Thanks for the opportunity to guest-blog here during April. I love what Segullah is doing and expect many more positive encounters.

As a contrast with my post last week that was heavily weighted toward an (overly) cynical view of human art, I’ll take a different tack this time.
Premortality is one of the aspects of Mormon theology [...]

Alright, so I’ve made the ladies at church upset.

I want a Toyota Sienna. It is my dream minivan, if I dare admit such a thing. A Toyota was not even on the radar screen when we bought our used Chrysler; but with a fourth child on the way, we needed to get something. Two rows of seating seemed heavenly, even if we weren’t [...]

Last month we launched a new feature at Segullah. It’s called Ask Nine Women and it is a reader-generated discussion post. You can read more it here.
Today’s question:
My first thoughts about the recent raid on the FLDS compound in Texas were, “It’s about time someone did something about that!” But then I read this from [...]

I just got back from my first-ever trip to Europe. Following my wife’s capable, experienced itinerary—man, she kept us moving all day, every day—I spent over a week jamming all my senses with the art of the last millennium in the museums of London and Paris, seeing shows in London’s West End, and just soaking [...]

On the Road to Heaven is two autobiographical tales in one book: the story of Newell’s conversion, from hippie to Saint, or, as he puts it, from Zero to Zion; and the story of his mission to Colombia. He weaves his love for Annie, a teenage LDS girl who questions her faith and then returns [...]

A few winters ago, a few of my siblings and I met for a few hours in Palm desert. We lay on chaise lounges poolside, a hyper-green golf course stretched for acres to our right, a gondola splashed through a manmade canal, and hundreds of palm trees soared above us. It was so lush. Only [...]

The window belied the disappearance of the day. The sky was covered in paintbrush colors. It was hard not to notice. It was hard not to pause a moment and watch the sunset. There are evenings that whisper their goodbye’s and there are evenings that shout. This was a loud [...]

Yesterday in book group, we were discussing Jane Austen’s “Emma”. I said, “Are we supposed to like Emma? I mean, it is hard to like somebody who already has everything.”
A woman in the group said to me, “You’re one to talk.”
I was taken aback. What? What is she saying? Does she [...]

So say you’re one of the amazing writers I’ve run across out there in blogland. You’re insightful, you’re witty, you’re good with language and imagery. Every once in a while, you write a really kickin’ post and think to yourself (secretly, because it’s too scary to say it out loud to anyone) “I [...]

Here’s a guest post by Lori of Hearts and Hands.  Look for her fantastic essay in the Spring issue of Segullah. Welcome to the blog!
If you’re old enough to remember the original Alvin and the Chipmunks, you can probably perform a mental selection from the jukebox in your brain that will allow you to recall [...]

Here was the revelation: Courtney, you will give birth at home.

This is the classic story of Emily’s Stolen Car: I walked out of the mall and scanned the parking lot for my car. No car. I walked up and down the rows of cars, hunting for my car. No car, no car. It must have been stolen.
I ran back inside and borrowed a phone [...]

Stones
Covey Center for the Arts, Provo
April 3-26, 2008
Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays
7:30 p.m.
Saturday evening I had an unexpected chance to see J. Scott Bronson’s two side-by-side plays, together titled Stones. It’s not surprising that Stones won AML’s best drama award in 2001. The play’s literary complexity begins with the titles and settings, with the first play, [...]

I just saw a commercial for Old Navy where everything shimmers. I guess they are introducing a metallic sort of line, or something, but it’s a sort of new age commercial that leaves those of us who are inherently style channeled just a bit confused. But the one thing I was VERY clear [...]

I loved Elder Ballard’s talk on Sunday afternoon. Indeed it was the cherry on top of an already amazing conference weekend. I found myself tearful and grateful, turning to my husband to see his reaction, turning to my kids with a half-holler: “are you guys listening to this?!”
I was feeling very virtuous and appreciated till [...]

We’re delighted to announce book signing events for two Segullah staffers, Sharlee Glenn and Angela Hallstrom!

Ben (12) and Sam (4) perch by my elbow, watching me slog through the email communique required to build the Queen’s new castle.
Ben: What are you doing?
Me: Working on this website redesign.
Ben: You have your own website?
Me: Yep.
Ben: Isn’t that a bit vain?
Me: [...]

Say you’re sitting on a plane next to a guy who’s reading last year’s winning novel of the Pulitzer for fiction. You get to talking, and he finds out you’re a Mormon. He says, “You know, my best way to understand a different culture is to read a really good, deep, intimate, human novel from [...]

I should preface this by saying that my husband is out of the country — has been for a week, and will continue to be for another week.
It’s been a stressful 7 days.

Here are some blogs where you can see others’ reactions to Conference, real time.
Times and Seasons
By Common Consent

Mormon Mentality
Mormon Matters

During the Solemn Assembly sustaining I watched President Monson’s face. He had this look of deep humility, of awe, and also of acceptance.
Noticing President Monson’s face this morning was an answer to my prayers. I’ve had a hard time letting go of President Hinckley. I thought I was done crying about it, but the [...]

Don’t you just love how General Conference can be so personal?
Here are a few of my favorite moments:
I loved being able to stand as part of the Relief Society and raise my hand to sustain our new prophet.
Saturday morning session:
Elder’s Wirthlin’s talk about loving, accepting, belonging and coming back (and wasn’t it Elder Wirthlin [...]

It’s the first weekend in April. (General Conference! General Conference!) And every first weekend in April, I have the greatest expectations that this will be the weekend that will finally usher in the compliance of spring’s glory, and that—if we wanted too—we would be warm enough to sit outside on Temple Square and listen to [...]

First Published on Queen Serene (now private) in September 2007.
One of the royal heirs once asked why the King and I married each other. (Why this came into question, I’m not sure–a number of possibilities come to mind). My answer: Because both of us are the same kind of weird.
It’s a fact. I’ve never met a person [...]

Chris Bigelow is the author of five books on Mormonism, and he runs a small Mormon press called Zarahemla Books. He cofounded and edited the Mormon literary magazine Irreantum and the satirical Mormon newspaper The Sugar Beet. He is a permablogger at Mormon Matters and also has a personal blog. AND he’s the first [...]

I was born on the 22nd day of December. People often say to me, “That must really stink to have a birthday right before Christmas.” And when I was a child, I certainly agreed. But now I’m a lot older and a little bit wiser, I actually like it…and I know there could be worse [...]