The Church and Han Solo

How’s this for a photo op?

#SimplyServe

The Church Has Started a Conversation about Addiction

Mormon.org has a new series of videos illuminating the struggle of LDS members with various kinds of addiction, just in time for September’s National Addiction Recovery Month.

The videos interview people in the faith who have struggled with addiction.  This is an important conversation for the church to have, because addiction isn’t something that affects others.  Everyone probably knows someone who struggles with addiction, and if you can’t think of who it is, then they might be hiding it.

The series, which helps people understand the struggle, the shame, and the need for compassion, can be found at Mormon.org, and a video advertising the series is available at YouTube and is embedded below:

Celebrating 75 Years in Washington, D.C.!

In celebration of the 75th anniversary of the very first stake center in Washington, D.C., there is a new exhibit that chronicles the journey of the church throughout the years, starting back when Joseph Smith visited the nation’s capital back in 1839.

The exhibit is called “Wherefore By Their Fruits Shall Ye Know Them” and it has some fascinating information about the growth of the church over the past one hundred years.  It is divided into three sections, and if you get a chance to check it out, you really should.

To read more about it, head over to the Deseret News and read up on it in THIS GREAT ARTICLE.

And in case you’ve never had a chance to see the Washington, D.C. temple up close, here is an amazing video with drone footage of the facility from every angle.  It’s quite a sight to behold:

Senator Mike Lee honors Boyd K. Packer on the floor of the Senate

Tuesday, Utah Senator Mike Lee honored President Packer in a tribute for his years of work and service.

The Deseret News covered the tribute in a great article, and it you haven’t seen it, it’s well worth checking out.

Let’s keep President Packer in our memories as a great servant of God, and one way to do that is to check out this video and share it with others:

LDS Musician Alex Boyé gives a brilliant performance on America’s Got Talent

Alex Boyé, a Utah resident by way of England, is a singer who has performed many times with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and just recently gave a dazzling and energetic performance on the national stage of America’s Got Talent.

Doing a cover of Shake it Off, Boyé demonstrated his impressive skill and infectious energy, and the crowd and judges were captivated.

Boyé made it through the audition, and will be performing on the series again soon.  If you didn’t get a chance to see the performance, check it out in this clip below, and then be sure to tune in to America’s Got Talent to see his next performances:

Word of Wisdom, Life of Health

Anyone who follows the guidelines of the LDS church’s Word of Wisdom already knows that there are benefits to doing so, even though our reasons for following them have less to do with health and more to do with obedience.

But, as is often the case, science bears out the reality of their benefits!

In a religion column written by Glenna Christensen for the Idaho Statesman, she talks about the massive health benefits for people who are living by the Word of Wisdom, and it’s a fascinating read with strongly motivating results.

So if you’re struggling with eating meat sparingly or steering clear of the coffee or cigarettes, maybe you should go check out the article and follow up with the study itself to see what it is that Heavenly Father wanted for us in terms of health.  And if you’re not following the Word of Wisdom, but you’re now interested in its health potential, try it and see!

Interesting Discussions of the Role of Women in the Mormon Church

There has been a lot of controversy in the LDS church in the past year about the role of women, some of which has led to public scrutiny, excommunication, and confusion.  But not all of the discussion has been negative or invaluable.

Just yesterday, LDS author, Ph.D., and mother of five Mette Ivie Harrison, wrote a very interesting blog over at the Huffington Post that discusses the dual struggle she feels as a feminist and Mormon, but also discusses the inherent feminism at the heart of Mormonism.  The discussion is an open and honest one, and is happening in a place where this kind of acceptance to LDS belief is not strong.  That in itself is a big step.

But something else has also started to develop within the church, a positive step for people who wish to see women allowed to participate in stronger ways within the church.  Peggy Fletcher Stack wrote an article for the Salt Lake Tribune discussing new changes heralded by an instructional video “training session” which, among other things, allows women to have more of a say in plans for weekly services.  This is another positive step, both for the church and its embrace of its female members into positions of more decision-making, as well as for the many people who have been watching the debate from the sidelines and can now witness the progress they wanted to see.

So check out the articles, share them with your friends, and be sure to thank Heavenly Father for the women in your life.

A Plea for Tolerance from the Church… to the Church

A few hours ago, Elder Craig Cline from Martinsburg, West Virginia, posted a letter at the Salt Lake Tribune opinion section discussing his feelings regarding tolerance of people’s imperfections within the LDS Church.

Cline, an elder’s quorum president, had some great things to say about being as welcoming and accepting of people in the Church with whom we disagree as we do of people outside the Church whom we would like to reach.

The letter was heartfelt and hopeful, and we would encourage everyone to go READ IT IN ITS ENTIRETY.

L. Tom Perry: the Church Loses a Great Leader and a Great Voice

L. Tom Perry, one of the highest-ranking members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died earlier today after being diagnosed with cancer in April.  He was 92 years old, the second oldest member of the quorum.

 

As Saturday ends and we head into the Sabbath, take time to remember Elder Perry and listen to the words that he had to say in this video about the Sabbath and the Sacrament:

 

 

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-04-1020-elder-l-tom-perry?lang=eng