This Week in Latter-days

Lots to hop on this week. Let's get down to business.

Video streaming and filtering service VidAngel files an antitrust countersuit against four Hollywood studios and lays out its case. Very compelling stuff. Why is this for Mormons? Because we have viewing standards, yo!

Is the phrase "without a shadow of a doubt" detrimental to leadership efforts in your ward or branch? Our buddies at LeadingLDS think so, and they have some tips on what we can do better.

Did you know that Pokemon Go can help you live the gospel? It can?

Mette Harrison is upset that people seem to expect her son to serve a mission even though he does not want to serve a mission. So is that on the membership? Should we not expect men to serve missions even when they are expected to serve missions? What are the answers to this? Culturally, sure, there are issues, but should there still be expectations of prospective missionaries?

Former Young Women's General President Elaine S. Dalton creates RubyGirl, a site dedicated to helping girls feel a sense of place where they can ask difficult questions. We've decided Sister Dalton was waved off of such an endeavor while in office.

Church humanitarian services spends $40 million per year, a number that seems weirdly low to some, even if it's still a very substantial number.

The Salt Lake Tribune wants to make a story about evangelicals favoring Trump over Romney within the standard of error and hopes you won't notice the math.

If 2014's boundary-pushing documentary Meet the Mormons left you unsatiated, never fear! New, 30-minute additions to the open canon of Mormon docudrama will soon be available at the Legacy Theater in Salt Lake City. You will forever be able to meet Mormons!

The Church responds to Russia's anti-terror law, and the future is grim.

Random stuff: Senator Jeff Flake won't even go to the GOP convention; LDS Living makes a number of headline snafus on the same article; frightening Donnie and Marie merchandise; FamilySearch hosts a worldwide indexing event; Star Valley Wyoming Temple open house; prophet portrait artist dies; This Is the Place park shows more than Mormon stuff.

Links:

* How to Use Pokemon Go to live the gospel

* VidAngel countersues

* Elaine Dalton creates RubyGirl

* Evangelicals back Trump more than Romney

* LDS welfare averages $40 million per year

* Meet the Mormons...again

* Trib sues BYU to have records released

* Church responds to Russian anti-terror law

* Is "without a shadow of a doubt" hurting your ward?

* Is there a place in the Church for men who willingly forgo a mission?

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Well, this has been a weird week for all of us, a sad week, a heartbreaking week. While we certainly take some time to talk about Louisiana, Minneapolis, and Dallas, we hope this week's show provides a bit of levity during a time when many of us are weighed down.

In a shocking development, religious freedom is in the news! What are the chances? A lawsuit brought against the State of Iowa argues that the state's anti-discrimination laws are forcing state interpretations of morality on churches. In related news, the parent company of LDSSingles.com agreed to terms in a lawsuit that its websites discriminated against the LGBT population.

Mission healthcare (or the lack thereof)! What were your experiences? Now the Church wants nurses (licensed or not) in each mission. One per mission!

Geoff expresses dismay over the How It's Made tease on the making of sacrament cups, only to see a video of Jimmy making the cups. Inspiration? Well, fine.

Salt Lake City is among the rudest cities in nation, with near-zero explanation!

Sister missionary bikes in New Zealand are stolen, and Al bring his best Kiwi accent to explain it to us.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed that anti-terrorism law that we talked about last week. The law basically bans all sorts of religious discussion and proselytizing, potentially forcing missionaries to hold discussions only in a meetinghouse, among other inconveniences.

And Geoff eats crow on his fight to get the Angels the same level of respect from Salt Lake that the Dodgers do.

Links:

* Jeff Flake is anti-Trump

* Church wants missionary nurses

* How sacrament cups are made

* 10 hopeful tips in times of trouble

* Putin signs anti-terror law

* Missionary bikes stolen

* Quit favoring the Dodgers!

* Iowa curbing religious freedom?

* LDSSingles forced to accommodate LGBT

* Sapporo Temple open house underway!

* SLC is so rude!

What a week for news! So much has happened and we couldn't even get to all of it.

When is it okay not to wear temple garments? Obviously, there are personal choices at play here, and all things should be done through study and prayer, but are there also not clear standards?

Moreover, how does that gel with modesty standards at BYU-Hawaii and the Polynesian Cultural Center? There's a dichotomy there, and Peggy Fletcher Stack is not pleased with it. Pure rage. Rage!

Russia's Duma sends a new antiterrorism law to President Putin, which has the potential to curtail religious freedom greatly, including banning proselytizing and even praying outside of a house of worship. Furthermore, religious groups would be subject to government consent, supervision, and even eavesdropping. Just another day in Russia.

Al loves the story of Olive Oatman, the original Tattooed Mormon. For the uninitiated, Olive was a Mormon who was later abducted by Native Americans only to resurface five years later with tattoos atop her face.

Will Mia Love be Donald Trump's running mate? Will she become the lone Mormon who actually supports Trump?

Kentucky is getting a Noah's Ark. We must all visit!

So it turns out President Hinckley spoke out pretty clearly in favor of gun control. Let's all go back to 1999.

A fancy new app lets you basically spy on your kids' web usage. This won't end poorly or anything.

Other news: Brexit hell; Steven Spielberg loves some Mormon family; PBS covers the Church's welfare program; a gay ex-Mormon is the true heir to the British throne; Philly Temple gets a president; how do we fight Church burnout, and an enterprising father takes out a marriage ad for his unwed, 50-year-old son, and it is gold.

Links:

* Tattoo dilemmas at BYU-H

* When is it OK to remove garments?

* Russia moves to curb religious freedom in the name of terror

* Amazing Brexit meme

* Dalai Lama meets with Church leaders

* The British throne's true heir!

* Spy on your kids with technology

* The original Tattooed Mormon

* Mitt's kids want him to run

* Mia Love for Veep?

* Noah's Ark in Kentucky

* Philly Temple gets a president

This week we've got some interesting social media posts by the Brethren, a number of items somehow related to pioneering, and more assorted news.

We're sad to hear that an Oklahoma woman died while taking part in a youth pioneer trek. The 7-mile journey in 95 degree heat might have been a culprit. Either way, it's sad, and now we have to wonder whether regulations are in order for miserable pioneer treks and if they are worth the potential cost.

In Salt Lake? On 23 June at the Assembly Hall there will be a great presentation on Zion's Camp and the Lord's hand therein.

Popular author (or popular "Deseret News" author if you are Jana Riess intended to mollify so-called "TBMS") Fiona Givens has been on a book tour, and she sat down with Riess to talk about something interesting: Joseph Smith giving priesthood keys to Emma Smith. True? False? At least worthy of discussion? Absolutely.

URL the dog hunts porn, and he's apparently not even that great at his job. Get it together, URL.

Elder Holland released a video about depression and mental health issues, framed around his semi-recent General Conference remarks on the topic. It has the feels.

Not to be beaten, President Uchtdorf published a Facebook image talking about how smartphones are basically modern-day seer stones, and who is to say God doesn't have a hand in technology?

Other news: Winston Churchill once investigated Mormon missionaries over concerns they were brainwashing and abducting British women to Utah; the Freedmen's Bureau Project completes; dads have an effect on their kids (wow!).

Show links:

* URL, the porn hunter

* Joseph Smith might have intended to give keys to Emma

* Jeffrey R. Holland on depression

* Uchtdorf loves phones and stones

* Mom dies during pioneer trek

* Upcoming Zion's Camp presentation

* Freedmen's Bureau Project completed

* How dads impact their kids' religious views

* Churchill investigated Mormon missionaries

Keep your pantyhose on. Al is back.

There is much to tell you this week. So very much.

Popular filtered-streaming service VidAngels is being sued by a few Hollywood Studios. Will VidAngel survive? Will its cheeky retort be its undoing?

Missionaries in Mexico are arrested, released, and reassigned for reportedly attempting to woo minors with food, then baptize them. Yup.

We have YOUR 50 Miss Utah contestants. Also, an LDS woman is crowned Miss New Zealand Tourism International. Not Tourism National. This is not some domestic tourism nonsense, OK? This involves passports.

An LDS.org article aimed at helping Aaronic Priesthood holders understand how to maximize their responsibility comes under fire for a section about Young Women that basically reduces them to modest or immodest folks. Because that is the only way a girl can help a boy. By not showing cleavage. There can't possibly be any other ways.

Donald Trump has a major Mormon problem according to Major Mormon Problem McKay Coppins. Will Mormons bring Hillary back to the White House?

Mitt Romney dons a mask and fights with the skills of a sixth-grade boy at the latest CharityVision match, stunning everyone and reminding the audience he could have been their lucha-librador-in-chief.

Women in the United States might have to register for the draft. Should we care? Does this compromise family values and gender roles? The Proclamation on the Family says nothing of going to war.

What if THE General Authorities (meaning the First Presidency and Twelve, not you Seventy folks) were Disney characters? LDS.net has the worst-possible-ever article to explain it for you, with logic as tenuous as your relationship with this podcast.

Other stuff: Orrin Hatch and Muhammad Ali were BFFs; sister missionaries break the rules by leaving late and subsequently save people from a fire; toilet paper wedding dresses; President Monsons gets a scouting facility named after him; why the second Lima Peru Temple matters; and stories of gelato.

Links:

* VidAngel under fire

* Miss Utah contestants

* Miss New Zealand Tourism International is Mormon

* Help the boys. Be modest.

* Donald Trump's Mormon problem

* Hatch and Ali forever

* Sister missionaries and a fire

* 1,000 wedding dresses donated to DI

* Toilet paper wedding dress

* A second Lima temple matters

* Mexico missionaries arrested

* Mittcho Libr...

Blake and Ie Ling Day of the Daylight podcast sit down with Geoff and his wife, Danielle, to riff on all things Mormon for the week, and a great time of it we have.

Scripture mastery is out and doctrinal mastery is in! What a great new program to help the kids gain context in the scriptures and not just engage in rote memorization of scriptures.

An author writes a click-bait-titled piece about no longer being a Mormon, but being a member of the Church. Aside from the Greg Trimble-esque title, there are some interesting nuggets here, and we have a few competing ideas on the merits of the article. Also, the author doesn't know the Church's name. We should all know how to write the Church's name.

The fight for traditional marriage has flown south of the border to Mexico. Is it a fight worth fighting?

Mitt Romney will not box in this year's CharityVision match in Salt Lake City, but MARIO LOPEZ (AKA AC SLATER) is taking part. SLATER. This is the best event of the year!

HISTORY has partnered with FamilySearch on the Freedmen's Bureau Project in anticipation of the opening of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in September 2016.

Vietnam! Good ol' Vietnam grants the Church official recognition. What does it mean to get official recognition?

The Star Wars couple gets married. The internet rejoices.

Other news: Utah companies are naughty with the do-not-call list; 3 Dr Peppers a day will make you live forever; a list of movies filmed in Utah with one glaring omission; and promoting religious freedom in Africa.

Also, the Bountiful Utah Temple received a new Moroni. To shame! #KeepMoroniWounded

Links:

* New doctrinal mastery

* I'm not a Mormon anymore

* Star Wars couple gets married

List of Utah movies

* Promoting religious freedom in Africa

* Bountiful Temple gets new Moroni

* Church takes gay marriage fight to Mexico

* Mitt Romney to emcee CharityVision match

* HISTORY partners with FamilySearch

* Vietnam grants official recognition to Church

* UT companies are naughty

* Please learn the Church's name

* Dr Pepper is the elixir of life

Join us for a round table discussion about being a working mom and a Mormon. Our guests, Irene Stone and Tiffany Hales, along with co-host Kurt Francom, help tackle the ins and outs of these issues and the choices families and women make to support their interests while being mothers and supporting the Family Proclamation. Irene is a teacher and Tiffany is a prosecutor. We hope you'll enjoy their remarks.

And on top of that, we do have some news items, like an emoji Bible, Shia LaBeouf hitchhiking with Mormons, Orrin Hatch responding to a meeting with Merrick Garland before it happens (and the Deseret News publishing said response), a Mormon missionary lost and found in Ogden, and some other good stuff!

Funnyman Steve Soelberg sits in the hot seat to talk about this week's news. WILL HE SURVIVE?

Nearly half of female Mormon Missionaries will now be allowed to wear slacks during their proselytizing efforts due to concerns over Zika and other mosquito-borne diseases. It's a pretty hardcore change of events.

Why do Mormons love fantasy novels so much? But seriously, why? Steve has the answer. Steve loves fantasy.

Utah is suffering from a serious opioid addiction epidemic, and the UK's The Guardian thinks it has some answers as to why.

Lightning effectively destroys the angel Moroni on the Bountiful Utah Temple. We would like to start a petition to have TWiM assume ownership of the damages statue when it is inevitably replaced.

Our very own Al Doan was on BYUtv's Turning Point over the weekend with his business, the Missouri Star Quilt Company, which has revitalized a previously moribund Missouri town. Watch it below.

Other news: the major "secrets" of missionaries using social media are revealed! Elder Norby of the Brussels bombings leaves the hospital; reservations are open for the Philadelphia Pennsylvania Temple open house; and Steve tells us about announcing Ragnars and getting a license to marry people.

Links:

* Updated dress standards for sister missionaries

* Mormons love fantasy books, but why?

* Opioid addiction in Utah

* Lightning hits Moroni

* Reservations for Philadelphia Temple open house

* Missionary social media guide "leaked"

* Elder Norby out of the hospital

* Follow Steve on Instagram

Can the Prophet ever lead us astray? Popular blogger Jana Riess attempts to dissect such a notion, but misinterprets the very reference upon which the idea is based. To shame, Jana. To shame.

Mormon missionaries can now wear sunglasses. Apparently they could not before. Or apparently this requires codification. Geoff thinks it's a move to stymie the efforts of overzealous mission presidents. Al thinks it's to reign in dumb missionaries. Who wins? You decide!

Not rapper James the Mormon unofficially takes on Tyler Glenn and endures some unforeseen fallout, especially from one John Dehlin. James, Jimmy, Jimbo---this one's not on you. You meant well.

Transgender bathroom issues are all the rage these days, and the Church has some official commentary on the matter. We have some unofficial commentary on the same matter.

In other news: President Uchtdorf organizes the first stake in the Czech Republic; Al struggles with US/Canada geography; there are actually no LDS Church companies involved with the Panama Papers; and the Pope says bosses are exploiting employees.

Let's talk about Church finance. Sure, most of it isn't disclosed, but a recent article that lists the Church's for-profit entities has us thinking. So, like, for realz, we spend half the show talking Church money.

A St. George man was pricked him his heart to steal some missionaries' gas card and then buy gas for others. In this metaphor, the missionaries are Prince John, the thief is Robin Hood, and the people are the people.

We're sad to announce a few deaths of notable Mormons: Ronald Walker, famed historian and author of The Massacre at Mountain Meadows; and former US Senator Bob Bennett.

Psychologists have unlocked the secret to avoid failure on the mission. And you will find most of this is complete common sense that you've been taught for years. Still, good counsel.

In assorted news: Michael Otterson called as a temple president; a couple finds humor in infertility; work begins on a new engineering building at BYU; Trump memes; McMansions in Utah; and our boy Ryan Hamilton visits Colbert.