Round Up: Hot Mormon Topics in the News

It should come as no surprise to most members of the LDS Church that the closer a Mormon gets to the U.S. presidency the longer the claws of those who oppose such a thought will extend. In a matter of only a few days news headlines are covering our beliefs about tithing, baptism for the dead, temple garments, heaven and hell, etc. in the hopes of dissuading potential voters from a Mormon for President.

As Mormon beliefs and practices continue to be put under the public microscope, unfortunately and for the most part, it's not for a better understanding of what we believe but rather to create skepticism and distrust in persons that believe such seemingly odd things. Going with the premise that people tend to fear what they don't understand, those who oppose presidential candidate Mitt Romney are doing their best to present to the public what they believe will damage his chances in Florida this week -- his Mormon faith.

I've previously made it very clear, that here on WBMW, I will not promote a specific candidate.  However, that does not mean I won't do my best to take opportunities to help clarify our Mormon beliefs and doctrines during this heightened scrutiny, which are often misrepresented.  

So if you happen to come across this blog in hopes of gaining a better understanding of some of the Mormon beliefs that are being discussed in the news currently, I'd like to share some links with you in hopes of giving you credible information on a few of the topics mentioned above.

Mormons and Tithing:

On Faith - Mormons and the practice of tithing

"Tithing is not unique to Mormons, of course. Many churches practice it in one form or another. Jewish observance of tithing long predates Christian communities. But in Mormon practice it is understood to mean donating “one tenth of our increase” to the service of God. At the close of the Book of Malachi, the Old Testament prophet wrote:

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” (Malachi 3:10)."

What is done with the tithing that Mormons pay?

"The principle of tithing, or voluntarily giving one tenth of one’s income to God’s work, has been known since Old Testament times. Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:17-20).

The law of tithing is how the Lord funds His Church. Today all faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints contribute one tenth of their income as tithing."

Deseret News - Mitt Romney hopes millions he tithes to LDS Church isn't politicized

"With the release of Mitt Romney's tax records on Tuesday, the world now knows what was previously known only by a select few: Mitt and Ann Romney pay 10 percent of their income in tithing to their faith.

Traditionally, tithing records are viewed as a confidential matter between members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the lay leader of their church congregation, but for the Romneys in the midst of a presidential campaign, those charitable donations are now a matter of public record."

Temple Garments:

BuzzFeed - A Brief Guide To “Mormon Underwear”

"From the start of Romney's career as a public figure--and, in many ways, well before then--the special undergarment worn by many observant Mormon men and women had been a point of political curiosity, debate, and derision. While provocateurs and bloggers make jokes about "magic Mormon undies," anti-Mormons try to cast the garment as something more sinister--a bizarre symbol of its wearers' fealty to a scary, secretive cult. The reality is far less exciting."

What are Special Undergarments, LDS Temple Garments or Magic Underwear the Mormons Wear?

"If you were to ask nearly any Mormon what it is that they hear, or are personally asked about most often, it will no doubt be the wearing of our "secret, magic or funny - underwear" as many refer to them.

Of course, they are referring to the white temple garments which endowed members of the LDS Church wear every day. Adult members when they go to the temple for their first time, to receive their endowment, are given the garment ceremonially. In the temple endowment faithful members of the church make sacred covenants with God. The temple undergarment serves as a reminder to all endowed members of the church of the covenants that they have made with God."

Baptism for the Dead:

About Mormonism - Mormon Baptism for the Dead

"Many people have died without receiving a valid baptism, and they cannot undergo this precious ritual as mere spirits. "Because all on the earth do not have the opportunity to accept the gospel during mortality, the Lord has authorized baptisms performed by proxy for the dead. Therefore, those who accept the gospel in the spirit world may qualify for entrance into God's kingdom" (See Guide to the Scriptures). 

One thing that should be made perfectly clear about Mormon baptisms for the dead is that each deceased soul has the personal choice to accept or reject it. There is nothing in Mormonism that states that the person who is being baptized by proxy must accept this ordinance; he or she is simply given the opportunity to choose."

Mormonism - Heaven and Hell:


What do Mormons believe about “eternal life?”


"Heaven is the place where God lives and the future home of those who do God’s will and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. The hope of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and the purpose of life on this earth is to teach us and prepare us that we, along with our families, might live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ eternally."


What do Mormons believe happens to us after we die? What do Mormons believe about life after death?

"Death is not the end. Death is really a beginning—another step forward in Heavenly Father’s plan for His children. Someday, like everyone else, your physical body will die. But your spirit does not die, it goes to the spirit world, where you will continue to learn and progress and may be with loved ones who have passed on.

Death is a necessary step in your progression, just as your birth was. Sometime after your death, your spirit and your body will be reunited—never to be separated again. This is called resurrection, and it was made possible by the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ (see 1 Corinthians 15:20-22)."

What Do Mormons Believe -- About Hell?


" Mormons believe in hell, but our conception of hell is different than the one that generally springs to mind, and we use the word to mean different things in different contexts. For us, there are two “hells”, really. One is a state of pain, guilt, and anguish where the spirits of the wicked will be after they die but before the final judgment (we often call this state spirit prison). The other is an everlasting state of hell reserved for a few truly wicked (we commonly refer to this one as outer darkness). Because the second state only applies to few, for the majority of people hell will not last forever: after the final judgment most people will receive some degree of glory."

tDMg
Kathryn Skaggs

To learn about other Mormon beliefs visit Mormon.org

Mormon Moment: Is Time Standing Still?

Highlights of results from a new Pew Forum survey on Mormons in America found that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are highly religious, dedicated to family, quite satisfied with their lives, describe themselves as Christian -- but are still somewhat apprehensive about being in the spotlight. Does this represent you? I suspect that for many it does.

The survey, first of its kind, was prompted by the insatiable desire of Americans wanting to know more about Mormon presidential candidates, Mitt Romney and John Huntsman. You may recall Newsweek's feature that dubbed the current interest in Mormonism as "The Mormon Moment".  I had quite a bit to say that about that, here.

If there really is such a thing as "time standing still" this would definitely be it. Mormon voices of all varieties are being sought out by major news outlets, in a desire to better understand the minds of Mormons under such scrutiny.  And in fact, I am one of those. I was approached a few days ago by The Washington Post, On Faith editor, Elizabeth Tenety. (who is absolutely as lovely as can be:) She extended an invitation to this WBMW to participate in a feature that would coincide with the release of the Pew survey -- along with "a number of prominent Mormon thinkers and cultural influencers".  (And yes, she said that!)

Needless to say this has been a thrill! I've felt the hand of the Lord throughout this entire experience and feel that this was a unique opportunity to share, with many outside the Mormon faith, a voice that I sincerely hope resonates with the majority of LDS members. I say members because my voice is one of many at On Faith, representing what members are feeling right now.  I was acutely aware of this fact as I was writing. It wasn't me writing, but 'us' and I wanted to share with others a genuine picture of how I believe most members are experiencing this "Mormon Moment".

After reading my post at On Faith, and IF you share a similar perspective, pleeeeease post a comment on the article page, and say so.  (Now, this is not a plea for you to tell me how incredible I am;) It is my hope that The Washington Post will hear our voice as members of the Church, representative of results in Pew's study -- and perhaps in the future invite more of the like.

For Mormons, this moment is personal

By Kathryn Skaggs

   

Official statement of LDS Church on Pew Forum Survey:

"Mormons’ faith, beliefs and practices translate to satisfaction with their lives according to a report studying members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the United States released today by the Pew Center’s Forum on Religion and Public Life. 

The study, a nationwide survey of 1,019 Latter-day Saints, sought to determine the levels of religiosity among Church members and found that 77% of members say they attend religious services at least once a week, 83% say they pray every day, 98% say they believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and 97% describe their faith as a Christian religion. The study confirms that Mormons exhibit higher levels of religious commitment than many other religious groups and believe firmly in the distinctive tenants of their faith."

Read the entire news release LDS Newsroom.

On Faith: Mormon in America - Polling the ‘Mormon moment’

Deseret News wrote a great article summarizing the Pew survey that I definitely recommend.  It's the first in a series of five articles that will go into greater detail about the survey results.

'Mormons in America' Pew survey explores beliefs, attitudes of LDS Church members

And here's the second in the series just posted:

Mormon focus on marriage, family highlighted by Pew survey

tDMg
Kathryn Skaggs

LDS Teaching Resource for Parents and Primary Teachers

Every teacher loves and needs good teaching resources, and for those of us who are privileged to teach children, The Friend  now has a great LDS resource!  If you're a parent, primary teacher or leader of children -- or grandparent, the Friend is now publishing an online resource of additional helps for instruction.

What you will find with this new online LDS Church resource are stories, activities and media that support the current year's Primary curriculum.  Also provided will be an excellent index for ideas on various gospel topics that can be used both in the home and for teaching Primary.  Best of all, these are approved resources for teaching in the LDS Church.  Teachers can be completely confident that they are teaching from Church approved material, which maintain the standard of teaching true doctrine.

Currently, along with my Stake Public Affair's council assignment, I team teach the 8-11 year old girls in Primary -- which I really enjoy!  So needless to say I'm very excited about this new resource as I really believe it is needed.  As much as I appreciate the current Primary manuals, it is nice to have additional, approved resources for consideration.

I'm very pleased that a great resource for teaching primary is now available by the Church.  A teacher may not always use these resources in the class, but perhaps even more important, or certainly as important, is helping teachers to understand the doctrine, in a simplified manner, themselves.  Not to offend anyone, but I've too often been surprised at how many times teachers in the Church don't have LDS doctrine down themselves -- but they think they do.  So this is a great tool to help ensure that teachers understand exactly what they should be teaching.  I for one, plan on checking these additional resources on the week that I teach primary, to make sure I'm teaching our precious children according to Church standards, doctrinally.

While I'm on the subject of teaching doctrinally sound Primary lessons -- and yes, besides treat training your children Primary teachers teach doctrine -- can I just share with you one of my pet peeves of mis-taught doctrine in the Church, that I hear frequently and at all levels…  it has to do with teaching the basic Plan of Salvation lesson.   Maybe I should ask you a question before we proceed...  And yes, this is a test. ; )

QUESTION:  How many plans for our Salvation were presented in the pre-existence?

Now, this is just my experience, but more times than I can count teachers, speakers, leaders, etc... have taught that there were more than one plan and that we had to choose which plan we would follow.  However, LDS doctrine teaches (meaning the scriptures) that there was only one plan presented, which was then opposed by Lucifer.  We each had to make a choice, but it was not between two different plans.  There was only one plan presented, Heavenly Father's, that would result in our Salvation.  Jesus Christ did not have a plan -- He desired to be obedient to His Father and offered Himself as the required sacrifice to bring to pass the Father's Plan of Salvation.  Lucifer did not have a plan for our Salvation, but opposed God's Plan by perpetuating alternatives that could never result in our Salvation.   Just as we do in mortality, in the preexistence our choice was to follow God or Lucifer.  And as in our first estate, progression continues for those who choose God's Plan...

LDS.org on the Plan of Salvation:

"Before we were born on the earth, we lived in the presence of our Heavenly Father as one of His spirit children. In this premortal existence, we attended a council with Heavenly Father's other spirit children. At that council, Heavenly Father presented His great plan of happiness (see Abraham 3:22–26). 

In harmony with the plan of happiness, the premortal Jesus Christ, the Firstborn Son of the Father in the spirit, covenanted to be the Savior (see Moses 4:2; Abraham 3:27). Those who followed Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ were permitted to come to the earth to experience mortality and progress toward eternal life. Lucifer, another spirit son of God, rebelled against the plan and "sought to destroy the agency of man" (Moses 4:3). He became Satan, and he and his followers were cast out of heaven and denied the privileges of receiving a physical body and experiencing mortality (see Moses 4:4; Abraham 3:27–28)."

And this from an Apostle of the Lord...

Elder Neal A. Maxwell said that it is “extremely important to get straight what happened in that premortal council. It was not an unstructured meeting, nor was it a discussion between plans, nor an idea-producing session, as to how to formulate the plan for salvation and carry it out. Our Father’s plan was known , and the actual question put was whom the Father should send to carry out the plan”  Pearl of Great Price Student Manual

 This may seem a bit picky to some, but I think it's important to understand and teach the doctrines of the Church in their purest form -- straight from scripture or modern revelation.  But unless we take the time to really study the basic teachings of the Church it is easy to perpetuate seemingly small inconsistencies.  But in reality, even the very smallest of revealed truth is important and connects with other truths taught within the gospel.

I really hope that this new teaching resource, The Friend: Children’s Lesson Helps for parents and Primary teachers will be a blessing in the lives of children as they develop their own firm testimonies of the truthfulness of the restored gospel.

Pin It

tDMg
Kathryn Skaggs

Plan of Salvation, Plan of Redemption

Sister Beck is Doing Something Extraordinary!

Julie B. Beck, general president of the Relief Society, is doing something extraordinary and unprecedented...  She is reaching out to LDS women via Mormon Mommy Blogs.  Apparently she called an exclusive meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, to enlist their help, by asking them to invite their readers to ask her any question they want -- on their blog!  


That's right!  You have the opportunity to ask Sister Beck any question you have -- about anything!


And next week, Mormon Mommy Blogs will take these questions to a 90 minute taped interview, unscripted, with Sister Beck -- for The Mormon Channel.  






Here are a few suggested questions, offered by MMB:

• Why do only men hold the priesthood?
• How do women really fit into the church? Do they have a place?
• Why were Relief Society Meetings-- formerly known as Enrichment-- formerly known as Home, Family and Personal Enrichment--formerly known as Homemaking done away with?
• When is it OK to say NO? Is it ever?
• What are we supposed to do with that new book they just put out? (Daughters in my kingdom)

However, it shouldn't be surprising that Mormon women are taking this opportunity to go beyond these relatively easy questions and are going after the hard stuff.   Check out some of the questions already left on MMB blog, requesting Sister Beck address...

"OOH! I have one! When I was getting a new calling, the bishopric had called my husband in advance and asked HIM if it was okay to extend me a calling. Which I thought was weird and archaic, but THEN when HE got a new calling, nobody called me to see if I was okay with it. Is that a normal church thing, or was that just my ward?" ~Sara


"I want to know what words of encouragement she would offer the sisters of the church who find themselves doing everything they have been asked to do-- callings, temple, reading scriptures, praying, tithing etc and their "happily ever after" hasn't been realized... or it isn't the version that they dreamed about in their youth." ~Erica


"Is she aware of the backlash from her talk "Mothers That Know" and does she care? Looking back, would she say anything differently? Change anything? I get what she was trying to say, but it didn't come off the way I think she intended... What are her feelings about that talk now?" ~Curious


"Why do we almost exclusively learn about male church leaders in our Relief Society classes, but the Priesthood classes don't ever study notable women in the church? What is the place of single women in the church--really--not just the cute and trite little things we hear all the time. Are single women just supposed to sit their lives out waiting for a family in the afterlife, or do we have a role in the church on earth that is other than simply caring for other women's children?... ~Confirmed Spinster


"To her knowledge has their ever been a serious, sustained effort by leadership including herself to study, research and petition the Lord for more knowledge about Heavenly Mother, understanding polygamy, and the divine role of women in the eternities? (Something like the process that led to the change in the Priesthood policies for blacks - multi-year, apostolic commissions, continual effort etc) If so can you tell us more about such efforts. If not why in your opinion has this not been a focus given the imbalance in knowledge about women's divine destiny? The most extensive information we have comes directly from teachings and the era of polygamy making this especially problematic for many. Is it reasonable to be hopeful as members that significant new information might be received on these issues in our lifetime or is it better for us to accept that we will only have existing cannon and history to work with?" ~Anonymous


"I would like to hear her opinion about the problematic language and sexism of the temple ceremony. While many aspects of the endowment are so beautiful, relegating women to secondary status (why is Eve created?) seems to underpin other sexist practices in the church. If the church no longer practices polygamy, why are men still allowed to be sealed to more than one woman in the temple? Does the church still consider polygamy a celestial law? Does church leadership understand that these practices leave many women feeling that our religion does not view men and women as equals before God?" ~Vinniecat

Heard enough? (there's more) Anyway, no doubt Sister Beck is well aware of these concerns that many LDS women have, and will not be surprised that they are taking this extraordinary opportunity to hear what she might have to say in this interview.  And no doubt many of the questions that are being posted are coming from less than happy Mormon women, some of which most likely are somewhat distant from the Church.  (but that's not to say that many very active women in the Church don't, on occasion, wonder some of the same things)  However, I believe that Sister Beck knew when she decided to step out like this, that this would be the result.  I love that about her.  And I appreciate her willingness to connect with the women of the Church on such an intimate level. 


I can't wait to listen to the interview -- and then come back and discuss some of her answers!


So, if you have a question that you've been dying to ask a Church leader, but never thought you'd have the chance, head on over to Mormon Mommy Blogs and post your question to Sister Beck... HERE!

tDMg
Kathryn Skaggs


Update: I just heard this from a great FB friend...

Did you also know that you can email her questions for the RS program on the Mormon Channel at mormonchannel@ldschurch.org and they could be answered in an upcoming Relief Society question and answer episode (she records them monthly). You may also record your question by calling 1-877-MYLDS32 and leave your question.


Note:  Make sure and share this info with other LDS women, so that as many as possible have a chance to ask Sister Beck a question. :)


Deseret News: Today in the Bloggernacle: Asking President Julie B. Beck questions, and visiting teaching handout


Deseret Book on Facebook - Ask Sister Beck


LDS Newsroom: Relief Society Presidency

Rewind 2011: Top Ten Most Popular Posts

I thought it would be both interesting and fun to rewind 2011 to find out what the Top Ten Most Popular Posts on A Well-Behaved Mormon Woman were!  Then I decided to add some personal commentary alongside each of the winners, to give you a bit of information as to why I wrote it, and why it might be so popular.  I'm thinking that this list says as much about who I am, as it does about who my readers are.  And yes, that would be YOU!

Every Temple Marriage is a Royal Wedding

There's certainly been a lot of buzz over these past few weeks leading up to the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, better known as William and Kate. I've only watched a bit of the coverage but I will confess that I, too, find myself a little intrigued by the glamour and romance surrounding this hopeful fairytale.

What's most interesting about this particular post is, not only has it been read 10 times more than any other post on my blog in 2011, but it's probably the quickest blog post I've ever written.   I was spending a week taking care of four of my grandchildren and in between the crazy I was watching coverage of the Royal Wedding.   When these thoughts suddenly popped into my head, I just knew I needed to share them on my blog.  I think it took me all of 30 minutes to write and publish these insights.  Little did I know, that many of you were apparently thinking the same thing!  Thanks to LDS Living Magazine for picking up on the post, as it's been a favorite all  year long!  

Are Mormons Offended by Book of Mormon Musical?

Are Mormons offended by the play The Book of Mormon Musical? In a nutshell, yes, most are. And in my opinion we should be. After all, I do believe God would be, too. But my concerns don't stop there... I can't say that these concerns would be classified as being offended, but rather a deep unhappiness with the distorted and misrepresentation of my Mormon faith -- which unfortunately many are being led to believe are accurate.

I'm really grateful that I felt compelled to address The Book of Mormon Musical on my blog, because thankfully when people who are wondering how LDS members feel about the play, Google has a credible search result.  This post is particularly busy on the weekends when most people actually see the play.  It's also been a great avenue for nonmembers to find a positive Mormon blog and blogger.  Thanks to Deseret News for posting such a great article for me to send these curious folks! 

Info: General Relief Society Meeting 2011

This Saturday, September 24, 2011, Mormon women around the globe will gather in various places for the general Relief Society meeting, broadcast live from the LDS Conference Center, in Salt Lake City, Utah.   Mormon women are encouraged to participate in this meeting from wherever they are. Information about about how to watch or listen can be found at LDS.org - HERE.

 Oftentimes I feel that the Church does a such a great job of getting this type of general information out, especially as of late, that it's becoming less and less needful that Mormon bloggers help out.  The popularity of this post and others like it this past year, have proven to me otherwise.  I'll continue to help in this manner and would encourage others to do the same.  

Highlights: General Relief Society Meeting 2011

I was pleasantly surprised to find that immediately after tweeting the general Relief Society meeting last night, LDS Church News already had up summaries from each of the members of the general presidency: Julie B. Beck, Sylvia H. Allred and Barbara Thompson. Each of these faithful LDS leaders gave inspired and uplifting talks to the women of the Mormon Church.

Another thing I've learned this  year, is that not every member is able to watch our conferences in realtime or care to take notes themselves.  So this is another important example of how we all need to help share information with each other.   It's also emphasized to me just how much we Mormons love hearing the counsel of our leaders.

10 Tips for Tweeting #LDSConf on Twitter

This is big.  I mean this is really reallyBIG! This weekend the unofficial #TwitterStake, who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , will once again gather to tweet and share General Conference -- using the hash tag #LDSConf. And for those of you who don't already know this, these Mormons are very good at what they do!  

And if you don't believe me, check out what Deseret News had to say about the efforts of this amazing group of digital missionaries, HERE!

No surprise here, but I love helping members share the gospel online!  And thanks to Deseret News, LDS Living Magazine and Mormon Times, our team effort helped to get the word out about what many members do online during our General Conferences -- and helped to enlist more to help out! 

2011: What a Year for Mormons!

It would not be an overstatement to say that Mormons, or rather The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has had a BIG year in 2011! From a Mormon blogger's perspective, and as one who tries to keep up with everything 'Mormon', I finally reached a point where I had to say "uncle"! It didn't take long into 2011 before I realized that there was no way that one Well-Behaved Mormon Woman could possibly keep up with it all!

Now this post didn't take long to get into the Top Ten -- considering I wrote it on December 27, 2011!  Right from the start it was well received by my own blog readers and was picked up a few days later by Deseret News!  It was a really fun post to write and as I said in the post, I could have written a book about all the amazing things that have happened concerning Mormons and Mormonism in 2011! 

Rock Star Brandon Flowers Shares His Mormon Faith

For many Brandon Flower's fans, finding out that this rock star is a Mormon, may comes as quite a surprise. In fact, Brandon is the latestI'm a Mormon profile at Mormon.org -- along with this inspiring video interview, sure to go viral! 

Those of us online who enjoy promoting the LDS Church and helping to share the great social media that the Church creates, knew right away that this I'm A Mormon video was going to be a hit online.  Sure glad I decided to post this one, as no doubt it's brought quite a few nonmembers to my blog -- and continues to do so...     

X-Mormon Lead Writer Newsweek Mormon Minute

While many members of the LDS Church appear to be giving a pass on a series of controversial stories on Mormons in the current issue of Newsweek, I cannot. A closer examination of the content that is finely woven throughout this project, reveals a strong underpinning that is intended to create further skepticism about Mormonism. One cannot help but question why a ridiculous caricature of Mitt Romney suddenly appears only days after he announces his run for the highest office in the land. Nor can it be ignored that the the lead writer on the cover story, Mormons Rock, is a former Mormon who has made public remarks disparaging the Church in the past.

Well, this post speaks for itself about my feelings regarding politics, entertainment, and the media.  I can't say that I've changed my mind about that, but I will say that the Church has done an excellent job in setting an example for members, and the world, about how we should respond to this type of attention.  Like I said in this post about how things have gone in 2011, its generally been a positive.  However, I'm not willing to be so naive as to think that "all is well in Zion" -- because 2012 will most likely have much more for us to respond to...

Saturday Morning General Conference Highlights and Favorite Quotes

What an exciting day to be here in beautiful Salt Lake City, Utah, attending the October 2011 General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There were inspired messages presented throughout the day, with much to ponder and find personal application for in our lives. Being a Mormon means following living prophets and apostles. That's an amazing concept for people outside of our faith to wrap their heads around. But we do, and this is what our General Conferences are all about -- hearing and listening to living prophets of God!

This Well-Behaved Mormon Woman had the thrill of a lifetime this past General Conference!  I had the opportunity, by invitation of LDS Public Affairs, to live tweet from the LDS Conference Center, all four sessions of Conference.  This should give you some idea of how important social media has become to the LDS Church.   I'm now hooked and will do my best to make it up there for future conferences.  I'm already starting to make plans for April General Conference.  Besides tweeting each session from the Conference Center, I did my best to follow-up with a blog post for each session.  It was an exhausting but exhilarating experience -- filled with the spirit!  

Prepare to Be Offended - The Book of Mormon Musical

As an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I think I have a pretty darn good sense of humor when it comes to being poked at for my "peculiar" beliefs. That being said, I think there are times when people actually mean to cross the line and offend. I think the producers of The Book of Mormon Musical are specifically of this type.

If you've noticed, there are three post in this list of 2011 Top Ten  blog posts that have something to do with The Book of Mormon Musical!  This tells me that my readers are very interested in what others are saying about Mormons and Mormonism -- and are interested in how we can respond.

Many posts that did not make the 2011 Top Ten Popular Post for A Well Behaved Mormon Woman, but came close, had much to do with how we can better discuss our Mormon beliefs and share the gospel online.  I'm very proud of those posts, which are very close to my heart and what I do online.  I'll be sharing with you some of my favorites of 2011 in an upcoming post.

I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have faithfully, not only read my blog in 2011, but have shared it with your friends and family.  Currently I have over 1000 subscribers to my blog via my Facebook Page, NetworkedBlogs, Blogger Friend Connect, Google+, email, etc... and I expect to continue reaching out into 2012.

I also want to take this opportunity to publicly thank Deseret News, LDS Living Magazine and Mormon Times for featuring various blog posts of mine throughout this past year.  That too, has been a thrill!  I love being part of a team that works together, online, to inspire and share our gospel message with others.  Needless to say, 2011 has been a great year for this Well-Behaved Mormon Woman!  For the most part I've stayed out of trouble and have made some wonderful friends.  You might also be interested to know that this blog is also featured on LDS Living Magazine - Mormon Report as a Best of LDS Blogs!  Their mission: "Scouring the web for all things Mormon.  We sort through it all (so you don't have to) and handpick the best (so you don't miss it)."  :)

I think it's important to look back to see what has interested readers most, so that I will know best where to take A Well-Behaved Mormon Woman into the future.   I'm excited about the future and what that means to be a Mormon, online -- and how we can better share our beliefs with others, while at the same time strengthening the faith of each other, as members.  I feel extremely blessed to have each one of you in my life.  To me, this blog is personal, although I don't often write about much of my personal life.  However, I may change that up a bit this year, as there's so much I'd like to write about and discuss.

May this New Year be filled with the Lord's choicest blessing for each of you, and your families...

tDMg

Kathryn Skaggs

Rewind 2011 Photo Credit 

2011: What a Year for Mormons!

It would not be an overstatement to say that Mormons, or rather The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has had a BIG year in 2011! From a Mormon blogger's perspective, and as one who tries to keep up with everything 'Mormon', I finally reached a point where I had to say "uncle"! It didn't take long into 2011 before I realized that there was no way that one Well-Behaved Mormon Woman could possibly keep up with it all!

From this year's Mormon Social Media explosion to Mormons in politics, the LDS Church has definitely been having what is currently being referred to as a "Mormon Minute" --  or more like 525,600 of them!  I'll confess, that with some things I was thrilled from the onset, but when it came to other things, such as what happened on Broadway with The Book of Mormon Musical, I was concerned how it would reflect on the Church.   I will now admit, that overall, its gone pretty well -- as it seems nearly everyone that has seen the play is curious to know if Mormons are offended, and many of them have landed here on my blog to find out!

Having two Mormon candidates running for President has turned out to be relatively good for the Church as well, --  so far as an increase of attention to our beliefs goes.  Although, we have had to spend quite a bit of time responding to accusations that we are a cult.  Sigh...

I say "good" because due to the increased interest in Mormonism, Mormons have had more opportunity than ever before to share their beliefs with those outside of the LDS faith -- and not because I think everything that has garnered attention is necessarily "good".   Most notable is that the Church has been right there to support member's responses by continually creating excellent resources, about Mormonism and our beliefs, for members to share via social media.   Be sure to follow LDS Media Talk to keep up on new LDS products.  And let me give a huge nod to the team over at LDS Public Affairs who run the LDS Newsroom!  The Church has a number of behind the scene teams, who work diligently on everything related to helping people learn about the LDS Church and our beliefs, on the Internet -- and they are doing an exceptional job!

There are now more ways than ever before to share the gospel, online, that it nearly boggles the mind -- well at least mine!  Almost weekly the LDS Church is launching new media projects that are easily shared by members.  And if I do say so myself, we've been doing a pretty good job of doing just that!

If you haven't realized it yet, LDS members are very involved, and I believe, partially responsible for what is happening with the type of attention the Church is receiving -- particularly during this past year.  Your voice and how you are using it, is making a difference in how the Church is perceived by the general public.  Just this last week Inc. Magazine named The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and more specifically the Book of Mormon as one of the 10 Surprising Brand Winners of 2011.  Check this out...

"When South Park creators Parker and Stone launched an obscene musical entitled The Book of Mormon, officials at the Church of the Latter Day Saints could have gotten their magical underwear in a twist. Instead, they made a simple statement that the musical was "entertaining" and directed people to read the book itself. Such mature restraint is unusual for a religious brand. (Imagine if the musical had been named The Koran!) 

Lesson: People like brands that don't take themselves too seriously."

Well, little does Inc. Magazine know but we do take ourselves very seriously, and that is precisely why we respond very thoughtfully to much of what is considered controversial --  staying focused on what actually matters.   Everyday now, I see members online sharing LDS media on Facebook, Twitter and Google+  just to name a few.  It's inspiring to see members learning how to respond in a positive manner to what might be perceived as negatives toward their beliefs!  We're learning that being defensive never works, but taking these opportunities to share our beliefs is the win!

I could probably write a book about all the awesome things that happened with the LDS Church and its members, online, during 2011, but since I've blogged about many of them I'll leave it at that...  But don't you think it was so cool that President Monson blogged!  We now officially can call him 'Prophet, Seer and Blogger'!  Who could have predicted that?  Certainly not me!

And what about our digital army of online missionaries that actively share the gospel online, over on Twitter -- every General Conference!  Even Deseret News picked up on that story!

A highlight of 2011 for the Church, in my opinion, was the launch of the new LDS website:  The Life of Jesus Christ Bible Videos.


Here's a little bit of what I shared about this new website, over on a post I wrote on Hubpages last week:

One thing I particularly appreciate in the making of each of these Bible videos is that no liberties were taken in how they might be interpreted. In fact, there is much more visual than audio in the videos – which enables the ability of each individual to reflect personally, on what the account means. Each short video is with integrity produced, in that it is true to the text of the King James Version of the Bible. Meaning that regardless of what Christian denomination you belong, you will feel the spirit of the actual scriptural account, through the Holy Spirit. And this is exactly as the videos are intended to be.

You can read my entire article/review HERE!

Over the last few days as I've been reflecting on what has happened with the LDS Church, particularly online, over this past year of 2011.  I'm really proud to have been a part of it all -- even if only observing from the sidelines.  Whether the Church and its members were responding to critics on various issues, creating new media, helping in our communities, building temples, reaching out to give humanitarian aid, etc...  they are doing it in a manner, that I believe, is befitting of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I look forward to 2012 and what that inevitably will bring.  No doubt it will be that that which will take us take us all out of our comfort zones.  What were you, as a Mormon, most surprised by in 2011 -- or feel was most significant for the Church?

tDMg
Kathryn Skaggs

UPDATE 12/28:  Well, this year is surely going out with a BIG BANG...  Our dear Mormon Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, made the list of the Top Ten Most Admired Men living in the world, for 2011!  

"These results are based on a Dec. 15-18 USA Today/Gallup poll. In 1946, Gallup first asked Americans to name, without prompting, the person they most admire living in any part of the world. Since 1948, Gallup has asked Americans to name separately the Most Admired Man and Most Admired Woman, and has done so each year except in 1967 (when only Most Admired Man was asked) and 1976."

Read more about it here...

Church News: President Monson is listed among Gallup Poll's ten most admired men

Deseret News: President Thomas S. Monson one of Americans' 10 'Most Admired Men,' Gallup poll says

LDS Newsroom: Year in Review: 2011 Another Year of Progress for the Church 
"In 2011 new temples were announced and others dedicated, and increased public attention was focused on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in what many journalists have called the “Mormon Moment.”

Deseret News best of 2011: The family

"This year the Deseret News shifted its focus to six core areas of editorial emphasis:the family, financial responsibility, care for the poor and needy, education, values in the media and faith."


Looking forward to 2012

"We wind down from Christmas festivities and look back on what the old year has brought. At the same time, we start gearing up for what the new year might bring."


By Common Consent: 2011: The Year of the Mormon
"What a wild year it’s been. Never has Mormonism been so culturally relevant, and never has the undulating curve of popular opinion shifted so wildly, so quickly. "

Without CHRIST there would be NO Christmas!

I couldn't let Christmas pass without taking the time to share some of my feelings about Jesus Christ, and wish each of you a very Merry Christmas!  It's late Christmas Eve as I'm writing this post, and for the first time in nearly 30 years, I am not home for Christmas. (although most of you probably won't read this until Christmas day)  When my husband and I realized that we would be alone come Christmas morning, the decision was quickly made that we would spend this Christmas with our oldest daughter and her family.  Christmas without children, for me, was not an option.

It was a real treat to see how my daughter has taken traditions that we developed in our home as she was growing up, and then added some new ones.  My favorite was how they light a candle representing Jesus Christ -- He being the light of the world, and then one by one we each got to light our own little candle from His.  We then went around, by candlelight, and shared our testimonies with each other.  It was a sweet memory that I will cherish for years to come.

The best part about not being home for Christmas, is that someone else gets to do all the cooking!  Which leaves me with a little more time for pondering the true meaning of Christmas.  Earlier today I heard this...  Without CHRIST there would be no Christmas.  That struck me when I heard it, because it is so true!  Without the mission of Jesus Christ, the giving of gifts would not have the meaning behind it that it represents.  It would be simply shopping for others.  In fact, everything that we think of when we think of Christmas probably wouldn't exist.  Evergreen Christmas trees that remind us of eternal life -- His greatest gift! Or the star atop the tree that reminds us of the great Light that came into the world on that first Christmas night -- The Light of the World!  And Christmas lights, too!  Think of all the beautiful Christmas carols that we sing each year, such as "Oh Holy Night", "Silent Night", "Oh Come All Ye Faithful", "Joy to the World", "The First Noel"!  Each of these songs are songs of praise and joy at His coming! Christmas music fills our hearts with the Spirit of Him.  Why, without Christmas carols -- these songs of the heart -- who can even imagine Christmas?  I could go on, but I think you get what I'm trying to convey here.  For the most part, the majority of our traditions point to Jesus Christ and what He means to the Christian world.

To me, Jesus Christ means eternal families -- my eternal family.  I've said it before, but without the possibility to be with my family beyond this life, nothing else has much meaning.  I have a deep testimony of the mission of Jesus Christ -- Who He Is, what His mission here upon the earth accomplished, and His perfect love for each one of us.  That great love is part of the greatest love story ever told, which resulted in the greatest gift to all mankind!  And that is what CHRISTmas is all about.  It is the celebration of His birth -- of Him who came into the world to save us from our sins and make it possible for us, through Him, to overcome this world and be lifted to greater heights!

Christmas is so much more than what commercialism and the world has done with it -- even with the many attempts to ignore its origins.  And what I love most, is that even with all the modern-day commercialism of Christmas, it is still impossible to ignore the true meaning of Christmas!  It's all around us, in all the symbolism that is CHRISTmas!

Christmas Video: A Gift to the World

This video is from the new LDS website:  The Life of Jesus Christ Bible Videos

Without CHRIST, truly there would be no Christmas!

tDMg
Kathryn Skaggs

Thanksgiving: A Time to Give

Just a few weeks ago I told you about a wonderful fundraiser for LDS Business College, to help single moms get an education.  It's been lovingly named "Give Oh Give"!  You can read the details HERE.  I also told you that I would update you on how things are going, and introduce you to another very deserving single mother. (remember Megan?) You may also recall that LDS Philanthropies has partnered with Mormon bloggers to help raise money to provide scholarships to single LDS moms.  I'm thrilled to lend my voice in this shared cause.

Meet Sarah and her sweet family.  (pictured above)  But don't let the smiles on their faces fool you.  Sarah is a single mom, evident in this family portrait, and has been through a lot, with continued challenges before her.  But her future has been greatly blessed by her scholarship from LDS Business College.  Read more about Sarah's story at LDS Philanthropies.   But let me share just a little bit here of what Sarah had to say about attending the college and benefiting by the generosity of others...

My biggest challenge at LDSBC has been overcoming my initial stumbling block of thinking that, as an almost 40 year old single mother of 4 young kids, I would not be able to do well at school after a 20+ year absence from formal education. I didn't believe it was in me to be 'smart enough' or had the confidence that I could do well. The thought of studying, exams, and so much required reading was very intimidating. Added to that, I didn't know how I'd pay for it. 

The boost of confidence I needed came when I found out that the LDSBC offered a Scholarship for single parents, and that I qualified for it. I remember when the email arrived that I had been granted the Scholarship, I cried from feeling overwhelmed with appreciation and joy. I decided right there and then that if the people who donated the funds for the Scholarship and faculty of the College believed I was worth the investment, then I would give my all to my studies and do my absolute best to ensure that those precious funds were not wasted on me. 

The donors may never fully understand how their gift has blessed my life. Within a few days of attending classes, delving into the textbooks, and getting to know my teachers, a feeling swelled within me that has grown and grown ever since. It was a feeling that distilled on me that 'I can do hard things'. Learning has become a joy - I've learned to love learning. Now in my fourth semester, I've averaged a 3.98 GPA. Those feelings of inadequacy and intimidation are gone and I see what I've accomplished in the past and have full confidence that my children and I have a bright future ahead of us.

Here's what Sarah had to say when asked how she would express her gratitude to those who have donated to make her education possible, and what she would say to those who might be considering making a donation to assist other single moms...

Anyone who has heard me speak of my gratitude to the donors who have made it possible for me to attend the College know it is a topic very close to my heart, and usually accompanied by tears. I look forward to the day when I know the names of the individuals who have donated the funds, to look into their eyes, and thank them personally for allowing me the means to have my life transformed. I don’t expect if I were to meet them that I would have the words to describe my gratitude. A simple “Thank You”, though sincere and heart-felt, is so inadequate to really express my feelings of gratitude. When granted the Scholarship, I promised the donors I’d do my very best and assured them that their precious funds would not be wasted on me. I have kept that promise to them and will continue to do so. I too would like to donate to the Scholarship fund, so that other people in similar situations have the opportunities that have been afforded to me.

 Go Sarah!

I continue to be amazed at the challenges that single mothers have to parent their children, and provide for them.  Sadly, 26 percent of children now live with just one parent, and 27 percent of single mothers live in poverty. Those are stunning statistics!   These moms need our help to create a positive future for them and their children.  Most single moms that I've talked to were not the ones who chose their circumstances.  Many of them have had their dreams of the fairytale family that every little girl dreams of, now turned into a nightmare.  Single mothers spend much of their time lying awake at night wondering how they are going to pay their bills and take care of their children.  Education is the key to helping these women, and that's what this project is all about.

As of Sunday evening, 11/20/2011, people have given a total of $8,907.  I wish that I could give a hug to every person who has given the widow's mite on behalf of these, our sisters.  You can donate HERE or use the widget on my sidebar.   Every donation, no matter the size, is helpful and needed.  Won't you please consider making a contribution?

As President Hinckley once said,

"You never can foretell the consequences of a dollar invested in education. It goes on multiplying itself. It becomes not an expenditure but an investment that pays returns far and wide and through generations to come."

At this Thanksgiving time, as we consider the many blessings that God has given to us, may our hearts be touched on behalf of those in need of our help, and may we do what we can to help, however small that may be...

tDMg
Kathryn Skaggs

Other ways YOU can GIVE: 

Place the donation widget on the sidebar of your blog.

Pass this information along on your own blog.

Share the link to this post on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, etc...
(please use the hash tag #GiveOhGive when posting on Twitter)

LDS Business College: Give Oh Give

As you can see by this list, there are many AWESOME Mormon Bloggers working hard to get the word out to their readers, to HELP single moms:


Modern Molly Mormon: Give Hope, Give Help

Raising Memories: Give Oh Give

11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven: Can You Help?

Food Storage Made Easy: Spreading the Word for a Good Cause

Technology for Moms: Give Oh Give Away

Is this REALLY my life?: Single parent shout-out: Let’s #GiveOhGive

Cute Girls Hairstyles:
Single Parenting | A Time to Give
Lady Gaga Hair Bow - Give Oh Give Plug

Feminist Mormon Housewives: Opening a Door for Single Mothers

formerly phread: Bloggers Helping Single Parents

Perry's Plate: Giving Hope to Single Parents

We Talk of Christ, We Rejoice in Christ: Things I Will Spend (my husband's) Hard-Earned Money On

Chocolate on my Cranium:
Give, Oh, Give
Educating Women: Sarah's Story

Welcome to the Madness: Give Oh Give

Mormon Women: Who We Are: Give Hope: Help Single Parents Get an Education

My Real Life Was Backordered:
Tricks, Treats, and All the Saints at Home
A Dreamy Family Christmas Letter
This Just In!

The Lyon's Tale: WNW: Providing Education and a Future

Cute Culture Chick: LDS BLOGGERS GIVE BACK – SINGLE PARENT SCHOLARSHIPS

Divergent Pathways: Because I have been given 

Mormon Moms Who Blog:
Your Financial HELP Strongly Requested
Your Help Needed

Budget Gourmet Mom:
Give, Oh Give and Apple Crisp Pancakes
Three 30 Minute Meals and A Chance to Give Hope

Fruit Height Friends: Campaign: Scholarships for Single Moms


The Jet Set: Single Parent Scholarships

Making Today Memorable: give oh give

Happy Meets Crazy: By Small and Simple Things...

georgia leigh: Achieving the Impossible

Women in the Scriptures: Give, Oh Give

gracious rain: All The Single Ladies

Super Healthy Kids: Meal Plans and Opportunities

Modern Mormon Men: Opening Doors For Single Mothers

NOTE:  Although I've focused my blog posts on single moms, certainly these scholarships are available to single fathers, too.