Third Hour

I’ve come to a realization lately that has really rocked my world. Not only has it completely shifted my paradigm about life and relationships, but it has also exposed many false ideas I had been hanging onto throughout my life. It’s been one of those spiritual breakthroughs that is bittersweet. Bitter because I have lived most of my life under a false pretense which, for many years, brought some degree of underlying unhappiness. Sweet because I have made a shift in my beliefs that has brought me great deal of peace. I realized that God is not a supernatural Santa. You see, for much of my life I ran around trying to escape being put on God's "Naughty List." I prayed, I read my scriptures, I went to church, and I checked off all the boxes of my supposed "Spiritual To-Do List" in a exhausting effort to avoid being the recipient of some kind of heavenly coal. But, alas (spoiler alert), none of this ever completely fulfilled me. As I... View the full article

When I was in college I was one of very few Mormons on campus. Students who learned that I was LDS were mostly unimpressed, and one comment I got a lot was "You're just a bunch of mindless sheep." I was without a comeback for quite a while (probably because I'm mindless...) but then started responding, "It's hard to be a sheep. It takes a lot of focus. It's more natural to be a goat." Matthew 25 talks about sheep and goats: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world...(Matt 25:32 - 34). So sheep must have something going for them... Other than being so cute that someone I know slept with a lamb stuffed animal well into her teens. (Okay, fine! It was me!... View the full article

Rock-climbing is an adventure whether you're an adult or a child, but it's definitely more traumatizing the shorter and younger you are. The rocks appear bigger and farther apart, the cliffs appear taller and the world seems scarier. Such was the instance two weeks ago when I went camping with my aunt and uncle and their four young children. We were up near Bear Lake and decided to go explore the ice cave. The ice cave was scary enough for all of us, being dark, cold and cramped, but especially so for my cousins. They held on to an adult's hands, trusting them to see them through as they clung desperately to their flashlights to see. All of us made it through safely and we were fine. Then, some of the adults and one of my young cousins wanted to climb out of the cave via the large pile of rocks. My cousin, being six, was absolutely scared to do it, but she wanted to do it. Her aunt went... View the full article

Yeah, you read that correctly. All 10 original cast members from the hit BYUtv sketch comedy show Studio C are on their way out—together. The group is undertaking a new comedy project, which we know nothing about. Grrr. But don't freak out! Studio C isn't canceled. It's still going to be a thing. They're just looking for new cast members and writers. I'm just going to quit blabbering and let you watch the announcement for yourself. This is what we know: https://www.facebook.com/StudioCtv/videos/1872902369456829/?hc_ref=ARQ-exCs4WckiHnTa3frZicwDwP4pmkx1FxeSiqpQZJmJp1TZNOflDfa4xV5F69ZgPk The NYC event Via byutv.org In this announcement, Matt Meese (the guy on the right that I one time offered a ride to, which, if he'd have accepted, would have been embarrassing because I didn't have my car with me. I panicked.) talks about an event in New York City. Later this month (August 24th) Studio C is planning on doing two live tapings from NYC with guest host Kenan Thompson (from Saturday Night Live) Read more about the event here). What's their new project? We don't know. Apparently Meese told the Deseret News that "It’ll be family-friendly, comedic,... View the full article

OK, if you don't know what World of Dance is, check out the trailer below. If you do know what it is, you probably already know that there are a few LDS dancers that are doing really, really well so far. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JQ4eypngD4 Jaxon Willard https://www.instagram.com/p/BmR4L_egI67/?taken-by=jaxonwillard Jaxon is a 17-year-old from American Fork, Utah. He's a solo dancer who most recently dropped jaws with an emotional performance to Jack Garratt’s song, Surprise Yourself. He came out with a score of 96/100. I could write all about the touching story behind why both he and one of the judges (Jennifer Lopez) are in tears after the performance, but it's better if you just experience it for yourself. Watch the performance and the judges' priceless reactions below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHHLf5pUocA To learn more about Jaxon, his journey, and his dancing, check out this article on famousmormons.net. Charity Anderson and Andres Penate https://www.instagram.com/p/Bidb-OCAJlT/?taken-by=charityandandres This duo dance team hails from Springville, Utah. They made World of Dance history this month by earning the show's first-ever perfect score: 100/100, sending home this week's competitor who also received an impressive (but not... View the full article

Joseph Smith is somewhat of an enigma. To some, he's a prophet of God, called to restore Christ's church once again on the earth. To others, he's a charlatan, a con man, and a liar. Much of what we know about Joseph is from second or even third-hand sources. Keep in mind that we're told stories about him decades after they allegedly happened. It makes you wish we had access to more of what Joseph Smith himself thought, felt, wrote, did, said, believed, etc. It makes you wish we had access to something like, say, Joseph Smith's personal journal. Well, we do. The Joseph Smith Papers via LDS Media Talk The Joseph Smith Papers project really has one goal: Publish every single scrap of paper that Joseph Smith personally was involved with. That includes "documents created by Joseph Smith or by staff whose work he directed, including journals, revelations and translations, contemporary reports of discourses, minutes, business and legal records, editorials, and notices," according to josephsmithpapers.org. Ergo, we have access to Joseph Smith's personal journal. FYI—Joseph... View the full article

Just recently, I attended the 2018 Sunstone Symposium. While having read a few Sunstone articles here and there, I had never attended a symposium before but was more than excited to go. I felt a lot of things throughout the weekend of Sunstone: amazement, hope, disappointment, and healing. But I came away having thoroughly enjoyed my time and wishing every member of the Church would come next year. I left with an interesting impression that serves as the impetus of this article — Sunstone and the LDS Church need each other. The Church needs open academic forums like Sunstone to thrive by arriving at new and novel ways of approaching the Gospel. But Sunstone needs the Church to serve as a foundation upon which to create space and enrichment. But before I get too far into this, it’s necessary to have some context into what Sunstone has been, is, and is trying to be. What is Sunstone? The motto of Sunstone is “Faith Seeking Understanding,” and the mission of Sunstone is to... View the full article

You might already have your favorite LDS social media influencers that you like to follow on Instagram, like the Bucket List Family or Al Carraway. However, there is another LDS couple you should add to that list. Brad and Hailey Devine, along with their two little girls, are a “globetrotting family of filmmakers,” creating beautiful Instagram posts, stunning Youtube videos, and an inspiring blog called Somewhere Divine. In addition to their creative efforts, they invite their audience to come together once a year to do some good. Every year, Somewhere Devine invites their international audience to come along on a service expedition. For this year’s expedition, in partnership with Hadley Impact Consulting, Hailey and Brad took a group of 45 people to Lusaka, Zambia, to serve with an organization called I Am Zambia, which focuses on helping Zambian girls gain entrepreneurial skills to support themselves and their families. In addition to serving in Zambia on this 10-day expedition, the Devines also garnered $25,000 for the I Am Zambia organization. This... View the full article

Fifty years ago, a document was published by the Catholic Church entitled Humanae Vitae, which, translated means "on human life." This document was recently covered in an article celebrating its fifty year anniversary. It's long been known that the Catholics have been tremendous supporters of families. It's one of many values that the Catholic Church shares with the LDS Church. There is strength in common ground and fighting the same battle. Half a century ago, the world was gripped in a sexual revolution. Hormonal birth control pills had just been made available to the general public. The Catholics' long-held stance on contraceptives was questioned. But, after debate, the teaching still stood, and it is explained in Humanae Vitae. "… human procreation, like every other question which touches human life involves more than the limited aspects specific to such disciplines as biology, psychology, demography or sociology. It is the whole man and the mission to which he is called that must be considered" What this means for us... In a world where the family is constantly... View the full article

We know they scour the scriptures, ponder the biographies of past prophets, and read volumes about church history, but what non-LDS writings inspire the General Authorities? After all, we know that truth can be found anywhere, and many great thinkers throughout time have laid out eternal principles in works of fiction or philosophy and everything in between. As Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf stated at a 2013 CES Devotional: "We seek for truth wherever we may find it. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “Mormonism is truth. … The first and fundamental principle of our holy religion is, that we believe that we have a right to embrace all, and every item of truth, without limitation or … being … prohibited by the creeds or superstitious notions of men.” Yes, we do have the fulness of the everlasting gospel, but that does not mean that we know everything. In fact, one principle of the restored gospel is our belief that God “will yet reveal many great and important things.” ... So we continually seek... View the full article

There is something strange going on in Utah. The State finds itself on two different top-ten lists that you may have seen or heard about. According to the latest Gallup poll, Utah is one of the 10 happiest states in the country. This is a greatly reassuring statistic to hear if you happen to live in the Beehive State. However there is another top 10 list Utah places on that is a little more alarming — suicide (heatmap of US). According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the specific demographic most at risk of suicide nationwide are teenagers. It is the 2nd leading cause of death for anyone between the ages of 10 and 20, the first being accidents. And according to a CDC investigation in Utah, there has been a "141.3% increase in suicides among Utah youth aged 10-17 from 2011 to 2015, compared to an increase of 23.5% nationally (UDOH)." This statistic is beyond alarming. When I look at these numbers, I am deeply disturbed. And I... View the full article

An entertaining new Instagram account named @calledtoeat popped up a few months ago and is gaining popularity by posting (you guessed it) photos of the crazy kinds of food that Mormon missionaries have to choke down during their stint abroad. From cow tongue to crickets, here's a sample of the posts: Fried, Flattened Squid in Taiwan https://www.instagram.com/p/BeEeWcXFY8k/?taken-by=calledtoeat Bird Fetus (Balut) in Hong Kong https://www.instagram.com/p/BgCxc6anKhI/?taken-by=calledtoeat Tarantulas in Cambodia https://www.instagram.com/p/BiX5smelqya/?taken-by=calledtoeat Crickets in Taiwan https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg9tn31FHoI/?taken-by=calledtoeat Grubs in Peru https://www.instagram.com/p/BgkAzfmHNHU/?taken-by=calledtoeat Cow's Tongue in Mexico https://www.instagram.com/p/Bdy6ToUlBE9/?taken-by=calledtoeat Goanna Lizard in Australia https://www.instagram.com/p/BdtU01TlVNG/?taken-by=calledtoeat Meat Jello in Russia https://www.instagram.com/p/BdCSdPnFUPT/?taken-by=calledtoeat Chicken Feet in Spain https://www.instagram.com/p/Bc8axVrlSVv/?taken-by=calledtoeat Turtle Legs in Peru https://www.instagram.com/p/BiAlnLRlOdw/?taken-by=calledtoeat What crazy foods did you encounter on your mission? Share in the comments below. View the full article

OK, apostles have pretty much always been known to be fairly blunt. They don't usually mince words when trying to get a message across. But there have been a few times in modern church history when apostles have really gone out of their way to make their message explicitly clear. Here are just five impactful examples of that. 1. Elder Packer telling people to "grow up" I just recently learned about this 1977 General Conference talk from this MormonHUB article. And let me tell you, the talk is pretty sweet. Entitled Balm of Gilead, Elder Packer digs into people that can't seem to let the little things go. Take a look at this clip, starting at 14:48, https://youtu.be/y4LZ-JpFvLM?t=14m48s And if you're in the middle of a movie or hiding in your closet from your children, here's a transcript of one of one of my favorite parts: Often, however, the things we carry are petty, even stupid. If you are still upset after all these years because Aunt Clara didn’t come to your wedding... View the full article

Well-known British author C.S. Lewis has shown up at LDS General Conference on a consistent basis. Not in person, of course, but because he has been referenced in talk after talk. If you've only read "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," you might be wondering what four kids in a fantasy world have to do with the gospel. Well, Lewis wrote a lot more than just Chronicles of Narnia. You see, Lewis was a very religious man. Not in a preacher sense, but in his desire to really dive into Christianity and apply it to life. Some of his best works are "Mere Christianity," followed by "Letters of C.S. Lewis" and "Screwtape Letters." If you haven't had a chance to discover these literary gems, here's a little taste of some that have popped up over the pulpit in Salt Lake over the last forty years or so: C.S. Lewis on Motherhood "[Motherhood] is surely in reality the most important work in the world. What do ships, railways, mines, cars, and governments,... View the full article

Recently, I've been thinking a lot about answers to prayers, especially answers that lead to difficult situations. Sometimes, we ask God to guide us in attending this school, or marrying this person and we get a "yes" answer. But then weeks, or months, or even years later, we find out that that wasn't where we needed to be. Why does God give one answer when it turns out it wasn't the right one for us? Personal Experience When I got back from my mission, I started dating this guy. I felt happy, and I felt content with my life, and I was enjoying spending time with him. We talked about marriage, and next thing I know, I find myself engaged two and a half months later. I remember praying and fasting about if this man was the right one for me to marry and repeatedly, I felt a "yes" answer. So I commenced planning a wedding and organizing my future life. Every time I would question if this were the right course... View the full article

Sometimes we take things for granted. We're around some things so much that we get accustomed to them and we forget how important they are to us—until they're gone. Maybe your air conditioner suddenly fails during the Summer months, or budgetary needs mean you can't afford some of your favorite foods anymore, or, on a more serious note, you lose a family member. The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away, but here are just five things that God really never had to give us in the first place, but did anyway, for no other apparent reason other than His unconditional love for us, His children. 1. Color We could have gotten by without color vision. Seeing in black and white would not have changed the Plan of Salvation one bit. We would still sin, need to repent, go to church, pray, develop Christ-like attributes—the whole sha-bang. But God, for whatever reason, gave us color anyway. We get to be stopped in our tracks by a breathtaking sunset, we get to point... View the full article

Okay, so real talk here: there are way more than 11 talks that changed my life. You're probably like, "Yeah right. Changed your life? Give me a break." To which I would reply, "Give me a break, give me a break" and then proceed to talk about Kit-Kat bars for the next 15 minutes. But really, these talks have changed my life because they changed me. They made me better, they drew me closer to the Lord, and they enabled me to more fully apply Christ's Atonement in my life. And I hope they do the same for you. 1. "Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence" by Jeffrey R. Holland I mean, of course Imma start this list with a talk from my boy, J. Holl. In all seriousness, though, this talk kept me on my mission when I was struggling, wondering if I had made the right choice and if God even heard my prayers. Notable Line: "Yes, there are cautions and considerations to make, but once there has been genuine illumination, beware the... View the full article

Being part of any community means that certain lingo is adapted and in some places, a unique language is built. For those who have been to a Mormon church, they know that sometimes this lingo really can appear to be an entirely different language. Some of these phrases and words are harmless, only requiring further explanation for those who don’t understand, such as “FHE” or the “stake center”. But…. Some of these phrases may actually be doing more damage than good. Here are just a few examples: 1. Molly Mormon/ Peter Priesthood Both of these terms carry two different connotations. In one case, a Molly Mormon is someone who bakes home-made bread for the sacrament each week, all while having all the kids perfectly dressed and silently waiting for the meeting to start 30 minutes beforehand. She’s the absolutely unattainable, perfect, and very unreal Mormon. On the other hand, we know Molly Mormon or Peter Priesthood as the ultra-conservative, sheltered, naïve person who won’t go out to hang with his/her friends because they are... View the full article

When the Church asked members to participate in the revision process of the hymn book by providing music suggestions, I am sure my husband and I were not the only ones to request that primary songs be included in the new edition. At least I hope we were not the only ones. The First Presidency Preface to Hymns says, “Inspirational music is an essential part of our church meetings. The hymns invite the Spirit of the Lord, create a feeling of reverence, unify us as members, and provide a way for us to offer praises to the Lord. Some of the greatest sermons are preached by the singing of hymns.” The LDS hymn book is abundant in moving sermons of song, but I believe that many of the beautiful ballads sung in primary could enhance its significance tenfold. Here are just five primary songs that I think possess the same capacity for inspiration and influence as any hymn in that good green book. A Child’s Prayer, performed by Sarah... View the full article

President Donald Trump wished the best to all Utahns celebrating the state holiday, Pioneer Day, on July 24th. Marking the trek westward of Mormons “fleeing persecution, these families undertook a difficult journey spanning more than a thousand miles from Illinois to the Utah territory," said Trump. Beginning in 1846, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, left their homes in pursuit of religious freedom. "In the years that followed, nearly 70,000 men, women, and children charted similar paths across windswept plains and rugged mountains in search of religious freedom and a better way of life.” Trump said that Americans remember the “extraordinary pioneers who uprooted their lives and undertook an incredible leap of faith into the unknown. “Their stories and accomplishments are lasting reminders of the importance of religious freedom and the enduring strength and spirit of the American people." “Our nation honors the ingenuity, industry, and unwavering commitment to the faith of all those who endured frontier hardships,” the White House said Tuesday. “These pioneers worked tirelessly to transform... View the full article

Last summer, I had the privilege of attending the temple with a few members of my family. Among them were my grandparents, who had been working diligently on their genealogy for a number of years previous. They brought with them a handful of names, some of the people being from Mexico, some from Europe, some from just a few miles away, but all needing to be sealed to their spouses and families. As we entered the sealing room, my grandfather shared with the sealer that he was the first to be baptized in his family—a long line of devout Catholics—and that his parents nearly disowned him for it. The sealer responded to this with a smile: “So, you are the pioneer.” We proceeded with the ordinance, but after getting through about half of the names, the sealer stopped. I watched him wipe a tear from his cheek, this man who we had only just met, and waited to hear what he might have to say. I will never forget the... View the full article

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints changes all the time. Policies change, culture changes, leaders change, numbers change, technology changes, and we've seen some huge changes just in the last year that Mormons worldwide are pretty excited about. To give you an idea of just how many changes have happened, here are fifty of them that have happened in the last 50 years: Church meetings/programs https://giphy.com/gifs/church-mormon-lds-uFkj9WB42MJQ2xZFcS 1. Sunday meetings used to be scattered throughout the week. 2. Before 1980, Primary-age kids went to Junior Sunday School. 3. The sacrament used to be administered during Sunday School. 4. Young single adults used to either be "Master M Men" or "Golden Gleaners." 5. The Primary program for girls age 9-11 used to be called the Lihomas program (little homemakers). Classes were called Gaynotes, Firelights, and Merrihands. 6. Later the Lihomas program was renamed the Merry Miss program. 7. Home/Visiting teaching used to be a thing (you all remember that one). 8. The Church is much less involved with Boy Scouts of America than it used to be. 9. David... View the full article

Sometimes, you find the best spiritual experiences where you least expect them — and sometimes those experiences involve lightsabers, blaster-rifles, and the Sith Lord himself. When Brinley returned home after her 18-month LDS mission, she made sure her priorities were straight. Out in the field, Brinley missed the release of both “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens." A major Star Wars fan, according to her friend Stephen Smoot, Brinley's friends staged a viewing of the latest Star Wars releases to catch her up. Thanks to some sneaky camera work and spot-on timing, we don't have to imagine the wide-eyed gasps and tears of joy that ensued: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=12&v=V_mwkCJwsm8 Brinley's friend and YouTuber, Stephen Smoot began filming Brinley during the final scene of Rogue One (Vader's cameo). It's almost impossible not to be absorbed in her shock and awe, and subsequently filled with joy. "Oh my gosh!," She exclaims, hands in her hair, "that was incredible! That was totally WICKED!" Hope she likes it that everyone gets to watch. The video is... View the full article

Missionary safety guidelines have long been determined by feedback from mission presidents around the world. Now, the Church is looking past the middle man for a more direct sense of the safety conditions experienced by missionaries. For the first time ever, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has released a confidential survey to 62,000 missionaries worldwide in an effort to better understand safety conditions. Church spokesman, Eric Hawkins released the following statement regarding the new survey: The safety of missionaries is of great importance to the Church. Missionaries are taught principles to keep themselves safe, and in areas where missionary safety may be at risk, we may alter assignments or provide them with more specific guidelines to enhance their safety. This survey is to help us better understand the day-to-day experiences and perceptions of missionaries around the world related to physical safety. The questions from this confidential survey are detailed and specific. It is being sent to each of our young missionaries around the world. We want to... View the full article

I have a confession to make; I’m still not over Carrie Fisher. In December of last year the legendary Star Wars actress passed away unexpectedly. Fisher was a personal hero of mine. Along with pioneering one of the first empowered female roles as Princess Leia, her lifelong battle with bipolar disorder helped bring attention to the stigma and misunderstanding that often accompanies mental illness. She helped start a movement addressing the realities of living with mental disorders and encouraging those who suffer to seek help. image via buzzfeed.com Far too often, those who are plagued with mental health issues face discrimination and shame, and church members are no exception. Fortunately, modern-day prophets and apostles have spoken about mental illness, giving messages of hope and comfort to those who suffer. Here are some of their teachings on the subject: Self-Care Jeffrey and Patricia Holland One of the most iconic addresses on the subject of mental illness came from Elder Jeffry R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve in his 2013 talk "Like a... View the full article