This article covers yesterday’s kiss-in at Temple Square pretty fairly.  The primary feeling I have had throughout this controversy is gratitude that the Church had the foresight to take control of the property in front of the temple to prevent the kind of desecration that took place outside the temple in Los Angeles after the Prop. 8 victory.  The bottom line is:  I support the Church’s right to prevent lewd behavior near the temple, and the Church has the right to control what happens on its private property.

I would imagine there are many who disagree.  If you’d like to post your thoughts, please do so in a way that does not offend anybody or the Church.   Comments that are offensive will be deleted.

UPDATE:  Guy Murray has more information, including the police report from the SLC PD, here.

If you have noticed something missing at M* lately, it is because JA Benson’s husband Mike passed away this week.  He was young, just 50, and he died of a heart attack.  Joanna is now a widow.

Her husband Mike is being dressed today and there will be a small graveside service tomorrow.  One of Joanna’s first thoughts was to let her fellow bloggers here know that she would not be able to participate on M* with her usual enthusiasm.  She says:  “I started lurking in 2004 and commenting in 2005.  M* was where it started for me.  I know we do not really know each other, but I have felt a sense of community.  I need all the heaven sent prayers I can get.”

Please say a prayer for Joanna and her family to help her through this difficult time.

We shall go back to Jackson County…when we go back, there will be a very large organization consisting of thousands, and tens of thousands, and they will march forward — Orson Pratt, Journal of Discourses 15:364

So, imagine you arrive at your ward one Sunday, and there is an announcement that your stake president will speak to all the adults.  He tells you that the time to return to Missouri has taken place.

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