Mormon Bloggers

No, it’s not an oxymoron. In this article, Eugene Volokh perfectly captures the way our country has benefitted from multiculturalism, and how it’s written into the Constitution.

No, it’s not an oxymoron. In this article, Eugene Volokh perfectly captures the way our country has benefitted from multiculturalism, and how it’s written into the Constitution.

Katie worked on a piano piece this year for Festival that included a small duet. Somehow I was chosen, volunteered, or forced to play the other half of the duet. Luckly I didn’t have to play my part for Festival but I did have to perform in front of a live studio audience at her recital. Below is a video clip of our performance. Notice that Katie didn’t mess up once and Dumb Old Dad messed up several times. Aaarrgghh!

Below is a link for my facebook friends.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yz61FCIIjqs

On March 31st, 2011, the Provo Fire Department released a 135-page report on the December 17th, 2010 fire at the Provo Tabernacle, and they concluded that an energized 300-watt lamp placed too close to a wooden speaker enclosure was the primary cause. But the report noted other sources of human error, to include failure to recognize unsafe lighting conditions and lack of urgency to report signs of a fire. Primary media stories include the Deseret News, the Salt Lake Tribune, and KSL Channel 5; however, the shorter Provo Daily Herald story identifies both the company and the technician who installed the lamp. You can also read a shorter 14-page executive summary of the Fire Department’s report HERE.

A grass-roots campaign to get the Provo Tabernacle rebuilt is still active:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rebuild-Provo-Tabernacle/183303548348056?v=info

The Primary Cause: A series of lights had been placed inside the Tabernacle on December 15th, 2010 just before a December 16th rehearsal of composer Lex de Azevedo’s “Gloria” by 200 singers and musicians, accompanied by a BYU film crew. The 300-watt lamp triggering the blaze had been installed by technician Jeremy Ostler of Trax Lighting and AV on a truss in the attic too close to a wooden speaker box, despite the fact that original lighting plans did not originally call for it. Ostler allegedly added the truss because he felt it was necessary to adequately illuminate the performers. The packaging for the lamp used in the fixture of origin, a Sylvania model 300BR40/FL clearly states: “Do not allow paper or other flammable or heat sensitive materials within 12 inches of the glass bulb during operation,’” according to the report. From the 14-page executive summary comes this description (after the jump):

On Wednesday December 15th, 2010 Trax Lighting and AV arrived at the Tabernacle to begin to set up for the production. They were somewhat familiar with the structure because they attended the “tech shoot” in November and were shown around by the building coordinator, Robert Rasmussen… According to the producer Tyler Weston and the lighting technician, Jeremy Ostler, the original plan did not include a suspended lighting truss. Jeremy Ostler stated that he added the suspended truss because he did not feel that he could adequately illuminate the performers without the suspended truss. At some point on the decision was made to suspend the lighting truss. Mr. Ostler made access into the attic to suspend the lighting truss. It is unclear how he accessed the attic. He first stated that Bob Rasmussen had let him in; however, he later stated that he used the keys on his key ring until one of them opened the door, and finally he stated that the door was not secured. Mr. Rasmussen disputes that he allowed access or that the door was unlocked.

Mr. Ostler brought two 6 foot sections of triangular aluminum truss, a yellow 10 gauge extension cord, and a nylon rope into the attic to suspend the truss. Mr. Ostler states that he set aside the two east incandescent light fixtures and placed the triangular trusses over the 2 x 8 wooden boxes and attached the chains to the trusses. When asked about the status of the lamps in those fixtures Ostler stated that the fixtures were not connected to any wiring. He later stated that they were attached with an electrical tether using wire nuts. Mr. Ostler never indicated that he removed the lamps from the fixtures he removed to suspend the lighting truss. Mr. Ostler stated that he placed the light fixtures onto the plywood deck. Mr. Ostler stated that there were no lamps in the fixtures although he does not say how he reached that conclusion. He also stated, in a subsequent interview that the fixtures were “light as a feather” so there would not have been lamps in them. Mr. Rasmussen, as well as Pete Crane and David Knecht all state that there were lamps in all of the eight incandescent lamps and all were functioning except for the northeast fixture that had a burned out bulb. It should be noted that the eight incandescent light fixtures were not energized on December 15.

On Thursday, December 16th, 2010 Mr. Ostler returned to the Tabernacle to complete the lighting set up. He suspended the lighting truss, set up his dimmer racks, and used one of his dimmer boxes to connect into the Tabernacles eight fixture incandescent dimmable lights. He stated that the lighting truss was suspended by mid-afternoon. It should be noted here that all of the production lighting was powered by a small trailer mounted generator located in the south side of the west parking lot. According to Mr. Ostler, the only house power used by Trax Lighting was the power drawn from an attic outlet used to power the chain crawlers.

Other Contributing Factors:

– Failure to recognize initial signs of a problem: A camera operator told investigators he smelled smoke as early as 9:30 p.m., but he and another camera operator attributed it to the hot lights.

– Failure to react correctly to the internal alarm: At 1:10 A.M., a security guard heard an audible alarm that he took to be an intruder alarm. When he reached the alarm control panel, he did not recognize it as a fire alarm control panel. So he failed to either see or follow the first instruction (on the panel), which states, “What to Do: Evacuate the building and notify the fire department”.

– Excessive false alerts of the alarm system caused uncertainty and apathy: The fire alarm system was having problems, most recently failing an inspection and testing on December 2nd, 2010. The most frequent location of false alarms reported were in the northwest turret and the attic, where the fire originated.

In summary, a repeatedly malfunctioning alarm system caused a loss of vigilance attributed to skepticism and apathy. Initial reports of a smoke smell were dismissed, and the first internal alarm blown off as an alarm malfunction as a result. This was compounded by an overeager technician who sought to provide the most professional lighting display possible, and who deviated spontaneously from the lighting plan on the fly out of a desire for maximum professionalism. He did not take the warning instructions for deployment of the lamp seriously enough.

Official LDS Church Reaction: Church officials said they still have not yet decided whether to rebuild the tabernacle. “The Provo Tabernacle was a meaningful part of Church history and the Provo community. The recent fire is a tragedy for all who loved the building and its link to our pioneer past. Church leaders continue to evaluate and explore options for the building and we will make those plans known as soon as they are available,” said church spokesman Scott Trotter.

The LDS Church‘s reluctance to make a commitment one way or the other is understandable at this point, but their reluctance may inhibit fund-raising efforts launched by a Facebook group organized to rebuild the Provo Tabernacle.

Read an article in Church News and Events for a behind-the-scenes look at how LDS general conference comes together.

Read about the logistics of preparing the conference center, including setting up the podium and adding floral arrangements. Then read about operating cameras, lighting, teleprompting, broadcasting, sound, translating, and cleaning up. Be sure to watch the 2 videos embedded in the article.

Learn more about how congregations around the world face view general conference.

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Related to the topic of my latest video ‘Against Owning Information‘:

Where did the inspiration for the Everything is a Remix series come from?

I think it was from seeing so much journalism and blogging that treats plagiarism as a scandal, as a dismissal of achievements. [..] I wanted to show some examples of people doing some copying and explain that this is an element of creativity and is related to how all creativity happens. That was the seed of it.

Q&A with Kirby Ferguson “Everything is a Remix”

(h/t Michael Conaghan)

On Monday, we reported that “Joseph Smith: The Prophet of the Restoration” was the first full-length motion picture the LDS Church has released on the Internet.

As of today, it is also the first full-length Church movie available as a free download. Just below the movie online at MormonChannel.org/Joseph, you can now download a 300k or 100k MP4 version.

Because of these free downloads, there are no current plans to release this revised version of the movie on DVD.

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Three ideas that need a brief mention here before I go on.

Debt = Don’t. Sometimes debt comes to us beyond our control or choice, but more often, it was a spending choice. The temptation to live beyond our means is rooted in pride, a sense of entitlement, and from appetites and passions governing our actions. Spending may also be the way we’ve learned to medicate our emotional stress. If getting the credit card bill causes you grief once in a while, or all too often – consider converting to a debit card only. The 1% back is wisdom only if you pay off every month, every time. If you’re not that person, cut the credit card up.

If the debt load is already a burden, pay it off as fast as possible, by sacrifice, by self-control, by cutting way back. Whatever it takes. Debt is a heavy weight to lug around. It will tie up your resources and reduce your capacity to increase your income and limit your business opportunities. The short version: It’s blocking your way to a better life. Get rid of it, don’t acquire any new debt. Period. D&C 19:35 “Pay the debt…release thyself from bondage.” Bondage is right.

Tithing = Yes. Tithing is so well-known and there are so many faith-promoting stories, it is virtually self-evident. I’m going to relate one simple story here.

My father was a smoker, raised in an inactive LDS family, extremely inactive himself, and going to school as an electrical engineer back in the day. Funds were so scarce and so precisely budgeted that he had fifteen cents every two weeks to spend for “fun money” and it would be a big deal to decide which day he would go to the soda machine and get a Coke with the guys.

The local bishop came around to each LDS member of his student ward and challenged them to pay tithing. My father, the least likely candidate of all, listened to what he had to say and readily dismissed it. “Imagine that man trying to tell me, a mathematician, that nine-tenths would go further than the whole”.

Something the bishop said stirred him, and he decided to pay tithing. In regards to my father, trust me, this was remarkably out-of-nature for him. He relates that to his own great surprise, when the subsequent distressing bills came along, so did the means and opportunity to pay them. Money would just work out, illogically. And my father became a life-long convert to tithing. Mind you he didn’t become an active Saint until I was well in my teens, but he paid tithing nonetheless. He will bear testimony to you to this day that “Nine-tenths does indeed go further than the whole.” Tithing, once again, is a matter of trust and trusting the Lord willingly is a buoyant spiritual quality.

Another basic I’m assuming is already a given is from Deuteronomy 5:12-14:

12 “Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee.

13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work:

14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.”

Seek the employment situation that allows you to comply with this. If this is a leap of faith for you, pray for the opportunity and the strength to see this one through. It is essential for your success. This is how the Lord marks his covenant people, and sends them specific, notable blessings – by how they observe the Sabbath. I’ve seen people labor pretty hard to excuse themselves from this very basic commandment, with great reasons, with convincing circumstance – but I’ve yet to see someone reap the blessings we’re about to talk about while engaged in rationalizing. In other words, you can excuse yourself from complying, but you also excuse yourself from the blessings. To sum this one up: Retire out of the rat race for a day. Focus on the Lord. Put busy, distracted Martha down and pick pleasant Mary up for this one day; it’s just one day out of seven.

Some of the most expressive, direct principles regarding the blessings of wealth come from Isaiah, the Doctrine & Covenants and from Amulek (in the book of Alma). You’ve heard them before, but probably not from the perspective and understanding I hope to successfully share with you.

First, how resolved is the Lord about these promises? The Savior has been described as the “true and living” God. “True” because he meant what he said and “living” because He is active in the here and now. Repeatedly, he lets us know He is good for the promises He makes.

Doctrine & Covenants 130:20-21 “There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—”

“And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.”

D&C 82:9-10 “Or, in other words, I give unto you directions how you may act before me, that it may turn to you for your salvation.”

“I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.”

Isaiah has sage, wonderful insights into the laws that bring great blessings. These principles are delightful to me. I’ve watched people read and teach these same verses repeatedly, yet they pass over what I believe is essential. Here we go!

Isaiah 58:6-9 “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

8 ¶Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rearward.

9 Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am…”

If you’ll read verse 6 again, you’ll notice a principle of fasting that is not stressed very often and yet I believe it embodies the whole spirit of fasting. Fasting is a means of bringing in the Spirit, a means of drawing closer to the Lord. The Lord is in the business of rescuing, of championing, of relieving burdens. Drawing close to Him means doing what He does. As you look around you, between yourself, your family, your ward, your social circle, your community – are there any causes that could use your help? Is there anyone that you could extend a hand to, either in visiting, friendship, or kind words? Or maybe a quiet, personal donation of resources or time? Is there a vice in your own life you could give up and get rid of?

“Break every yoke”. Yokes are burdens that inhibit freedom and movement. If no one or no situation comes immediately to mind – ask the Lord to open your eyes. There are needs small and great all around you. Free someone, lift someone’s burden in whatever way you are uniquely good at or inspired to do. But do conscientiously pick a project and follow through with it. Volunteering at a soup kitchen or an old folks home are a couple of examples here. Something where you go out of your way, like the Samaritan purposely crossing the road to see how he can help.

What in verse 7 needs to be added to your life? Of course we deal our bread to the hungry by paying fast offerings. Pay what you can, no matter the amount. But that is only a part. People are not only poor in resources, but poor in spirit, in circumstance. Who could you befriend that is outside of your comfort zone? Do you serve your own family or do you “hide” from them?

If I could describe a Saint who was fulfilling these verses, it would be someone who is actively putting others before themselves, with an “at your service” attitude. It’s generosity of spirit.

Can you picture yourself, how it would feel to do such things for Fast Sunday or any Sunday? The nature of your fasting experience will greatly expand. You will find joy and an increased sense of personal partnership with the Savior.

Isaiah says more in chapter 58, having to do with the Sabbath itself:

13 ¶”If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.”

The story of Jacob is a fascinating one. Remember how he fled from home with only a stone for a pillow? And became a man of great wealth, of enormous consequence. I especially loved the part about the spotted, ringed, “straked” cattle, the rare variations that were promised to him as his wage. The majority of cattle after that were born that way. I don’t know why, that story tickles me. If you ask me, his father-in-law Laban deserved it. But Jacob’s story centers on achieving the blessings of great wealth – against the odds. And the hand of the Lord was very much in that blessing. Riding on the high places of the earth sounds like a life of interest and adventure. It probably is a blessing as unique as you are, whatever interests you, peaks your interest would apply here. What makes you feel like you’re riding on the high places of the earth?

This is where we need to take inventory of ourselves. What is the Sabbath used for in your life? Do you go to church and then come home and treat the rest of the day like a vacation day? Do the TV and video games go on and do we veg out? Ideally, it is a day that includes an extra measure of personal prayer, of study, of ponder, of personal communion and worship, of service, of visiting those in need. I’m fairly convinced that visiting does not mean family BBQ and picnic day. Even though that is a worthwhile event, it is also entertainment and recreating. Setting the Sabbath aside means dedicating ourselves to gaining an understanding of the Lord and doing the Lord’s work. Look around for the Lord’s service, pray, ask for inspiration here.

The blessings of mastering the Sabbath and fasting are so significant, they cannot be ignored. Health, wealth, a meaningful connection to the Savior and an interesting life are promised here. The laws are irrevocably attached to blessings.

The Doctrine & Covenants has some specific suggestions for the Sabbath Day, along with promised blessings. D&C 59:9-20

9 And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;

Go to church! And go to a church that teaches these important truths and has a Sacrament service available to you. The Sacrament is an invaluable activity on the Sabbath. If you don’t currently have a church or don’t know where/when your local LDS ward meets, the information is online. Meetinghouse Locator

10 For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High;

Sounds like Isaiah!

11 Nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times;

Could this also be said, “Don’t be a Sunday Mormon”?…

12 But remember that on this, the Lord’s day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.

Oblations is a beautiful word. One I had to look up because I didn’t recognize the meaning. Oblations = offerings, whether of time, talents or means, in service of God and fellowman. And Isaiah really covered that one. As far as confessing thy sins, this is another topic, but if you have stuff to take care of with the Bishop, do it and do it now. When answering questions in class or offering insights through a talk or lesson, remember, the idea is not to appear perfect, but to share how the Gospel mends you and blesses you.

13 And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy may be full.

“None other thing” in other words, you’ve got enough here to master in regards to the Sabbath, so don’t fill it with other distractions. How about that statement perfect fasting = full joy? Here is a concept that rings true with my own understanding. Fasting takes practice and time to master. But is it ever worth it!! If you’re not reveling in the joy of it, read Isaiah’s words above again for clues how to make this happen.

14 Verily, this is fasting and prayer, or in other words, rejoicing and prayer.

In case we missed it or didn’t buy it the first time, it is repeated…fasting = rejoicing. If you’re not experiencing fasting that way, may I suggest that you change your routine on Sunday? Both by eliminating what doesn’t belong and adding traditions that Isaiah suggests to your Sunday habits.

15 And inasmuch as ye do these things with thanksgiving, with cheerful hearts and countenances, not with much laughter, for this is sin, but with a glad heart and a cheerful countenance—

Important message here: Sunday is not a dull, drab day. It is a proactive, happy event as you cultivate the habit of keeping the Sabbath, as it was meant to be kept. And if you do not feel joy, and are crabby and unhappy on this day – those emotions pollute and defeat the Sabbath. Time to do something completely new. Change the outcome of this day!

16 Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the fulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth;

17 Yea, and the herb, and the good things which come of the earth, whether for food or for raiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards;

18 Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart;

19 Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul.

20 And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used…

There it is again, the blessings of prosperity and an enlivened soul. And God enjoys bestowing these gifts on us. He waits for us to comply with the specific law, so he may grant the specific promises made. He is pleased to do it too.

Whenever I hear the Sabbath discussed, I rarely, if ever hear about the proactive, lifting burdens / breaking yokes part, or the attitude of happiness and joy we need to cultivate for the Sabbath and its peculiar agenda. Once you master the joy of all this, the illogical joy of fasting and keeping the Sabbath, then you’ll know you’ve turned an essential corner. And the Lord can now make you steward over greater and greater things. Your heart will be in the right place and wealth will not ruin you. Here is the most ironic part – by the time you master all this, and you’ve discovered the happiness available from the Sabbath, then wealth loses it’s luster. It is still the blessing promised, but it isn’t as important to you. And when we quit obsessing about money, the Lord is pleased. The quality of our existence and well-being increases as well.

Amulek has another powerful principle to add to all of this. I am out of time – so I’ll post tomorrow. Sorry this two-part series became four but the last one will be the shortest.

God bless you and keep you!

Utah case lot sales are happening now at Macey’s, Fresh Market, Dick’s, and Smith’s. A case lot sale is when a store sells a case of a product at a substantial discount. Stock up for your food storage! If you are coming this weekend for General Conference, leave some space in your car for a few cases. Look at my Mega case lot sale price comparison list on the right sidebar to compare with Walmart, Costco, Sam’s, etc.

Here is my suggested list of items to add to your food storage this month. These food storage ideas are based on my 3-Month Food Storage Plan. I focus on a three-month supply first, but you could store more.

TIPS:
1. Decide on a monthly food storage budget
2. Choose a few items you want to add to your food storage.
3. Adjust amounts and items for younger children, and family food allergies.
4. Every week look at your weekly grocery store ads to see if items are on sale.

The April List (3-Month Supply for 1 Adult)

FOOD STORAGE ITEMS
Water 1 x 24ct case 16.9 oz. water bottles (Two week goal is 4 x 24 ct. cases pp)
Fruit (various) 12 x 15 oz. cans
Vegetables (various) 12 x 15 oz. cans
Beans (various) 12 x 15 oz. cans
Salt 8 oz.
Vinegar 8 oz.
Peanut Butter 2 x 18 oz.
Ham or Spam 2 x 12 oz. cans

Macey’s Case Lot Deals:
(Fresh Market and Dick’s similar)
Refried beans.49
Chili w/beans .79
WF Beans.50
WF Ketchup .77
WF Peaches, Pears, etc. .79
WF Mandarin Oranges .43
WF Apple Sauce .59
WF Oatmeal (42 oz.) 1.49
Spam 1.88
WF Pasta 3 lb. $1.89
WF Mac & Cheese .29
WF Cream Soups .59
WF Honey 5 lb. 9.99
WF Tomatoes .50
WF Vegetables .47
WF Mushrooms .43
WF Diced Chiles .44

Smith’s Case Lot Deals
Kroger Beans .50
Kroger Peaches, Pears, etc. .79
Kroger Mandarin Oranges .44
Kroger Pineapple .90
Kroger 24 ct. water bottles 2.50
Kroger Peanut Butter 18 oz. 1.25
Kroger Mac & Cheese .29
Campbell’s Spagettios .55
Maruchan Ramen Noodles .10
Kroger Cream soups .55 (over $1 at Walmart)
Kroger Tomato sauce .20
Kroger Tomatoes .50
Hunt’s Pasta sauce .75
Kroger Vegetables ..48
Kroger Mushrooms .44

NON-FOOD ITEMS (per family)
Liquid hand soap
Liquid dish soap
Hand sanitizer

72-HOUR KIT (per person)
3 day supply water
3 day supply food

EMERGENCY SUPPLIES (per family)
Sewing kit
Work gloves
Crescent wrench
Duct tape
Large flashlight
Solar shower

AUTO EMERGENCY KIT (per auto)
Whistle
Small mirror
Small lotion
Duct tape

PREPAREDNESS GOALS:
Shop at case lot sales
Design your vegetable garden
Photograph or videotape home contents
Replace food packs in your 72-hour kits

I love food, which may explain my fascination for one of my favorite research books–”Plantation Life at Rose Hill: The Diaries of Martha Ogle Foreman, 1814-1845.” Catchy, eh? But really, it is a great book in that Martha Foreman wrote an entry almost every day of her married life giving us a fascinating glimpse into what she and her contemporaries ate, how they prepared it, how they preserved it, and the quantities of food they put up each year. Amazing! Eating required hard work, and lots of it. Really stop and think about the effort required to have a jar of jam on hand, or the bread to slather it upon. Think about a nice breakfast and imagine the time and prep involved in preparing such favorite menu items as sausage, bacon, biscuits, ham, pastries. No wonder eggs, bread and oatmeal often topped the list. I was really fascinated by the quantities of food a plantation had to produce to feed everyone. Rose Hill was run using slave labor, albeit well-treated slave-labor, if such a thing can be said. When they slaughtered hogs they were talking thirty-nine in a day from which she reports rendering 78 hams, 24 pieces of middling (salt pork), 12 jowls and 10 chins, along with what we must assume was bacon, and a host of by-products. A few days later she discusses making the sausage. Every day was a critical food prep day. Canning was still relatively new for households, so everything was salted, pickled, dried or smoked. An entry that discusses oysters talks about pickling them in large batches of twenty pounds or more. Imagine then rendering the lard, churning butter, and storing the fruit and root vegetables in the root cellar. Or digging up the yams and potatoes with a shovel, or catching, killing, plucking and preparing a chicken for supper. I think I would have been eating a lot of bread. I could go on and on, but suffice it to say we have it easy today. So when you open a can, defrost a pizza, or toss some dried noodles into a pot of boiling water heated over a stove you didn’t have to chop wood for, give thanks! Martha Ogle lived along a tributary that feeds into the Chesapeake Bay, so seafood of all varities, including the famous Maryland Blue Crab, was part of her diet. Here’s a crab cake recipe from one of my favorite food sites, Kitchen Daily. It uses a local seasoning that’s practically its own food group here in Maryland–Old Bay Seasoning. Enjoy! BAKED CRAB CAKES with LEMON MUSTARD SAUCE FOR CRAB CAKES: 1/3 cup mayonnaise (preferably flavored with olive oil) 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard Zest of 1 lemon 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves 2 scallions, finely chopped 1 large egg 1 pound lump crabmeat Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 cup bread crumbs FOR LEMON MUSTARD SAUCE: 1/2 cup mayonnaise Juice of 1 lemon 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley Directions: Gather the following tools: cutting board, chef’s knife, dry measuring cups, measuring spoons, small and large mixing bowls, rubber spatula, spoons, sheet pan, offset spatula Preheat the oven to 400F. In a large bowl, mix together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, Old Bay, parsley, scallions, and egg. Add crab meat, season with salt and pepper, and stir well. Form crab cakes into a ball using about 1/4 cup of crab mixture for each cake. Dip the cakes into the breadcrumbs, flatten to about 1 inch high, and place on a lightly oiled sheet pan. Bake for 10 minutes. While the crab cakes are baking, prepare the sauce by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl. Serve the crab cakes with Lemon Mustard Sauce. Read more: http://www.kitchendaily.com/recipe/baked-crab-cakes-with-lemon-mustard-sauce-149400/#ixzz1IAzLGuM3

Copyright 2009 Laurie LC Lewis, (To obtain permission to copy or reprint any portion of this post, please contact the author at lclewis2007@gmail.com)

A key to understanding our beliefs of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is understanding what we call the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ organized His church when He was alive, giving priesthood authority to His twelve apostles. Peter, James, and John and other apostles directed the Church after Christ’s death. Through the priesthood, these leaders were authorized to perform saving ordinances like baptism and confirmation, and to teach the doctrine of Christ. But after time, most of these leaders were killed, priesthood authority was lost, and many of the truths of the gospel were also lost.

After centuries of this period that we call The Great Apostasy, the heavens were opened once again and a prophet was called to re-establish Christ’s Church. Joseph Smith was the man who was called by God and Jesus Christ to be a prophet to do this work.

The following full-length film tells more about the prophetic calling of Joseph Smith, how he received priesthood authority, how The Book of Mormon was translated and The Church of Jesus Christ was organized, and more. [Edited to add] There is a high-definition version of this film also available for download.

This film is similar to one that was shown for some time in the Church’s Legacy Theater in Salt Lake City, as well as various LDS Church visitor’s centers. However, the version below has been updated. As stated on the LDS Newsroom site:

The film will…help people better understand Latter-day Saint belief in modern prophets, the purpose of temples, and the eternal nature of family relationships. There is also additional context around historical events such as the First Vision — when God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith when he was 14 years old.

“Our hope is that people who aren’t familiar with the story will come away with an increased understanding of the role Joseph Smith played in restoring the Church of Jesus Christ,” John Garbett, who produced the new movie, said. [Links in original article.]

You can also watch “Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration” on YouTube

Do you have questions or would you like to know more? You can chat anytime with a Mormon missionary.