|
|
|
May 17, 2013
Frances B. Monson, Wife of President Thomas S. Monson, Passes Away (LDS Newsroom) (May 17, 2013) 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 86 years old.
Sister Frances Monson passes away (KSL - Utah) (May 17, 2013) 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. Friday morning in a Salt Lake City hospital.
Elder Oaks promotes strengthening the free exercise of religion (Deseret News - Utah) (May 17, 2013) Religious teachings and religious organizations are vital to a free society and deserve its special legal protection, Elder Dallin H. Oaks affirmed in a speech May 16 upon receiving the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty's highest honor, the Canterbury Medal, during a program held in the Pierre Hotel on New York Citys Fifth Avenue.
Named for the cathedral in which Thomas A. Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, was martyred in 1170 by the knights of Englands King Henry II for his defense of religious freedom, the Canterbury Medal is given annually to champions for religious liberty. Elder Oaks, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was recognized for his "lifetime commitment to religious liberty for all."
LDS Church submits temporary Provo MTC plans to city (Deseret News - Utah) (May 17, 2013) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has submitted to Provo City officials its plans for creating a new, temporary extension of its missionary training facilities in Provo.
The plans will utilize existing facilities at two of the city's many student-oriented apartment complexes, Raintree Commons and Wyview Park. In addition to using existing apartments for housing and classroom facilities, the plans call for the placement of five temporary buildings on what is now parking space on the Raintree Commons property.
Hundreds watch as Angel Moroni statue placed on LDS temple in Phoenix (Deseret News - Utah) (May 17, 2013) 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."
LDS Church is smart to reach out to 'Book of Mormon' musical audiences, priest says (Deseret News - Utah) (May 17, 2013) Watching two Mormon missionaries passing out free copies of the Book of Mormon to playgoers outside a theater in which “The Book of Mormon” musical was being performed piqued Danielle Tumminio’s curiosity and led her to believe “that maybe The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was doing something really smart in cultivating relationships with people who saw the musical.”
“Yes, the musical might make fun of Mormons,” Tumminio wrote recently in her Huffington Post blog. “Yes, the musical has a message that Mormons probably shouldn’t embrace if they want to remain true to their tradition. But that doesn’t preclude it from being a vehicle that God uses to speak into people’s lives.”
Peg McEntee: Grass-roots Mormons preach Earth-friendly gospel (Salt Lake Tribune - Utah) (May 17, 2013) Just a few months ago, the Legislature repeated its demand that the federal government surrender 30 million acres of public lands to Utah so the state can make more money on them.
That’s just the sort of thinking that the Mormon Environmental Stewardship Alliance (MESA) deplores, and why it wants its followers — more than 1,300 in more than 15 countries — to remember LDS teachings to revere the Earth, its sanctity, its people and the need to preserve it for generations to come.
BYU student entrepreneurs rake in half a million in startup funding (BYU news release) (May 17, 2013) In perhaps the most successful season ever for BYU entrepreneurship, innovating students have won or raised more than $500,000 for startup ventures this spring.
From a portable device that can charge a phone for a week to a spray technology that biodegrades plastics found in landfills, students have created technologies that are turning heads nationwide.
"We’ve probably brought in more money from competitions this year than any other year," said entrepreneurship professor Nathan Furr. "But more importantly, the students are getting real traction with customers. The proof that you’ve nailed the problem is that people will give you their money."
May 16, 2013
LDS MTC expansion to house missionaries by end of May (Fox 13 - Utah) (May 16, 2013) More details have emerged about the Provo apartment complexes that will become part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Missionary Training Center.
The Raintree Commons and Wyview Park apartment complexes will be converted to house about 1,700 LDS missionaries, according to plans submitted by the LDS church. The site will eventually be fully contained, with dining, exercise and service facilities.
New Harmony: The mainstreaming of Mormonism (Deseret News - Utah) (May 16, 2013) 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.
Michelle King: From foster care to forever family, on 'Mormon Times TV' (Deseret News - Utah) (May 16, 2013) “Children deserve to be safe, with enough to eat, in a warm bed; without abuse, neglect or fear. They deserve a loving family who holds them in their heart.” That's what the Utah Foster Care website states. So true.
And I was deeply touched when I visited the household of Kim and Rob Gerlach — a couple who took in four foster children, met their needs and then adopted them all. It’s only fitting the Gerlachs are featured on the local foster care website and on our show this Sunday. On "Mormon Times TV," you’ll see how they feel about the challenges and blessings of foster care — and how love and a leap of faith were key in making it all work.
Utahn, castaway Dawn Meehan reflects on 'Survivor: Caramoan' (Deseret News - Utah) (May 16, 2013) Utahn Dawn Meehan said she accomplished what she set out to do on the 26th season of “Survivor: Caramoan — Fans vs. Favorites.”
“From Day 1, it was to go to the end with (John) Cochran and win $1.1 million,” and we did that, Meehan said in an interview with the Deseret News after Sunday's finale and reunion show.
Was Anti-Mormon Sentiment on “Survivor” Responsible For Dawn’s Demise? (Patheos) (May 16, 2013) 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.
Girl testifies LDS mission change helped her get out of sex relationship with coach (Standard-Examiner - Utah) (May 16, 2013) A 17-year-old girl testified it was the announcement that 19-year-old women can serve missions for the LDS Church that helped her get out of a sexual relationship with the man who was her former science teacher and basketball coach.
The girl, who is not being named because the Standard-Examiner has a policy of not identifying victims of sexual crimes, was the only witness who testified in a 90-minute preliminary hearing for Stephen Paul Niedzwiecki, 33, of Kaysville, in 2nd District Court on Tuesday.
May 15, 2013
Mormon beliefs in religious freedom (Deseret News - Utah) (May 15, 2013) The belief in and importance of religious freedom has long been a topic leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have addressed. It is stated in the 13 central beliefs of the LDS Church, and has played a large role in the religion's history.
New Counselor Called in Young Men General Presidency (Church News and Events) (May 15, 2013) Randall L. Ridd has been called to serve as second counselor in the Young Men general presidency.
Brother Ridd’s call fills the vacancy in the presidency that was left after Brother Adrián Ochoa was called to the Second Quorum of the Seventy in April.
Brother Ridd was serving as a member of the Young Men general board when he was called. He served previously as a ward Young Men president, counselor in bishoprics, high councilor, counselor in a stake presidency, and president of the Ecuador Guayaquil North Mission. As a young man he served in the Mexico North Mission.
Mormon Delegation Encourages Religious Dialogue at International Conference (LDS Newsroom Blog) (May 15, 2013) Four delegates of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints participated in a worldwide conference on religious and cultural dialogue held 10-12 May 2013 in Skopje, Macedonia. The gathering among government officials, religious representatives and scholars was sponsored by the government of the Republic of Macedonia and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
LDS Church releases drawings for MTC West Temporary Facility (Daily Herald - Utah) (May 15, 2013) The MTC West is officially a thing.
The LDS Church has submitted its application to the city of Provo to make changes to the Raintree Apartments, which border Freedom Boulevard and the University Parkway. According to church spokeswoman Ruth Todd, MTC West Temporary Facility will keep the same name as the other site and will be known as the Provo Missionary Training Center.
Robert McKay, businessman, son of Mormon prophet, dies at 92 (Salt Lake Tribune - Utah) (May 15, 2013) From a tiny shop on Main Street in downtown Salt Lake City, Bob McKay was always ready with a big smile, decade after decade.
In 1949, McKay and wife Frances opened their first jewelry shop. Two years later they moved McKay Diamonds one block south, to 157 S. Main St., where it became a familiar site for more than a half century. That same year, in 1951, his father, David O. McKay, became president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving nearly 20 years.
Young Ambassadors come full circle with performance stop in Xi'an, China (BYU news release) (May 15, 2013) Week two of the BYU Young Ambassadors tour to China began with the students participating in what local leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reported to be the largest gathering of Church members ever in the city of Jinan.
The Young Ambassadors then traveled by bus to the university where BYU representatives teach English to eager students each week. Sunday evening's "English Corner" was a remarkable opportunity to learn about life as a Chinese student, as BYU students and faculty provided English-speaking Chinese university students with a rare opportunity to practice their conversational skills.
What's new: Elder Scott teaches '21 Principles' in new book (Deseret News - Utah) (May 15, 2013) Like the steel anchors a mountaineer uses to conquer otherwise impossible cliffs, principles are anchors of safety. They will help a person have confidence in new and unfamiliar circumstances. They will provide protection in life's storms or adversity.
Those are among the words written by Elder Richard G. Scott, a member of Quorum of the Twelve of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in his new book, "21 Principles: Divine Truths to Help You Live by the Spirit."
May 14, 2013
LDS missionary 'stable' following hit-and-run accident in San Antonio (Deseret News - Utah) (May 14, 2013) Elder Michael Garver, a 19-year-old missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is in "stable" condition after sustaining serious injuries earlier this month as a result of a hit-and-run accident in San Antonio, Texas.
Elder Garver is from Tooele, Utah.
The church issued a statement Monday confirming that Elder Garver “was struck by a vehicle while he and his companion were walking their bikes on the side of a road on (May 2, 2013).”
Don't Judge a Book of Mormon By Its Cover: How Mormons Are Discovering the Musical as a Conversion Tool (Huffington Post) (May 14, 2013) I met two Mormon missionaries, Elders Skyler Fenn and Jacob Chapman, on a chilly spring evening when my husband and I attended the musical "The Book of Mormon." They were handing out copies of the LDS Scriptures -- aka the original Book of Mormon -- near the theatre entrance, and I couldn't resist talking with them.
I was curious about why they chose this place to market their religion, given that the folks who purchased tickets were walking into a show written by "South Park" creators that involves a liberal dose of cursing and reference to sexual body parts. At one point, a copy of the Book of Mormon gets thrust up the main character's bum, and overall, the missionaries depicted in the musical come off as well-intentioned but naïve.
None of that stopped Elders Fenn and Chapman, though, even though they admitted to me over lunch several days later that they were initially hesitant to proselytize outside of the theatre.
What Can Christians Learn From the Surge in Mormon Youth Missionaries? (Christianity Today) (May 14, 2013) If we're honest, when most of us see those young, clean-cut Mormon missionaries knocking on doors, we quickly assume that the hip, relevant, "just show up" youth ministry strategies in our Protestant circles are vastly superior.
But are they? Mormons expect a lot from their teenagers: They ordain their young men into the ministry at age 12, expect their young people to attend seminary every day of high school, and ask them to serve in the field upwards of two years. Needless to say, we don't.
Juveniles confess to setting fire at Mormon chapel in Magna (Deseret News - Utah) (May 14, 2013) Three juveniles confessed Monday to setting hymnals on fire late Sunday, resulting in a Monday morning blaze at an LDS Church.
A passer-by early Monday noticed white smoke coming from the eaves of the building, 7525 W. 3635 South, and called 911, said Unified Fire Authority Capt. Clint Meacham. When firefighters arrived around 7:15 a.m., the entire building was filled with smoke, he said.
Investigators pieced together evidence left at the scene, including a door to the building that appeared to have been broken or forced open. It is unknown how the three kids were located, but Meacham said they confessed to starting the blaze.
Utahn in final three, but it's Cochran who wins 'Survivor: Caramoan — Fans vs. Favorites' (+video) (Deseret News - Utah) (May 14, 2013) Utahn and Favorite Dawn Meehan was one of the final three castaways who lasted all 39 days on “Survivor: Caramoan — Fans vs. Favorites.” She sat next to Favorite John Cochran, with whom she was tightly aligned with, and Fan Sherri Biethman.
“I don’t think I’m going to win, but I think I’m going to be able to buy some new teeth,” Meehan said about her chances of winning before the votes were counted during Sunday evening's live reunion show.
And it was Harvard Law School graduate and longtime fan of the show Cochran who took home all of the votes host Jeff Probst counted from the eight-member jury and the $1 million prize.
May 13, 2013
In the Spirit: Mormon Tabernacle Choir to make first-ever Madison appearance (Wisconsin State Journal) (May 13, 2013) Finding a hotel room June 18 in Downtown Madison might be a little tricky. That’s the night the Mormon Tabernacle Choir will make its first-ever appearance here. After the concert at Overture Center, the 600-person traveling group, which includes about 330 singers, 65 orchestra members and numerous spouses and crew members, will stay overnight in Madison. They will take up parts or all of five hotels.
What my Mormon mother taught me about God (Washington Post) (May 13, 2013) I remember when my mother told me to hit someone.
A junior high school classmate had adopted the habit of punching me in the shoulder whenever he found me within arm’s reach. I tried very hard to adopt an ethos I thought conventional Christian culture demanded. I turned the other shoulder, and after several weeks both my shoulders were badly bruised.
I looked to my mother to re-charge my failing faith in traditional Christian ethics. Now, David, you really can be better than this other boy, she would say to my complaint. Jesus would want you to be a peacemaker. And back to school I would go, renewed in my resignation to suffer, silently, for righteousness’ sake.
Look at volunteer Mormon soldiers in Civil War (Las Vegas Sun - Nevada) (May 13, 2013) The Utah Valley Chapter of the Utah State Historical Society is taking a look at the role volunteer Mormon soldiers played in the Civil War.
Kenneth L. Alford, a BYU associate professor of church history and doctrine, will lead a talk on the topic Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Provo City Library.
The Utah territory encompassing Utah and Nevada at the time was a long ways from any battles. But Alford says the Mormon volunteers patrolled a section of the main communication, commerce and travel routes between the East and the West.
Curiosity as Te'o set to meet Chargers teammates (USA Today) (May 13, 2013) When the San Diego Chargers convene Monday for their first full-squad practices since the draft — and their choice of linebacker Manti Te'o — new coach Mike McCoy won't issue any special warnings.
McCoy won't tell his veteran players to take it easy on Te'o, nor do Chargers coaches expect veterans to make Te'o's transition to an NFL locker room any more difficult than it would be for the average rookie.
"He's one of us," McCoy told USA TODAY Sports. "We're just going to play. We're not going to address the media about it every day and we're not going to worry about it. Every time we go on the road he'll have to deal with some things, but we're just going to do what we do. If questions get asked, he's got to answer them."
Yet Te'o is no average rookie. He was one of the most famous players in college football last season, a Heisman Trophy finalist from Notre Dame, and the most infamous player in the offseason when it was revealed he had been duped in a very public catfishing scandal that his non-existent girlfriend had died.
Viewpoint: Repentance Is Small Price to Pay for Redemption (Church News and Events) (May 13, 2013) A man stood before the congregation in a fast and testimony meeting. It was just over four years, he said, since he had accepted the gospel and received the ordinance of baptism for the remission of sins.
He reflected on his life prior to that. It had been necessary for him to forsake some habits, which had included an inclination for alcohol consumption.
New York City Young Single Adults Meet (Church News and Events) (May 13, 2013) Just as New York City is a gathering place for people from all over the world, so was the Regional Young Single Adult Conference held there April 20 and 21. Drawing from 13 stakes in the Northeast, conference attendees’ countries of origin included China, Brazil, Ukraine, Canada, Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic, as well as many American states.
Katherine Dorny, a coleader of the YSA committee, said the purpose of the conference was “to bring people together.” More than 500 young single adults participated in the two-day event, which included tours of New York City, a devotional, a leadership training meeting, a regional sacrament meeting, and a testimony meeting.
May 11, 2013
'Priesthood: A sacred trust' (LDS Church News) (May 11, 2013) The priesthood of God is a sacred trust given to bless men, women and children so they can return as families to live eternally together in God's presence, said the Relief Society general president.
To be a witness Best role in the Lord's work (LDS Church News) (May 11, 2013) One of Elder Timothy John Dyches' favorite roles in life is to "be a witness" and testify to others to help them come unto Christ. Whether it is serving as a missionary, working in his profession or just being at home with his own family, he enjoys that charge and tries to help others do the same.
Salvation Army lauds LDS liaison to help people in need (LDS Church News) (May 11, 2013) The Church's ongoing relationship with the Salvation Army was recognized at the charity's 2013 Donor & Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon on May 8 at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.
Elder Robert K. Dellenbach, the Church's liaison to the Salvation Army (Utah chapter), was presented with the Advisory Board Member of the Year Award. Elder Dellenbach was called by President Thomas S. Monson to represent the Church on the board after he was made an emeritus General Authority in October of 2007. He had previously served as the Young Men general president from 1998 to 2001.
Liza Morong, College Student, Converts To Mormonism After Seeing 'Book Of Mormon' (PHOTOS) (Huffington Post) (May 11, 2013) Liza Morong was a freshman in college when she went to see the Broadway musical "Book of Mormon" with her family while on a trip to New York City in September 2011.
Morong, who was a theater major at Suffolk University in Boston at the time, said she didn't know much about Mormonism before seeing the play, which is about two naive Mormon missionaries who are sent to a rural Ugandan village to teach scripture to the locals.
Mormon missionaries excited to serve (Topeka Capital-Journal - Kansas) (May 11, 2013) Mormon missionaries from Topeka admit they give up a little when they go on their two-year assignments but quickly add they get much more in return — on spiritual and personal levels.
One local member of the Topeka Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has just returned after a two-year mission to New Jersey, while two other young men are preparing to embark on missions in Russia and Uruguay.
A Mormon mystery returns: Who is Heavenly Mother? (Salt Lake Tribune - Utah) (May 11, 2013) On Sunday, Mormon speakers may share stories of supermoms who run marathons, home-school their 10 children, help out at the homeless shelter and sing Bach cantatas — all while leading daily prayers, scripture study and blogging about it.
Few members, however, will hear about the greatest mom of all: Heavenly Mother.
May 10, 2013
Weber State University names center after President, Sister Packer (LDS Church News) (May 10, 2013) President Boyd K. Packer in 1947 was a pilot just home from World War II when he met Donna Smith at Weber College in Ogden, Utah. The peach festival queen from his hometown of Brigham City, she was working at the circulation desk of the college library. They struck up a conversation that led to romance and eventual marriage that summer.
Roman mayor 'impressed' during Rome LDS Temple tour (Deseret News - Utah) (May 10, 2013) Referring to the ongoing construction of the Rome Italy Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as "the biggest investment of private capital in Italy right now," Mayor Gianni Alemanno of Rome recently visited the temple site and came away impressed.
Mayor Alemanno toured the construction area with Cristiano Bonelli, president of the IV Municipality of Rome. According to a report on the LDS Newsroom website, the mayor “was impressed with the church’s high construction standards and materials.”
Elizabeth Smart, Sexual Assault, And The Mormon Church (NPR) (May 10, 2013) There's relief this week after three abducted women were found in Ohio. It's an ordeal that kidnap victim Elizabeth Smart knows all too well. She said that abstinence lessons she learned as a child made her feel worthless after being raped by her captor. Host Michel Martin discusses those comments with a Mormon blogger.
News on Mormon NFL rookies, a UCLA Bruin and Kansas City’s Jeremy Guthrie (Deseret News - Utah) (May 10, 2013) There are five new Mormons in the NFL.
Everyone knew the two massive Mormon defensive linemen Ziggy Ansah (BYU) and Star Lotulelei (Utah) would go early in the NFL draft. Ansah went to the Detroit Lions and Lotulelei became a Carolina Panther.
Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o was taken by the San Diego Chargers in the second round.
Then, in the draft’s final round, Utah defensive end Joe Kruger was selected by Philadelphia with the 212th overall pick and while Southern Utah quarterback Brad Sorensen went 221st to San Diego.
NBA Hall of Famer Karl Malone meets Mormon missionaries (Deseret News - Utah) (May 10, 2013) The Hall of Famer, two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, Olympian and Utah's favorite "Mailman" Karl Malone was tagged in a photo with four missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Twitter Wendesday night.
Karl's wife, Kay Malone, posted the photo tweeting, "LDS Church missionaries meet the Mailman."
The Malones currently live in Ruston, La., which is located in the Mississippi Jackson Mission.
Mormon from Utah wins personal immunity on 'Survivor: Caramoan' (+video) (Deseret News - Utah) (May 10, 2013) Wednesday’s episode of “Survivor: Caramoan — Fans vs. Favorites” was one of highs and lows for Utahn Dawn Meehan. She got to see her husband, David, on Day 35 and she won individual immunity on Day 36.
On Day 35 of the 39-day competition, the remaining six castaways got to see their loved ones, whether a spouse, sibling, parent or friend.
For Meehan, a Brigham Young University English professor, it was her husband, Dave. It was also their 21st anniversary.
May 9, 2013
Videos Show Easy Ways for Teachers to Involve Students (Church News and Events) (May 9, 2013) Teaching youth can be a rewarding and spiritually edifying experience, but lessons tend to go better when class members participate fully.
If you’re looking for ways to involve the youth more during your lessons, watch the series of brief training videos on LDS.org that show effective teaching methods at work in actual classes. Although the videos are directed at teachers using the Come, Follow Me curriculum for youth, the principles can be applied in any teaching situation at church or at home.
Mormonism in the News: Getting It Right | 8 May 2013 (LDS Newsroom Blog) (May 9, 2013) This edition of "Mormonism in the News: Getting It Right" features a story from Utah about the Church honoring the Sisters of Saint Benedict in Ogden, an article about the Church in Cincinnati and a report from Missouri about Mormon youth who attend the Church's youth seminary program.
Orem mother known for kind heart dies during childbirth (Deseret News - Utah) (May 9, 2013) What was supposed to be a day of joy turned into a day of grieving for a Utah County family.
Katrina Lawrence, a mother of six, died during childbirth Monday.
Katrina and Justus Lawrence were eagerly anticipating the arrival of their sixth child. A few weeks ago, Katrina was placed on hospital bed rest after doctors discovered a potentially dangerous condition called placenta previa.
Doctors were standing by to treat the 36-year-old woman the moment the baby was delivered, but they were unable to save her life.
LDS Church sells Provo River tract to fund for development (Salt Lake Tribune - Utah) (May 9, 2013) A scenic tract of land on the upper Provo River owned by the LDS Church has been bought by a private equity fund than plans to turn the property into a high-end development aimed at well-heeled fly-fishing homebuyers.
Sporting Ranch Capital Management bought the 204-acre property in Summit and Wasatch counties east of Park City last month from Property Reserve Inc., which manages real estate owned by the Corporation of the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Terms of the deal weren’t announced.
Picturing history: Locust Creek, Wayne County, Iowa (Deseret News - Utah) (May 9, 2013) Following the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith, William Clayton served in a similar capacity of clerk to President Brigham Young during the exodus to the West. Clayton's wife, Diantha Farr Clayton, had stayed back in Nauvoo because she was expecting a child.
Among Clayton's many responsibilities was that of counting the revolutions of a wagon wheel so the camp could keep track of the mileage covered. That method would later be abandoned at North Platte, Neb.
Utah Boy Scouts won't take unified position on new gay policy (Standard-Examiner - Utah) (May 9, 2013) One of the largest Boy Scout councils in the nation said Wednesday it had decided to let its executive board members vote one by one on a national proposal to lift a ban on gay members.
Like many councils, the Great Salt Lake Council had been expected to take a unified position on the issue but instead announced it will let 15 executive board members vote their conscience at a Boy Scouts of America National Council in Texas the week of May 20.
The Utah delegation is among 1,400 voting members who will take up the proposal to let gay youths join troops and exclude gays as adult leaders.
|
|