The large majority of us live in urban settings, and so have very little space for a vegetable garden. And yet somehow we all need to heed President Spencer W. Kimball’s counsel that “every family should have a garden”.
To celebrate its fiftieth anniversary, BYU Studies is holding a symposium entitled “Of Things Both in Heaven and in the Earth” this weekend, Friday, March 12, and Saturday, March 13 and live bloggers will be covering the event.
The scope and breadth of the brain are awesome, especially in the future when the Lord opens up the other ninety percent of our mental capacity, when he “quickens the mind of our understanding,” literally speeding up our ability to learn.
52 Young Women from seven different high schools came together for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to walk the runway in a fashion show put on by professional stylists, makeup artists, hair stylists, and 25 local vendors to celebrate “fashionable modesty”.
In a lengthy interview with the Deseret News, Bishop H. David Burton, presiding bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, discussed recent land acquisitions by the Church, its historical relationship with Salt Lake City leaders and its real estate philosophy.
The Washington, D.C. Chapter of the BYU Management Society (BYUMS-DC) announced today that it would honor best-selling author and columnist Orson Scott Card at its annual Gala Dinner on April 24, 2010
If the words “I’m off all medication, down nearly 70 pounds and no longer crave sugar, sweets or foods made with white flour” sound important to you, you’ll be intrigues by this article about Judy Jensen of Taber Alberta Canada.
Michael Otterson, who heads the worldwide public affairs office for the Church, is a regular panelist on the On Faith blog, sponsored by The Washington Post.
It’s pretty universally acknowledged that a lot of things can look alike at first glance, but be extremely different when considered in detail. Codependency is not charity.
If we find, even though adults, that we are still self-absorbed at the expense of others, are dependent on others’ approval, are defensive and fearful, we can know that there is still maturation work to do and that our spiritual development has been arrested.
The imagery of clothing beautifully conveys the correspondence between the stages of personal progression and the accrual of glory in increasing likeness to God.
Most of us do not live near enough to a coastline to worry about a tsunami reaching us at home, but if you ever spend time at the beach you must be aware of the dangers and signs of a tsunami.
In the premortal world, were we ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood? If so, what was our work then, and what should be our work now and in the future?
The Church’s new website for youth has videos to inspire your youth. Here’s one about Emily Winegar who was recently crowned the American Quarter Horse Youth Association World Champion.
Sam Payne and Mindy Gledhill, along with other members of a touring group, gave concerts to several orphanages in Bulgaria last year. On March 5th they will be holding a benefit concert on the BYU campus in Provo to commemorate their trip.
What of Heavenly Mother, Wilford Woodruffs recording of the passing of the priesthood keys, climate change? Ten live bloggers covered the BYU Studies Symposium this past weekend, and here are a few highlights from the intriguing talks they recorded.
Photo essays, stories of Latter-day Saints in Haiti and vivid writing take you to the scene of this great humanitarian crisis. If you haven’t read the stories in this special section, don’t miss them. Read all of the articles here.
Ken Hawkins from Bossier City, Louisiana, writes: “When I was young I had a very bad memory. My brother once suggested that my memory was so bad that I could hide my own Easter eggs!” Come laugh with us.
Edited & Compiled by Trisha Manwaring, Assistant Editor,
Meridian Magazine
March 17, 2010 marks the 168th anniversary of the organization of Relief Society. Here is a glimpse of a 19th century Relief Society activity that perhaps 21st century sisters would not care to replicate.
I wonder how one can progress from just having a celestial checklist and doing all the right things, to becoming a celestial being; not selective in who deserves a smile or some of our love.
Every visit to Adam-ondi-Ahman brings something wonderful. Sometimes it is meeting beloved and dear friends. Sometimes its a gift from the heavensin the form of diverse weather. Sometimes, and most often, its just what happens to the heart. This is one the most sacred places on earth. Today, the visit is just as the sun begins to risethe dawning of a beautiful new day in this garden place.
Readers respond to a lament from “Overworked,” who wondered what to do about ward members who refuse to take callings — or, worse, refuse to perform callings they have accepted.
Penny Best from California wrote: My husband and I are serving as nursery leaders right now and our 5-year-old daughter likes to help us prepare and set up for nursery. Yesterday before church she got out one of her books and suggested we could take it to read to the nursery children. On the way there, she said: "You can keep this book in the nursery closet if you want, but be sure to bring it home when you are deleted from nursery."
Edited & Compiled by Trisha Manwaring, Assistant Editor,
Meridian Magazine
A special symposium celebrating BYU Studies will be held Friday, March 12, and Saturday, March 13 at BYU. Free and open to the public, with the theme “Of Things Both in Heave and in the Earth”, the symposium features 50 fascinating presenters.
In Mitt Romneys new book he says America must reclaim its promisewhich he says is not only possible, but necessary if Americans are to remain free, strong prosperous and safe.
President Larry Laycock and his wife, Sister Lisa Laycock head the Santiago Chile East Mission and had spent the two weeks prior to the 8.8 earthquake visiting each missionary apartment and preparing them for an earthquake. Here’s why.
Remember that the names which will be so difficult to find are of real people to whom you owe your existence in this world and whom you will meet again in the spirit world.
I have been visiting Adam-ondi-Ahman for over 40 years. I have taken thousands of images here. When I first visited this place, the Church owned, I believe, around 200 acres of tangled wood, broken-down fences and poison-ivy-choked meadows. Things have changed mightily. Come and see.
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BYU Cracks Final Four - For Academics
Looking for an upset in your March Madness bracket? How about 14th-seeded Ohio toppling powerhouse Georgetown? Or lowly Vermont taking down a top-ranked Syracuse squad? What about a BYU run to the Final Four?
City of St. George Receives 2010 Heritage Foundation Award
St. George, Utah - The 2010 Utah Heritage Foundation award recipient of the governmental agency category is the City of St. George. The award is given in recognition for the construction and design of the St. George Town Square.
Mariners Schedule LDS Night; Institute to Throw Out First Pitch
SEATTLE - Seattle Mariners legend Ken Griffey, Jr. and star outfielder Ichiro Suzuki aren't Mormon, but on one summer night in the Emerald City, both will share the spotlight with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Bodyguard to President Hinckley Reflects on Prophet's Genuineness
SALT LAKE CITY - David Sayer recounted some of his fondest memories serving as President Gordon B. Hinckley's bodyguard, to institute students at Westminster College, recapturing the spirit and spunk of the late Mormon prophet.
Catholic Church, Mormons among Religious Bodies Gaining Members
WASHINGTON - In the United States and Canada, membership numbers have gone up for the Catholic Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Assemblies of God, among others, according to the 2010 edition of a yearbook published by the National Council of Churches.
Joseph Smith Now Even More Irish
Mormon prophet Joseph Smith Jr., was shown in 2008 to have descended from Irish royalty. Ugo Perego, director of operations at Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, said recent DNA tests show the connection is even more certain.
GOP Blasts Democrats' Tactic for Health Care Bill
An obscure parliamentary maneuver favored by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) suddenly ignited Tuesday as the latest tinder in the year-long partisan strife over reshaping the nation's health-care system, triggering debate over the strategy's legitimacy and political wisdom.
Overhaul Splits Party Faithful
The pending health-care overhaul remains unpopular with a broad swath of the public, but core Democrats the party needs to show up and vote in November are strong backers, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll finds.
Obama to Speak with Fox News on Wednesday
President Obama is taking his healthcare pitch directly to Fox News viewers. The White House on Tuesday said Obama would speak with anchor Bret Baier for his Wednesday program.
Fact Check: Premiums Would Rise Under Obama Plan
WASHINGTON - Buyers, beware: President Barack Obama says his health care overhaul will lower premiums by double digits, but check the fine print. Premiums are likely to keep going up even if the health care bill passes, experts say.
Obama's New Partner: Al Sharpton
WASHINGTON - With his wavy bouffant and medallion necklaces, the Rev. Al Sharpton famously confronted government officials on behalf of black Americans. Now he has found a new role: telling black leaders to quiet their criticisms and give the government a chance.
Quake Shakes Los Angeles; No Damage Reported
LOS ANGELES - Southern Californians were jolted from their sleep before dawn yesterday as a small but strongly felt earthquake struck beneath Los Angeles’s eastern suburbs.
Was LA Earthquake a Precursor to the 'Big One'?
The 4.4 magnitude LA earthquake rattled the city Tuesday morning. Experts say it is impossible to tell whether small quakes are a sign that other bigger ones may follow.
U.N. and Haitian Government to Begin Campaign To House Homeless Before Rain Season
PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI - The United Nations and the Haitian government are poised to begin an intense public awareness campaign in the capital city, part of an urgent effort to move hundreds of thousands of people left homeless by the Jan. 12 earthquake out of harm's way before the rain and flood season begins next month.
Senate Poised to Clear Jobs Bill for Obama
WASHINGTON - Companies that hire unemployed workers get a temporary payroll tax holiday under a bill headed for likely Senate passage Wednesday. A positive vote would send the legislation to the White House for President Barack Obama's signature.
Moody's Hint at Move That Could Be Catastrophic for US Debt
Moody said Monday that it would consider downgrading its triple-A rating for US Treasury Bonds if Washington continues to pile up record deficits. The move would make it significantly harder for the US to finance its debt by borrowing from other countries.
White House Urged to End Israel Row on Settlements
The Obama administration on Tuesday came under congressional pressure to end its diplomatic row with Israel over its housing-expansion plans in occupied East Jerusalem, with legislators from both parties expressing concern about the future of the relationship and the peace process.
U.S. Opens Spigot for California Farmers
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced a sharp increase in federal water supplies for California's agricultural Central Valley, further easing drought concerns in a state where El Nino rains have raised the mountain snowpack after three severely dry years.
Bin Laden Capture Seen Unlikely
Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. predicted Tuesday Osama bin Laden will never face justice in an American courthouse because he will never be taken alive by U.S. troops.
Iran's Link to China Includes Nukes, Missiles
KIEV - Recent developments in Iran confirm that China is providing Tehran with critical defense technologies and weapons systems, including some that violate stated Chinese policies aimed at preventing nuclear proliferation.
Why Iran Smiles on Jerusalem Clashes
The Jerusalem clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians that injured more than 100 today, together with an unfolding crisis between the US and Israel, give beleaguered Iran an opportunity to boost its clout.
Fiji Cyclone Damage Overwhelming, Leader Says
SUVA, Fiji - The South Pacific island nation of Fiji has suffered overwhelming damage from a powerful cyclone that battered its shores for more than three days, the prime minister said Wednesday as relief operations were launched in the country's northern regions.
Midwest Braces for Floods
CHICAGO - A massive snowpack in the Upper Midwest and along parts of the East Coast have set the stage for potential record floods in the coming weeks, possibly pushing back the planting season in the Farm Belt and prompting intense preparations to reinforce levees and draw down reservoirs.
U.S. Housing Starts Tumble
Winter storms slowed new home construction in February, the latest blow for a housing market that remains strained by foreclosures and tight credit. Housing starts tumbled 5.9% in February from a month earlier to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 575,000, the Commerce Department said Tuesday.
Ireland's Economic Woes Leave Emerald Isle Blue
Ireland's economy offers little to celebrate this year on St. Patrick's Day. The Emerald Isle's output will likely decline for the third year in a row in 2010. And the national unemployment rate is still rising, approaching 13 percent.
European Nations Allege U.S. Protectionism in Tanker Deal
PARIS - A wave of indignation has swept the major industrial nations of Europe over the Pentagon's handling of a $40 billion contract to buy new aerial refueling tankers, with political and economic leaders accusing the Obama administration of protectionism.
Honda to Recall 410,000 Vehicles for Brake Problem
DETROIT - Honda Motor Co. will recall more than 410,000 Odyssey minivans and Element small trucks because of braking system problems that could make it tougher to stop the vehicle if not repaired. The recall includes 344,000 Odysseys and 68,000 Elements from the 2007 and 2008 model years.
Financial Reform Would Shift Fed's Authority Away from Regional Banks
In the details of the financial reform legislation introduced this week are fundamental changes to the Federal Reserve that would shift power from the regional Fed banks around the country and concentrate it in Washington and New York.
From Guns to Health Care, States' Rights Gain Ground
NEW YORK - Whether it's a correctly called a movement, a backlash, or political theater, state declarations of their rights - or in some cases denunciations of federal authority, amounting to the same thing - are on a roll.
China without Google: 'A Lose-Lose Scenario'
BEIJING - China without Google - a prospect that looks increasingly likely - could mean no more maps on mobile phones. A free music service that has helped to fight piracy might be in jeopardy. China's fledgling Web outfits would face less pressure to improve, eroding their ability to one day compete abroad.
Genetically Modified Foods Get U.S. Traction, Global Debate
For more than a decade, two opposing views of the technology used for genetically engineering crops have fought for the hearts and minds of the world's farmers. At best, they've come to a standoff.
There are few things that require concentration or extra effort that are comfortable or convenient. Those people who do not want to put themselves out or "seek" for that which is "of good report or praiseworthy" can usually find an excuse for not participating in the experience. Self-improvement is seldom situated within easy reach.
– David M. Randall, “Watching It Rain”, BYU Devotional, Sept. 16, 1997
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