Email to Sydney Australia Mortdale Stake: Pilot Program – Informed Consent

The members of the Sydney Australia Mortdale Stake received an email informing them the area had been selected for a Pilot Program named Informed Consent. The program announced two objectives: 1) to ensure that converts are fully informed before they commit to baptism, and 2) for all members to have a “short” lesson to make …

On Choosing to be Offended

When members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints leave the church, they are often met with oversimplified explanations from those who remain. The common refrain is that people leave for one of three reasons: they were offended, they wanted to sin, or they were simply lazy. This narrative is pervasive among both …

“Put on a little lipstick now and then and look a little charming” M. Russell Ballard’s Devotional

Elder M. Russell Ballard gave a talk at a YSA Devotional on Saturday, October 24, 2015. The talk was offensive and displayed the patriarchy of the church. Ballard made this comment asking the woman not to “wander around looking like men.” He advised them to “put on a little lipstick now and then and look …

Do General Authorities get paid? "General Authorities are given a living allowance which enables them to focus all of their time on serving in the Church. The living allowance is uniform for all General Authorities. None of the funds for this living allowance come from the tithing of Church members, but instead from proceeds of the Church's financial investments." - LDS Church Website FAQ | faq.churchofjesuschrist.org | wasmormon.org
Do General Authorities get paid? "General Authorities are given a living allowance which enables them to focus all of their time on serving in the Church. The living allowance is uniform for all General Authorities. None of the funds for this living allowance come from the tithing of Church members, but instead from proceeds of the Church's financial investments." - LDS Church Website FAQ | faq.churchofjesuschrist.org
“We exchanged expressions of joy, and I walked back to the hillside. I sat down on the pile of dirt we had been moving and beckoned to my sons. As I told them that all worthy male members of the Church could now be ordained to the priesthood, I wept for joy. That is the scene etched in my memory of this unforgettable announcement 40 years ago — sitting on a pile of dirt and weeping as I told my sons of this divine revelation.” - President Dallin H. Oaks, LDS Apostle On The Lifting of the Priesthood Ban at 'Be One' Celebration, June 1, 2018 | wasmormon.org/same-sex/
“We exchanged expressions of joy, and I walked back to the hillside. I sat down on the pile of dirt we had been moving and beckoned to my sons. As I told them that all worthy male members of the Church could now be ordained to the priesthood, I wept for joy. That is the scene etched in my memory of this unforgettable announcement 40 years ago — sitting on a pile of dirt and weeping as I told my sons of this divine revelation.” - President Dallin H. Oaks, LDS Apostle On The Lifting of the Priesthood Ban at 'Be One' Celebration, June 1, 2018
In Ghana, Joseph William Billy Johnson “heard the news [of the priesthood ban being lifted in June 1978] around midnight at the end of a hard day when he was compelled to tune his radio to BBC before going to bed. ‘I jumped and started crying and rejoicing in the Lord with tears’ - Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual for Institute, Chapter 56: Official Declaration 2 | wasmormon.org
In Ghana, Joseph William Billy Johnson “heard the news [of the priesthood ban being lifted in June 1978] around midnight at the end of a hard day when he was compelled to tune his radio to BBC before going to bed. ‘I jumped and started crying and rejoicing in the Lord with tears’ - Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual for Institute, Chapter 56: Official Declaration 2

Mormons Call the Church President the Prophet But Haven’t Always

There has been a significant cultural change within the Mormon Church, shifting from church leaders predominantly being referred to as “President,” to being esteemed as “Prophet.” This change evolved gradually over several decades. Initially, references to the church leader as “Prophet” were reserved exclusively for Joseph Smith, the church’s founder, and prophets from biblical and …

Girls, listen closely, because I don’t know that you’ll ever have somebody explain it quite this point blank again... “How come the girls don’t have the priesthood?” What the heck are they talking about? Your life exudes priesthood; it’s surrounded by priesthood; it emanates priesthood. “How come women don’t have priesthood keys?” Well, how come most men in the church don’t have priesthood keys? Priesthood keys are an organizational structure. It’s how God’s house is a house of order. So not everybody needs them; just those who are part of this organizational structure... "How come [women are] not ordained to the priesthood?” Maybe we’re asking the wrong question. Maybe we should be asking, “Why don’t they need to be”. - Brad Wilcox, Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, Tri-Stake Fireside in Alpine, Utah, February 6, 2022 | wasmormon.org
Girls, listen closely, because I don’t know that you’ll ever have somebody explain it quite this point blank again... “How come the girls don’t have the priesthood?” What the heck are they talking about? Your life exudes priesthood; it’s surrounded by priesthood; it emanates priesthood. “How come women don’t have priesthood keys?” Well, how come most men in the church don’t have priesthood keys? Priesthood keys are an organizational structure. It’s how God’s house is a house of order. So not everybody needs them; just those who are part of this organizational structure... "How come [women are] not ordained to the priesthood?” Maybe we’re asking the wrong question. Maybe we should be asking, “Why don’t they need to be”. - Brad Wilcox, Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, Tri-Stake Fireside in Alpine, Utah, February 6, 2022
Some lady walked up to me that I didn’t even known, and she’s like, “Oh, Why don't you give women the priesthood?” And I said, “Good to meet you, too.” And then I asked, “What’s the priesthood?”, and she said, “…Well, I don’t know, but I think the women should have it”. Seriously? “I don’t know, but the women should have it”? What’s, malaria? “I don’t know, but the women should have it”. - Brad Wilcox, Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, Tri-Stake Fireside in Alpine, Utah, February 6, 2022 | wasmormon.org
Some lady walked up to me that I didn’t even known, and she’s like, “Oh, Why don't you give women the priesthood?” And I said, “Good to meet you, too.” And then I asked, “What’s the priesthood?”, and she said, “…Well, I don’t know, but I think the women should have it”. Seriously? “I don’t know, but the women should have it”? What’s, malaria? “I don’t know, but the women should have it”. - Brad Wilcox, Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, Tri-Stake Fireside in Alpine, Utah, February 6, 2022