A Utah County woman is suing various members of her LDS Church ward to help cover medical bills that are piling up from a 2005 accident that happened during a church activity. Documents filed in 3rd District Court on Thursday state that the woman, who was 13 at the time of the accident, was participating on a caroling trip with members of the Sunset Hills 1st Ward, in American Fork, when her ankle was run over by the trailer everyone was riding on during the activity.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has filed a pair of briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking it to uphold California’s Proposition 8 and the federal Defense of Marriage Act. The briefs were drafted by lawyers for the LDS Church here in Utah and filed Jan. 29 before the nation’s top court on behalf of the National Association of Evangelicals, the Southern Baptist Convention, the Lutheran Church-MIssouri Synod, the Romanian-American Evangelical Alliance of North America, Truth in Action Ministries, and the Mormon Church.

He has had one marriage, five kids, no hint of personal or financial scandal, a position of responsibility in his church, and he doesn't drink, smoke or chew. By some standards, Republican Mitt Romney, a Mormon, and Christian conservative voters in Iowa are right on the same page.

There is a tension--mostly healthy--within contemporary Mormonism. Mormons both want to be distinctive and to find full acceptance within American society. Striking that balance has proven difficult. For the most part, Mormons have been distinguished by their distinctiveness. Mormons are distinct in some big ways. They have a unique theology, new scripture, and on at least some issues, hold opinions that are far from the norm. According to the new survey of Mormons by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, 94 percent of Mormons believe that the president of the LDS Church is a prophet of God, and 91 percent believe that the Book of Mormon was written by ancient prophets and translated by Joseph Smith.

As part of the rhetorical warfare that has come to characterize modern American political discourse, it was only a matter of time before someone once again used the term “cult” to describeThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In The Book of Mormon Broadway musical, the central character Elder Price sings, “I Believe…” followed by a mixed series of benign and ridiculous claims. The genius of the song is that it so perfectly performs widespread American perceptions about Mormonism in the early 21st century. Elder Price, and Mormons in general, are presented as harboring some naive and strange ideas, but in the end being good people with good intentions who might actually be able to help people. Mitt Romney’s upcoming nomination as the Republican candidate for President seems to confirm how Mormons generally have come to be understood. Even Evangelical Republican voters have largely overcome some hesitancy about Mormonism, perhaps accepting it the way viewers of The Book of Mormon musical come to accept Mormons. Romney may hold some wacky religious ideas, but he is a good person who may actually help some people.

It was a long way from American presidential politics, but as Romanians gathered around their dinner tables one day last week, a national television station aired a 20-minute segment on Mormon core values - close families, hard work, clean living and helping others. Romanian Mormons were surprised, but pleased. With fewer than 3,000 of them in the country, they aren’t used to being on prime time.

She will perform with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for the annual Pioneer Day concert 20-21 July 2012 at 8:00 p.m. in the Conference Center. Jenkins became more familiar to American audiences recently as she competed on ABC’s 14th season of Dancing with the Stars. She said the invitation to sing with the choir came when she was participating on the popular television program. She said she was “absolutely thrilled” with the opportunity to perform with the choir. “I was well aware of the choir and its Welsh roots and thought it would be a lovely thing to do.”

During the final week of Black History Month, Brigham Young University is presenting a play about a black Mormon pioneer that requires nearly all African-American actors.

I didn't really know what to expect when I got to Provo, Utah. I knew that many people here were followers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, better known as the Mormons. And I was here to visit Brigham Young University -- also known as the Mormon university. Mitt Romney graduated from here in 1971. I was visiting the school to find out how they viewed their famous alumnus, and if people would vote for him because he was of the same faith -- that report comes next week. For the moment, let me muse on my visit to BYU.