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Almost half of the 164-year existence of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has been led by three men who served as director-conductors of the choir for 73 of those years. One of those men, the 3rd-ranked director-conductor (in terms of longevity), was J. Spencer Cornwall -- a veteran of leading the choir for 22 years (1935-1957). [The two who served longer were Evan Stephens, 26 years; and Jerold Don Ottley, 25 years...see List of Mormon Tabernacle Choir music directors). Still in good standing with the church, the Mormon Church even brought Cornwall back for the 1979 tabernacle reunion event. There --...

66 years ago today (Dec. 17, 1947), an Old Testament "scholar" for BYU gave the annual "Joseph Smith Memorial Fireside" message in Logan Utah at the Lds Institute for Religion. The Institute, geared to be a spiritual hub for Utah State University Mormon students, has grown from 114 students to it being perhaps the "second largest" LDS Institute of Religion in the world with over 7,000 students. See Perry honors 75 years of Logan InstituteThe Logan Institute has made a significant "contribution" to the Mormon celebration of "Smithmas" by developing "Joseph Smith Memorial firesides" that "began in 1944 and have...

The church has put up a couple interesting...topic pages recently on LDS.org... Today, the Church disavows the theories advanced in the past...Funny, I don’t see the word “theory” used here: ...(2 Nephi 5:21). ...“theory” wasn’t used in this statement on the “negro question”: The position of the Church regarding the Negro may be understood when another doctrine of the Church is kept in mind, namely, that the conduct of spirits in the premortal existence has some determining effect upon the conditions and circumstances under which these spirits take on mortality (Statement by the First Presidency, August 17, 1949). Joseph Fielding...

Many feel that Christmas marks Christ's birthday and that it honors Him. After all, can 2 billion professing Christians be wrong? At the same time, some few Christians don't observe Christmas, believing that Jesus didn't sanction it and that it dishonors Him. Who is right—and why? More at the link.....

My gifts are "ALIVE" in you though some have forgotten, They have not died with the Apostles For My Fruit can not rotten, "My Spirit is Eternal " and Desires to renew ( ( ) ) ~ ( ( ) ), The Day of Pentecost to "ARISE IN YOU" \!/ So raise up your hands \o/ and begin to receive ! You Shall do greater things if you just believe , I AM "HAS" sent you so will you stand up and go ?! For I AM your Talent so let my freedom within you Flow ~ ~ ~ I...

An ecumenical group of religious historians and other scholars will convene at the University of Notre Dame’s McKenna Hall on Dec. 5-6 (Thursday-Friday) for a conference titled “Catholics and Mormons: A New Dialogue.” The conference will explore relationships among Catholics and Mormons as their churches are increasingly allied in common social, political and relief efforts. Its themes will include “The Lay of the Land: Contemporary Mormonism and Catholicism,” “Catholicism and Mormonism in Historical Context,” “Revelation: Scriptures, Traditions, and Authoritative Teachings” and “Theologies of Encounter, Unity, and Diversity.”

TAYLORSVILLE, Utah - Members of a Mormon congregation in a Salt Lake City suburb encountered someone they thought was a homeless man at church on Sunday. What they did not know was the man was a bishop for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Your situational experiences are woven into your life's choices and declarations for I hold you responsible for every word uttered or spoken from your heart as David and Moses . Do not strike the Rock that is your foundation and learn to love me as David for "I AM The Moses of your ways in Me, and as your guiding Shepherd" it is my WORD that goes before you and my mindset you must take on for "I AM The Menorah of your ways" and it is in your intimacy with me you find and declare my manifold wisdom for...

Following the distribution of the Jesus Christ/Joseph Smith DVD last month, there have been many conversations and opinions published online regarding the Christian outreach effort. One exchange took place on the Salt Lake Tribune’s public forum. A Catholic woman, who believes in “love and charity to all” wrote to express her dismay over the DVD distribution, ending her letter with a kind hope that Latter-day Saints had been able to enjoy their Church’s General Conference despite the “sport” engaged in by “anti-Mormons.” Perhaps this was not the most charitable and loving letter “to all” in consideration of the nature of...

A Roman Catholic scholar and former philosophy and religion professor has released a new book that defends Mormonism as "one of the youngest branches on the Christian tree," and claims that Christians can learn from the Mormon religion. Stephen H. Webb, former 25 year professor of religion and philosophy at Wabash College and author of the book, Mormon Christianity: What Other Christians Can Learn From the Latter-day Saints, told The Christian Post that, among other things, "Mormon theology teaches us to think of matter in new and creative ways." "Traditional theology teaches that matter is lifeless, without the soul it's...

You have entered in, now sit quietly at my feet and listen and record the report of My heart for now your desires have become mine for I AM The Perpetual fire that abides in you eternal. Listen then GO, SPEAK and DO for I AM The Voice of your many waters ~ ~ ~ So let My waters move in you , "RISE UP" Oh Well for The Voice of many waters is "CALLING" to you for My Glory . John 7:38(AMP) 38 He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as...

My Love for you is amazing! So allow me to love you by letting go of "all" the woes that encumber you for I AM your Peace and Joy. "Rise up oh well for the voice of many waters is calling to you for his glory" !!! Galatians 5:1 It is "for" freedom that Christ "has" set us FREE ! "Stand firm then" and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. ! Psalm 34 [A Psalm] of David; when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him out, and he went away. 1...

My sustainment of my children comes through INTENSE INTIMACY not just lament and prayer for there is a difference between Mary at my feet and those that knew me from a distance . Do you see I AM your lap of Pure Joy and Breakthrough and it is in my presence that you receive your breakthrough. So see that you break through all distractions to me for they are a wall of resistance to all the blessings already laid at my feet for you to discern and receive. Luke 10:38-42 38 Now while they were on their way, it occurred...

Two Utah Boy Scout leaders are facing significant backlash after posting a video online of the men tipping over a nearly 200-million-year-old rock formation in Goblin Valley State Park. Glenn Taylor and David Hall, from Highland, Utah, have now been removed from the Boy Scouts of America. An investigation is underway to determine whether the men will face felony charges. SNIP ...leadership of the Utah National Parks Council, the Boy Scouts’ local chapter, consulted with leadership of the chartering organization for the men’s unit — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — including ward and stake leaders, according...

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC 4 Utah) - A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has recently undergone a big transition and tonight hopes the church will accept her for who she says she is. Leahnora Isaak was born a man, was ordained in the priesthood, but now wants the church to recognize her as a woman. “I knew at four years old that I was female,” she said. Up until last spring, Leahnora was known as Bob, a husband, father and priesthood holder. “I felt that being Bob I was a cross-dresser I felt that...

The chill seemed to begin to thaw for some in 2004 when Mouw introduced Ravi Zacharias at the LDS Church's Salt Lake Tabernacle. Mouw spoke for seven minutes and apologized for evangelicals who had "misrepresented the faith and belief of Latter-day Saints." "Let me state it clearly," Mouw said. "We evangelicals have sinned against you." Mouw didn't flinch despite criticism of the apology by other evangelicals and published a book last year titled "Talking with Mormons: An Invitation to Evangelicals." He practices “convicted civility,” which he says is different from what he calls the “ ‘anything-goes’ compromised relativism so popular...

Mormons are known for proselytizing other faiths, rather than being the subject of being proselyted. I hadn’t considered why Protestants get upset at Mormon missionaries, or even why Mormons get so upset when evangelicals try to proselyte during General Conference weekend. I also hadn’t considered Mormons proselyting or getting upset as being a double standard. There was an interesting exchange in Season 3 of Sister Wives. (I know that there are at least 6 seasons, but I don’t have cable and have refused to pay for episodes when I have Netflix already. Netflix has recently added season 3, so I...

People who have died are very important to members of the Mormon Church. The dead are a very important aspect of the Mormon gospel. The sixth President of the Church, Joseph F. Smith, taught, “We will not finish our work until we have saved ourselves, and then not until we shall have saved all depending upon us; for we are to become saviors upon Mount Zion, as well as Christ. We are called to this mission. The dead are not perfect without us, neither are we without them [see D&C 128:18]. We have a mission to perform for and in...

Latayne Colvett Scott wrote about her experiences in being "proxy baptized" on behalf of the dead when she was a Mormon teen. And even though the process is quite mechanical, activity at Mormon temples can range greatly from the mechanical to the mystical, where, Scott wrote: "This sort of mechanical processing of proxies goes on daily in the...temples around the world. Literally millions of dead persons have had proxy baptisms done for them in this assembly-line fashion...the righteous dead can intermingle with and teach those who have not received the Gospel in mortal life." (Latayne Colvett Scott, The Mormon Mirage:...

...Former LDS historian D. Michael Quinn...Quinn's meticulous research, enriched by his access to LDS historical archives, paints a very different picture of Joseph Smith than that recounted by church elders. According to Quinn, Smith was a man deeply influenced by the Renaissance "magic worldview" imported from Europe and kept alive in America through the folkways of British and German immigrants. Quinn, who has since been excommunicated from the LDS, argued that the legend of the discovery of the golden plates reflected the practices and lore of early American dowsers. Had he, rather than Elder Mitchell, escorted me through the visitors'...