This week in Mormon Land: Why Trump’s loss may be a win for the global church – Salt Lake Tribune

This week in Mormon Land: Why Trumps loss may be a win for the global church

(Erin Schaff | The New York Times) President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House in Washington, on Thanksgiving, Nov. 26, 2020.

| Dec. 3, 2020, 3:18 p.m.

| Updated: Dec. 4, 2020, 2:34 a.m.

Is Trumps loss good for the church?

Did Donald Trumps presidency harm missionary efforts in Europe? Not so much. Blame increasing secularization and other factors for that.

Will his failed bid for reelection, nonetheless, help proselytizing there? Maybe, but in a roundabout way. Namely, by boosting the morale of the members, who will be less reticent to proclaim themselves as members of an American church.

Europeans, van Beek writes, judge American presidents on their performance in the international scene, and the promised return to political decency will restore something of the status of the USA and thus be beneficial to the church at large.

Misrepresentations on LGBTQ issues

(Salt Lake Tribune file photo) Protesters march outside of Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City in 2008.

The authors outline seven of these misrepresentations, including supposed teachings that: There are no gays in the church; that the church denies same-sex attraction is real; and that Latter-day Saint scripture preaches that those with homosexual tendencies are broken, damaged, sick or evil.

One of the biggest such falsehoods, they say, is that the only choice for gay members is between celibacy within the church, marked by loneliness, and love outside the faith.

This is only true if you link sex and love, Hess and Bennion write. Those who remain faithful can find fellowship, friendship and companionship with other Latter-day Saints, while awaiting a future marital relationship in the eternities.

The piece also challenges the idea that prophets have vacillated on LGBTQ issues and have even issued jolting reversals.

Such assumptions are a substantial overreach, they write. Left to the side is the possibility that these presiding leaders have been right all along and that the confusion and grappling reflect more of the inability of the public to see the consistency in their teaching and the wisdom of what they are saying.

This weeks podcast: Vaccines in church history

(Courtesy of University of Maryland School of Medicine via AP, File) This May 4, 2020, file photo provided by the University of Maryland School of Medicine, shows the first patient enrolled in Pfizer's COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine clinical trial at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore.

But besides the issue of who will get the vaccination first looms another question: Who will be willing to get it?

Debates about the value and efficacy of vaccines as well as the socioeconomics of those who will get them and those who wont have raged throughout the 20th century and into the 21st.

Such a debate took place in the early 1900s in Utah over the smallpox vaccine, dividing prominent community members, leaders and Latter-day Saints, including top church authorities and the editor of the church-owned Deseret News.

As Cater noted, in a quote often attributed to Mark Twain: History doesnt repeat itself, but it often rhymes.

From giving thanks to giving service

Church President Russell M. Nelson gave thanks this week for all those who, well, gave thanks.

Now, the 96-year-old church leader said, its time to give more than words.

As we enter the Christmas season and celebrate the living Christ, one of the most powerful ways we can show our gratitude is by serving his children, he added. Let us follow his example to Light the World by loving and serving others, one by one.

First Presidencys Yuletide message

(Photo courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) The Christus and the apostles in the Rome Italy Temple Visitors' Center.

The governing First Presidency harked to the true spirit of the season in its recently released Christmas message.

The true spirit of Christmas comes because of the Christ, wrote President Russell M. Nelson and his counselors, Dallin H. Oaks and Henry B. Eyring. ...The true spirit of Christmas is in the call of Jesus to love one another.

The trio closed by inviting all to share the true spirit of Christmas this season by hearing him Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace and Light of the World.

(Francisco Kjolseth | Tribune file photo) Ardis E. Parshall, Mormon historian in Salt Lake City, surrounded by her books.

The Mormon History Association has established the Ardis E. Parshall Public History Award, a biennial honor that will bestow $1,000 on the producer of the best public history project in Mormon studies.

MHA members Heather and Kelly Stone suggested the idea and pledged a $5,000 matching grant toward a $10,000 endowment for the prize.

Walking and working against hunger

When it comes to raising awareness about world hunger, top female leaders in the church are walking the walk literally.

Sharon Eubank, first counselor in the Relief Societys general presidency joined by second counselor Reyna I. Aburto, Primary general President Joy D. Jones and her first counselor, Lisa L. Harkness recently took a hike, so to speak, in solidarity with the millions struggling across the globe to feed themselves and their families.

Those recipients were: the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; International Rescue Committee; U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants; Church World Service; HIAS; Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service; Episcopal Migration Ministries; Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC); and World Relief.

The assistance proved especially helpful during COVID-19.

Thats where the churchs humanitarian arm stepped in, with grants that supplied food and financial support this year to more than 10,600 refugees and immigrants through 142 offices nationwide.

(Photo courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)Zynab Adam, a former refugee originally from Sudan, organizes cleaning supplies and food for Utah Refugee Connection on Feb. 20, 2020, in Salt Lake City. The charity incentivizes local refugees to participate in educational courses that help them transition into their new communities. Latter-day Saints in Utah donated over $124,000 to the entity during the #LightTheWorld campaign.

But when might other big church events take place in 2021?

With the COVID-19 pandemic, please continue to follow local and First Presidency guidelines regarding gathering to participate in these events, the church states. Information regarding whether an event will be virtual only, broadcast times, languages and viewing times will be sent to local leaders before each broadcast.

Lights, cameras, but not as much action

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) The Shea family from Salt Lake City, McKell, Mikey Sammy, Avielle, Betsy and Scott take a selfie overlooking the Christmas lights on Temple Square, Friday, Nov. 27, 2020.

Thousands of Christmas lights decked the trees, paths, planters and plaza on downtown Salt Lake Citys Temple Square.

But due to COVID-19, visitors encouraged to mask up and space out were prevented from strolling the glistening grounds themselves. They had to view them instead from the surrounding sidewalks and roads.

On debut night, those measures diminished the picture-snapping crowds but didnt dampen the holiday mood.

The phased reopening of temples during the pandemic continues to move forward, with the occasional step back.

But five temples all in Canada that were in Phase 2 will retreat to Phase 1, providing only marriage sealings. Another 14 temples have paused operations due to local COVID-19 restrictions.

By Monday, 29 temples will be in Phase 1.

No temples have begun Phase 3, which would make all living and limited proxy ordinances available by appointment.

(Photo courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)A rendering of the planned Antofagasta Chile Temple at the groundbreaking ceremony of the temple on Friday, Nov. 27, 2020.

A socially distanced groundbreaking launched construction of Chiles third Latter-day Saint temple.

Chile is home to more than 602,000 members.

(Photo courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)Elder Juan Pablo Villar speaks at the groundbreaking of the Antofagasta Chile Temple on Friday, Nov. 27, 2020

The church teaches that we have a Heavenly Mother and Father and, though we dont know all the specific ways they spend their energy, we are taught that they spend a lot of energy being available to us, always ready to listen. (This is taught explicitly about God the Father, implicitly about God the Mother.) I think thats significant. And I think it reflects godliness when we make concerted efforts in our own lives to listen to each other.

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This week in Mormon Land: Why Trump's loss may be a win for the global church - Salt Lake Tribune