Mormon Bloggers

I couldn’t help noticing the results of yet another poll the other day.  The polling, one would think, would end with the end of campaigning for this election cycle, but not so. . . the sampling of human opinion seems perpetual and neverending.  President Boyd K. Packer In the ongoing ”great debate of 2010,” this poll asked Utahns how many believed gay and lesbian people could change their sexual orientation.  President Boyd K. Packer, consistent with “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” issued in 1995 by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve, asserts: “Fifteen years ago, with the world in turmoil, the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles issued ‘The Family: A Proclamation to the World,’ the fifth proclamation in the history of the Church. It is a guide that members of the Church would do well to read and to follow. “It states in part: ‘We, the First... Read the rest of this entry »

President Boyd K. Packer After the last General Conference, a whisper campaign against President Boyd K. Packer has been circulating through the Church.  It’s reached our little hamlet.  Have you heard the buzz yet?  “Why doesn’t he just keep his mouth shut about criticizing the gays and lesbians and let them get married if they want to.  It’s none of his business.  They have their free agency.  This is just embarrassing.”  And of course, there are many permutations and combinations spinning out from there.  If you haven’t yet heard some version of it, you my friend, are living under a rock. Not a month later yet, and this is some of the media coverage:  A crowd estimated at between 2,000-3,000 demonstrated outside the Church Office Building following Conference and demanded gay rights.  A father writes a letter to the editor:  “Most knowledgeable... Read the rest of this entry »

I haven’t written very many talks over the years — I’ll bet you could count them on one hand.  Early this morning in search of something else, I stumbled over this one.  I was asked to speak at the funeral of a dear friend, John Marsing, several years ago.  My sentiments on that occasion were renewed and rekindled as I read what follows: John Marsing Funeral, May 25, 2002 Visible from here to the west stands a half-framed home the master carpenter John was building for his family. The home he was building here on earth will be left for others to finish, but make no mistake – his eternal home, his mansion on high if you will, is already nearing completion. He’s just gone ahead to make sure the final inspection gets done on schedule in preparation for those who will someday join him. (See 1 Corinthians 3). Funerals are still my favorite meetings in the Church. Such a declaration made in some quarters of this fallen world today among those without hope... Read the rest of this entry »

I have been so involved in studying and learning great things in the Book of Mormon that I have neglected to write down what I have learned. I need to repent, so today I, once again, will proceed to share some of the cool things I have learned. Just to get you up to speed… in first Nephi we can learn all kinds of deep doctrinal things that perhaps are not seen unless a serious study of the book, with the help of the spirit, takes place. In the Doctrine and Covenants the Lord pronounced a condemnation upon the Church for taking The Book of Mormon too lightly. Doctrine and Covenants 84: 54 And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received— 55 Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation. 56 And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all. 57 And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the... Read the rest of this entry »

~by Michelle Last Sunday night, I settled down on my couch with my laptop to listen to President Boyd K. Packer’s General Conference talk. I had been under the weather and was unable to listen to the address live, and unfortunately, the only exposure I’d had to his message was through the frenzy in the media and elsewhere. But still, through headlines and even some direct quotes, I thought I had a general sense of what he had covered. But what I heard and felt was very different than what some people were saying and feeling. While this wasn’t surprising on one level, it was deeply disappointing to me to see how his message and intent had been so distorted and maligned. Add to that continued anger and accusations and protests which have continued in full force this week, and I feel that the core message he gave has been all but completely missed. Of course, I would encourage people to read President Packer’s talk for themselves (and to read it more than once) rather... Read the rest of this entry »

Just so you know; here’s the disclaimer up front:  I am a heterosexual monogamous male living in the last days who is not without sin.  When I found my eternal companion, Patsy Hewlett, our union began simply as one male and one female who were deeply in love with each other from the moment we went on our first date.  Neither of us was perfect yet, but she’s always been pretty darn close to perfection as far as I’ve been able to discern.   From those two imperfect beings have come many – thirteen children and thirty-five grandchildren.  We have been added upon in ways we never imagined when we first met. . . And, I’m a Mormon. I suppose there are others types of “love” in these last days because I’ve been told there is an acronym to describe everything else under the broad heading of “love,” and it has been in widespread use since the 1990s:  LGBT is an initialism... Read the rest of this entry »

Back in 2002, we had a son serving his mission in Brazil, while the love of his life, Toni Venema, was simultaneously serving her mission in France.  They had met at Snow College and timed their departures so their returns would coincide.  Nobody knew for sure how it would all work out, but I was writing them both as I made the assumption (correctly) they would eventually rekindle their love and be sealed when they returned.  In fact, that’s exactly what happened as they became the very first sealing of the new year performed in the Salt Lake Temple on January 2nd in an early morning ceremony with my father performing the sealing.  It eventually proved to be a “double-dip match,” because Toni’s younger brother Tanner married Joe’s younger sister Allie.  We love those Venemas! After graduation from the University of Utah with his DPM,  Dr. Joe and Toni are now living with their two children... Read the rest of this entry »

Once every four years (sometimes more often when we talk about Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail, see D&C 121, 122, 123), the story of Job is bashed about in Gospel Doctrine class.  For us it happened again today. I’m not sure why it is, perhaps it’s just a Mormon thing, but whenever Job’s name comes up the great debate begins again — was Job a real guy?  Did God and Satan really have a conversation about him?  Or was the book of Job a metaphor?  I’m not certain it matters to anyone, but I believe we’ll see Job again in the spirit world someday.  There, I just settled it. The book is a real problem for a lot of people on many different levels.  Books have been written, symposia have been held, articles have been authored, and each attempts to resolve this “great and holy mystery” without success.  The debate was enjoined and renewed again today. There are a host of “problems” associated... Read the rest of this entry »

I love the Book of Mormon. This year in my Institute class we are studying the Book of Mormon. Even though we have just started the class I can already see the blessing the Book of Mormon is in my life. I am so glad that I have had the opportunity to study the Doctrine and Covenants in depth last year. It is a magnificent book of scripture that allows for a perfect transition into the study of the Book of Mormon. My last posts were in regard to Section 132 of the Doctrine and Covenants wherein I discussed the New and Everlasting Covenant and the possibility of receiving ones calling and election sure, which also involves the bestowal of the sealing power to the recipient. This process is one of progression from a prophet, to a priest, to a king. It requires one to pass a test given by the Lord as a trial of faith, such as the test given to Abraham to sacrifice his son, or Joseph Smith to practice polygamy. When one receives the power to seal, they speak as if the Lord were speaking... Read the rest of this entry »