A few days ago I sat in the Kirtland Temple. It’s currently the only Mormon (or should I say an ‘Expression of the Restoration’) temple in which I’m permitted entry. So, it meant a lot to me to be in this place that stands in the cross-currents and energies of a tradition that formed me. It felt like I was caught in a religious undertow and being there reminded me of where my spiritual roots are buried and where,... Read more
I think I’ve always been a God girl. I knew I loved Jesus when at seven years old I heard the story of the Good Samaritan. I remember staring intently at the sepia picture of religious leaders passing by a broken man on the side of the road. I listened enthralled as Sister Faifai told this most amazing story of radical love. It was then that the miracle of Jesus stretched out in front of me as a wonderous... Read more
27 March, 2018 Dear Sisters, Children, and Brothers of the Church, In light of the recent case of sexual abuse involving a former MTC President, we feel moved to sincerely apologize to anyone who has been similarly victimized. We reiterate that we have zero tolerance for sexual abuse and will be working very hard to ensure that our future practices reflect that intolerance. Sexual abuse is a matter of deep concern for us and we will be working very closely with the General Women’s Presidencies to... Read more
A couple of Sundays ago I preached three back to back sermons at All Souls Anglican church on ‘The Way of Jesus and the Women’s March in Washington DC.’ My family, dressed in their Mormon Sunday best, sat on the front row listening to my discourse on the feminist Jesus. I was so happy that my boys were able to witness the depth of my love for Jesus and why as a woman Jesus continues to mean so much to... Read more
Dear First Presidency, I refer you to just one of the many conclusions from the many years of research done on culture and identity. “Cultural identity is an important contributor to people’s wellbeing. Identifying with a particular culture gives people feelings of belonging and security. It also provides people with access to social networks which provide support and shared values and aspirations. These can help break down barriers and build a sense of trust between people –... Read more
To what degree, (do) our congregations constitute “environments of developmental expectation.” Do we signal that ongoing growth and change in faith and vocation are expected and will be supported? Do we provide images and understandings that will sponsor persons in moving into the questions and issues that seem to lie on the frontiers of their commitments in faith and vocation? Do we draw on the rich process imagery our tradition offers in the themes of journey, pilgrimage, wilderness, shipwreck, struggle,... Read more
Last week I stated that I was going to bring my best and honest out-of-the-box self to the Mormon pew for a year. Just to see what happens. Yesterday was Week One and here’s my report: I belong to a very diverse ward where extending warmth and welcoming is a high priority. That diversity was expressed in the testimonies. Gratitude was extended for God, for the Book of Mormon, for the restoration, for Heavenly Mother, for the Māori language,... Read more
Last night as our family and some friends saw the New Year in, we talked about our worldviews and how over the course of 2017 they’ve been challenged and shaped. ‘Are we in the box or out of the box?’ was a question we passed around. The box is the established order of things; The way things are or have become. They include our agreements, our beliefs, the prism through which we see the world and these are all supplied... Read more
When I was a Laurels’ class president I was invited to a conversation with the General Young Women Presidency who were touring New Zealand. I was free to come with my questions. So I said to them: “The boys have priesthood ordination, missions, home-teaching, and access to the temple. Young Women have Personal Progress. What do we really have to look forward to in the church except for marriage? And what if we don’t want to get married or we want to... Read more
When Nathan and I first married I discovered, somewhat to my dismay, that this charismatic and eccentric young man who seemed so differently and charmingly wired was also a stamp collector. Stamp collecting had always seemed to me to be a strangely tedious pass time for the creatively challenged. But his interest in philately would soon turn to my advantage. In the flotsam and jetsom of things that came with us to our first home together was a stamp collection that... Read more
KiwiMormon
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In