We have regular cause to be grateful to our tech-savvy readers who provide us with technical advice. Most recently, we’ve gotten some helpful tips from the blogger otherwise known as Miranda Park Jones David King Landrith.
Meanness
Though this horse is not dead yet, it still needs a good flogging.
Religious Holidays
One of my family’s favorite things is to celebrate religious holidays from around the world.
The Greatest Virtue on Earth
Last general conference, our prophet spoke the following sentence: ” I think X may be the greatest virtue on earth, and certainly the most needed.” What is X? Perhaps you remember it from the talk. If not, and if you wish to humor me for a minute with some participatory blogging, then try this for an exercise: Think over the sentence for a minute, and write down your three or four best possible answers for X. Think you’ve got it? Click through for further discussion.
St. Nicholas’ Day
When I was growing up, we always celebrated St. Nicholas’ Day (December 6th). As I child, it was all about my glee in getting my stocking filled weeks before my friends would get any holiday loot. But as a parent, I’ve found this to be a wonderful holiday to celebrate–one that provides a counterpoint to the Christmas hoopla.
Conversion, Culture, and Buying Members
The mufti here in Bishkek spoke at a conference on religious tolerance a few days ago. He has recently returned from a trip to the United States and said that if Muslims want Islam to be more respected in America, Muslim countries need to allow religious freedom in their own countries.
Twelve Questions with Greg Whiteley
Greg Whiteley, the director of the very well-received new movie New York Doll, has kindly agreed to answer questions from our readers.
Progress Report
So we’re supposed to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year. That’s not so hard. In fact, I read the first chapter today. One down, eight to go. Now what’s so difficult about that?
Lessons on Suing the Church from Commodity Traders
People often get upset with members who sue the Church. Why? As you might expect, I think that the answer lies in contract disputes between commodity traders.
Give to the Beautiful
We had a seminar recently from an experimental economist out of the University of Chicago. He has done a variety of cool things using field experiments. Let me mention the one he presented. The experiment involved sending people door to door to do fund raising for a (real) charity. The fundraisers (who were college students) were paid $10/hour. Men averaged about $9/hour in donations. There was little correlation between their productivity and their appearance. Pretty women got about $17/hour in donations.
The Real Reason
Matt Evans and I went a few rounds at one of those other blogs over the reason behind falling LDS birthrates. Turns out we were both wrong.
Wilfried: My conversion
I posted my conversion story before under the title Why I have a testimony. As part of “My conversion” week, I use it again here, adding a little introduction on my childhood.
Julie’s Conversion Story
[I’m reposting my conversion story here to round out our week of conversion stories.]
The Russian Word for Rain
My conversion has been a lot more like studying a language than being granted the gift of tongues.
Gordon: My Conversion
When I first learned that Joseph Smith had written more than one version of the First Vision, I understood completely. Like Jim, I have “any number of versions” of my conversion story.
Gina’s Conversion Story
[After I posted my conversion story, Gina sent me hers. I thought it was wonderful and asked her permission to share it with our readers. With her gracious permission, here is Gina’s story.–Julie]
God Does Not See Me When I Drink
Islam in Central Asia is nothing like Islam in the Middle East. But this is what I love about Islam. It has its own local flair everywhere you go.
The Four Types of Mormons
So my very bright friend in Wisconsin has come up with something that should get us light years beyond the tired old Liahona-Iron Rod business. Here it is, in his words, not mine.
Jim F: My Conversion
Thanksgiving seems a good time to think about my membership in the Church and my gratitude for the Gospel. In other words, it seems to be a particularly good time for me to reflect on my conversion.
More Thankful Every Day: Conversion Week on T&S
This week on Times and Seasons several of us will be sharing conversion stories, whether discussing our own conversion to the restored gospel or that of others. We figured that there are few things more appropriate to Thanksgiving week then to reflect upon those events for which many of us have cause to be deeply thankful.
From the Archives: Is there an LDS Thanksgiving Identity?
Is there a distinct LDS attitude, approach, or spirit towards Thanksgiving — an LDS Thanksgiving identity — or are we as church members merely hangers-on to the broad Protestant Thanksgiving tradition? (more. . .)
Choose Your Own Adventure
Let’s play a game. You can choose between two jobs. One pays $50,000 and the other pays $100,000. You know, or can guess, that if you take the first you will give about $5,000/yr in fast offerings and other gifts to the poor. If you make $100,000 you will give about $15,000. You will also pay several thousand more dollars in taxes, but we’ll set that aside. So in one case, you consume about $45,000 and in the other, you consume about $85,000. Which do you take?
Is the Church the Same Wherever You Go?
My husband and I had the good fortune to spend some time in a few small branches in the Middle East about 8 years ago while we were studying Arabic. While we spent most of our time in the Jerusalem Branch, we also visited branches in Cairo, Amman, and Irbid, Jordan.
Return of the Guest-Bloggers: T&S Welcomes Erica (Amira) Merrell
After a too-long hiatus, T&S is happy to announce that our guest-blogging machinery is slowly creaking back to life….