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  1. Funeral services today for missionary

    Sun, 02/07/2010 - 20:17

    Funeral services for McKay C. Burrows will be today at the American Fork Tabernacle. Services are scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. A viewing will be at noon.

    Burrows was serving a mission in Romania when he and his companion, Jace Davis died because of a natural gas leak in their apartment.

    In lieu of flowers, the Burrows family has asked that donations be made to family members of Jace Davis, who are facing medical challenges with another child.

    Honoring Burrows, the flag of the ASB will fly at half staff today.

    — Daily Universe Staff

     

  2. Law official: Airline bomb suspect flips on cleric

    By Associated Press

    - Thu, 02/04/2010 - 21:05
    AP Photo. Dec. 2009 photo released by the U.S. Marshal's Service shows Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab in Milan, Mich.

    The Nigerian suspect in a failed Christmas Day airliner bombing turned against the cleric who claims to be his teacher and has helped the U.S. hunt for the radical preacher, a law enforcement official said Thursday.

    Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the 23-year-old Nigerian who faces terrorism charges in the Christmas bombing, has been cooperating with the FBI for days, providing information about his contacts in Yemen and the al-Qaida affiliate that operates there.

    His cooperation talking about U.S.-born Yemeni radical Anwar al-Awlaki is significant because it could provide fresh clues for authorities trying to capture or kill him in the remote mountains of Yemen. Al-Awlaki has emerged as a prominent al-Qaida recruiter and has been tied to the 9/11 hijackers, Abdulmutallab and the suspect in November's deadly shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas.

  3. Professor urges finding strength beyond

    By Amie Hansen

    - Tue, 02/02/2010 - 22:33
    Photo by Mariangela Mazzei. Rosemary Thackeray addresses students in the Marriott Center.

    Although difficulties and trials are part of everyday life, we can receive strength by the hand of the Lord as we draw near to Him.

    Rosemary Thackeray, professor in the Department of Health Science, taught in Tuesday’s Devotional, “Difficulties in life serve at least two purposes. They help us come to the Lord and rely on his strength and they also help to refine us.”

    She explained the refining process of gold and silver and compared it to what we go through in life and how it is necessary to build, strengthen and shape us into the people our Father in Heaven knows we can become.

    “The process of refining gold and silver requires the elements to be exposed to very high temperatures,” she said. “This process removes the impurities and results in a final product that is much stronger.” 

  4. Video: Students react to Tuesday's Devotional

    Tue, 02/02/2010 - 14:06

  5. MTC planning to expand upward

    By Jordan Carroll

    - Sun, 01/31/2010 - 21:13

    The Provo Missionary Training Center is looking to expand. With already limited space near the BYU campus, it appears its sole option is to expand upward.

    Scott Trotter, spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said the church will be requesting a building permit from Provo City to remodel the east wing of the Jacob Hamblin building at the Provo Missionary Training Center.

    “The renovations will improve efficiency of deliveries and provide additional space for on-campus services including the bookstore, mail room, office space and additional senior missionary apartments,” he said.

    The building permit would allow an extra 40,000 square feet of space to be added as a third story to the Jacob Hamblin building to alleviate the considerable lack of living space for senior missionary couples. On average the MTC accommodates up to 4,000 missionaries at any given time.

  6. Hand Bell Choir seeking male members

    By Jani Winder

    - Sun, 01/31/2010 - 21:04
    Photo courtesy of Darrell Wilcox. Members of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir hand bell choir perform during a recent concert.

    The Mormon Tabernacle Choir needs men. Not just any men — it needs men who can lift a 13-pound bell for the hand bell choir.

    Tom Waldron, the director of bells on Temple Square, said a few of the 27 members of the hand bell choir are taking a leave of absence, leaving their spots up for grabs.

    The choir has one ringer spot open along with three substitute spots reserved for men and one other spot for a woman.

    “The women just can’t lift those heavy bells,” Waldron said.

    Substitutes are used when a regular ringer misses the Wednesday night practice or when someone takes a leave of absence, Waldron said.

    “We have two or three performances on our own, two to three performances on broadcasts and we are also included in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas program,” he said. “That’s our big one during the year.”

  7. Two LDS missionaries found dead in Romania

    By Associated Press

    - Sat, 01/30/2010 - 21:37

    SALT LAKE CITY — The Mormon church says two of its missionaries have died in Romania.

    Church spokesman Scott Trotter says the 20-year-old missionaries died Friday from "apparent accidental natural gas asphyxiation."

    They were identified as McKay Choy Burrows of Highland, Utah, and Jace Edwards Davis of Logandale, Nev.

    Trotter says the two were serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Romania Bucharest Mission.

    No other details were immediately available.

    A person who answered the phone Saturday at the Burrows' family home in Highland said the family is not ready to talk to the media.

  8. Podcast: Brother Bott lecture

    By Michael Edwards

    - Thu, 01/28/2010 - 16:17

    Professor Randy Bott, a religion teacher at BYU, gave a special address to students on Thursday in the Varsity Theater. In his address, Bott spoke about how fortunate students are to be at BYU and also about the importance of obedience. This is a podcast of some of the highlights of the address. 

  9. Q-and-A a highlight of recent forum

    By Katie Mussman

    - Tue, 01/26/2010 - 21:05

    If we are doing what we’re supposed to be doing, God will direct our endeavors.

    This was one of the biggest messages at the BYU Women Faculty and Student Forum, recently held in the Tanner Building. 

    The forum was presented by the Graduate Student Society, and was a “conversation” between students and a panel of female faculty members.

    “This is an annual event that we try to do every year,” said Camilla Hodge, the Vice President of Communications for the Graduate Student Society. Hodge, who is currently getting her master’s in youth and family recreation, said. “It’s always a pleasure to work with the faculty on campus.”

  10. LDS members eager for new Payson Temple

    By Jordan Carroll

    - Tue, 01/26/2010 - 20:39

    The announcement that Payson would receive a temple was a long time coming, according to many south Utah County residents and church members.

    Local legends and rumors of a temple being built in Payson have circulated for generations.
    According to Amanda Frost, a senior majoring in media art studies, an early Payson patriarch announced a temple would be built on the ridge.

    “During each session of General Conference, my family and I would wait anxiously to see if ‘our temple’ would be announced,” Frost said. “Imagine my surprise today when my husband called just as I was getting off from work to tell me the news. I know that this temple will be a great blessing for the people of Payson and the surrounding area.”

  11. Church provides relief

    By Jordan Carroll

    - Mon, 01/25/2010 - 22:21
    AP photo. The U.S. Navy distributes bags of rice to earthquake victims in Haiti.

    Two weeks after a disastrous earthquake hit Haiti earlier this month, the country continues to seek aid from organizations all over the world, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

    Church officials are working in Haiti and the Dominican Republic to reach the needs of local church members and the general population.

    According to Bennie Lily, the church area welfare manager over the Caribbean area, nine chapels in the Port-Au-Prince area have been affected by the earthquakes, but are able to serve the constant need of the Haitian members and people. Approximately 20 to 30 percent of those helped by the church’s efforts are members, while the rest belong to other faiths.

  12. Church announces temple for Payson

    Mon, 01/25/2010 - 16:11
    Photo courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The site of a temple to be built in Payson.

    LDS Church News Release

    SALT LAKE CITY — A new temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to be built in Payson, Utah, it was announced today by Church President Thomas S. Monson.

    The new temple will help meet the needs of a growing Church membership in the area and will ease the heavy use of the Provo temple, which is one of the busiest in the Church. The Payson temple will bring to 15 the number of operating and announced temples in Utah.-->

  13. Blogs: Sister missionaries and the aging single population

    By Chelsea Warren

    - Fri, 01/22/2010 - 13:47

    During my Christmas break, I attended my home singles’ ward, hoping to get reacquainted with old friends. When our bishop stood up and announced that four more sisters and friends of mine had received their mission calls, I exclaimed, “Eek gads! Four more friends to write!” (Okay, maybe I didn’t say “eek gads” exactly, but it was something to that effect). I am overjoyed for these sisters, for I know they will be a force to be reckoned with in their service. But it made me think of how our society has changed over the years.

     

    Click here to read the rest of this post at Beyond The Universe.

  14. FamilySearch Indexing ups number of records

    By Jordan Carroll

    - Wed, 01/20/2010 - 01:42

    FamilySearch Indexing announced almost 140 million records and 150 indexing projects were completed in 2009, nearly doubling the total number of previously indexed records. Since

    FamilySearch’s organization in 2005, 350 million records have been completed.

    This past year, volunteers completed the 1920 U.S. Federal Census project, the 1869 Argentina Census, as well as many birth, marriage and death records.

    “The fact that 140 million records were indexed this past year makes me very happy,” said Matt Starliper, an indexer in the BYU 116th Ward. “Imagine all those in spirit prison who are that much closer to receiving the blessings of the temple ordinances thanks to this effort.”

  15. Devotional: Atonement can heal marriages

    By Mandy Teerlink

    - Wed, 01/20/2010 - 01:32
    Photo by Andrew Van Wagenen. Richard B. Miller, from the School of Family Life, gives an address during Tuesday’s Devotional.

    Lack of repentance and forgiveness are two fundamental reasons for divorce and discontent in marriage, according to Tuesday’s Devotional.

    Rick Miller, a professor in the School of Family Life, shed some light on issues that cause breakdowns in a marriage.  He also gave some counsel concerning what can be done to save a relationship that may be in danger.

    “It is important to know that these principles of repentance and forgiveness apply to all relationships, not just marriage,” he said.

    Miller explained hurting a spouse’s feelings is nearly unavoidable in a relationship.

    “Whether it is intentional, based on selfishness or just inadvertent mistakes, we all end up doing some things that create hurt in our spouse,” he said. “The remedy is pretty straight-forward: we say, ‘I’m sorry.’”