“We researched it out the wazoo,” says [executive producer Mark] Olsen, who along with executive producer Will Scheffer hired an ex-Mormon consultant to help the set and wardrobe designers re-create even the tiniest details. “We go into the endowment room and the celestial room [areas of the temple], and we present what happens in those ceremonies. Thatâ€s never been shown on television before,” says Olsen. Adds Scheffer, “But itâ€s not for shock value. Itâ€s really a very important part of the story.”

The church has issued a response to the unwelcome publicity stating basically that no official protest against the show will be forthcoming but that members are free to boycott as they see fit.

As someone that watches the show regularly, I am surprised by the move, since the show doesn’t really centre itself on mainstream beliefs and the temple ceremony can’t possibly be necessary as “a very important part of the story”—it’s quite the publicity stunt.

Previously

I don’t have much to say that is insightful, but today feels like a good day.

Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men.

But it was the next verse that stuck out to me. Not only for the insight it gives us into how Nephi was able to build the ship, but how we might apply it in our own lives.

I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things.

What’s interesting here is that Nephi showed us to learn great things from the Lord, he went often into the mountain and prayed often. Perhaps if we want to learn great things, we too should pray often and go to the mountain ?¢‚Ǩ‚Äù in other words attend the temple ?¢‚Ǩ‚Äù often.

The Alberta Temple

This is a photo of the Alberta Temple that I took a few days ago while I was passing through Cardston. I didn’t give it much thought, just sort of pointed the camera in the general direction, but I think it turned out to be a pretty good photo.

Did you know, the Alberta Temple, the Hawaii Temple, and the Arizona Temple are the only Latter-Day Saint temples that do not have a gold angel Moroni statue on top?

Anyhow, the point is: why is spiritual preparation important for some, but not important for others? Why is spiritual preparation not a requirement of new brides?