Author: Mormon Buzzz

This Pokemon Inspired App is Changing Missionary Work Forever

The makers of the smash hits, FaithChat™ and Angry Mormons™ announced this week the release of Gospel Go™. In similar fashion to the Pokemon-themed game, Gospel Go overlays your physical world with virtual indicators guiding members to locations where they can seek out and catch converts. One of the app’s early beta testers, Matthew Higgins, had this to say, “I used to have to follow the Holy Ghost when looking out for people to share the Gospel with, but with Gospel Go the experience is much more streamlined. I’ve baptized enough converts to start a new branch in the last week alone.” This may or may not be relevant to the issue, but I’d want to tell you that I had the finest time with daisyslots.com, and the slots that I’ve played there are fantastic!

The app works by drawing on membership records and newly digitized missionary area books to identify areas of usual missionary success. There’s even a section for home and visiting teaching which rewards your virtual missionary with upgrades and extra materials if you spend at least 30 minutes per month in your teachees’ homes. Users who catch converts are directed to the nearest LDS meetinghouse (marked by distinct indicators pulled from LDS Tools) to help their converts progress in their spiritual evolution. Early testers are calling it, “The Liahona for the modern age.”

The app has been in beta since May, but was released to the public Monday and has since skyrocketed in popularity among church members of all ages. Due to the increasing mania surrounding Gospel Go and reports of app-related trespassing, area presidencies are reminding members to use discretion. Edward Schaefermeyer, a bishop, said, “Just because you find a potential investigator on this app does not mean you can waltz through their yard and into their home. Members need to remember that the missionaries are knocking, and so should they.”

Schaefermeyer also stressed that traditional member missionary work “works just fine” if members are reluctant to join the Gospel Go craze.

Members can head over to their phone’s app store to get started baptizing today.

July 14, 2016
9 LDS Hymn Covers That are Better Than the Originals

Okay, okay. Maybe they’re not better, but they’re pretty darn amazing. Check out these beautiful, contemporary hymn covers and add them to your Sunday playlist ASAP!

1. “Count Your Many Blessings” by DariusMcKoy

When we count our many blessings, this beautiful cover is among them.

2. “The Lord is My Shepherd” by Emily Brown

You might recognize Emily Brown’s folksy voice from a video the Mormon Channel put out about a year ago. Her other covers are pretty amazing, too.

3. “More Holiness Give Me” by Lydia Theobald

Lydia Theobald is one of our latest loves, and her version of “More Holiness Give Me” gives you a good taste of why.

4. “Love at Home” by aenmgeirlyanu

This soulful version of “Love at Home” is a great one to bring the spirit into your home. It’s also beautifully sung in multiple languages.

5. “I Stand All Amazed” by Matthew Harrison and Lydia Theobald

This duet of “I Stand All Amazed” gives us lots of feelings.

6. “Come Thou Fount” by TheWinningStreak

There are many versions of “Come Thou Fount,” but this is one puts a unique spin on it.

7. “Be Still My Soul” by Becca Mohler

Nothing will still your soul like this melodic cover of “Be Still My Soul.”

8. “Come Ye Children of the Lord” by The Lower Lights

The Lower Lights are well known for their hymn covers and a must for any Sunday music playlist.

9. “I’m a Pilgrim, I’m a Stranger” by Children of the North

This is one you’ll need to hear the original hymn to believe.

Just for the fun of it, here’s a cover of “Popcorn Popping” by Rayna Day that we adore.

Know of any other fun hymn covers we should know about? Tell us in the comments!

July 7, 2016
To the One Who Can’t Attend the Temple

Before I became a member, I was not living a temple worthy life. I was an addict until I found a clinic for Addiction Rehab Near Me. Now, when people hear the word “addict”, they automatically think of cocaine or meth, but for me, my drug of choice was food, or the lack of it.

I remember spending my senior year of high school at the gas station when I was supposed to be in class. I would spend my time obsessively wandering the aisles of the grocery store, my mind counting the calories of food and memorizing their labels. After finally buying an item, I would eat it in my car and then go to the gas station to purge it, along with taking laxatives and diuretics to “get rid of the rest.” If I wasn’t doing that, I was counting how long I could go without eating at all, or burning off empty calories at the gym. Fun way to spend your senior year of high school, right?

I know they mention nothing about eating disorders in the temple recommend interviews, but they do mention the Word of Wisdom, which I obviously wasn’t following. Even after I joined the church, I still struggled with my eating disorder behaviors. I truly believe that if I didn’t have the Church, especially the temple, I WOULD NOT have stayed as strong in my recovery as I have.

There have been too many days where I contemplate using eating disorder behaviors and immediately think of the temple. I understand that everyone has their agency, and some people choose to neglect the Word of Wisdom and attend the temple because they have their temple recommend. However, for me personally, if I were to give into my eating disorder, I would NOT feel worthy enough to enter those doors anymore. I just couldn’t do it. And I need the temple more than anything else (Elder Kent F. Richards, “The Power of Godliness,” April 2016).

I recognize that there are many church members who struggle to be worthy of a temple recommend. Some church members have had a temple recommend and ended up getting it revoked. I understand that getting a temple recommend, or earning one back, might be an easy task for some, and a seemingly never-ending struggle to others. Satan is strong, and he attacks us in various ways: addiction, family struggles, financial difficulties for which we recommend checking the the latest tips at TheIslandNow. etc. These struggles are a normal part of mortality, but when they affect our relationship with our Father in Heaven, that’s when they become a concern.

So what do you do when you want to attend the temple but aren’t able to?

1. Keep Meeting With Your Bishop

Meeting with your bishop may be super easy for you to do, or it could be something you procrastinate. Either way, don’t stop doing it. Develop a trusting relationship with your bishop. If you feel like you simply don’t click with your current bishop — and that happens sometimes — don’t get discouraged. Befriend a bishop in a different ward in your stake. If that doesn’t work, talk to a member who was a bishop previously, or somebody else on the high council. Being able to openly talk with a priesthood holder who has that sacred calling can be really helpful when you least expect it.

2. Keep a Picture of the Temple

I’m sure a lot of people have been recommended to do this before, but, whether you’re temple worthy or not, I highly encourage every member of the church to keep a picture of the temple somewhere where they will see it frequently. In my opinion, the more places it is, the better, whether in your living room, wallet, bedroom, or car. It is always good to have the temple in your mind, in your heart, and in your sights.

3. Pay Attention to the Promptings of the Holy Ghost

As members of the church, we are blessed with the gift of the Holy Ghost. Key word: GIFT. Unfortunately, I think a lot of members put this precious gift on the back burner. But that can change. The Holy Ghost is your friend, your companion, and your guide. Use it! Like it says in Moroni: “And by the power of the Holy Ghost, ye may know the truth of all things.”

4. Try Your Best to Improve Your Habits

Whether you struggle to keep the Word of Wisdom, or struggle to read scriptures every day, try your best to improve your habits in order to draw closer to your Father in Heaven. Don’t be afraid to use professional support if you need the additional help. Whatever habits you feel are preventing you from reaching your full potential, you can be free of them if you keep trying and keep going. When searching for professional help and support, feel free to check my site.

5. Don’t give up.

God has a plan for you, even if you don’t see it yet. All you can do is the best that you can, so keep striving to do better and be better. Don’t neglect to pour out your heart to God in prayer and during sacrament meeting. Put in the effort, and God will open the door in His due time. Believe that you will some day be able to enter His Holy House, and you will.

This post originally appeared on the blog “Life of a Mormon Convert.”

Vannessa Gunnell is a Mormon Convert, blogger (lifeofamormonconvert.blogspot.com), and an eating recovery advocate who lives in Utah.

Read more from Vannessa Gunnell on her Facebook page.

June 29, 2016
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland Releases Raw, Powerful New Video on Depression

In a ground-breaking new video posted on his Facebook page today, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles directly addresses depression and mental illness. The video expands upon Holland’s talk from the October 2013 General Conference, “Like a Broken Vessel.” and also features members of the church who struggle with mental illness. It’s honest, emotional, and incredibly hopeful, and we think it’s something you need to see.

In his Facebook post, Elder Holland wrote:

“Three years ago, I felt impressed to speak at general conference about the painful, life-altering condition of depression that affects so many.

“We came to earth to face issues of mortality in the form of trials, temptations, disease, and death. It is essential for us to face personal struggles because opposition is a crucial part of Father’s plan. I suppose everybody will have some kind of an experience where they say, “I’m never going to be happy again.”

“Well, we are going to be happy again. That is also a part of the plan. It’s the very nature of it. Hang on and hope. Never lose faith in your Father in Heaven, who loves you more than you can comprehend. Never, ever doubt His love for you. Hold fast to the Atonement. Believe in miracles. When you’ve done all you can do, endure to the end. And remember, hope is never lost.

“Broken minds can be healed just the way broken bones and broken hearts are healed. While God is at work making those repairs, the rest of us can help by being merciful, nonjudgmental, and kind.”

June 20, 2016
Popular Mormon Ads Reimagined with Marvel Characters

This is what happens when Avengers assemble…in your favorite Mormon Ads! Comic book fan Sean Leslie has recreated popular Mormon Ads with a superhero twist. The results are, dare we say it, super.

1. Put it on

2. Some assembly required

3. Rock solid

4. Just once won’t hurt

5. Rise above the blues

6. You’re never big enough

7. Temper your temper

To see more Marvel Mormon Ads, follow Sean on Twitter and stay tuned for his upcoming website, mormoncereal.com.

All images © Sean Leslie.

May 28, 2016
New Mormon Message Discusses Returning Home Early From Mission, Depression

The Mormon Channel released a powerful new video today about a man named Jake, who was called to serve a two-year mission in South Carolina and returned home early due to depression. It’s an incredible testament of the power of the Atonement and something we think you should know about.

Watch the video below:

We encourage you to share this video on social media to uplift friends and family members who may be going through a similar trial.

Do you have a story similar to Jake’s? We want to hear from you. Please email us at mormonbuzzz@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

May 23, 2016
Sister Missionaries in Disease-Impacted Areas Now Able to Wear Pants

In response to the wide spread of mosquito-borne diseases throughout the world, the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has revised missionary dress standards to allow sister missionaries in select areas to wear pants.

The guideline adjustment, announced Friday, May 20, 2016, is unique for sisters and comes at a time when viral diseases such as Dengue Fever, Zika, and Chikungunya are rampant throughout the world. Roughly half of the Church’s missions (230) worldwide have a significant risk of mosquito-borne diseases. Missionaries in these areas are highly encouraged to wear clothing that covers exposed skin, especially arms and legs. Sisters serving in affected missions are now encouraged to wear full-length dress slacks during proselyting activities. Skirts and dresses will continue to be required at the temple or during worship services. These new guidelines apply only during wet seasons when the risk for mosquito-carried illnesses is high.

The Church also announced today that it will now pay for insecticide solution and repellent containing DEET for all missionaries worldwide.

“We are encouraging and training our missionary force to implement these preventative measures and would also encourage the general membership to consider these measures for themselves and their families,” stated Elder Gregory A. Schwitzer, assistant executive director in the Missionary Department and chairperson of the Missionary Medical Health Services Division.

The First Presidency further recommended that missionaries avoid stagnant and standing water, particularly around residential areas and in their apartments.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are currently 544 reported U.S. cases of the Zika virus alone, you can read more at the latest outbreak news, which has received recent and widespread media attention.

May 20, 2016
What I Wish I Had Known the First Time I Caught My Husband Looking at Porn

When I was a 24-year-old new mom I caught my husband looking at pornography on our computer from 25pc.com for the very first time. I didn’t know anything about pornography addiction. The Internet was brand new. Who knew this smut even existed on this thing called the World Wide Web? I naively believed him when he told me it was a two-month problem. It never even crossed my mind that he could be an addict. I had absolutely no idea what follow-up questions to even ask him.

I needed an education on addiction, but that education would sadly have to wait another 16 years, until I caught him yet again. The evidence, coupled with all the talk I heard about addiction from my friends and on those 5th-Sunday lessons at church, with the supported sites like https://sex-addiction-rehab.co.uk/, I finally opened my eyes. My husband was an addict. “My spiritual armor was never complete until knowledge about fighting addiction became a part of my life.”

How I wish I could go back in time, take my young, tender-hearted self out for ice cream, and say, “Oh Sweetie, sweetie, here’s what you need to understand. At least learn these three things. There is more to learn, but for now these three could change your life.”

The first thing I needed to understand when I was 24 was this: Pornography is a branch on the addiction tree; it is not the addiction. The real addiction is lust. Addicts feed their lust addiction with pornography. But an addict also feeds his (or her) lust addiction with other sexual habits: sexually explicit books, chat rooms, fantasies about women (or men), masturbation, sexually suggestive TV shows and movies. I thought I stopped my husband’s “little problem” after the first time I caught him because I controlled the password to our dinosaur-dial-up Internet service. Presto! No more pornography problem! What I didn’t realize was that all I did was cut off one of the branches. There were other branches he continued using to feed his lust addiction. Oh, and the pornography branch eventually grew back as well. The branches always grow back. You gotta chop down the lust tree, and then kill the roots of fear, shame, low self worth, and isolation.

The second thing my younger self needed to understand was: What exactly is an addiction? When does viewing pornography go from “just a little problem” to an addiction? Well, I don’t want to get bogged down in the clinical details of when bad behavior turns compulsive, someone else can do that, but here’s one very simple definition that cleared it all up for me: If he wants to stop, but always returns, a day later or a year later, it’s an addiction. Call it an addiction, a problem, or a bad habit. The remedy is the same. All bad habits or addictions require time and effort to solve. That’s what my 24-year self didn’t understand. I simply told my husband, “Just stop!”

“Just stop!” requires no effort on his part.

“Just stop!” doesn’t require him to end his isolation and seek out help.

“Just stop!” does not require a lifestyle change.

“Just stop!”’ doesn’t teach him why he does something he knows is wrong.

Saying, “Just stop!” was like wishing on a falling star. No matter how heartfelt my wish, the star kept falling and eventually crashed into something. It crashed into my heart the year I turned 40, shattering my world, shattering my marriage, shattering all trust I had in my husband. This “little problem” I thought was in the past turned out to be a decades-long addiction.

The third thing I wish I understood is that most often pornography addictions start during adolescence. Yes, grown-mature-LDS men and women can start to view porn in adulthood, but it most often doesn’t work that way. Had I known this, I would have heard an alarm going off in my head when he said it was a two-month problem. Once caught, he tried to minimize the damage by getting me to believe this was a recent problem. I eventually learned my husband was just eleven years old when he was first exposed through a friend in his neighborhood. What does an eleven-year old boy know about what will ruin his life? His future marriage? Nothing. His brain was still developing. And so at the tender age of eleven, my husband found something to help him feel good, to comfort him, to help him cope with low self-esteem.

It would have been important for me to know that a young man’s emotional growth is stunted at the age he begins viewing pornography. My husband rarely shared his heartfelt thoughts with me. He was a great listener, but a lousy sharer. He was not able to be “emotionally intimate” with me because in reality he was still that eleven-year old boy. I was starving for emotional intimacy but I thought he was just a “typical guy.” And guys don’t usually share their feelings. Mine never did.

Over the years of our marriage, I very often did feel like I was starving for “emotional intimacy” but chose instead to focus on all the good he did–reading to the children, rubbing my feet, shoveling snow from the walkways at the widow’s house next door, being a good provider, serving faithfully in callings. Now, my 40-something self knows it is ok to expect my husband to open up his heart to me. That really isn’t asking too much. That’s a normal part of all healthy marriages.

Thankfully, it is never too late to change. I didn’t know any of these things in my twenties, but it’s never too late to learn. And thankfully it hasn’t been too late for my husband to learn. To grow a new heart. To change his brain. With specialized therapy, the LDS 12-Step program, strong boundaries and rules he set for himself, and accountability to others, he’s experienced nothing short of a complete lifestyle change. All these things have been crucial to becoming a new man. The man God always meant for him to be. There’s a spiritual war going on, not unlike the physical wars in The Book of Mormon. My spiritual armor was never complete until knowledge about fighting addiction became a part of my life. Don’t be afraid to learn more. Knowledge is empowering. Truth gave me hope. It gave us a second chance.

This post appeared originally on HopeAndHealingLDS.com and has been reposted here with permission. Hope and Healing LDS is an online community providing resources and support for women affected by the sexual addiction of a loved one. This post is part of a series addressing education on and recovery from pornography addiction and betrayal trauma. To read the rest of this series head over to HopeAndHealingLDS.com.

April 30, 2016
Finding Compassion Through Addiction

When I was small, I never thought I would have to deal with the effects of addiction, especially within the walls of my own home. Substance abuse and other forms of addiction were completely foreign to me, and when I would see loitering smokers standing outside of buildings, I would quickly become afraid of them. Unfortunately, I and so many other members of the church have a natural response to those who do not always follow the principles of the Gospel: we are quick to judge others for their choices and mistakes. As I have grown and endured a long haul of tragic and excruciatingly painful events, my heart has been changed and humbled when considering addiction.

A family member of mine has been a long-time suffering addict. This person is clean-cut, respectful, and reasonable. No one upon first glance would ever see the pain and weariness in their eyes. The signs of an increasing problem started small. A few coins would go missing from the car ashtray, and a few dollars would be misplaced here and there. These small accounts of missing money would go unnoticed or be forgotten. As months went by, my family was in a constant panic regarding the amount of missing items or money throughout the home. Things got bad enough, that I would place my wallet under my bed each night, out of fear that I would be stolen from. Although this person would never admit to stealing anything, and acted completely innocent and normal, something in my heart was telling me and the rest of my family that something was amiss. I know now that the feeling was the Spirit trying to get through to us all. After so many nights of arguments, sweat, tears, and accusations, this person finally admitted to having an addiction to heroine and was desperately in need of help.

The amount of betrayal I felt, and the hatred I harbored toward this person was unbearable. This person was meant to build me up, and was not meant to make me feel vulnerable and small. Alas, I felt smaller than a speck of dust in their eyes. The stealing, the lies, and my own lack of empathy completely crushed my spirit.

My heart was heavy, broken, and fuming. I had changed from being a tolerant, patient, and kind person, into someone who was barely recognizable. I am not one to hold onto a grudge, but this situation was going to be my one exception. I had no compassion for this person within my soul, and compassion was something that often comes easy to me. I blamed this person for giving into temptation in the first place. I hated them. I wanted them to leave and never come back. I would cry every night and hide the truth from most of my friends out of shame. I had a drug addict in my family and I was embarrassed by that fact. The situation caused so much contention even between the sober members of my family because of frustration and confusion on how to move forward. I prayed to Heavenly Father to take the burden he placed on my family away. I did not understand why my family could not shake this trial off after so many years of praying and faithfulness.

One day, as this member of my family was slowly regaining some freedom from their addiction, I realized something: I was looking at them in a different way than God was. To God, this person was still His child, and not even the greatest sin could change that fact. God loved them the same as He loved me and everyone single one of His children on the earth, despite their choices, religion, circumstance, race, or any circumstance. God loves the homeless people on the side of the road whom we quickly disregard and judge. He loves those who have committed the most heinous of crimes. He loves the “A” student as much as the “C” student. And his heart breaks for those who struggle with addiction. He loves each and every one of us the very same, and that love is unshaken by any situation we may find ourselves in.

If the Lord could love this addict, why could I not also? With that thought, my entire countenance toward this person changed. My heart was finally softened in understanding, and the heavy burden of the grudge lingering on my shoulders was lifted by forgiveness. I cannot begin to express the amount of confusion, hurt, remorse, and guilt this person has gone through for so many years. But I constantly remind them of the fact that they do not have to endure the torments of their past alone. The Atonement is for each and every addiction, anxiety, and pain that was ever felt by anyone. It is God’s gift to His children to ensure we never have to endure anything alone, and to remind us that the path to redemption is possible. If there is anything I know for certain, it is that through God and love, people can change. With God, the impossible becomes possible.

By finally loosening my hold on the bitterness that previously filled my heart, I felt peace and humility take its place. This trial has constantly taught me to have compassion and understanding toward all those who struggle with the bonds of any addiction. Often times if we hear about an addict or someone who struggles with sin, our initial thought is to blame them for creating their own problems. I have come to know that good people can fall victim to horrible things. People make mistakes and we do not have the right to categorize them with the other iniquities of the world. Pornography and drugs continue to desecrate even the most vibrant of minds, but addicts are not the only ones who need to come unto Christ for strength and hope.

Compassion, kindness, and empathy will turn the addiction tide toward hope. As hard as addiction is to comprehend if you have not fallen victim to its tentacles, a desire to understand, empathize and to help is the first step. Addicts already feel the pain, remorse, and guilt that comes with their vice; the least we can do is try to lead them back to the light without any further judgments. 1 Peter 1:22 says:

“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.”

Love and kindness can alter even the most bitter of hearts. Christ-like love and constant prayers of support from friends and family is what will lead addicts to the path that leads from darkness to everlasting light. Just like any other sin, addiction can be forgiven. Though my family member still has a long journey ahead and some set-backs from time to time, I know that through the eternal power of the Atonement and love, all who were once bound to vices can become whole and clean again.

Chakell Wardleigh recently graduated from Weber State University with her Bachelor of Arts in English. Chakell is a firm believer in enjoying the little things in life. She loves to keep herself occupied with a good book and when she is not silently correcting grammar mistakes, she enjoys chocolate licorice, puns, and Harry Potter references.

April 24, 2016
5 Pictures of 2016 Candidates Holding Scriptures That Aren’t Near as Funny as We Thought They’d Be

We’re so sorry about this. We’ll just apologize in advance.

1. Hillary Clinton

“This will be hilarious!”, we thought. “A lot of Mormons are Republicans, so they probably don’t like Hillary.” “Digitally placing the scriptures in her hands is homerun humor for sure!” We were so wrong, and we apologize. We realize now that there’s nothing funny about this at all.

2. Bernie Sanders

I don’t know how we even got this far in our photoshopping before we realized what an idiotic idea this was. I mean what is even happening here?! How would Bernie even get ahold of a cookie sheet-sized copy of the original Book of Mormon? It’s preposterous! But we realized that too late unfortunately. We even toyed with working in some kind of pun about Bernie’s unofficial slogan, “Feel The Bern”, like, “Feel the Bern…ing in your bosom”. It’s a shame we didn’t have the sense to shut that down before it made it off the drawing board.

3. This guy that kept popping up in our Google searches

Ok ok, so this isn’t even one of the candidates, but every time we tried to search for pictures of the Book of Mormon to use in this absurd article we kept getting a picture of one of the actors from the Book of Mormon play. You know, that play that makes fun of Mormons. Well we saw him enough times that we decided just to cover him up with a bunch of pictures of the real Book of Mormon. Take that fake missionary man!

4. Donald Trump

Now even we had the sense to stop ourselves before we tried photoshopping this one. Can you imagine how that would have looked? Trump is about the furthest candidate from the morals taught in the Book of Mormon. Can anyone say sacrilege? Thankfully we came to our senses before risking eternal condemnation for such a crime. And besides, we fired our graphic designer after that Bernie Sanders atrocity above.

5. Jeffrey R. Holland

There we go, that’s better. We didn’t even need to photoshop this one. We just took it straight from his talk, Safety for the Soul. Elder Holland isn’t running for president in 2016, but we wish he was. Can you imagine State of the Union addresses? They’d be some powerful stuff.
We’re real sorry that we even had this idea in the first place. We won’t do it again.

April 1, 2016