W. Paul Reeve is the Simmons Chair of Mormon Studies in the History Department at the University of Utah where he teaches courses on Utah history, Mormon history, and the history of the U.S. West. His book, Religion of a Different Color: Race and the Mormon Struggle for Whiteness, (Oxford, 2015) received the Mormon History Association’s Best Book Award, the John Whitmer Historical Association’s Smith-Pettit Best Book Award, and the Utah State Historical Society’s Francis Armstrong Madsen Best History Book Award. He is the recipient of the Utah Council for the Social Studies’ University Teacher of the Year award, the University of Utah’s Early Career Teaching Award, and the College of Humanities’ Ramona W. Cannon Award for Teaching Excellence in the Humanities. He is Project Manager and General Editor of a digital database, Century of Black Mormons, designed to name and identify all known Black Mormons baptized into the faith between 1830 and 1930. The database is now live atCenturyofBlackMormons.org. Mauli Junior Bonner is aFirst time Writer, Director, and Producer. His background is in music as a songwriter. After learning about the story of Green Flake, he wrote a song… a 200 page one. Mauli was determined to have his story told through film.
Being gay in the church is not easy. Do I qualify for the Celestial Kingdom? Asking myself hard questions and pray for answers. A year ago, it first came to my attention when a member told me the church was using me. And recently, another member who is preparing to serve a mission in New Zealand said; “But it’s not eternal either. Endure to the end, and eventually, you won’t be gay. I am not saying I know everything or that I’m Dennis’s judge. And I am certainly not saying he is unworthy, but I know this to qualify for the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom, you must be married and sealed, men and women in the temple.” Being told I am not good enough, not worthy to receive the highest degree of the celestial kingdom because I am gay, is heartbreaking. You can’t imagine the amount of hate mail, death threats, and constantly being told I’m a disgrace; it takes a toll. However, when it’s coming from fellow members, It’s heartbreaking. When I think of the celestial kingdo...
DearFriends, We apologize for an impersonal email and hope this does not diminish the personal nature of what we share or how much we appreciate your friendship. Some things are best said in print. You may or may not know that our family has been through a faith journey over the past couple years that has led us to a change in beliefs over the church’s fundamental teachings. We know this saddens you. It grieves us also. We recognize we haven’t openly shared the details of our journey with you. Our reluctance to share has purely been a manifestation of our struggle to accept our new reality, but not a desire to keep you at a distance or because we don’t love or trust you. The reality is that this has been hard. In all honesty, it’s probably been one of the most difficult experiences we’ve faced together. Our loss does not come without grief, but we want you to know that we are doing well. We have grown closer as a family as we have gone through this faith transition together and...
Divorce. It’s an uncomfortable word, a subject no one likes to discuss, especially Latter-day Saints. Yet, what do you do when you find yourself or someone you love facing the certainty of a divorce? How do you navigate the life changing and faith shaking consequences that come after? Where do you fit in a religion that is family centric and eternal marriage focused? The search for answers to these questions and others are what led to the inspired and personal examples found within these pages, designed give hope and healing to the reader. Purchase Beauty For Ashes
Articles of News 6.30.2022 * Find The Cultural Hall on Instagram * What people are saying about The Book of Mormon videos #spoilers * Sample of an old Book of Mormon video * Is Night Shift really helping you sleep better? * How flooding in Yellowstone is affecting Latter-day Saints * Josh Coates has a tank!! plus more * RootsTech 2023!! In person and online * A few changes in Come Follow Me 2023 * ‘Book of Mormon’ on Broadway marks 4,000 performances * McKay Coppins’ thoughts on Under the Banner of Heaven * McKay Coppins Episode 384 * How to be a Patreon Saint * Church cuts water usage in the West * Nauvoo pageants continue! What to know before going * What’s wrong with Prius drivers? * 3 countries have more than half the stakes in Europe * Julianne Hough opens up about being queer and ‘Mormon’ * Derek and Julianne Hough ‘Step Into…the Movies’ * Footloose (2011) * Brandon Flowers shares his testimony * Brandon Flowers, ‘I’m a Mormon’ *
Articles of News 6.22.22 * I want to see the “Aunt-Man” movie * Does what happen in Vegas stay in Vegas? No * Do you have old church books? If so, let Richie know * What is ‘Rough Stone Rolling’? * New Zealand’s first service missionary! * 14 cheesy Latter-day Saint dad ‘jokes’ * Diana Ragsdale story * ‘When the Moon Turns to Blood’ by Leah Sotille * Yorba Linda Temple adjustments * Monette Dias, addicted to marriage * BYU plans to build new HFAC/HVAC * Tabernacle Choir special event * Man ‘target shooting’ at Hill Cumorah Visitors’ Center * Church History Museum and International Art Competition * Arizona lawmaker Rusty Bowers and his faith * Wallace Jeff Episode 269 * Where is ‘Keep Sweet’s Wallace Jeffs now? * Missionary dies after accident in Mexico City * ‘Mormon No More’ soon available on Hulu * The Bear Lake Monster
Articles of News 609 * “Norm!” compilation * The Little Fence, by Mayor Andrew Mair * How I Came to the Cultural Hall, by Mayor Andrew Mair * Send an email! * “Seven Years….” * From registered sex offender to leader… * Long lost 1842 legal document * Unique Church time capsules * Chef serves Latter-Day Saint neighbors’ wine, oops * Group retracing Mormon Trail in covered wagon * Big 12 adjusts schedule for BYU Women and Sunday worship * Lone church member in NHL * TABCAT’s retire 28 members * How to Audition for the Tabernacle Choir * Cool article that quotes Rick Steadman, former MOTAB member * Sing, Choirs of Angels! With Michael York * Vandalism of church buildings in Washington * Kirby Heyborne is “unexpectedly” hilarious * #Nuntalk and @nunsenseforthepeople * Rosie O’Donnell is IG official with new girlfriend * Keep Sweet; will you watch? The Temple Ticker June 6, 2022 * Temple Operations * Walk-Ins Welcome at some temples
Professionally, David is retired. He has a Bachelor of University Studies from the University of Utah in Quantitative Methods and an MBA from Dartmouth College where he was an Amos Tuck Scholar. Before retirement, his career focused on evidence-based medicine, including products for health insurance companies, hospitals, governmental health purchasers, physician groups and pharmaceutical companies. Products included software, analytical models, data products and business services. Prior to retirement, he was Executive Vice President of Optum International, a United Health Group company and Chairman of United Health, UK. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, David Ostler has served as a bishop, stake president, mission president, and as a director of a Church historical site and visitors’ center. He has served three full-time and two church service missions, most recently in his home stake working with ward and stake leadership to understand why people no l...
Leonard is a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo and the founder and Executive Director of Utah Valley Refugees. Leonard lived in refugee camps in Malawi and Zimbabwe for more than three years before coming to the United States. He completed his undergraduate degree in Public and Community Health Education at Utah Valley University, where he also founded the UVU African Club, an organization that transformed the perception of Africa in the local community and state of Utah. Leonard has over six years of experience working with refugees in Utah and has served on the boards of multiple non-profit organizations. Heis committed to maximizing the positive impact he can make in the world to bless many people. He believes that his personal experiences and the work he does can empower people and transform lives. Leonard is married to the beautiful Best Bagalwa, and they have four children—three girls and a boy.
Articles of News * Become part of the Patreon back row! * Annette Luthy Lyon, Best In State (just a reminder) * Best of Salt Lake awards * New U of U housing being build, thanks to donation * A look at Church Landholdings * Temple Work policy change (it’s in the handbook) * New Church film about the Nauvoo Temple * Sign up to audition for the film now! * History of Funeral Potatoes!! * Do you want to do a Funeral Potato Deep Dive? * Gun pulled on Sister Missionaries (booo) * Missouri Man charged in hate crime against church * Man set fire to missionaries’ car (smh) * Opponents to overturning Roe vs Wade often Latter Day influencers * What the Church currently teaches about abortion * Taylor Frankie Paul’s TikTok drama * Billion Graves + Just Serve * Shoot out at the Idaho Falls Temple * Elder Uchtdorf celebrates nonstop flight to Germany * Sinner V. Saints movie * Hanna Seariac article on Church depiction * Wordle with a Church spin