Daniel C. Peterson's Blog, page 825

Seeking photographs

    For a project that I’m working on, I really want to find some photographs of Robert Cundick, formerly a Tabernacle organist, during the time that he and his wife were working in the BYU Jerusalem Center as a volunteer service couple.  (He was the organist at the Center, as well as at the [Read More...]

“Are Mormons in their 20s and 30s leaving the LDS Church?”

    I failed to note this piece back in April when it appeared.  (I was in the throes of grading final papers, creating final exams, and preparing for a month or so out of the country.)   But it raises an issue that merits examination and reflection:   Are Mormons in their 20s and [Read More...]

“Ann Cannon: Dear Donald Trump, a history lesson on the Mormon ‘Extermination Order’”

    This piece seems appropriate at this time of conjunction between the Republican National Convention and preparations for Pioneer Day:   http://www.sltrib.com/entertainment/4...   As one nineteenth century General Authority reminisced, thinking of the pioneer trek to the Great Basin, “We came here voluntarily, because we had to.”    

“LDS Church rolls out ‘Meet the Mormons’ — the sequel”

    http://www.sltrib.com/lifestyle/faith...    

How terrorism is taking a toll on international tourist trade

    http://money.cnn.com/2016/07/18/news/...   It’s obvious that hurting tourism is among the goals of today’s Islamist terrorists, and they’re succeeding.   You might think, at first blush, that this isn’t all that big a deal.  After all, isn’t tourism something of a frivolous and dispensable luxury?   Well, not really.  Significant dips in tourism seriously [Read More...]

Utahans at the Republican National Convention

    I like Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah).  He seems to me a quieter, less theatrical, more effective, less personal ambitious, and far less abrasive Ted Cruz, committed to the Constitution and deeply knowledgeable about it.  (Given who his father was, that’s hardly surprising.)   A friend and I had lunch with him when he [Read More...]

A few thoughts on Utah, Mormons, and theater

    “If I were placed on a cannibal island and given a task of civilizing its people, I should straightway build a theatre.” Brigham Young   My wife and I attended a performance, last night, of the musical Peter Pan.  We saw it at the Hale Center Theater in Orem.  Curiously, it’s also playing [Read More...]

The pioneer spirit is far from dead.

    As we draw nearer to the celebration of Pioneer Day, it seems appropriate to me to post, yet again, a link to this marvelous example of modern pioneers in Africa.  If you haven’t seen it before, please watch.  If you have, I think you’ll be inspired by watching it again:      

“Miracles from Heaven”

    A few nights ago, my wife and I watched a film with Jennifer Garner entitled Miracles from Heaven.   I liked it, and I recommend it.   It’s based on a book that claims to be telling a true story, and, having done no specific research on this particular account but lacking an [Read More...]

“Dave Barry missed the naked women, but finds dancing Republicans!”

    Unlike previous conventions, to which I paid very close attention, I’ve decided that it’s appropriate to the 2016 Republican National Convention for me to follow it by means of the brilliant reportage of Dave Barry.   Here’s an installment:   http://www.miamiherald.com/living/liv...