Letter from the Editor

Oct 2007 Issue

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.

This issue of Desert Saints Magazine celebrates the sixth anniversary of our magazine, so we are keeping alive our tradition of having the Las Vegas temple on the cover, with temple-related stories. We have a great idea for a youth temple activity (14), a family home evening lesson on sharing the gospel (18), and a great story on Las Vegas’ Temporal Temple, the new Humanitarian Center (12).

We also have part two of Anthony Larson’s series on the parallels between the Nephite culture and American culture. His book on the topic, written in 1989, has become prophetic in and of itself in the last two decades. Although it was politely dismissed by FARMS in 1991, its message is even more compelling today as American history has unfolded according to the same pattern as the Book of Mormon. I enthusiastically encourage you to read that article, re-read that portion of the Book of Mormon and ponder on its meanings for American society and for your life in particular.

In other news, all the military husbands whose wives were featured in our July 2007 issue have returned to their families safely. That homecoming was the answer to many prayers, and we Americans and Latter-day Saints are grateful for their service and their sacrifice.

All the best,