if the same rules applied to John the Baptist almost 2,000 years ago, but that would have been snarky, and I do respect the man and his church position. Nevertheless, the edict reminds me of one...

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Religious leaders disgusted by Mitchell, inspired by Smart

Deseret News - Elizabeth Smart's testimony about the way Brian David Mitchell used, or abused, religion has stirred both outrage and inspiration among leaders of various faiths. Smart testified this week that Mitchell was a hypocrite who used religion only to get what he wanted, mainly sex, alcohol and drugs. Under questioning from prosecutor Felice Viti, she said Mitchell, who is on trial in federal court for kidnapping and transporting a minor, never used religion to reach out and help other people. "That's not what religion is about," said the Rev. Lee Shaw of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in West Valley City. "That's not...

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After 65 years, a lost soldier comes home

Salt Lake Tribune - I never met my uncle, George Willard Grismore. He disappeared during World War II, three years before I was born. But, growing up, his spirit was always in my home. He was my mother’s hero and, through her, I learned all about him. He was my grandmother’s oldest son, and she never got over the loss. On Wednesday, 65 years after his plane was lost while on a mission to supply gasoline to Filipino guerrillas fighting the Japanese on the island of Mindanao, Uncle Willard came home. Through the efforts of the U.S. military and the Department of Defense Prisoner of...