This Week in Mormons

Prominent Latter-day Saint author, speaker, and entrepreneur Rosie Card joins us this week to work through the news and tell us about her new book, House of Light: Your Guide to the Temple, which provides a detailed walk-through of the temple experience and provides a study guide to maximize the way you ponder and live your covenants, whether it's your first time or 100th time. It's a great read and a terrific study companion. How can one truly prepare for the temple? What does into writing a book of this nature? How has temple preparation evolved in the past 10 years? How much did the Church publishing temple endowment covenants make a difference in helping with any unease that might exist for some about discussion temple details? We say our bodies are temples, but what other meaning does that have? Rosie has done plenty of research here, and we hope you'll enjoy hearing about her work and what it can do to help you and those you care about. Buy Now But there's also news! The Church's investment fund added $6 billion in value in 2020. As the Church continues to save for a rainy day we must ask ourselves, when exactly is that rainy day if not in the middle of a global pandemic, political malaise, and racial unrest? Obviously, we're doing good things with money, like donating $300,000 to the Children's Justice Center, but it's easy to ask - what else? A new By Common Consent article discusses the affordability crisis and how it affects Latter-day Saints. If you want to see your ward grow and thrive, consider what needs to be readdressed to enable young families to stay in your area. Also at BCC, what more can we do to combat racism in our ranks? We've seen Church leaders in recent years decry white nationalism and prejudice, and even work with the NAACP on some issues, but what more? What action, programming, curriculum are we investing in to identify and stamp out prejudice in our ranks? If it remains a quick reference in General Conference, how can we expect things to improve? Hey, so Salt Lake Tribune "humor" columnist Robert Kirby retired, and we won't be sad. Missouri recognizes the 1838 extermination order as one of the "saddest" moments of American political history. Was it? How many of you use Latter-day Saint-centric dating apps, like Mutual and LDSSingles? It's a whole exciting world! But are these serving the needs of these Mormons? Peggy Fletcher Stake

Another week, another chance to go deep into the news. Kurt Francom of Leading Saints is kind enough to join Geoff to make sense of it all. And there is much of which sense must be made! The Salt Lake Tribune does the noble work of explaining #DezNat to everyone. You might have seen this hashtag floating around the Twittersphere. Is it for white nationalists? Is it for racists? Geoff akins DezNat to modern-day Danites. Anyway, don't use the hashtag and think you are fighting for Zion. Are educated Latter-day Saints in Utah leaning more Democratic? One Brigham Young University professor argues they are. What does this mean for Kurt? What does this mean for you? Who has the answers? The politics of Latter-day Saints are an interesting area to explore. Researcher Jana Riess examines how far-right members of the Church are often now acting as one might expect from more liberal members: cherry picking which prophetic counsel to follow and which to willfully ignore. What happens to leadership structures and authority when everyone is making conscious choices what to obey and what not to obey? There's drama in Ogden, Utah! Some want to name a portion of a street after an old pioneer fort. Others think that's offensive to Native Americans originally from the area, and the street should be named for them. Who will win?? Why do we have college devotionals? We often discuss what a Church leader says at a devotional but rarely examine the purpose behind them. The Church News has our back. What should we expect from the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square in 2021? Something, they tell us. We should expect something. What that something is eve Ryan Murphy does not know. Apparently there is some Latter-day Saint comedian in Italy who is "beloved." He appears to be a mix of Mr. Bean and Blippi, and we all know that multiplying a positive by a negative equals a negative. What is this? WHO IS THIS? Oh, and he wrote a book. Great news out of Tokyo. Posted by This Week in Mormons on Wednesday, February 3, 2021 Kurt loves shows about murder and death, so he's stoked that Jared Hess, director of Napoleon Dynamite has a new documentary series dropping on Netflix about the Salt Lake City bombings of 1985, Murder Among the Mormons. Nobody told them it should have been called Murder Among the Latter-day Saints. Come on, Jared! Other news: a

Olympian Noelle Pikus-Pace has used goals to overcome trials, judgmental church culture, and physical injury, all with an eye toward faith.

Are Young Single Adult stakes serving their purpose? How do we combat "brain drain" of members moving to more affordable areas when the baptism rates don't replenish what is lost? Also, how do we combat inanity on social media, particularly when THE PROPHET tells us getting vaccinated against COVID is a miracle from heaven and we should consider it?

The number of Latter-day Saints in the newest congress is at its lowest level in 20 years, and it's the first time in over 100 years none of them are Democrats. What does that mean for LDS influence in Washington? The Brethren finally released a statement condemning the violence at the U.S. Capitol, and the Facebook comments were... as you might expect. And Elder Holland is using a walker?!

Let's talk about the Capitol riot and bad cosplay. Also, affinity fraud in Utah, gender pay gaps in religious countries, and COVID!

It's too easy to preach to LGBTQ Latter-day Saints. Richard Ostler believes we do the most good by listening and understanding. He has written a book and hosts a podcast, both titled "Listen, Learn & Love," and has devoted his personal ministry to creating a place for Latter-day Saints to share their personal experiences.

2020 will soon be behind us. We reflect on the top stories of the year as well as some exciting weekly news. Also, Wonder Woman.

The TWiM family—and some special guests—recount meaningful Christmas stories designed to amuse and uplift.

The Church congratulates Joe Biden on his Electoral College victory and the Latter-day Saint internet LOSES ITS MIND. Get a grip, fellow Saints.

Geoff and Kurt get into it on COVID, the First Presidency Christmas Devotional soothes our hearts, four temples move to Phase 3.

Christmas is upon us! What is Advent? What does 2020's Light the World campaign entail? Why hasn't the Church recognized Joe Biden's victory when it does so for other president-elects?

#GiveThanks is awesome, and we have plenty to talk about, including some folks who don't love to, uh, give thanks? Devin Thorpe is here.

Light the World kicks off in the time of COVID, Hallmark films move to Utah, Pres. Nelson teases a message of hope and healing.

How did Latter-day Saints perform in the U.S. election? BYU Pathways grows. Real Housewives of Salt Lake City aren't so Mormon, it seems!