Anthony Ivins was an LDS apostle from 1907-1934. He was the cousin of Heber J. Grant, and served in the First Presidency with Grant from 1921-1934. Signature Books has recently come out with Cowboy Apostle: The Diaries of Anthony Ivins 1875-1932 (the Kindle version is only $20.) Ivins is notable for a few reasons: (1) a monogamist, he performed many plural marriages AFTER the 1890 Manifesto in Mexico, (2) following the Second Manifesto in 1904, he became an ardent supporter of excommunication for those who entered plural marriage, (3) he was a prominent democrat in largely republican Utah.
Marriage Poll: What are your thoughts?
The Edmunds-Tucker Act of 1887 disenfranchised the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The law was enacted by Congress to punish the church for practicing polygamy. The church challenged the law, but following an 1890 ruling in which the law was declared constitutional, Wilford Woodruff issued Official Declaration 1 (also known as “The Manifesto”) in which he stated
Mitt: the Documentary

A scene from the film shows Mitt ironing his shirt while wearing it.
This week is the Sundance Film Festival, and one of headlining movies was Mitt: The documentary (it’s now available on Netflix.) Don’t forget to participate in the LDS Film Festival coming up Feb 5-8.) I’m curious if any of you have seen it? Continue Reading »
Facing your Parents Mortality
not my dad, but this must be how he looked when he fell
My parents are in their mid-70s. This past week, my mom called to tell me that my dad fell off his bike and broke his hip. I became alarmed because, according to this article from the BBC, nearly 1 in 3 elderly patients die within 12 months of a hip fracture. Another CNN article notes that men have an increased risk of dying from pneumonia or sepsis following a hip fracture. Needless to say, it got me thinking about not having my parents anymore. Continue Reading »
Vote Me for a Wheaties Award!
Wheat and Tares is hosting their annual Bloggernacle awards for the best (Wheaties) and worst (Tarefic Award) of the Bloggernacle. I was nominated in 2 categories:
- Best Current Events Post: ”Mandela Praised; Brigham Thrown Under the Bus“
- Best Book/Article Review: ”Why Snuffer Got Exe’d” (Book: Denver Snuffer’s “Passing the Heavenly Gift”)
You don’t have to vote for me (but I hope you will)! Check out all the different categories at Wheat and Tares!
Religious Liberty or Discrimination?

Jack Phillips, Owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop
Should a wedding cake owner be allowed to avoid making cakes for a same sex wedding? Is the owner discriminating against the couple, or simply exercising their religious liberty? A recent case in the Colorado courts ruled that the owner was discriminating against gays, and ruled in favor of the gay couple. Now the case is headed for the U.S. Supreme Court. What do you think?
God Wasn’t in Your Story
We had a missionary homecoming last week. I usually bring a book to sacrament meeting, because I often find the talks dreadful, but this particular missionary gave a rather entertaining talk. He told two experiences in which he bore testimony that God had helped him, but I greatly question whether God had anything to do with them at all.
In his first story, he told about a time when his companion had already gone to bed. He had just finished using the bathroom, and unfortunately the toilet clogged. Water was pouring everywhere, and he couldn’t get it to stop. He even broke the plunger while trying to unclog the toilet. He said a prayer in his flooded bathroom, and he swears that God answered his prayer and unclogged the toilet. Seriously? This is evidence of God’s power? Continue Reading »
Will Kody Brown help rescind The Manifesto?
While it was ground-breaking, the Kody Brown polygamy lawsuit seems to have been pushed on to the back burner because Utah’s same-sex marriage ban was overturned. However, what does Kody Brown mean for the church?
The wording of OD1 states
Inasmuch as laws have been enacted by Congress forbidding plural marriages, which laws have been pronounced constitutional by the court of last resort, I hereby declare my intention to submit to those laws….I now publicly declare that my advice to the Latter-day Saints is to refrain from contracting any marriage forbidden by the law of the land. Continue Reading »
Polygamy/Same Sex Marriage Now Legal in Utah
A federal judge Friday struck down Utah’s voter-approved constitutional amendment — which defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman — finding that it violates rights to due process and equal protection as set forth in the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Within hours, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill confirmed that, in light of the ruling, he saw no reason to prohibit Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and as many as 120 gay couples descended on the Salt Lake County Clerk’s Office to obtain licenses, with many staying to marry on the spot. Continue Reading »
Mandela Elevated; Brigham Thrown Under the Bus
Racial issues were prominent this past weekend. Nelson Mandela passed away at the age of 95. He was universally praised by both republicans and democrats. Harry Reid tweeted
In a way, Mandela was both the “George Washington” and “Abraham Lincoln” of his country. We’re so fortunate to have lived in his time.
John Boehner tweeted,
Mandela led his country with a quiet moral authority that directed his own path from prisoner to president.

A federal judge Friday struck down Utah’s voter-approved constitutional amendment — which defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman — finding that it violates rights to due process and equal protection as set forth in the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.