By Anthony E. Larson

Mormon, as the author of the Book of Mormon, was in a truly unique position. He had an intimate knowledge of two cultures that were widely separated in time yet shared the same general geographic location: the Americans and the Nephites. He was a historian and a prophet—a historian because he had custody of the plates that recorded all Nephite history, a prophet because he had been shown the future when people he called “Gentiles” would inhabit the western hemisphere.

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By Dave Ellis

I recently took a business trip via airplane. I can say ‘via’ because it sounds so continental, much like the breakfast I ate at the hotel. More on that later. I used to love to fly, pre 9/11 and post smoking allowed in cabins. That was a wonderful slice of time to fly, smoke free with fingernail clippers. Now I am totally paranoid that something bad is going to happen, and not in the ‘they are out of honey-roasted peanuts’ kind of way.

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You will, I’m sure, be happy to join with me in a prayer of thanks that we have survived another desert summer heat wave. This is the time of year that we desert rats emerge from our summer hibernation in the air conditioning, greet our neighbors, go to the park, and rejuvenate our suffering yards. In another week or so, we’ll remember why we live here. That memory will sustain us until next July, when we again consider packing it in and moving to some cooler clime.

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By Dave Jackson

Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

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By Michele Romney Garvin

Our ward had a fun youth activity whose goal was to get us to the Las Vegas temple, physically and metaphorically. We gathered in vans and were each given a dice. At each stop light we rolled the dice, and the number we got corresponded to the next direction we were to take.

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By Jonathan H. Westover

I met Sean the first day of my mission in Seoul, Korea. He was 26 and a recent university graduate. His English was fantastic, and like most Koreans, he was very kind and excited to practice his English with an American.

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by Krista Ralston Oakes

In Lewis Carroll’s childhood story, Alice in Wonderland, there is a scene where Alice comes to a fork in the road and sees a Cheshire cat in a tree.

Alice asks the cat, “Which road do I take?”
He replies, “Where do you want to go?”
“I don’t know,” Alice answered.
“Then,” said the cat, “it doesn’t matter.”

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By Alison Palmer

Scripture: Matthew 5:16

Song: “The Things I Do,” Children’s Songbook 170-71

Preparation: Gather a small ball, beanbag or potato, a CD or tape of gospel-centered music and appropriate player.

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By Gail Jackson

In today’s society the traditional “I do” is often, more and more frequently, a We do. Wedding ceremonies do not unite only a husband and wife. This may be the second or third walk down the aisle for at least one of the couple and children are often a part of the dowry.

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By LaRae Free Kerr

Marcus Herennius Polymita served in the Roman army of Emperor Trajan, apparently participating in the conquest of King Decebalus of Dacia. When the dust had settled, and the country was annexed, Marcus Herennius Polymita received his pension “papers.”

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Huge changes have occurred in the medical profession, and the old-time personal family doctor is getting harder to find. The biggest change is in HMO’s. Designed to lower health care costs, they have reduced the efficacy of the care that patients receive. One of our local well-known doctors feels that he has paid his dues and done his stint with this form of medical practice.

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A new group of actors and artists have arrived in Cedar City for the Utah Shakespearean Festival’s fall season. Extending through October 27, the fall season features a traditional Shakespearean romance in The Tempest, a contemporary comedy, ‘Art’, by French playwright Yasmina Reza, and the Festival’s first-ever murder mystery, The Mousetrap, by the grand dame of murder mysteries, Agatha Christie. Tickets for the productions can be purchased by calling 800- PLAYTIX or online at www.bard.org.

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The BYU Management Society will host its first ever Evening of Excellence, a service recognition dinner, to honor renowned lecturer Dr. Stephen R. Covey and Linda Smith of local organization Opportunity Village.
The event will be held on October 16, 2007 at the Green Valley Ranch. A private workshop with Dr. Covey will also be held earlier that day.

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Going out on our own was a leap of faith,” says Mikel Conrad, owner of Mikel’s Fine Art Photography. “But the Lord has blessed us.” The blessings have not been without trials.

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Book by Gary Hansen

Grant Stevens, a mid-level manager for the Bureau of Reclamation, is caught off guard when his symposium to Kenya is canceled. The Bureau’s executives leave Grant alone in the USA to manage the nation’s water resources.

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