Marriage is What Brings Us Together Today

♫ Tis the season to be married, fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la ♫ It's the last week of June, the busiest wedding month of the year.

Last Saturday the LDS Salt Lake Temple had 80 weddings! The SL temple is closing until August 11th for maintenance, and we've been told that the week it reopens there are 300 weddings scheduled! In honor of the nuptial season we want to know; what is best, worst or funniest marriage advice you've ever heard? Single saints we want you to chime in too, some of the best advice sometimes comes from those who haven't tied the knot or those who have tied it and untied it, or tied it, untied it and tied it again.

We'll start it off, first our good:

1. A happy wife is a happy life. (Of course happy husbands matter too.)
2. "Choose your love, love your choice." ~ Thomas S. Monson
3. Never begin a sentence with "You always..." or "You never..."
4. Every day tell your spouse something you love about them.
5. Never keep score.

Bad/Annoying advice:

1. Don't wait to long to have kids your eggs will get dusty. (True story!)
2. Don't go to bed angry...just stay up and fight.
3. Happy is the man/woman that always hears yes.
4. Don't ever let your husband see you without your makeup on.
5. Take a look in the mirror and remember this is the woman that he married...don't put on a whole bunch of weight and expect him to still love you. (Another true story!)

Funniest advice:

1. Be careful when your husband asks you to shower, it might just be a ploy to get you dirty again.
2. If you're going to argue, argue naked.
3. Always sleep with a breath mint under your pillow.
4. The "thought" doesn't count.
5. Marriage is marathon not a sprint. (This is just funny to Sista Beehive cause Sista Laurel hates distance running.)

We close with a few words from The Princess Bride:


What is the best, worst, most annoying, funniest or craziest wedding advice you ever been given or have given?

God is a Good God,
Sista Beehive & Sista Laurel

Read More

Violence: Mormons Aren't Exempt

Reading your scriptures, praying often, serving a mission, keeping the Commandments, Temple marriage, being faithful, magnifying callings, all good options. Doing some or doing all, none of them make a person exempt from tragedy.

 Yesterday's episode of SIZ Radio was an eye opening, powerful and empowering show on violence, it's prevention and the might of forgiveness. If you missed the live show, you can listen here. We listened to Carly Ostler of Voices of Courage speak on the impact that violence can have in our lives, how a NCMO (Non-committal Make-out) can be damaging, and most importantly, ways that we can eradicate violence from our culture. We heard first hand from Mariama Kallon as she tearfully shared with us her painful experiences of sexual assault, child slavery and the murder of her entire family.

Left: Mariama Kallon, Right: Carly Ostler w/ BYU's VOC

One of us recently spoke with a non-LDS friend who has family members that are LDS. She told of how some of her family members conveyed to her that they felt lucky, that because they were LDS they would never go through some of the life experiences that she was having. It made her feel alone, and as if they felt that because she had not chosen the same religion as them, that she had brought her trials upon herself.
   
Rape doesn't care if you're Mormon. Neither does divorce, adultery, low self-esteem, bullying, pornography or any other of life's tribulations. Yes we can make choices in life that put us in harm's way, but being Christian doesn't automatically make one an exemplary decision maker.

We have never thought that because we are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints trouble would just pass us by, in fact our life experiences pointed out the contrary from a very young age. But we can't deny that we too had certain naivety as to why other people's lives seemed so much more than ours or how we could prevent things from happening to us. On the show Mariama told of a saying in Africa that says; "After God, is the white man," and spoke of how she would go through the garbage cans of a white person in Africa because even their garbage seemed better.

When we look at our lives or the lives of others with skewed perception it's easy to think that we aren't susceptible to abuse or crime. Or to think that the statistics don't apply to us. It's easy to look at the life of another and think we know why their life appears better or worse than ours. Trial, tribulation, and sin know well the lesson of sharing, and they can be doled out on anyone.

So if your faith doesn't exempt you, what good is it? Now that we know that we can all find ourselves IN trouble, their must be a way OUT of it. Mariama spoke of how she prays daily for a "heart of forgiveness." In the end she says that the people who have done things to her have moved on and are living their lives, and that if she does not forgive and dwells in the past that she will only hurt herself. Mariama testified that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is helping her to do just that, so that she can heal.

Read More

Sistas in Zion Radio! - Mariama Kallon + Voices of Courage with BYU's Carly Ostler

Photo & Bio from Mariama's Deseret Book
DVD, Delivered By Hope

Sistas in Zion Radio! Every Sunday 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) Listen live here or below! Call in at (646) 478-3671.

Special Guests: Mirama Kallon & BYU Women's Services, Carly Ostler re: Voices of Courage

Marima Kallon:

Raised in a country ravaged by civil war, Mariama Kallon narrowly escaped torture by murderous rebel forces. After losing her entire family and everything she owned, she was guided to safety as she found refuge with a Latter-day Saint family in her native Sierra Leone. Touched by the teachings of the Restoration, and full of gratitude for all the Lord had done for her, Mariama wanted to wear her own missionary nametag. With barely a single change of clothes and a Church-sent hygiene kit as her only worldly possessions, she made the trek to the United States and began a full-time mission on Temple Square.
 
The Sistas will be talking with Mariama about why she has chosen to share her story and where her life is today. For Mariama Kallon's speaking schedule, click here.

Voices of Courage:

Carly Ostler, BYU Women's Services

Voices of Courage is a prevention campaign built upon the premise that each of us can have an impact on the amount of violence in our culture. Each of us can make small behavioral choices that contribute to a more responsive environment that would ultimately and measurably reduce violence.

Carly Ostler of BYU Women's Services will be schooling the Sistas and listeners on Voices of Courage, the campaign, it's mission and how we all can get involved.

Listen to internet radio with Sistas in Zion on Blog Talk Radio

Read More

Ryan Gosling's Mormon Moment

Long before he was gracing the cover of magazines, before he was getting caught in the rain in The Notebook, before he was waking the red carpet, Ryan Gosling was making the ladies swoon at the LDS church. Here's a video of Ryan Gosling singing When a Man Loves a Woman and doing a dance routine with his sister Mandi at a Mormon talent show in 1991.

We think Ryan might have shopped at the same swap meet (like a flea market, only better) that we did, cause we've seen those Hammer-pants before!

Questions: (1) Does Ryan Gosling gain or lose street cred for donning MC Hammer Pants? and (2) Don't lie, have you ever worn MC Hammer Pants?

God is Love,
Sista Beehive & Sista Laurel

Read More

Sistas in Zion Radio! Celebrates Father's Day

Sistas in Zion Radio! Every Sunday 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) Listen live here or below! Call in at (646) 478-3671.

We're celebrating Father's Day with special guests: Ed Kehl & Adam Legas

Ed Kehl:

Ed Kehl played football for the NFL's Green Bay Packers and Brigham Young University (BYU). Most importantly he's a husband and father of three.

Adam Legas:

Adam Legas is the founder of Riven an MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) fitness and lifestyle company. He finds joy in being a husband and father of four.

Listen to internet radio with Sistas in Zion on Blog Talk Radio

Read More

Don't Forget to Pray

We come from families where you "say grace" even if you're at a public restaurant. Sometimes it ain't no thing but a chicken wing and other times it's slightly awkward and depending on your age a little embarrassing. Maybe this could be an option:

Even if it was available at restaurants we don't think our family would indulge in pre-blessed food. (1) They're picky about who "prays on" them or their food and (2) We got that family that likes to hear the sound of their own voice, blessing the food can sometimes turn into a mini sermon.

Do you bless your food at restaurants? Do you do so out loud or silently? Kids, is it embarrassing to pray for food out loud in public?

God is Only a Prayer Away,
Sista Beehive & Sista Laurel

Read More

Black Mormon Legacy

Here are some behind the scene pics from our "Lord, I Pray" music video. (More Pics on our Facebook!) We were inspired by "All Are Alike Unto God" an official statement from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to put together this piece of music, which we explained in Saturday's post.

When we first read the statement we talked about what Jane Manning James, Elijah Abel, Green Flake, Samuel and Amanda Chambers and all the other black Mormon pioneers might feel it. In that moment we wished we could read it to them, that we could tell them that the torches they had lit had not fallen, but that their light was moving forward.

We thought of Cathy Stokes, Darius Gray, Eugene Orr, Margret Young and the many others we personally know that have been busy building the Kingdom and blazing trails so that our journeys might be a little smoother. We thought of Ruffin Bridgeforth, Helena Bridgeforth, his first wife who proceeded him in death and Betty Bridgeforth his second wife, known lovingly by many as the Father and Mothers of the LDS Genesis group, and the legacy they left.

We thought of all of the leaders of our faith both past and present; Joseph Smith, Spencer W. Kimball, Hugh B. Brown, Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, to name a few, of their prayers for the world, of their commitment to the Gospel and of their faith in the Lord.

We like many have lives marred with trials and tribulations and often it can be hard to to look beyond the pain and find our purpose. However, in that moment during that conversation we realized that we had so much to be grateful for, so many to be grateful to, and that as we were busy pondering our problems, we were failing to count our many blessings. As the Spirit stirred our souls music filled our hearts.

The lyrical verses of "Lord, I Pray" are from a song called "I Pray", written by Mariah Carey and Kenneth Crouch. We Sistas wrote the rap verses and the music was produced by Flexx. The song has been recorded for sometime now and we didn't know if, how or when to share it. A few days before June 8th, we were talking with each other and both felt impressed to share the song on June 8, 2012, the anniversary of the Priesthood restoration in the LDS church. In 48 hours with labor, love and help the video was created and shared.

Yesterday on Sistas in Zion Radio! we were blessed to have Eugene Orr and Darius Gray on, (Listen here if you missed it.) they shared some of their stories of being Black and Mormon before 1978. Brother Orr being called "boy" by his bishop and being told that he was a descendant of Cain by his Patriarch and the brothas literally having to unshackle the chains that were trying to keep them from Priesthood Session.

We are blessed to know these brothas personally and to be able to call on them any day or hour that our spirits need to be lifted. We know well their stories and our lives and even if you don't realize it, your lives have been blessed because of their Church service and duty God. With this legacy of pioneers, trail blazers, Church leaders, friends and family before us we feel like our offering is less than the widow's mite. Nevertheless an offering we make and the glory we give to God.

Your Sistas in the Gospel,

Sista Beehive & Sista Laurel

Mormon, LDS, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Black Mormon, Black Mormon Pioneers, Mormon Curse of Cain, Black Mormons Cursed, Black Mormons and Priesthood, Racist Mormons

Read More

Sistas in Zion Radio! 34YR Anniversary for Black Mormons + Mormon Politics

Sistas in Zion Radio! Every Sunday 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. (Mountain Time) Listen live here or below!  Call in at (646) 478-3671.

Today we'll be talking to prominent black Mormons; Cathy Stokes, Darius Gray and Eugene Orr. We'll also be talking Mormon politics with filmmakers Michael Potter and Trevor C. Hill, creators of the documentary The Religious Test. Guest bios here.

Listen to internet radio with Sistas in Zion on Blog Talk Radio

Read More

All Are Alike Unto God

"Black and white, bond and free, male and female; ... all are alike unto God" (2 Nephi 26:33) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made an official statement entitled All Are Alike Unto God which spoke to our faith's history with blacks/people of African decent and reiterated what we hope we all know; that God loves us all. The statement resinated with us and inspired us to put together this song. On the 34th anniversary of all worthy men receiving the Priesthood in the LDS church we think of the black Mormon Pioneers and faithful Saints who came before us and bore not only their burdens, but ours as well; we dedicate this song to them.

God is Love,

Sista Beehive & Sista Laurel

Black Mormons, Black Mormon Pioneers, Elijah Abel, Jane Manning James, Samuel Chambers, Amanda Chambers, Green Flake, African American Mormons, Mormon, LDS, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 

Read More

Sistas In Zion Radio! Sunday's Show- Then and Now Priesthood 34yrs + Interview with Mormon Documentary MakersMakers

Catherine M. Stokes
 Retired in 2006 as a deputy director for the Illinois Department of Health, she is a graduate of DePaul University in Chicago. She served as vice-chairman of the board of trustees of the InnerCity Youth Charitable Foundation in Chicago from 1990 to 2006. After moving to Utah, she was on the board of the Utah AIDS Foundation and is now membership chair of the Utah Chapter of the African-American Genealogy & Historical Society. She is featured in the book, Mormon Women: Portraits & Conversations, and has recently been named as a member of the new Editorial Advisory Board for the Deseret News.
Cathy was featured in Dereset News a few weeks ago The Righteous Life Of Cathy Stokes


       

Genesis Group

Darius Gray
An African-American Latter-day Saint speaker ,writer, and award winning film producer, Darius Gray was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the mid-1960s and then attended Brigham Young University for a year. After that he transferred to the University of Utah. He worked for a time as a journalist. 
President Darius Gray was a counselor in the presidency of the Genesis Group when it was formed in 1971, then served as president of the group from 1997 to 2003. 

Eugene Orr 
 Joined the LDS church in Aug of 1968 a month later he married the Lei (the young lady that introduced him to the Church).  After joining the LDS Church Eugene felt something was missing so he and Lei started hosting a "reunion" of sorts in 1969, which at that time was attended by 30 people.  By 1971, the annual event drew more than 100 members. 

Eugene Orr & Darius Gray
(photo courtesy of )
Journal-Black Mormon Girl

Brother Orr, Darius Gray and the late Ruffin Bridgeforth, petitioned then-Church President Joseph Fielding Smith with a letter outlining their concerns about the LDS Black Community. President Smith responded to the group's concerns by appointing three apostles Boyd K. Packer, Thomas S. Monson and Gordon B. Hinckley. The weekly meetings with the then "Jr" Apostles sprouted the Genesis Group whose purpose was bringing back the lost black sheep. Another of its missions was to press upon the church how sincerely blacks ached for full inclusion. Brother and sister Orr, currently resides in Alberta Canada, but still return to Utah for the Annual "Reunion" now held the first Saturday in June (to commemorate the priesthood revelation). "It's something to see how it is grown", it's a joy to be able to get back here". 


**We attended this year, although we didn't count we are sure there were well over 150 people

Filmmakers 

Trevor C. Hill (Producer / Director)
Trevor attended University of Southern California and University of Utah and graduated with a degree in film and has a passion for start-up companies and media production. Genesis Media Works, based in Salt Lake City, UT, produces works ranging from commercial/industrial video to transformative social documentary films. Genesis is in various stages of producing several feature documentaries including Rise (a Spanish/English documentary filmed in Honduras), Karōshi and the Ethic of Work (a workforce / wellness research project), The Religious Test (about religion and American presidential politics), Our Lady of the Bayous, set in rural Louisiana.
www.genesismediaworks.com
trevor[at]thereligioustest.com




                                                  
Michael Potter (Producer)
When Trevor Hill approached Michael to make a film about the historical political bias against Mormons, Michael cited his longstanding personal policy to avoid projects dealing with politics or religion. His curiosity about the nation’s religio-political zeitgeist eventually won out, however. Michael’s hope in making this film was to not become an authority himself, but to provide a forum where the various angles of this timely topic could be presented as the impetus to further discussion among viewers.
Michael studied film and Japanese at Brigham Young University. Upon graduating he began work on film sets with crews from around the world. While maintaining clients in the commercial/corporate world through Lights + Colors, Michael is a Los Angeles-based producer, director, motion graphics designer, and editor.
Michael’s IMDb page
michael[at]thereligioustest.com

See trailer here The Religious Test   

Read More