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 Woodruff’s 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.
Parley finds a group of committed Christians in the town of Bolton, but when he tries to preach to them he is interrupted by hecklers who are ministers of another faith.
Edited by Scot Facer Proctor and Maurine Jensen Proctor
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LDS Church Partners with Local Agencies on Biofuel Project
SALT LAKE CITY - The 200-acre chunk of land southwest of the airport is barren save for wisps of grass and dried-out thistle. But give it some attention, and around July it will burst with bright oranges, yellows and reds as soon-to-be-planted safflower blooms. Soon after, the plants' seeds will become fuel to power local government fleets hungry for homegrown biodiesel.
The Power of the Media Does Wonders in Haiti
We are surrounded by media. And unless we live in a remote cave, its influence over our daily lives is enormous. It comes in a variety of forms: television, satellite radio, internet, newspapers, blogs, facebook, twitter, and so on. So what exactly is the role of the media in our lives?
Palm Sunday: A Beautiful Prelude
To celebrate Palm Sunday is to rejoice in the Lord's willingness to obey God and surrender himself to Jerusalem, where he predicted he would be "lifted up from the earth" on a cross days after his arrival.
Reconnecting Roots
COLUMBIANA, Alabama - An old Russian adage champions research going on right here in Columbiana. "We live as long as we are remembered," it reads. Pauline Williams, a volunteer with the Family History Center at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Columbiana, aims to bring family members long passed back to life.
What if Obama Fails on Healthcare Reform?
In the end, Democrats may simply not have enough votes to pass healthcare reform. If that happens, the rest of Obama's agenda would be cast into doubt, and the possibility of a tidal-wave election this fall would increase.
House May Try to Pass Senate Health-Care Bill Without Voting On It
After laying the groundwork for a decisive vote this week on the Senate's health-care bill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested Monday that she might attempt to pass the measure without having members vote on it.
Obama Hones Final Health Care Pitch
Fighting to overcome the impression of high spending and backroom deals, President Obama has honed his health care message to highlight his bill's benefits to consumers - from better Medicare prescription-drug coverage for seniors to guaranteeing insurance regardless of pre-existing conditions.
Wavering Dems in Obama's Sights on Health Vote
WASHINGTON - Days away from a make-or-break vote on his health care overhaul, President Barack Obama is turning up the pressure as only presidents can, as Democratic leaders make a desperate scramble for votes.
Pelosi: Dems will Have Votes to OK Health Care
WASHINGTON - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, surrounded by at least a dozen restless babies at a news conference Monday, declared that when she brings health care reform to the House floor, likely by the end of this week, "we will have the votes."
Fiji Declares State of Emergency for Cyclone Aid
SUVA, Fiji - Fiji declared a state of emergency Tuesday and ordered troops to launch relief operations in northern regions battered by a powerful cyclone that knocked out power and forced thousands of people to flee into shelters.
Hurricanes Create a Census Challenge in New Orleans
Unlike households in most of the rest of the country that get their 10-question forms in the mail, families hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 and Ike and Gustav in 2008 will get a personal visit. The special attention is for people living in trailers, makeshift apartments or other temporary housing that don't get regular mail delivery.
Census Bureau Over Budget as Heavy Counting Gets Under Way
The U.S. Census is well into conducting its constitutionally mandated 2010 count but the exercise is already running over budget. Taxpayers are footing the bill of $14.7 billion for 10 years of Census counting. That price tag supports 500 local offices and a peak staff of 1.4 million workers.
Obama Takes the Long View in Times of Crisis
WASHINGTON - Just back from a recent day trip to Georgia, President Barack Obama walked into the Oval Office and told his senior staff to get a grip.
Google Likely to Shut Down China Engine
Can Google survive without China? Can China survive without Google? The world may be about to find out, as the clash between the world's biggest search engine and the world's biggest Internet market approaches a climax.
Intermountain Medical Center Research Shows Benefits of Vitamin D
SALT LAKE CITY - People who are deficient in vitamin D and raise their intake - through supplements or more sun exposure - can cut their risk for heart disease and a host of other chronic conditions, according to new research from Intermountain Medical Center.
Arteries Improve After Smokers Quit
ATLANTA - A year after kicking the habit, smokers’ arteries showed signs of reversing a problem that can set the stage for heart disease, according to the first big study to test this.
New HIV Infections Increasing Among Homosexuals Worldwide
NEW YORK - New HIV infections are increasing among homosexuals, drug users and prostitutes who don't seek help because of laws that criminalize these practices, the head of the U.N. AIDS agency said Monday.
Toyota Dismisses California Man's Runaway Prius Report
SAN DIEGO - Toyota Motor Corp. was quiet last week when James Sikes told reporters how the gas pedal got stuck on his 2008 Prius, leading him on a wild ride on a Southern California freeway. Now the Japanese automaker is talking at length about how its tests don't support Sikes' version of events, and the driver is quiet.
For Toyota, a Sudden Acceleration of Claims
As the media has focused on 'runaway' Toyotas like the Prius, more consumer reports of sudden acceleration and other problems are pouring in. Are they legitimate?
Aide: Karzai 'Very Angry' at Taliban Boss' Arrest
KABUL - The Afghan government was holding secret talks with the Taliban's No. 2 when he was captured in Pakistan, and the arrest infuriated President Hamid Karzai, according to one of Karzai's advisers.
Afghan Women Fear Loss of Hard-Won Progress
LAGHMAN, AFGHANISTAN - The head-to-toe burqas that made women a faceless symbol of the Taliban's violently repressive rule are no longer required here. But many Afghan women say they still feel voiceless eight years into a war-torn democracy, and they point to government plans to forge peace with the Taliban as a prime example.
Like GOP, Democratic Party Has Rifts
For all the evidence of a divided GOP, the Democratic Party has its own widening cracks that could make a potentially bleak election year even more dour.
Sandbags Delivered Ahead of Expected Fargo Flood
FARGO, North Dakota - Marc Shannon says the prospect of using a sandbag wall to protect his Fargo home from the rising Red River doesn't seem so alarming. Not after last year, when the city dealt with record flooding and Shannon had to maneuver around a 10-foot-high clay dike that cut his house off from the outside world.
As Climate Change Debate Wages On, Scientists Turn to Hollywood for Help
Keeping the public looped in on what scientists are discovering has never been easy. For one thing, the traditional explainers - journalists - can distort, hype, or oversimplify the latest breakthroughs. But the need to communicate science broadly and clearly has never been more urgent.
Array of Hurdles Awaits New Education Agenda
In the blueprint for overhauling federal education policy that President Obama sent to Congress on Monday, his administration seeks to confront some of the major educational challenges that have developed during the eight years that President George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind law has been a powerful influence on the nation's public schools.
National Digest: Stevens Weighs Summer Retirement from Supreme Court
Justice John Paul Stevens, the leader of the Supreme Court's liberal wing, told the New Yorker in an interview that he will decide early next month whether he will retire when the court's current term ends in June. Stevens, at 89 the court's oldest justice, told the magazine that he has his "options open."
U.S. Envoy Cancels Mideast Trip Amid Israel Feud
JERUSALEM - Washington's Mideast peace envoy delayed his trip to the region as Israeli officials remained defiant on Tuesday over their plans to build more settlements in disputed east Jerusalem amid deepening feud between U.S. and Israel.
Jerusalem Clashes Erupt after Hamas Declares 'Day of Rage'
Masked Palestinians clashed with Israeli police in multiple East Jerusalem neighborhoods on Tuesday, hurling rocks at security forces and burning tires. Police presence is high in Jerusalem after Hamas called for a "day of rage" against Israel following its rededication of a synagogue in Jerusalem's Old City on Monday.
Broadband Plan Faces Hurdles
Federal regulators detailed a $20 billion, 10-year plan to ensure all U.S. households access to high-speed Internet service, but the proposal faces resistance from industry groups and possible questions from lawmakers over how to pay for it.
Bad Credit Derails Job Seekers
After three rounds of interviews for a sales position with Prudential Insurance Co. of America, Patricia Rosa received a letter in February saying her job application was denied based on information from a background check she authorized the company to conduct. The only blemish on her record, she says: Poor credit that built up since she lost her job two years ago.
Plucky Whooping Crane Gives Wildlife Experts Hope
ARANSAS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, Texas - After the poisonous snake slithered into the whooping crane family's marshy grounds and sank its fangs into the chick's neck, death seemed certain.
Do Airport Full Body Scanners Violate Islam?
As full body scanners make their O'Hare Airport debut Monday, two groups say the devices - which image a person's body - are immodest, and therefore are inconsistent with Islam.
Can You Alter Your Memory?
Is it possible to permanently change your memories? A group of scientists thinks so. And their new techniques for altering memories are raising possibilities of one day treating people who suffer from phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder and other anxiety-related conditions.
Scientists Go 'Gaga' to Find Creatures Beneath 600 Feet of Ice
WASHINGTON - In a surprising discovery about where higher life can thrive, scientists for the first time found a shrimp-like creature and a jellyfish frolicking beneath a massive Antarctic ice sheet.
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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