From Youtube:
Archive for July, 2008
Romney could lift McCain in West
Wednesday, July 30th, 2008From The Denver Post:
As Republican presidential candidate John McCain weighs his running-mate options, political experts say Mitt Romney would energize fundraising and generate the most enthusiasm in the Rocky Mountain West.
Speculation that Romney, who dropped out of the presidential primaries in February, tops McCain’s vice-presidential list has burgeoned in recent weeks as voters rated the economy their No. 1 concern.
A Washington outsider who co-founded a private-equity firm and served as Massachusetts’ governor, Romney is viewed as balancing the perceived shortcomings of McCain, who has been an Arizona senator for 22 years and has admitted that economic issues aren’t his strength. Prior to dropping out of the campaign, Romney was substantially vetted, and he knows how to throw — and take — a punch.
Those factors alone might help a McCain-Romney ticket in the West. But Romney’s ties to the region, which include attending Brigham Young University in Utah and rescuing the 2002 Winter Olympics, could reap big political gains for McCain.
It was Romney, after all, who beat McCain in five Western primaries.
“Romney knows the mountain West, he knows how to talk to people there and he had a strong ground troop of volunteers,” said Dan Schnur, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at the University of Southern California and communications director for McCain’s 2000 presidential campaign.
Not that Romney doesn’t have negatives. Though he may help McCain in Michigan, where Romney’s father was governor, he could be a liability in the South.
He is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, considered a cult by some evangelical Christians and Southern Baptists. Despite his central-casting good looks, he often comes across as aloof. And he and McCain taunted each other in the primaries, which could be exploited by Democrats.
But in the West, those problems are molehills, not mountains. Romney raised millions of dollars in the region — not known as a fundraising hot spot — and Arizona, Colorado and Nevada have large Mormon populations. In GOP strongholds such as Utah and Idaho, many LDS members are expected to help in get-out-the-vote efforts in surrounding states.
“They are a group that is situated in tight social groups, . . . and many see him as a pioneer ” said David Campbell, a University of Notre Dame professor. “They may mobilize to act in other important states like New Mexico, California and Colorado.”
In Colorado, for instance, where Romney beat McCain by 42 percentage points, El Paso County overwhelmingly backed Romney. The county is home to Colorado Springs, a conservative epicenter for evangelical Christian organizations.
Even Focus on the Family leader James Dobson — who has softened his stance on McCain, a candidate he had said he would never vote for — doesn’t think Romney would be a bad VP choice.
“Dr. Dobson liked his speech about faith very much,” said spokesman Gary Schneeberger, referring to Romney’s December address, where he spoke about the importance of religion in American society but that it should be separate from public responsibilities. “He wants a pro-life running mate, and Romney qualifies for that.”
McCain’s campaign declined to comment for this story. Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said Romney “expects to be campaigning for John McCain as a supporter and not as a member of the ticket.” (cont.)
BYU-Utah ‘Holy War’ Top Non-BCS Rivalry`
Wednesday, July 30th, 2008From ESPNU:
1. BYU vs. Utah (The Holy War) — There is no other in-state/in-conference rivalry that supplies the passion of the game on the field with the passion of religion of it. These teams despise each other so much that BYU fans refuse to own anything red and Utah fans have the same feeling about navy blue. This rivalry will be especially heated this year as the two could be battling for the Mountain West title.
H. Tracy Hall, Creator of First Synthetic Diamond, Passes Away at 88
Tuesday, July 29th, 2008From JCKOnline.com:
H. Tracy Hall, creator of the man-made industrial diamond, passed away at his home early on the morning of July 25. He was 88.
Howard Tracy Hall was born on October 20, 1919, in Ogden, Utah, to Howard Hall and Florence Almina Tracy. As a young man he roamed the fields of Marriott, Utah, read avidly at the Ogden Carnegie Library, and assembled home-made contraptions from junk-yard components. As a fourth grader he told his teacher he would someday work for General Electric, the company so closely associated with his hero, inventor Thomas Edison.
While a student at the University of Utah in 1941, Hall married his sweetheart, Ida-Rose Langford. After completing his B.S. and then an M.S. in chemistry in 1943, he served for two years as a Navy ensign. Returning to the University of Utah in 1946, he became Henry J. Eyring’s first graduate student, receiving his PhD in 1948. Two months later he started work at the General Electric Research Laboratory in Schenectady, N.Y.
At GE, Hall joined a team focused on synthesizing diamonds in the laboratory. On December 16, 1954, he became the first person to produce diamond from carbon using a verifiable and reproducible process.
Of the experience Tracy later recalled: “My eyes caught the flashing light from dozens of tiny crystals. My hands began to tremble; my heart beat rapidly; my knees weakened and no longer gave support—I knew that diamonds had finally been made by man.”
Hall eventually became Director of Research at Brigham Young University in 1955, and over his 30 years at BYU, where he was a highly regarded professor of chemistry and mentor of many graduate students. During that time he also invented the tetrahedral and cubic presses which allowed him to continue his research in the field of high pressure.
In 1966, Hall partnered with two BYU professors, Bill Pope and Duane Horton, to form Megadiamond, a company that manufactures diamond products for industrial applications. Many other diamond-producing companies, based on Hall’s inventions, have emerged worldwide; and a large variety of man-made diamond products are used throughout all industries.
In his personal life, Hall was a kind and devoted husband and father. One of his greatest joys was serving as a bishop in the Provo Utah Pleasant View First Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He counseled and served youth and adult members daily with the same diligence he had shown in earlier days when called upon to help build a chapel or dig dandelions from its lawn. Tracy and Ida-Rose later served a full-time mission to Zimbabwe and South Africa (1982-83) and often recalled the joy of that experience. In his retirement Hall returned to his farming roots and spent his days working hard at his tree farm in Payson, Utah. (cont.)
Katherine Heigl Wants To Be Mormon Again
Tuesday, July 29th, 2008From Hollyscoop.com:
Katherine Heigl wants to go back to church! She says she wants to return to her Mormon roots.
She tells the Daily Mail, “I’m not as disciplined about it was I once was, but I hope to find my way back as I get older and a little less selfish. I’m ashamed to say that I’ve just got very lazy about it. I satisfy my vices instead of fighting them.”
Could she be talking about smoking? Katherine has been pictured many times with a cigarette in hand, and maybe seeing herself with one in her hand has prompted her to do something about it.
She says, “If I start going back to church, I’d have to stop the smoking and drinking. And I wouldn’t be able to curse anymore.”
Sounds like a lot of work!
Two new schools looking to recruit Mormon students
Tuesday, July 29th, 2008From The Daily Hearld (Provo):
Students looking for a Mormon education may have more options in a year or so.
Separate groups of business and education leaders are attempting to launch two college campuses that hold to values of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — one in Nauvoo, Ill., and another in western Nevada. Both groups say they have a lot of work to finish and a lot of money to raise before either Nauvoo University or Desert Valley Academy become realities, but they’d like to create environments for students who cannot, or choose not, to go to an LDS-owned school. But neither school will be ready to admit students for at least year.
The earliest the proposed Nauvoo University would be hosting students is fall 2009.
“This is a venture that we’re trying to undertake. We’re not assured that it’s going to work,” said Evan Ivie, a member of Nauvoo University’s board of trustees and former director of the BYU-Nauvoo program.
BYU no longer hosts the BYU-Nauvoo program, where BYU students spent a semester in the city for university credit. Now a group of LDS educators has gathered to attempt to create an institution of higher education in the city prominent in LDS church history.
Another group of retired LDS businesspeople and educators is attempting to start a school in Nevada. Desert Valley Academy is set to tentatively open in Moapa Valley, about halfway between Las Vegas and St. George, in 2012.
Both groups say they want to create a place were students can receive an LDS-based education alternative to church-owned schools. The church owns four schools: BYU, BYU-Idaho, BYU-Hawaii and LDS Business College.
LDS church spokesman Rob Howell said the church is not interested in expanding its educational system beyond those four schools and the Institute of Religion program, which has buildings and courses at hundreds of college campuses worldwide. Howell cited the late President Gordon B. Hinckley: “We shall continue to support BYU and its Hawaii campus. We shall continue to support Ricks College. [Ricks College is now BYU-Idaho.] We are not likely to build other university campuses. We wish that we might build enough to accommodate all who desire to attend. But this is out of the question. They are so terribly expensive,” Hinckley said.
Ace Robison, chairman of the board of directors at Desert Valley Academy, said his organization sees a market to serve the students who want to study in an LDS environment without the distractions of secular schools but cannot go to a church-owned school.
“We have a large number of LDS kids who, for one reason or another, not necessarily academics, are not able to go to one of the church schools,” he said.
BYU spokesman Michael Smart said only about 75 percent (about 7,000 students) of the freshman who applied to BYU in the fall of 2007 were admitted.
Southern Virginia University is an institution that has done what Nauvoo University and Desert Valley Academy are seeking to accomplish. In 1996, when the school was in financial trouble, a group of LDS businesspeople assumed control of the school, which now educates students with an LDS emphasis.
University spokesmen Burke Olsen said SVU has the largest LDS Institute of Religion program in the eastern United States.
The school also seeks to be a small campus, where students can get individual attention.
“We offer an environment that’s friendly and reinforces faith, but we do so in a way that offers small class sizes,” Olsen said.
Olsen said the new schools could face financial and building challenges. When the new board assumed control of the failing school, SVU already had a campus, but it took several years for the school to get out of financial trouble.
Desert Valley Academy doesn’t yet have a campus. Vice President of Operations Larry Moses said the school’s board is planning the new school’s campus that should include at least dorms and a library somewhere in Moapa Valley.
“It will be a pretty typical small liberal arts college,” Moses said.
Right now the school is being funded through private donations, though organizers still need much more money to get the school off the ground.
Robison said the school, which is not aimed at making money, needs a base budget of about $75 million, which it isn’t close to raising.
More than 2,000 attend Mormon pioneers picnic
Tuesday, July 29th, 2008From The Reno Gazette-Journal:
More than 2,000 members and friends of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathered on Saturday at
Rancho San Rafael Regional Park to commemorate the 1847 arrival of Mormon pioneers in the Great Basin region of the United States.
After celebrating America with the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Cub Scout Pack 8, and the National Anthem, sung by Brad Bergam, the crowd participated in pioneer games including a traditional tug-of-war. A musical program arranged by Mildred Earl featured favorite pioneer songs including “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” and “Come, Come, Ye Saints.”
“These celebrations have taken place since 1847, when Brigham Young led the early church pioneers from Illinois and Missouri to Utah, Nevada, Arizona and Idaho,” said Clair F. Earl, Northern Nevada church spokesman and Reno stake president. “Many of us in attendance are descendents of those who trekked across the country to find religious freedom.”
The first settlers and non-native citizens in Nevada arrived at Mormon Station, which is now Genoa, in 1851. Shortly after, the pioneers settled in the Las Vegas valley and by 1865, had built communities in the Moapa Valley in Southern Nevada.
Many of the attendees shared stories of family members crossing the plains and mountains on their westward journey. A computer was available at the event to search family histories and learn more about finding ancestors and their stories.
There were also booths with watermelon, soda, cookies and cupcakes, slush and arrowhead carvings.
Bruce Brinkerhoff is the director of public affairs for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Northern Nevada.
God Talk: What defines me
Saturday, July 26th, 2008From The Red Bluff Daily News (CA):
I am not defined by my career of 35 years in broadcasting. Television and radio are the means by which I feed my family of nine children and one wife of 37 years. This lesson came home in 1995, when I was terminated from a high profile television position. After that employment trauma, my heart filled with gratitude to know that I am a Child of God. He alone defines me. The manager who chose to define me as “no longer needed” could only set the definition for his purposes not those of my Creator. And so it is with religion.
There are people who define themselves as Christians and say I am not people who want to define me and my faith. I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and have done so my entire life. The world defines us “Mormon”. This admission causes some to cringe, and that’s a shame. My religion teaches me that Jesus is the Christ, the only hope for a sin-bound world, and my only hope. Only by Him and through Him may mankind be saved.
Critics turn away from a church that teaches faithfulness in marriage covenants, and family the foundation of society. We believe in the power of honesty, thrift, and love. We share the belief that we have a kind, loving Father in Heaven who wants all in His presence. My Church believes in the literal gathering of Israel, and in believers’ baptism by immersion, as so many of you do.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also teaches imperfect members to avoid pornography, sex outside of marriage, alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, or any other thing that can become an addiction and make us less profitable servants. We are taught there is nothing greater for man than to be in true service to his fellow beings. This is what the Lord did during his earthly ministry; his infinite atonement is the ultimate act of service a service He alone can perform for any who wish to come to him and partake.My faith teaches me to love my neighbor as myself, and to have no other god before God Almighty.
Are there areas where self-defined “mainstream Christians” and “Mormons” disagree? Sure. But ALL faiths have doctrinal differences, or we would already be in complete unanimity and harmony. Why go after one particular faith? Is it being a profitable servant to try and define someone else’s belief structure as inferior, with your own beliefs as the standard? Wouldn’t it benefit the cause of the Master to maximize our own Christian walk, and put the light of our own faith “on a hill,” rather than deciding which believers don’t belong? It is the Great I Am who will decide whose lives are effectively lived to Him, not the minister down the street. Christ alone will define my Christianity at judgment day.
I grow weary of people slamming the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints with venomous tirades and misleading publications all claiming to know “the truth”, while at the same time hypocritically telling us “We’re praying for you” (translation - “We’re praying for you to fail”).
We believe in modern prophets, just like those who existed in the primitive church. We believe in the same structure that existed then, with apostles and so forth, and that the heavens are not closed to personal revelation. We rally around the empty tomb of the resurrected Savior and believe our lives should be the outward symbol of our Christianity.
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints respect the beliefs of others, not because we necessarily believe they are correct, but because we share divine parentage. We all spring from the same Divine Source. We all want to return to the same place and while here, we all wish to learn how to properly serve the same God.
So please don’t give in to the emotional hype and rhetoric of religious “attack dogs” who seem bent on trying to destroy Mormonism and its people. Instead ask yourself this question. What kind of people are they? Do they try to follow the teachings of Our Lord? Do they serve others? What are the fruits they bear in this portion of the Lord’s vineyard? Then ask “Am I truly qualified to judge another person’s walk with Christ?” I’d rather let the Lord determine my Christianity than anybody else. So I am suggesting that rather than focusing on differences, we make certain we’re living our own religions and are shining examples of the Lord, through our faith and actions. This will cause us to be united in the greatest cause of all, His cause. This is my humble prayer, offered in His name.
——
Cal Hunter is a partnering owner of Huth Broadcasting in Red Bluff and a long-time broadcaster in both radio and television in the region. He also serves as a Mormon leader and missionary in the community.
Bevell avoids Favre talk, says they’re friends
Saturday, July 26th, 2008From The Chicago Tribune:
MANKATO, Minn. - Darrell Bevell’s blond hair and youthful face seem to subvert his actual age of 38.
He doesn’t look much different than he did in 1993, when he was a sophomore quarterback for the Rose Bowl champion Wisconsin Badgers and two years removed from a Mormon mission.
Bevell is a soft-spoken, polite man who was so reluctant to speak out of turn in his first training camp as offensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings that he responded to a question about an approaching scrimmage by saying he didn’t “want to look ahead.”
So it was strange to see him step behind a podium on Saturday, for his regularly scheduled interview session with reporters, as an alleged figure in the NFL’s latest firestorm. Bevell has been fingered by the Green Bay Packers for talking to Brett Favre about his interest in un-retiring. (cont.)
MELANIE ROACH: “SuperMom”
Saturday, July 26th, 2008From The Dallas Morning News:
Melanie Roach’s Olympic hopes seemed to end, devastatingly, in 2000.
Weeks before that summer’s U.S. Olympic weightlifting trials, she herniated a disk in her back. So at 25, she quit weightlifting, helped husband Dan get elected to the Washington State House, opened a gymnastics school and had three children.
Yet in the summer of 2005, she returned to weightlifting and gradually returned to elite status, despite learning in November 2005 that 2-year-old son Drew was autistic.
She says she went through depression and a mourning process after it hit her “that all the hopes and expectations that you had for your child may not happen.” A Mormon, she says she entered “acceptance mode” after talking with her church’s bishop.
Now 33, the 5-1, 117-pound seven-time national champion in the 53-kilogram (117-pound) weight class is bound to compete in her first Olympics.
“The turning point for me was when I finally stopped worrying about what Drew wasn’t going to do, and started to enjoy who he is,” she said. “I think that actually helped me in weightlifting, because I really live in a bubble when it comes to weightlifting.
“I don’t worry about the future. I don’t worry about what the next competition is going to be. I just focus on the now, because I’ve learned through watching my son and his development that you just have to enjoy the moment.”
Chatting With President Monson ‘Round The Spit ‘n’ Shine
Friday, July 25th, 2008From KUTV.com:
LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson spends time with one of Utah’s best shoe shiners. It’s just one of the beehive state’s public places that President Monson spends some time. 2News’ Ron Bird talked with Monson at a downtown hotel.
It is unusual considering most LDS presidents are only seen at semi-annual conferences, events, dedicating a temple or greeting U.S. Presidents.
Ron found him getting an old-fashioned shoe shine.
“This is where I get my shoes shined,” said Monson. “When I don’t do them myself,” he added.
President Monson struck up a friendship with shoe shiner Elvis Mendez about five years ago.
“He just started coming in and kept coming back for more,” Elvis said.
As you can imagine, the Church President draws a crowd.
“They want to shake his hand…get up here and take a picture with him,” said Elvis.
Elvis loves to hear President Monson’s stories and what’s on his mind.
“I don’t want to go to the airport today. I’ve had enough flying for a week or two,” said Monson.
He won’t have much of a break, the July 24th parade is coming up.
“I’m going to lead it. The first car, and I’ll be waving,” President Monson said.
Then he travels for two temple dedications.
“Panama. In about a week or two. I’m dedicating a temple in that country. I’ve had all my shots,” he said with a shake of his shoulders. “You know, in both arms.”
“Then I’m going to dedicate a temple in Twin Falls a week or two later,” he said.
“That’s where I’m from,” said Ron Bird.
“Well you have a nice, new temple there. It’s all finished. It will be dedicated.”
With three pairs of fresh shoes President Monson is a happy customer.
“Well I better pay him, hadn’t I,” said President Monson as he reaches into his wallet for some money.
He leaves with a compliment for Ron’s lime green tie.
“I guess your wife picked it,” said Monson. “She’s got good taste.”
As he left the shoe shine booth he waved the peace sign above his head and said “peace” with a chuckle.
President Monson will travel to Panama City to dedicate the temple on August 10th.
He will dedicate the Twin Falls, Idaho temple on August 24th, bringing the number of operating LDS temples worldwide to 128. After all those miles, he’ll probably be due for another shoe shine.
Missionary work ‘a risk worth taking’ for Miami Dolphins’ Players
Friday, July 25th, 2008From MiamiHerald.com:
John Beck, right, poses with a fellow missionary at a place called the Baixa, which is the center of downtown Lisbon in Portugal.
You might think nothing could come close to preparing Dolphins quarterback John Beck for the team and individual disaster that was his rookie season. You would be wrong.
No sane NFL player likes training camp. But at least four Dolphins can think of two years with longer days, less food, almost as much continual activity and more physical deterioration that threatened their football careers.
After high school or early in college, Beck, long-snapper/defensive lineman John Denney, fourth-round draft pick Shawn Murphy and undrafted free agent linebacker Kelly Poppinga went on an unpaid two-year Mormon mission, which Mormon men can do anytime between ages 19 and 27. And they couldn’t be prouder of those two years or how it helped them grow as people, and even as football players.
”People always talk about testing yourself to find out what you’re made of,” Beck said. ‘[Dolphins] Coach [Tony] Sparano talks about, `I want to find out what this team is made of, I want to put challenges in your face to see how you’re going to react.’ Those of us guys who have been on missions, that’s a difficult time. It’s not easy. It’s kind of like training camp for two years.”
Said Murphy, a guard, “It’s two years where you put your life on hold and help out with the church and spiritual things. Also, in the community, you walk around and try to help people out. You try to spend two years in service of other people instead of yourself.”
A SEPARATE LIFE
That also is two years of starting the day studying the Bible and The Book of Mormon rather than playbooks.
Two years of 12-minute runs and wind sprints replaced by 12 hours (at least) of walking and biking; two years of living on premission savings and maybe family or local church assistance; two years of sneers and public ridicule for ministering or just standing out in a white shirt, dark slacks and a tie; and two years without TV, movies or contact with home, except letters and Mother’s Day and Christmas Day phone calls.
That is six or seven days a week. On an off day, missionaries took care of laundry and errands. Even then, it couldn’t be all about them. (cont.)
PIONEER DAY
Thursday, July 24th, 2008From Puyallup Herald (WA):
The adult side of the tug of war at an East Pierce celebration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint’s Pioneer Day last year.
Picture this: In order to escape religious persecution, a group of 175 strong men, women and children, all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, called Saints, set out with their leader, Brigham Young from Nauvoo, Ill., on the banks of the Mississippi River, headed toward Utah,
The day their journey began was bone chilling. One hundred and eleven days later, on July 24, 1847, they walked into Salt Lake City, Utah, where Young declared, “This is the right place.”
In Utah, Pioneer Day is a state holiday. A parade is held and most congregations around the U. S. celebrate in some fashion. Many areas set off fireworks and hold parades. Others have essay contests for children and do hands on projects about pioneers. July 24 is commonly referred to as “The greatest Mormon holiday.”
Though the day isn’t recognized by local government in Washington, it’s still celebrated by East Pierce County congregations.
“It is a celebration of our efforts to find religious freedom and find a place to practice our faith when we were not welcomed,” said Jannice Martin, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latte-day Saints in Puyallup.
She understands the struggles pioneers made in their quest to find a new home — her great-great grandmother, Ellen Orton Page, crossed the plains when she was 2 years old with a widowed mother, a baby sister and another child 1 month old.
Members took what they could as they abandoned their homes. They left the temple they had built and the fields they had cultivated. Knowing they would never return to their homeland, one thought dominated their minds and became their mantra – “West in the Spring.”
The July 24 celebration is a chance for Mormons to reflect on their heritage, said Bonney Lake’s Kent Young. When he was a boy in Moses Lake, there were camp outs and a rodeo.
In East Pierce County, Young was asked to develop a Pioneer Day celebration for local youths and their families a few years ago. He came up with a combination of pioneer games that children in 1847 would have played along with more modern activities. It’s been suspended for a year to make room for a South Sound dance but will resume again next year.
It’s also an opportunity to teach their younger members about the struggles their ancestors made to practice their religion, he said. (cont.)
