Oct

9

Yesterday a friend told me that he found something interesting about me at this website:

newyorktimesbestsellerlist.org

If we scroll down we can find one very nice video about the conversion story of brother Ott Dameron (my good neighbor)

and my own conversion story. The funny thing for my friend was that they titled my video by saying

Watch The founder of More Good Foundation, from Italy:

I have been working for the More Good Foundation from the beginning, and I am still doing it, but the real founder is David Neeleman, the famous Mormon, the same person who founded JetBlue and now Azul, in Brazil.

In any case, the website also call the Prophet, president Gordon B. Hinckley,

Revered President Hinckley…

We do not call “reverend” our prophets, but what is important is that they provided a great link to a very good video, where President Hinckley shares his testimony

Oct

2

I like Glenn Beck and his style on TV. He is a Mormon, and he does not conceal it. Not all Mormons act and talk like him and he is a relatively new convert to the Mormon Church. Once in a while he even use words that probably would not fit well a Mormon missionary, but overall I think he is doing a good job on TV.

This is an excerpt from his commentary on CNN, about America’s chilling future (he is writing as if he was in the future, but his comments are to be applied to the present).

Looking back now, it’s pretty obvious that our trust in government declined at about the same rate as our partisanship increased. People became so concerned about getting their party into power at any cost that the truth didn’t even seem to matter anymore.

That’s probably one of the reasons why George Washington hated the idea of political parties so much. Here’s what he said about them in his 1796 farewell speech:

“The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.”

I know that George had a habit for using big words, so allow me to translate into 2008 English: Political parties that put their own success over that of the country’s will be the death of America…..

The best advice I can give you is to stop thinking in terms of left and right and start thinking in terms of right and wrong. Demand the best leaders possible, and then demand the best out of them.

This is what the American people should really do. I hope it is not too late. The way the Americans will respond to this crisis will have consequences globally. In Brazil they use to say that if in the US people sneeze, they get a flu.

Aug

22

Glenn Beck is not perfect. We know it. We are not either. He is learning, we are too. He made mistakes, we did to.

But he is funny and becoming a Mormon has helped him to improve his life.

This video tells us a little more about Glenn Beck’s life as a Mormon.

Aug

13

I know that this is old stuff, but people still ask for this. The answer is that neither Snoop Dogg or the actor Steve Martin are Mormons. This does not mean that it will never happen, but I would say that it is highly unlikely, especially in the case of Snoop Dogg (but who am I to judge?).

In any case, there was a fake CNN report that portrayed rapper Snoop Dogg reading a Book of Mormon and an article about how he converted to Mormonism. It was very well done, but the date of the story was April 1 — April Fools’ Day.  Also,  the URL of the alleged CNN article, wasn’t a valid CNN site at all.  Finally, the fine print at the bottom of the phony Web page, was saying: “You just got fooled! Snoop’s not Mormon… yet!”

And what about Steve Martin. This is not true also, in spite of this being a little more credible (at least after watching the movie Cheaper by the Dozen).

According to http://www.compleatsteve.com/person/mormon.htm

There is a great deal of fan interest in Steve’s religion. Although raised in a Southern Baptist family, his statements in the press tend to suggest that he is probably more agnostic than anything else.

However, rumors persist that Steve is secretly a Mormon.  After years of such rumors, he has publicly said he is not.

Jul

7

This year, 2008, the American people will choose their new president. Mitt Romney, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon or LDS Church), was among the candidates of the Republican party for a while. However, even if he was one of the best candidates, the fact that he was a Mormon clearly created a strong opposition even in the republican party.

It is unfortunate that prejudice against the Mormon Church is still so strong in America. However, it was a lot worse in the past.

I was reading an interesting book by Arnold K. Garr, Joseph Smith: Presidential candidate.

Joseph Smith

Why did Joseph Smith decided to be a candidate in the 1844 presidential election? It is hard to believe that he thought he could win the election, but he was not a frivolous candidate.

Joseph Smith said on February 8, 1844:

I would not have suffered my name to have been used by my friends on anywise as President of the United States, or candidade for that office, if I and my friend could have had the privilege of enjoying our religious and civil rights as American citizens…But this as a people we have been denied from the beginning. Persecution has rolled upon our heads from time to time…. because of our religion; and no portion of the government as yet stepped forward for our relief. And in view of these things, I feel it to be my right and privilege to obtain what influence and power I can, lawfully, in the United States, for the protection of injured innocence.

Clearly, Joseph Smith was trying to gain as much influence as possible to protect his people, even if he probably knew that he could not become president. In fact, he even speculated that he could be killed because of his campaign.

Joseph Smith’s platform was contained in a pamphlet titled General Smith’s Views of the Powers and Policy of the Government of the United States.

Among other interesting ideas, he proposed the abolition of slavery by the year 1850. His solution to the problem was to

pay every man a reasonable price for his slaves out of the surplus revenue arising from the sale of public land, and from the deduction of pay from members of Congress. Break off the shackles from the poor black man, and hire them to labor like other human beings

Was this solution economically impractical? According to Dr. Garr

…the way that ultimately the United States settled the slavery issue was through civil war - a conflict that cost more than fifteen billion dollars and more than 600,000 lives….a conflict that left the South in economic ruin and implanted bitterness and hatred in the hearts of millions…In retrospect, it would seem that Joseph Smith’s solution to the slavery was more sensible than Civil War.

Joseph Smith was killed on June 27, 1844 and obviously he never became president. The American people could not find a better solution to slavery and it went through a terrible Civil War.

I can’t avoid thinking how different could have been U.S. history if the American people has listened to Joseph Smith’s counsel.

Jun

11

Azul Airlines, a low-cost Brazilian airline initiative led by JetBlue founder David Neeleman, will begin flying early 2009. An interesting interview with David Neeleman about his new company can be found following this link: Azul Airlines Unveiled (CNBC video)

May

1

David G. Neeleman

On March 27, 2008 David Neeleman officially announced plans to launch a new airline, a domestic carrier in Brazil. The venture is currently named AirBrazil, but a contest has started to officially name the airline with the winner receiving a free pair of lifetime tickets. Neeleman has asked to step down as the Chairman of the Board from JetBlue Airways to spend time starting this new venture. He is currently looking for a CEO to run the airline and plans on opening a flight school. Currently, Neeleman plans on flying exclusively Embraer 195 jets but has yet to decide on the level of amenities and service which will be offered onboard.

Mar

24

I am not an American citizen so that I can’t vote in the presidential elections. However, I am still curious and more than curious to see who the American people will choose as their president.

Being a members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also know as the Mormon Church I could not avoid being interested in the possibility of Mitt Romney become the President of the United States. The Mormon Church is in favor of a complete separation between churches and the state and it will never influence a political campaign, but individual members of the church have the duty to participate in the public life of this nation in many ways, including voting or running for public offices.

In Utah most votes go to the Republican party, but Mormons are free to vote for men and women in both parties. Probably the most prominent Mormon politician, at least in terms of office held, is currently Harry Reid, who is the U.S. Senate Majority Leader and is a democrat.

Since the beginning of the campaign, however, I could clearly realize that being a Mormon can be tolerated in a U.S. Senate Majority Leader or in a governor, but not in a U.S. President.

I noticed how parts of the Evangelical world was in strong opposition to Mitt Romney, in spite of he being aligned with many of their ideals, and without the support of the Evangelicals, it is almost impossible to obtain the nomination in the Republican party. I wonder now if they are happy with Senator John McCain, who seems to me farther removed from their ideals.

In short, it seem clear that Americans, in 2008, is not ready for a Mormon president. On the other hand, they may be ready for a woman or an African-American. This is absolutely a good sign, and I hope that in a few more years they will be ready to accept the possibility of having a Mormon for president, focusing on his or her virtues and ideals, and not on their fears and bias.

Dec

17

I know personally Truman Madsen, and I am highly impressed with his personality and knowledge, and also with his ability to make alive the history of the Church and especially the story of Joseph Smith.

I had recently the opportunity to watch his new released DVDs about Joseph Smith, “On Sacred Ground”. If you loved his tapes, you need to watch those DVDs. I always expect great things from Truman, but this time he surprised me. I found more than I was expecting.

A few years ago, I lived in the same ward where Truman attended Church. At that time I really did not know Truman Madsen, but one Sunday he substituted for another teacher in a Sunday School class.

I loved his lesson, even if I could not understand all the words he was using (I had arrived from Brazil only a few months before and my English was not “perfect”). Since I was the Sunday School President I went to the Bishop and suggested that he call Truman Madsen to be our regular teacher in the Sunday School. The bishop told me that Truman was a busy man and that it would be too hard for him to accept that assignment. I insisted a little bit and then left things in the hands of the bishop.

The bishop probably prayed and decided to call him. This was sometimes in 2001. I have left that ward several years ago, but last time I met Truman Madsen he told me that he was still teaching in the Sunday School and that the new bishop did not want to release him.

I can say with complete assurance that the best thing I did as a Sunday School President was to suggest to the bishop to call Truman as the Sunday School teacher.

Today I was looking for some information about Truman Madsen. I knew he had his birthday a few days ago but I was not sure in what year he was born. While browsing the internet I found this interesting blog post, titled “Why Truman Madsen is not an apostle“.

I really do not know why he is not, perhaps just because there are only 15 slots available, but for sure, after I saw his last DVDs on Joseph Smith, I think that the blog’s author must not be too far from the truth when he says,

Truman has been granted the gift of time–time to think and to write and to speak. And not only to speak, but to speak to the faithful and devout. To speak to people beyond the level of the novice. To touch hearts without being constrained to address every comment to the recent convert.

Oct

23

There is an amazing series of pictures and comments by a great photographer describing the love among the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints during the last general Conference at Meridian Magazine online:

this is the link to the full photo essay called: Tender Moments

This is the first picture and I have posted it here just to give a little taste of what you can find in the full version on Meridian Magazine. There is a lot more. I suppose that this can be considered fair use since I am only promoting their great photo essay.

keep looking »

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