by byustudent | Mar 14, 2013 | About Mormons
Brigham Young University (BYU) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.
Here, in this column, students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the New Testament and gospel of Jesus Christ in the form of letters to someone they know. In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to witness to all of us of the relevance, power, and beauty of the New Testament, and God’s plan of happiness for each of us. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures. Let us know how these may help you in your own life. Share them with a friend.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Letter to Van
Dear Van,
I know you have read the Bible many times and have marked this scripture over and over, but I read it the other day and it was an excellent reminder of the importance of how I should live and what I must do to become more like the Savior. The scripture is 1 Corinthians 13: 4–7 and it says, “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (more…)
by byustudent | Mar 2, 2013 | About Mormons
BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.
In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.
In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America. (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names. We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.) (more…)
by paulah | Mar 1, 2013 | Meet Some Mormons
Jen Kwapinski, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, baked her way into the public eye on one of TLC’s reality shows, but her commitment to her Mormon standards made her stand out.
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ, often mistakenly called Mormons, believe in following standards of living that include abstaining from tobacco, alcohol, coffee, and tea. They don’t view pornography, use coarse language, or dress immodestly. They also avoid shopping or participating in sporting events on Sunday. The purpose for these standards is to enjoy increased happiness in life and to blessed with a close relationship with God.
Latter-day Saints often have to make a courageous stand to stick to their values and convictions despite voices of opposition and criticism. Their standards, at the very least, make them seem unusual in comparison to the social standards practiced around them.
Jen Kwapinski, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ, found herself in this position when she competed in the “Next Great Baker” reality TV show. Kwapinski makes cakes and cupcakes in her San Jose, California, business called Jen’s Cakes. During the competition, contestants were asked to create a “cocktail-inspired cupcake.” Kwapinski designed a cupcake using Kahlua, which is a rum and coffee-flavored liqueur, and she added a filling that contained Kahlua. Because of Kwapinski’s standards, she did not taste the filling, which is not baked. (more…)
by byustudent | Feb 28, 2013 | Mormon Reflections
BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.” As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.
In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.
In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America. (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names. We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.) (more…)
by dwhite | Feb 26, 2013 | Meet Some Mormons
Justin Wayne Lewis has been a musician practically since birth. Born to musician parents and raised with a love of music, Justin is a talented cellist with a passion for conducting. He has a Bachelor’s from Temple University and a Master of Music in Cello Performance from Pennsylvania State University; he completed teaching certificates for both Pennsylvania and Virginia, returned to Pennsylvania State University for a Master of Music in Conducting and is about to complete his Doctor of Musical Arts from the Catholic University of America.
He loved teaching 6th- and 7th-grade choirs, but he was accepted two years ago into the U.S. Air Force to be a conductor. It was during basic training in the summer of 2012 that he learned he had been chosen as the winner of a contest to conduct the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He had seen the contest online and he sent in a video of himself conducting the Choir’s recording of “Ode to Joy.” His wife, Jenny, compiled the video.
Justin was given the opportunity to conduct the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on Sunday, February 17, 2013, after their weekly broadcast from the Conference Center on Temple Square in Salt Lake City.
Justin and Jenny are both talented, hard-working musicians. They recognize their talents are a gift from God and should be used to bless others’ lives. They are raising a family and make that their true focus. Enhancing and using their musical talents brings them joy and allows them to share these things with others as well. (more…)
