my faith

Election Day in Tunisia

Sarah Bringhurst Familia

Words really can’t express how happy I feel for Tunisia and her people today. It has been ten eventful months since Ben Ali left the country, and most of that time I spent in Tunisia, breathing the heady air of new democracy and marvelling at events that seem almost miraculous, and continue to reverberate around the world.

Today brought to first fruition the promise of the Tunisian people’s revolutionary dream. The country voted today to elect a 217-member assembly, which has as its primary purpose drafting a new constitution. The body will also choose a new interim government and set dates for parliamentary and presidential elections, setting Tunisia firmly on the path toward a stable democratic future.… Read more

Rough Stone Rolling, Mother Teresa, and Misquoting Jesus

Sarah Bringhurst Familia

I will probably never catch up with reviewing books now that I have a virtually unlimited supply of them, but I like to share at least my favorites with you.

Joseph Smith: Rough Stone RollingJoseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling by Richard L. Bushman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really cannot overstate how fascinating I found this book. Although as a Mormon I was fairly familiar with the general outlines of Joseph Smith’s life, this was the first real biography of him that I’d ever read. Self-categorized as a “cultural biography,” it paints a picture of the Prophet against the backdrop of other religious and philosophical thinkers and innovators of his day.… Read more

Conference Weekend

Sarah Bringhurst Familia

It’s been rather startling during the past couple of weeks to have so many people I hadn’t seen in years tell me face to face that they’ve been avidly following my blog (not to mention chide me for not posting much lately). Sometimes I forget that this blog is a fairly public personal journal. Also, sometimes when I tell a funny story as I’m catching up with old friends, I realize I’ve told it before, just not in person. Ah, well.

We had a lovely Conference Weekend. One of the nice things about being back in the States is that we can watch Conference in real-time and it’s not the middle of the night.… Read more

Which Mormon are You Voting For?

Sarah Bringhurst Familia

It’s the question of the hour. And if you forced me to choose between Huntsman and Romney, I’d have to say that a president who speaks Chinese would probably be more useful than one who speaks French. But eight long years of Bush and then a Mad Tea Party have almost completely sapped my patience with the G.O.P.

Fortunately, there’s another Mormon running for President. His name is Yeah Samake. Like the original Mormon presidential duo, he is clean-cut, wholesome, and charismatic. And his French makes Romney sound like an episode of Prairie Home Companion’s Guy Noir. Throughout his political career, Mr.… Read more

Finally, a Facebook App I actually Like

Sarah Bringhurst Familia

Today I checked my App and Game requests on Facebook, and found that I have a closet full of HOT clothes. I’ve also been accepted into the school of wizardry, appointed starting pitcher, and put on the library staff. Several acquaintances have admitted to stalking me (isn’t being “friends” on Facebook already stalking?), I’ve been passed an Argentine mate, and people want me on their birthday calendars in various different languages, each of which (annoyingly) has its very own app. Smiles, hugs, diamonds, zombies, time machines, and empires are all mine for the taking. I guess life is full of opportunities.… Read more

Mormons Abroad

Sarah Bringhurst Familia

One of the things Mormons love to say when they travel (whether it’s across the ocean or just to the next town over) is that they’re so thankful that “the Church is the same no matter where you go.” And to a certain extent, it’s true. We all sing the same hymns, although every ward congregation seems to have its particular favorites. We all read the same scriptures. Sunday meetings follow the same general format, with everyone meeting together first, then separating into adults and children, and then further separating the adults by gender and the children by age. Sunday School lesson manuals are standardized and translated into over a hundred languages, and on any given Sunday the whole worldwide Church is studying the same lesson, give or take a week or two depending on how organized the Sunday School teacher happens to be.… Read more

Get Me to the Church on Time

Sarah Bringhurst Familia

When Tony and I lived on BYU campus as newlyweds, we pretty much walked straight out our front door into the Mormon chapel, which was also on campus. Forgot an extra diaper? No problem (please tell me I’m not the only mother who’s ever done this). There was no hassle if one of us needed to be at Church early. And home/visiting teaching was a piece of cake. Tony still loves to tell about his Elder’s Quorum President, who stood up in opening exercises one morning to recount a conversation in which his father (also Elder’s Quorum President in his own ward) begged to know his secret for achieving 100% home teaching.… Read more