Third Hour

Original service ideas can be hard to find. We've come up with a list that goes beyond donating money or serving in a soup kitchen, though those are great too. Check out our original service ideas, for every group you want to help. Refugees Teach English to new refugees - The English language is one of the greatest barriers for newly arrived refugees. Take time every week to help new families develop their language skills. Taking the time to talk to them will help a lot. You'll probably make some new friends while you're at it. Help teach job-related skills - If you have a skill that might be useful in the workplace, you could teach it to a newly arrived refugee. Helping them to get a job and become self-sufficient is one of the greatest services of all. Collect toys for children - Beyond the necessities of clothing, food, and hygiene supplies, all kids need toys. Bring over new or well-cared for toys and games and make a child's... View the full article

Just last week, BuzzFeed published a new video poking fun at Mormon missionaries and mission life. The video follows "Elder" Alan and "Elder" Dunning for a day as they do normal missionary activities, such as street contacting, tracting, singing hymns, and teaching lessons. As expected, BuzzFeed delivers a wide range of jabs and jokes, from commentary on the Word of Wisdom, to the Church's views of the LGBT community, along with plenty of door slamming. Because the video contains vulgar and offensive content, we are not putting it in this article. But, if you so desire, watch it here (at your own risk). Ironically enough, the potentially offensive satire is drawing a whole lot of kindness in the comments section on Facebook. Here are just a few of them (go to their Facebook page to see extended comments): Image from LDSDaily.com While there is so much negativity directed towards the Church and religion in general online, it is pretty dang cool to see such kindness from members and non-members alike! Whatever BuzzFeed's intention, it definitely took on an unexpected... View the full article

Mormons love their comparisons, metaphors and analogies, and some of them are really good. Hugh B. Brown's Currant Bush, the classic Bicycle comparison to the Atonement, and any of President Uchtdorf's Airplane connections. These are beautiful, hard-to-misinterpret figures of speech. If you slide all the way down the figurative language ladder, though, you'll eventually hit the bottom rungs: chastity metaphors. These comparisons aren't canonized or approved by Church leaders, but they still stick around like fruit flies. They're hard to swat away and while they seem relatively harmless, they indicate something is rotting nearby. Talking to the youth of the Church about chastity and sexual virtue is uncomfortable and difficult. That said, we can surely do better than these easily-misconstrued or wildly inaccurate comparisons. The Wilted Flower This one seems harmless enough on the surface. People are getting compared to flowers—how bad could it be? Pretty bad, as it happens. The implication that everyone has an expiration date, that after a certain biological time period someone loses their worth? Subtly insinuating that after someone has "wilted," they don't smell... View the full article

Like the the dark of a child's closet, the deep-end of the pool, and the space beneath our beds just big enough for a person to hide, Carol Lynn Pearson's "The Ghost of Eternal Polygamy" (GEP) preys on our innate fear of the unknown. I'm not going to lie and say the idea of eternal polygamy doesn't frighten me. I remember the first time it came up in conversation, driving with my brother and his now fiancée, as he talked about the shortage of worthy men in the Church. "I'll take on another wife if I have to in the celestial kingdom," he said with the dutiful air that typifies his personality as a whole. Unlike my brother, I am not blessed with an unwavering sense of religious duty. So, this led to an argument between us about the sanctity of marriage and, if everyone is going to get to be sealed in heaven... is an earthly sealing even meaningful? My brother held that polygamy is a celestial law, and it would be required of us in... View the full article

I was psyched to get my patriarchal blessing when I was 16. I'd read snippets of my parents' blessings and had been told that my sister's blessing had yielded some fascinating extra-doctrinal nuggets about the pre-mortal life. When the day came, I went to my patriarch's home. He was a wizened old man—liver-spotted hands, cotton-candy white hair in a half-halo around his otherwise bald head. He shook my hand, my parents' hands, and sat me down in a wooden kitchen chair in his living room. Ceramic figurines and floral couches made the scene seem unexpectedly mundane. “This is my personal scripture blessing,” I remember thinking. “Shouldn't it be a little more...mystical?” And then the blessing started. I remember listening as the patriarch rattled off what seemed like a laundry list of formalities. Authority, lineage, a few familiar promises, and then he was wrapping it up. I opened my eyes, and we were done. What just happened? The patriarch shook my hand again, said that he'd pass along my blessing when he... View the full article

Happy Earth Day! Here are five easy things you can do, either alone with or with your family, to appreciate the gifts of our Heavenly Father's creation. 1. The Fruitful Field There's a tradition of farming and gardening in the Church. From Jacob's Olive Tree Allegory to President Hinckley's Walnut Tree, our faith is rooted (pun intended) in literal and spiritual planting. Church leaders have encouraged growing gardens to further self-reliance, but growing plants can also serve as a source of beauty. You may not be able to grow a floral display like those on Temple Square, but everyone has space to grow something. The Church has published some handy materials on how to nurture your own little patch of earth. 2. Consider the Ravens In Luke 12, Jesus taught his followers to “consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?” Birds might not have houses, but that can change. Putting a bird-feeder near your... View the full article

Kwaku and Ian of the 3 Mormons introduce special guest Elisabeth to discuss the implications of feminism for the LDS Church. Kwaku first talks about radical feminists and how they aren’t necessary a good representation of what feminism truly is. Instead of looking at the bad, we need to embrace all that is good in feminism. Women in leadership is among the good things and is also very prominent in the Church. Emma Smith was a powerful example of women leaders. And today, there are many women leaders who have a strong voice in the Church. Ian says that ultimately, the Church advocates equality for women. Elisabeth says that in some regards, men should need to shape up. They shouldn’t be doing things that objectify women. Kwaku and Ian both say that it’s belittling to men to say that they can’t control their passions. Elisabeth says that being a mom is so important, but if a woman wants to be in the workforce, she should do so and she shouldn’t be held... View the full article

You need good ideas for visiting teaching. We have original visiting teaching ideas. My best visiting teachers often served me with cooking. New desserts and casseroles came almost monthly. But if I made my sisters eat my food, I'm not sure it would be a service. I've needed to come up with out-of-the-box ideas, so here they are for your benefit. Text Her We all spend so much time on our phones, so use it to your advantage! Set up a group conversation between you, your companion, and your sister. You can keep each other updated and stay in contact at the same time. Serve Her The question "can we do anything for you" is not very productive. Take the initiative instead! There are always opportunities to serve someone. Take out the trash, help with yard work, or babysit the children. Nothing brings people closer than Christ-like service. Spend Time With Her Visiting teaching doesn't have to be a once-a-month visit. Actually, it shouldn't be. Spend time with your sister and get to know her... View the full article

When 14-year-old harp prodigy Elizabeth Smart was taken from her home in 2002, news outlets everywhere went berserk. After 9 months of rape and starvation at the hands of a religious fanatic, Smart was finally discovered alive: a statistical miracle. Today, Smart is using her story to inspire girls everywhere. Smart has spoken out against pornography, decried the condemning nature of chastity lessons, and works with organizations like Fight Like Girls, aimed at empowering women fighting against anxiety, infertility, eating disorders, and so-forth. In 2013, Smart published her personal memoir, "My Story." Lifetime recently announced the production of an Elizabeth Smart movie, from her own perspective. “‘I am Elizabeth Smart,’ the officially authorized flick about the real-life Elizabeth Smart, will feature Smart narrating the story of how she was snatched at age 14," according to TV Guide. "... The film starts production in Vancouver in May.” Unlike CBS's 2003 version of her story, told from her parents' perspective, Lifetime's movie will be Smart's own account of the incident. Smart will also narrate and exec... View the full article

BYU denied your application, but we're here to help. Lots of Latter-day Saints have their hearts set on the Church's university in Provo, but more applicants get rejected than accepted, so you're in good company. Not only can you still have a good college experience, you might even have a better one after exploring new options. Here's how. Take a Moment Being sad is okay! It's completely fine to take some time to work through that disappointment. Know that you are still awesome, you can still succeed in life, and that it's nothing personal. Buy some chocolate, pop on those bunny slippers, and feel for a bit. Once you're feeling up to it, it's time to see what your next steps could be. Try Your Second Choice Even if BYU was your dream school, you probably applied to other colleges as well. Because of BYU's connection to the church, you may have prioritized it over school's with a better geographical or academic fit for you. You can have an amazing college experience somewhere... View the full article

Opinion On Monday, The Salt Lake Tribune was awarded the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting for “revealing the perverse, punitive and cruel treatment given to sexual assault victims at Brigham Young University.” For church members, this may feel like mainstream praise for a condemnation of BYU, and, by extension, LDS policy. A Pulitzer for an exposé of church practices? It's natural to feel a little bit of a sting. Our persecuted past gives us an increased sensitivity to anything that feels like religious discrimination. Paired with the call to be “in the world, not of the world” and it may seem that this Pulitzer is an example of the 'world vs. church' mentality. I've seen comments on Facebook blaming the victims, shaming ex-BYU student Madi Barney, and disputing the stories of unreported sexual assault on campus. But minimizing these charges, arguing against improvement of sexual assault systems, or, worst of all, accusing the victims of lying, is shameful and unchristian. This situation—a campus in which individuals are scared to report being raped in... View the full article

Amram Musungu met the Mormon missionaries in 1992. A teenager and devout protestant living in rural Kenya, Musungu took to the Church's message immediately and was soon baptized. Today, Musungu is a Utah resident, holding dual citizenship and looking to give back to the country that raised him. "I will be the best president the country has ever had," Musungu told Deseret News, eyes gleaming. As a child, Musungu slept on banana leaves placed over his hut's dirt floor — his feet were bare until he was 15. Despite his humble beginnings, Musungu was determined to rise above his circumstances. Though his village was over an hour's walk away from the nearest school, Musungu did not miss a day. At 17, Musungu received permission to embark on a special LDS mission. He served as a missionary in Kenya for 27 months, sharing his love for the gospel with all those he met. "I wish I could've served more," Musungu shared. "I loved what I was doing." Following his mission, Musungu gathered money to purchase a ticket to Utah... View the full article

Hello and welcome to everyone tuning in to my first ever Anonymous Awkward Dating Fail (AADF) story time! For the sake of all those who feel like they’re the only ones whose dating lives are A Series of Unfortunate Events IRL, I want you to know, you are not alone. Like, really, you’re not. Our first story comes from the awkward depths of the dating pool at BYU, and is by no means lacking in cringe-worthy moments. In fact, the whole thing is cringey, so enjoy. The year was 2015 and the month was October. I had recently reached the ripe age of 22, and I was still had what they called a “virgin-lips,” meaning I had never kissed a boy, not in all my twenty-two years of life. Except when I was like, 7 years-old, but that doesn’t count, right? We’re gonna say it doesn’t. Anyways, despite my efforts in dating post-mission, I was suffering from a seemingly eternal dating dry spell. There was this guy I knew from work.... View the full article

Gale Boyd is an ethnic Jew who is a convert to the LDS Church. In 1983, she and her husband moved their family to Israel to explore their Jewish heritage. She was unprepared for the culture shock she experienced as an American Jewish Mormon living in Jewish Zion. Not only was there the language barrier but also differences in money, weights and measures, Sabbath observance, and even the year was configured differently. As she became immersed in Israeli culture, she learned about Jewish holy days and their symbolism. Her experiences led her to write Days of Awe: Jewish Holy Days, Symbols, and Prophecies for Latter-day Saints, with the purpose of sharing the Christian symbolism found in the celebration of Jewish festivals. The book contains a history of Old Testament feasts, their ancient and current patterns of observance, their prophetic symbolism, and their relevance to Latter-day Saints today. She also clears up some misconceptions about the Jewish people, their scripture, the complexity of their religion, and their history. Join Laura Harris Hales of LDS Perspectives Podcast and Gale Boyd... View the full article

This Easter, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints invites all to participate in the Prince of Peace initiative. During Holy Week, we are invited to find in that inner peace that comes from the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. The initiative focuses on three principles that we can apply to both find personal peace and share it with others. Invite all to come to Christ The Church published a new, Easter-themed video that can be viewed at mormon.org. We are all invited to share it online and through printable pass along cards. The Prince of Peace website will be constantly updated with new content that all can read and share with others. Learn principles of peace from the Prince of Peace During Holy Week, new videos will be released every day to watch and share. These videos focus on eight principles taught by Christ: faith, compassion, forgiveness, repentance, gratitude, God’s word, prayer, and hope. Living these principles can help you to feel the peace we all desire to have. Share ways to... View the full article

Everyone has a desire to connect, and the internet is the perfect tool to do so. It's no wonder then that the internet sensation that is the "mommy blog" gained popularity so quickly. Mommy bloggers share their lives online, and the honesty of that makes for instant connection. Not to mention the tips and tricks that they may post are pretty cool. The appeal is especially strong with Latter-day Saint bloggers and their readers, no matter their religious beliefs. These bloggers have gained fame by bridging the gap between people who may feel differently on social issues. They share their children, their lives, their thoughts, and their trials. These popular Mormon bloggers are some of the best online. Take a look! Alcarraway.com Al Fox Carraway took the spotlight with her incredible conversion story, and gained fame with her biography, "More Than the Tattooed Mormon." She continues to publish her thoughts and stories on her personal blog, along with pictures, videos, and answers to questions her many fans send regarding her beliefs. Is the LDS... View the full article

Brigham Young Takes on the Visage of Joseph Smith After the martyrdom of Joseph Smith, the apostles gathered in to Nauvoo from their missions. Sidney Rigdon, estranged from the Church, now wanted to be its "guardian." He called a conference for a certain date, but it was scheduled by Elder Marks a bit later, for Thursday, August 8, 1844, after Brigham Young and other apostles finally arrived in Nauvoo. The meeting's purpose was to sustain a new leader of the Church. Rigdon had met with the apostles, who were united quickly. The apostles firmly felt they held all the keys of the kingdom. Rigdon claimed to have had a vision, an extension of the one he shared with Joseph that became Section 76 of the Doctrine and Covenants. It failed to impress the Brethren. Wilford Woodruff recorded in his journal that Sidney’s statement was a “long story. It was a kind of second class vision.” A solemn assembly was called for later that day. On that day a miracle occurred before the body... View the full article

It's that time of year, everybody!! With General Women's Conference tomorrow, and General Conference next weekend, we've got to start prepping our hearts for some serious feels from the Spirit. When it's the first weekend of the month but... 2. When your internet can't handle the spiritual power... 3. When Elder Holland is speaking next... 4. Some things just never change... 5. Those inside jokes... 6. When you apply it to your daily life... 7. When you watch from home... 8. When you just can't get enough... How do you feel about Conference?? Let us know in the comments below! #GETPUMPED View the full article

Is it Our Christian Duty To House Illegal Immigrants? Jeanette Vizguerra is originally from Mexico but was granted sanctuary by the First Unitarian Society of Denver in order to avoid deportation as an undocumented immigrant. Ingrid Encalada Latorre, of Peru, has been living at the Mountain View Friends Meeting since December. Thanks to the sensitive locations policy maintained by both Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, arrests at "sensitive locations" (i.e., schools, hospitals, and churches) should be avoided. Faith communities in Denver and Boulder are taking advantage of this policy, banding together to form the Metro Denver Sanctuary Coalition. "For Unitarian Universalists, one of our primary foundational beliefs is the inherent worth and dignity of all people. That's central to our work on immigration because we're looking at the human indignity of our current immigration process where you go in and take people from their home or workplaces and the effect that has on children and families," said Rev. Lydia Ferrante-Roseberry of The Boulder Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Other faith groups... View the full article

Opinion I was 18 and in my senior year of high school when President Thomas S. Monson stood at the pulpit in Saturday morning General Conference and said "Today I am pleased to announce that able, worthy young women who have the desire to serve may be recommended for missionary service beginning at age 19, instead of age 21." I was busy that day, running in a cross country race. There was no moment of cheering and crying and running to the phone to call the bishop as soon as I heard. I was sweaty, tired, and too busy trying to recover after a hard race and its aftermath to give the news more than a passing "That's cool." Serving a mission was never something I'd thought about before. Twenty-one seemed so old — I feel some embarrassment for the thought now that I've left 21 behind — and I was applying to colleges and figuring out scholarships for the next year. The age change was another thing I had to figure... View the full article

The Oscars have come and gone, but YouTube is forever. However, some of the talent found on the world's biggest website for videos deserve Oscar-winning levels of recognition. With that in mind, we've compiled some of the best Mormon music videos, parodies, and original songs YouTube has to offer. Some of these videos are cringe-worthy, but you can't help but admire the creativity and effort involved. Truly, Latter-day Saints are a talented bunch, and where they lack in talent, they make up in enthusiasm. Best Missionary Music Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckLqfX62u_I Of all the videos posted on YouTube by missionaries, this parody of Adele's "Hello" is the strongest in both production value and relatability for returned missionaries. The joy captured in the line "Hello from the inside!!!" can only be eclipsed by that second piece of pie. Missionaries work hard and contact every day for an opportunity like that, and this video portrays it perfectly. Best Original Rap(s) James The Mormon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DQ80hBXfdE James The Mormon introduced a new side of Mormons to the music world. He's paired up... View the full article

“You are to eat the chocolate pudding without using your hands and whoever finishes first wins!” She said with sardonic glee. “Wait, you want me to what?” “Hold the diaper to your face and eat the pudding without using your hands.” No. JUST. NO. No scented candle game prize is worth the indignant act of shoveling pudding out of a diaper into my carefully lip-sticked mouth, no matter how big the candle is. Give me Bingo, give me jumbled baby words, but do not expect a room full of women to participate in your sadistic shenanigans. I can see it now — a usually bright, chipper and thoughtful woman outlining the ultimate revenge game plan to get back at all the other times she’s had to play inhumane baby shower games. It’s a senseless circle that needs to be destroyed. The whole idea of throwing a baby shower is to help the new mother out with cute gifts and motherly advice (all the while neglecting to inform her of the impending doom reality). And cake. Really, for me, it’s... View the full article

Do Mormons swear? Kwaku and Ian dive into the topic of whether swearing and profanity is okay or not. Kwaku says that cussing can be funny at times but shouldn’t be done often and absolutely shouldn’t be done in a derogatory way. Kwaku says that when he is back home in Texas he tries not to curse very much. He does this because he knows that his non-Mormon friends watch how he acts and speaks as a member of the LDS Church. Ian mentions that the scriptures do say that we should have good language and that we should refrain from swearing as best as we can. He says that saying swear words and being profane isn’t what a worthy priesthood holder should do and that we should do our best to not swear. What do you think? Is it okay to swear or should we try to avoid saying bad words together? Comment below and tell us your thoughts." Follow 3 Mormons on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3mormons/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/3mormons/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/3Mormons SUBSCRIBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2LBmYIOq6Eu_ZC14i_YkIg Visit the Home of 3 Mormons... View the full article

Religious LDS culture has historically struggled to find a place for matters of mental health and depression as it dovetails with our mortal experience and our theology. As a result, many members may be unsure of how we as a people stand with respect to issues of depression, anxiety, and other common mental health issues. Elder Alexander B. Morrison writes: “I assure you that Latter-day Saints are in no way exempt from the burden of mental illness, either as victim, caregiver, family member, or friend. In every ward and stake, there are severely depressed men and women; elderly people with failing memories and reduced intellectual capacities; youth or adults struggling to escape the dark specter of suicide; persons of all ages, both sexes, and every walk of life, who exhibit aberrant, even bizarre behavior.” Using Elder Morrison’s book "Valley of Sorrows" as a backdrop resource, Brian Murdock, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and host Nick Galieti begin their discussion by debunking common myths about mental health issues. Murdock then addresses the... View the full article

Two strikes. Players on second and third. Last inning, 2 outs. Swing and a miss. Third strike: game over. Braden just stood there at the plate: bat in hand and shoulders slumped, listening to the other team cheer and celebrate. He lined up with the other players with his head held low as he slapped the hands of the other team members, reciting over and over “good game.” Helping his dad put the equipment in order, he waited till the last of his teammates left. Finally alone, Braden let out one big crocodile tear—unable to hold it in any longer. I ached to rush to him, throw my arms around him and tell his seven year old heart it was all going to be ‘OK’—but I didn’t. Instead, I watched his father take a knee and ask his son what was wrong. “We lost because of me,” tears trailing down his dust-stained face. “The score was 12 to 1 son—there was no way we were going to win that game even if you had hit a home... View the full article