President Hinckley unexpectedly visits and speaks at missionary funeral

LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley unexpectedly visited and spoke at the funeral of Elder Jaysen R. Christiansen, one of the four missionaries killed in an automobile accident on Friday, January 28th. Members of the First Presidency also visited the funerals of the other three missionaries killed in the accident, expressing their condolences to the families.

Missionaries' Bodies On the Way Home

The remains of the four LDS missionaries killed Friday in a head-on collision in Iowa will be returned to Utah soon, but the time of arrival will not be released at the request of their families. LDS Church spokesman Michael Purdy explained, "The families want it to be private. "Funerals will probably be held at the end of the week."

Funerals for 4 LDS elders are this week

The funerals of the four LDS missionaries killed in an automobile accident Friday will be held this week. The four missionaries were killed when the Elder driving their car lost control and zig-zagged across a rural Iowa highway before running nearly head-on into a pickup truck. The driver of the pickup truck was also killed.

President Hinckley Visit's Guam

We went to the Special Fireside at the Hilton Monday night to see President Hinckley. It was quite an impressive night. There were more than 700 people attending this gathering. Many came from the other near by (and some are remote) islands such as Saipan, Chuuk, Palau, Yap, Majuro, Pohnpei and as far as Ebey and Kosrae.

Utah and its polygamists race against time to end abuses

The issue of what, if anything, to do about polygamy remains very much alive in Utah as the state government considers legislation to combat problems of abuse, incest and welfare fraud among members of polygamous groups. Even some polygamists are calling for something to be done to stop the problems.

Same-Sex Marriage Polarizes Vermont

The war over same-sex marriage opened a new front in Vermont last month when the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that the legislature must provide a way for homosexual couples to have the same benefits as heterosexual couples. Mass public hearings at the state House in the past two weeks demonstrate that the state has become increasingly polarized over the issue, leaving the Vermont legislature with the difficult job of deciding how to implement the Court's decision.

For Many, Abortion Is Lost in the Crowd of Issues

While every U.S. Presidential candidate has a stand on abortion, to most voters it isn't a big consideration in choosing who they will vote for. Voters on both sides of the issue, including an LDS Bishop quoted for this New York Times article, say that issues like tax policy and trustworthiness are far more important.

Churches hold massive gathering but don't invite Mormons

Bank One Ballpark, the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, was full of worshipers on January 15th. Thirty-eight thousand Christians from Mesa, Arizona filled the stands for The Festival of Faith 2000, an ecumenical worship service. But it seems you have to profess a certain brand of Christianity in order to have been allowed to attend, because members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were specifically DISinvited.

Surgeons give Mongolian girl gift of hearing

Nine-year-old Chimegsaikhan Yadamjav from Ulan Bator, Mongolia can hear normally, thanks to LDS missionaries who helped her get an operation in Hong Kong that increased the hearing in her left ear to 80 percent of normal. Yadamjav is completely deaf in the other ear.

Utah history always involves Mormonism

In 1948 the Supreme Court prohibited the teaching of religious courses in public schools. Mike Barton is a seventh grade history teacher at Kaysville Junior High, who believes teaching just about any event in Utah history forces religion into the classroom. "But teaching 'about religion' and its role in history is permissible," Barton said.

Nauvoo Temple construction documented on Web site A programmer at Novell has put together a website with daily construction photos of the Nauvoo Temple, and LDS Book Publisher Deseret Book has provided a 'construction cam,' with 'live' pictures of the Temple worksite. Nauvoo Temple construction documented on Web site (BYU) NewsNet 2Feb00 N1 By Joseph Lopez: NewsNet Staff Writer Churches in the news: Follow Nauvoo Temple work on Deseret Book's Website Deseret News 5Feb00 N1

Nauvoo Articles Detail Temple Construction, Town Reaction A series of articles in the Burlington Iowa Hawk Eye detail the construction of the Nauvoo Temple and the reaction of the town of Nauvoo to its reconstruction and the resulting tourism and traffic. Many townspeople have expressed reservations to the construction of the Temple because the resulting traffic and tourism will dwarf the town's resources, and change the very character of the town. Nauvoo residents stand in favor of economic development Burlington IA Hawkeye 1Feb00 N1 By Stephen A. Martin: The Hawk Eye On the verge of growth, Nauvoo eyes its future Burlington IA Hawkeye 30Jan00 N1 By Stephen A. Martin: The Hawk Eye On the verge of growth, Nauvoo eyes its future Longtime residents want small amount of growth Burlington IA Hawkeye 30Jan00 N1 By Stephen A. Martin: The Hawk Eye Longtime residents want small amount of growth Survey gauges town's reaction to temple, tourists Burlington IA Hawkeye 29Jan00 N1 By Stephen A. Martin: The Hawk Eye Survey gauges town's reaction to temple, tourists

LDS Relief Society Plans to Cover BYU's Football Field with Quilts A service project held in conjunction with the 25th annual BYU Women's Conference on April 26th, aims to cover BYU's football field with quilts. Organizers expect 20,000 LDS women to assist the project which will create 2,000 quilts as well as a number of other projects in a massive, five-hour "Stadium of Service." Volunteers will also sort 660,000 pounds of food, assemble 25,000 hygiene kits and donate blood in what the Red Cross expects to be its largest single-day blood drive ever. Quilts to cover gridiron at BYU Deseret News 31Jan00 N1 By Carrie A. Moore: Deseret News religion editor

Passage of Knight Initiative May Be in Doubt Current polls still don't make the outcome of California's Knight Initiative vote on March 7th clear. The San Francisco Examiner/KTVU poll taken January 21-24 found 54% support the Initiative and 38% opposed, with a 4% margin of error. Meanwhile, both sides are ramping up their campaigns. Big Push Against Prop. 22 PlanetOut News 31Jan00 N1

Hatch Votes for Abortion Bill Senator Orrin Hatch, a member of the LDS Church, voted for an abortion-related amendment recently, in a political move meant to steal a publicity opportunity from U.S. Vice President Al Gore. Hatch voted for an amendment that would keep violent abortion-clinic demonstrators from evading fines and damages through bankruptcy. Democrats had planned to have Gore cast a dramatic, tie-breaking vote on the amendment, assuming that Hatch would vote against it. Hatch steals Gore thunder Deseret News 3Feb00 N2 By Lee Davidson: Deseret News Washington correspondent Abortion-related measure passes without v.p. vote

Presiding Bishop Burton joins Commission David Burton, Presiding Bishop of the LDS Church has been named a commissioner of the Utah Air Travel Commission. Rolly &Wells: Guv Between A Forum and A Hard Place (Church and State) Salt Lake Tribune 2Feb00 N2 By Paul Rolly and JoAnn Jacobsen-Wells: The Salt Lake Tribune

Internet Makes Genealogy Easier The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner notes that the explosion of the Internet and use of computers in genealogy has made tracing roots easier. Its article suggests the LDS Church's Family History Centers as well as its Internet resource, FamilySearch.org and the website of Ancestry.com, a company owned and operated by members of the LDS Church. Tracing roots easier than ever Fairbanks AK Daily News-Miner 31Jan00 N6 By Martha Bristow: Staff Writer Internet aids research

Judge That Offended Mormons, Others Will Be Investigated Federal Judge Alan McDonald, who exchanged notes in the courtroom with his staff that included language and remarks offensive to racial and religious minorities will be investigated, according to Eastern Washington's Chief Federal Judge William Fremming Nielsen. Judge Nielsen said Wednesday February 2nd that he has asked the 9th Circuit Judicial Council to review the notes. Judicial investigation of judge's inflammatory notes planned Portland OR Oregonian (AP) 3Feb00 N6

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