I enjoyed the talks in the Priesthood session quite a bit, especially Elder Hales on “being there,” Bishop McMullin on “unencumbering our lives,” and President Hinckley on being clean. The music by the BYU Men’s Chorus was phenomenal.

Right before the Priesthood session started, the big screen flashed a message I hadn’t seen before (roughly): “We realize there are people outside the Conference Center that may try to disrupt the special spirit that you will feel during this meeting. Therefore we urge you to be courteous to those people.”

This statement referred to anti-Mormon protesters who always gather outside the Conference Center, but the most interesting phrase was “we urge you to be courteous to those people.” (It didn’t say, “We wish they would be courteous to us so we can enjoy this Conference.”) The phrasing seemed to imply that feeling a spirit of peace depends only on us, not on outside influences. Arguing with a street preacher would most certainly disturb one’s peace, but being courteous protects it.

In the last General Conference, which occurred one week ago, Elder Richard G. Scott spoke about prayer, mentioning President Hinckley’s prayer at the conclusion of the October 2001 General Conference as an example of effective and sincere prayer.

I have learned much about prayer by listening to President Hinckley offer supplications in our meetings. You can also learn from him by carefully studying the exceptional public prayer he offered at the conclusion of the October 2001 conference for Father’s children throughout the world. He prayed from his heart, not from a prepared manuscript.

Study that prayer, and you will find that there are no vain repetitions, no posturing to impress others, as sometimes occurs. He combines simple words eloquently. He prays as a humble, trusting son who knows well his beloved Father in Heaven. He confides in the certainty that His answer will come when most needed. Each prayer is tailored to its purpose, with a clear statement of what needs resolution, as well as ample expression of gratitude for specific, recognized blessings. His spontaneous prayers are like crafted gems, a silent witness to the fundamental place prayer has occupied in his life for many, many years. (Elder Richard G. Scott, “Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer”)

Here is the text of the prayer to which Elder Scott referred. This was one month after the September 11th attack.

O God, our Eternal Father, Thou great Judge of the Nations, Thou who art the governor of the universe, Thou who art our Father and our God, whose children we are, we look to Thee in faith in this dark and solemn time. Please, dear Father, bless us with faith. Bless us with love. Bless us with charity in our hearts. Bless us with a spirit of perseverance to root out the terrible evils that are in this world. Give protection and guidance to those who are engaged actively in carrying forth the things of battle. Bless them; preserve their lives; save them from harm and evil. Hear the prayers of their loved ones for their safety. We pray for the great democracies of the earth which Thou hast overseen in creating their governments, where peace and liberty and democratic processes obtain.

O Father, look with mercy upon this, our own nation, and its friends in this time of need. Spare us and help us to walk with faith ever in Thee and ever in Thy Beloved Son, on whose mercy we count and to whom we look as our Savior and our Lord. Bless the cause of peace and bring it quickly to us again, we humbly plead with Thee, asking that Thou wilt forgive our arrogance, pass by our sins, be kind and gracious to us, and cause our hearts to turn with love toward Thee. We humbly pray in the name of Him who loves us all, even the Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and our Savior, amen. (President Gordon B. Hinckley, “Till We Meet Again”)

Current Mormon politicians like Harry Reid and Orrin Hatch span the range of political ideologies, showing that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints don’t walk in lock-step.

While no one can say definitively what a Mormon president will be like, fears about a closed system in the White House or strong denominational influence seem premature. If elected and Mormonism turns out to be salient in a Romney administration, it is likely to be manifest in some other than partisanship or biased communication.

Article: Romney not likely to wear religion on his sleeve

Rodney Stark, an American sociologist, pronounced 20 years ago that the Mormon faith was on the way to becoming the first world religion to be founded since Muhammad; he thought the number of adherents might exceed 260m by the second half of the 21st century.

Since then, the rate of growth has eased a little, though it remains impressive compared with many Christian denominations.

The article mentions Mitt Romney and Brandon Flowers as prominent Mormons.

It also mentions that church membership in Brazil (where I spent two years as a Mormon missionary) and Mexico constitute 1 million of the Church’s almost 13 million members.

Good article.

Source: Economist.com

Via: Sustaind.org

In 1852, three years after the discovery of gold in California, seven members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon church) established a trading post in what is now Genoa (near Lake Tahoe)…. In 1855, 30 men were called to establish a mission at the Meadows in southern Nevada…. In the late 1920s, many Utahns moved to Nevada in search of better economic conditions. The Las Vegas Nevada Temple was dedicated in 1989 as “an oasis of peace and light.”

The Reno temple was dedicate in April 2000. Of the 2.4 million people in Nevada, 167,822 are Mormons (6.9%). Nevada has 2 missions, 2 temples, 5 family history centers, and 304 congregations (ward/branches).

Famous Mormons in/from Nevada include Brandon Flowers, Gladys Knight, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Source: LDS Newsroom, statistics on Nevada and Wikipedia

My Small World Experience in Las Vegas

Best Show in Las Vegas and My New Favorite Celestial Room

• LDS.org: Homosexuality (Same Sex Attraction) — a library of information
• LDS.org: Same Gender Attraction — an interview with Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Wickman
• Ask Gramps: What is the Mormon church’s position toward transgendered persons and gay marriages?
• Ask Gramps: How can I overcome same sex attraction to become a faithful Mormon?
• Ask Gramps: Science and Sexual Orientation
• Evergreen International — a non-profit organization that helps people who want to overcome homosexual behavior.
• Superchastity — an interesting idea to change the semantics of homosexuality in the Church and improve understanding and kindness

http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,6606-1-3386-1,00.html