by Lisa M. | May 20, 2013 | About Mormons
Utah’s percentage of babies who are born to unwed mothers ranks lowest in the nation—just 14.7 percent, according to recent census estimates. In 2011, 35.7 percent of U.S. babies were born to unwed moms—continuing a trend that began in the 1940s. But as for Utah, “situation normal,” said Pam Perlich, a University of Utah research economist. “The biggest driver here is Mormon culture, for sure.” [1]
President Gordon B. Hinckley, the late president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes inadvertently called the Mormon Church, said:
We believe in chastity before marriage and total fidelity after marriage. That sums it up. That is the way to happiness in living. That is the way to satisfaction. It brings peace to the heart and peace to the home. [2] (more…)
I am a wife and mother of 4 beautiful children in a small town in the mountains of Idaho. We ski as a family in the winter and camp, fish, and go to the beach in the summer. I’m a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I am grateful for the Savior and the blessings of the gospel in my life.
by Ben | May 14, 2013 | About Mormons
There’s a lot of junk in this world. Pornography, abuse, kidnappings, not to mention each person’s individual trials, including depression and other challenges. And that’s just close to home. Further away, there are wars, government upheavals, famines, outbreaks of various diseases, civil unrest, discrimination; the list could go on. For the most part, though, I am relatively happy.
But why? How can I be happy when I turn on the nightly news and hear about kidnapping victims in Ohio or a tragic building collapse in Bangledesh? Or when I call my family and hear about the cousin whose marriage has failed, just the latest in a long line of family tragedies? The answer is twofold: knowledge and action.
Knowledge of the Truth
The number one reason I am happy is because of what I know. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes inadvertently called the Mormon Church, the things I believe give me the greatest opportunity for peace and happiness. Some pieces of knowledge that bring me the most peace and happiness are as follows (more…)
by Lisa M. | May 10, 2013 | Meet Some Mormons
Valerie Hudson Cassler is a feminist—and “as a feminist, I remain a steadfast member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” sometimes inadvertently called the Mormon Church. Hudson Cassler, who converted to The Church of Jesus Christ from Roman Catholicism, writes, “How remarkable and in some senses ironic it still seems to me to have experienced ‘women’s lib’ by conversion to Mormonism!”
Men and Women are Equal Before God
Hudson Cassler shares what she believes are “the main points of doctrine that make Mormonism the most feminist of all the Christianities.”
“The Restored Gospel teaches that the term ‘God’ means an exalted woman and an exalted man married in the new and everlasting covenant (Doctrine and Covenants 132:19-20—the Doctrine and Covenants is a book of modern revelation). We are taught that there is no God without men and women loving each other as equals. …” (more…)
I am a wife and mother of 4 beautiful children in a small town in the mountains of Idaho. We ski as a family in the winter and camp, fish, and go to the beach in the summer. I’m a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I am grateful for the Savior and the blessings of the gospel in my life.
by Charlotte Wilson | May 8, 2013 | Mormons in the News
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often inadvertently referred to as the Mormon Church) have great programs in place to help them serve the community. One of the most noteworthy programs is Mormon Helping Hands. Mormon Helping Hands reaches out to poor and struggling communities and provides volunteers to help accomplish community projects. One of the most recent Mormon Helping Hands took place in Rancho Santa Margarita, California.
Working together as families and friends
On April 27, 2013, families from all over southern California came to volunteer with Mormon Helping Hands. Men, women, and children donned the yellow vests and went to work on a landscaping project and a food drive. Parents brought their children with them, which made this day of service a wonderful family opportunity. Adult volunteers worked on applying mulch to a dog park, planting decorative plants by a parking lot, and repainting park benches. Youth and children volunteers collected food and hygiene items from neighbors and brought them to a local LDS chapel as part of a food drive for Second Harvest Food Bank.
On this one Saturday family members of all sizes had the opportunity to connect with others in the community. Through this service, parents not only taught their children about the value of hard work, but they also taught them the value of reaching out to those in need and the importance of connecting to your community. (more…)
Charlotte graduated from Brigham Young University with a bachelor’s degree in English, with an emphasis in editing. During her education she interned with the Neal A.Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, BYU Publications, and the New Era magazine. Charlotte currently lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and son. She’s a stay-at-home-mom and has been able to keep up her writing through maintaining a personal blog (smallandtrivial.blogspot.com).
by Keith L. Brown | May 7, 2013 | About Mormons
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently referred to as the Mormon Church by the media and others) has witnessed a growth rate of 45% in its membership in the United States over the past decade. This increase is due largely in part to the growing number of its Spanish-speaking converts.
According to an article by Jack Rodolico on the Fronteras website titled Mormon Missionaries without Papers, the number of Spanish –speaking members of The Church of Jesus Christ has doubled since the year 2000. Rodolico goes on to point out that many of those Latino members do not have the proper legal documentation for being in the United States, which in turn causes problems for the LDS Church, and especially for those Latino members desiring to serve full-time missions. (more…)
Keith L. Brown is a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, having been born and raised Baptist. He was studying to be a Baptist minister at the time of his conversion to the LDS faith. He was baptized on 10 March 1998 in Reykjavik, Iceland while serving on active duty in the United States Navy in Keflavic, Iceland. He currently serves as the First Assistant to the High Priest Group for the Annapolis, Maryland Ward. He is a 30-year honorably retired United States Navy Veteran.
