EP 487 – All Pioneer Days Matter

Not gonna lie, it's a weird mix of stuff this week. We bask in the afterglow of Pioneer Day, and Devin Thorpe is back to regale us with stories from the front lines of his noble mission to turn Utah's Third District blue.

Pioneer Day! How was your COVID-affected holiday? The Church seemed to go to greater lengths this year to highlight the international efforts of pioneers as opposed to showing the Saints in Peru taking part in trek. It's a welcome change. Elder Soares remembered his parents, who were pioneers in Brazil. President Ballard remembered other pioneers. The Church news recognized 10 pioneers from around the globe.

But how about in the context of Black Lives Matter? Jana Riess argues Latter-day Saints need to do more to let black pioneers in the Church shine. Devin agrees!

What about Native American pioneers? In general, Pioneer Day celebrates the Latter-day Saints' arrival in the Salt Lake Valley and subsequent settlement of the Intermountain West, but we forget that for the Native American tribes who were already present, pioneer day represents an incursion. But we can celebrate both without taking away from the other!

Latter-day Saints weren't the only ones celebrating Pioneer Day. Donald Trump Jr. was all about it! Pandering is fun!

BYU Magazine published a wonderful piece with Lisa Valentine Clark and Chris Clark. You might remember Lisa from our interview with her about BYUtv's Show Offs from last year. Chris was a noted playwright in Utah. He also suffered from ALS and passed away in June. This is a great article that can give all of us perspective on how to be happy and joyous despite what life throws at us.

http://www.thisweekinmormons.com/2019/12/episode-452-show-offs-with-lisa-valentine-clark-and-hailey-smith/

In other uplifting news, a six-year-old kid saved his sister from an attacking dog. The kid is amazing and has a healthy attitude toward life and ministering.

Can The Book of Mormon Broadway musical survive in our age? After Hamilton hit Disney+, there has been discussion on filming The Book of Mormon for a theatrical release. However, its content has not aged well in the nine years of its existence, particularly its treatment of Africans.

Tyler Glenn, he of Neon Trees, is back with new music,