The Files

Activity Idea: Presidency Pedicures

LDSFiles.com — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:21:00 +0000

I thought this idea was fun for Activity Days or Young Women. And hey - get yourself a free pedicure out of the deal!

Source: Sugardoodle.net
Created By: Lisa Eustice and Kerrianne Burch

FHE Idea: Hold to the Rod

LDSFiles.com — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:02:00 +0000

Great lesson idea from Sugardoodle.net that could be used for Family Home Evening (FHE) or Sharing Time in Primary.

Source: Sugardoodle.net
Created By: Melanie Day

Activity: 9 B's Wall Hanging

LDSFiles.com — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:52:00 +0000

A fun craft idea for Activity Days, Young Women and more!

Source: Sugardoodle.net
Created By: Laura Mulholland

Presentation: Ten Virgins

Alisha — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:53:00 +0000

A visual presentation of the Ten Virgins. This was made for a Young Women fireside but could be presented for other activities.

Source: ywsuggestions.net
Created By: Wejann

Easter Power Point: His Path, Our Journey

Alisha — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:33:00 +0000

A beautiful presentation on the journey through the life of Christ.

Created By: Wendee Nelson, Jessica Phillips, and Stephanie Thomas

Pedigree Fan Chart

Alisha — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:30:00 +0000

Printable 5 generation Pedigree Fan Chart.

Source: genealogy.about.com

Pedigree Chart

Alisha — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:11:00 +0000

Pritable 4 generation Pedigree Chart.

Source: genealogy.about.com

Family Tree Chart

Alisha — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 19:53:00 +0000

Printable 4 generation family tree chart.

Source: genealogy.about.com

Easter Hunt: Carrot Scavenger Hunt

Alisha — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 21:36:00 +0000

"Plant" redeemable paper carrots around the house for your kids to find!

Source: Familyfun.com

Easter Egg Decorations: Dress Your Egg

Alisha — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 21:20:00 +0000

A cute way to spruce up those Easter eggs. Simply print and cut out. An easy craft to do with your little ones.

Source: FamilyFun.com

Easter Poem: Jelly Beans

Alisha — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 20:51:00 +0000

Red is for the blood He gave.
Green is for the grass He made.
Yellow is for the sun so bright.
Orange is for the edge of night.
Black is for the sins we made.
White is for the grace He gave.
Purple is for His hour of sorrow.
Pink is for our new tomorrow.
An egg full of jelly beans, Colorful and Sweet
Is a prayer, a promise, A loved one's treat!!

Created By: Unknown

The Story of Easter: Easter Egg Hunt

Alisha — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:07:00 +0000

Put the following items into Easter eggs along with the corresponding scriptures. This would be great for Family Home Evening -- Have an Easter egg hunt and then open the eggs and read the scriptures for the lesson. Make sure you number the eggs with a sharpie so you know which order to open them. Enjoy!

1. Sacrament Cup
2. 3 dimes
3. Knotted twine
4. Chunk of soap
5. Square of red velvet
6. Toothpick or pipe cleaner cross & tiny nail
7. Small pair of dice, small square of white cloth
8. Tiny bag of crushed rock, soil
9. A stone
10. A small stone
11. Whole cloves (or similar spice)
12. Empty

1. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. Matthew 36:39

2. Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. Matthew 26:14,15 (This fulfilled the prophecy in Zechariah 11:12-14 that Jesus would be sold for thirty pieces of silver.)

3. When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people too counsel against Jesus to put him to death: And when they had bound him,they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. Matthew 27:1-2

4. When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Matthew 27:24-26

5. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews ! And they spit upon him on the head. Matthew 27:28-30

6. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him the compelled to bear his cross. Matthew 27:31-32 And He was crucified…..nailed to the cross. Press this nail into your hand, feel how it must have hurt.

7. And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet…..And sitting down they watched him there. Matthew 27:35-36

8. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;…..Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. Matthew 27:50-51, 54

9. (Then Joseph, a rich man) went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock. Matthew 27:57-60

10. And he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. Pilate said unto them (the chief priests and Pharisees), Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch. Matthew 27:60,65-66

11. And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary, the mother of James, and Salome, had brought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descened from heaven, and come and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. And the angel said unto the women, Fear not ye: For I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified. Mark 16:1 & Matthew 28:6

12. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Matthew 28:6

Created By: Unknown

Chorister Flipchart: "Our Bishop"

Alisha — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 03:24:00 +0000

Flipchart for the Primary song, "Our Bishop". Amy says:

On pg. 4, I tell my pre-readers that "word" says word. On the word "help" (pg. 6), I use a marker to draw a comic talking bubble around it and we identify it as the word Help! for the pre-readers in Junior Primary. On pg. 8, I picked a picture where the bishop looked like the girls in the picture, maybe their father too. On pg. 9, we talk about how we sing the word "do" instead of "choose". I printed this on cardstock and even my Sunbeams were able to pick it up. Yeah!

Source: Sugardoodle.net
Created By: Amy Goodyear

Thomas S. Monson Named 16th Church President

LDSFiles.com — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 18:29:00 +0000

Thomas S. Monson is the new president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it was announced today at a news conference in the Church Office Building. President Monson, 80, succeeds President Gordon B. Hinckley, who died 27 January.

The new world leader of the Church has called to serve with him in the First Presidency, the top governing body of the 13-million-member faith, President Henry B. Eyring, 74, first counselor, and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, 67, second counselor.

President Boyd K. Packer, 83, is the new president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will be filled later.

Source: LDS.org

Timeline: President Hinckley as Prophet

LDSFiles.com — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:52:00 +0000

The Church has published a timeline of significant events in the presidency of President Gordon B. Hinckley.

Source: LDS.org

President Hinckley Funeral Service

LDSFiles.com — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:49:00 +0000

Funeral services for President Gordon B. Hinckley, leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who died Sunday evening, will be held this Saturday, February 2, in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. The proceedings will be broadcast via satellite in 69 languages to over 6,000 Church buildings globally. Brigham Young University’s BYU Television will also broadcast the funeral internationally. hose who attend the funeral services at the Conference Center will need to be in their seats no later than 10:30 a.m. for an 11:00 a.m. start. Seating will be restricted to the 21,000 capacity of the Conference Center. Overflow seating with large screen viewing of proceedings will be offered in the adjacent Tabernacle, Assembly Hall and Conference Center Theater.

Between the funeral and graveside services, a program profiling the life and ministry of President Hinckley titled In His Own Words will also be televised.

President Hinckley was the 15th president in the 177-year history of the Church and had served as its president since March 12 1995.

There will be a public viewing Thursday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. in the Church Administration Building, 47 East, South Temple Street, Salt Lake City.

President Hinckley, who led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through twelve years of global expansion, died at the age of 97.

The Church president passed away at his apartment in downtown Salt Lake City at 7:00 p.m. Sunday night from causes incident to age. Members of his family were at his bedside.

Expressions of sympathy can be emailed to condolences@ldschurch.org or mailed to Church headquarters at 47 East South Temple St., Salt Lake City, UT 84150.

President Hinckley’s family members have suggested that in lieu of flowers those who wish to send a memorial gift could donate to the Church’s Perpetual Education, Humanitarian or Missionary funds, or the Gordon B. Hinckley Chair of British Studies at the University of Utah.

Source: LDS.org

Succession in the Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

LDSFiles.com — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:42:00 +0000

Very detailed and specific description of how succession happens when a President of the Church passes away.

Source: LDS.org

Glenn Beck's Tribute to the late LDS President Hinckley

LDSFiles.com — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 16:29:00 +0000

This isn't our usual type of posting, so I hope you'll forgive the change in protocol, but this simple tribute on mainstream television touched me because it articulated my own feelings so well.

Beloved Church President, Gordon B. Hinckley, Dies at 97

LDSFiles.com — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 04:13:00 +0000

We at LDSFiles.com mourn the loss and honor a great man and spiritual leader who touched us personally, President Gordon B. Hinckley. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints posted the following:

President Gordon B. Hinckley, who led The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through twelve years of global expansion, has died at the age of 97.
President Hinckley was the 15th president in the 177-year history of the Church and had served as its president since 12 March 1995.

The Church president died at his apartment in downtown Salt Lake City at 7:00 p.m. Sunday night from causes incident to age. Members of his family were at his bedside. A successor is not expected to be formally chosen by the Church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles until after President Hinckley’s funeral within the next few days.

Training: Class Responsibilities

LDSFiles.com — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 14:13:00 +0000

Nicely formatted outline of the responsibilities of the class presidency of the Beehives, Mia Maids, and Laurels. Very useful!

Source: Sugardoodle.net
Created By: Carsen Dye

We Have More Winners!

LDSFiles.com — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 15:24:00 +0000

Congratulations to Julie Beth V. of Fairborn, Ohio for winning How Will I Know audio CD, Michelle N. of Eagle, Idaho for winning the audio CD Why Can't I Forget My Sins and Missy P. of Salem, Oregon for winning the audio CD The Truth about The Gospel of Judas. They each won simply for signing up for email updates of the What's New at LDSFiles.com newsfeed.

There's still an entire week of the Days of Giveaways left! To enter or get more details, click here.

Fun: Funny White Elephant Gifts

LDSFiles.com — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 16:28:00 +0000

My husband and I were attending a work holiday party and needed a white elephant gift. So I asked this question in some Yahoo Groups:

“What are some of the funniest white elephant gifts you’ve seen/received?”

I received so many great answers, I am posting some of those ideas here.

---------------------------------

Fruit Cake A real White Elephant plastic toy Old videos you have already seen

- anonymous

I made a "Hillbilly briefcase". You take a large pair of men’s underwear and sew the legs closed. I then cut out two "handles" out of cardboard and glued them inside the band of the underwear. With the legs sewn closed and handles, you can open the top and put stuff in it. You now have a "briefcase". My dad is in the bishopric and he took these to one of his bishops' meetings. Got quite a few laughs. - Melissa C.

The best white elephant ever is a jar of beans with a decorative top and a tag saying, "Hillbilly bubble bath." - Sharee Z.

A sitzbath from the hospital when I had a new baby. It was new and never used but quite funny. My daughter brought one women's high heel that had elbow macaroni glued all over it and spray painted gold and on the toe was one shell macaroni painted red, very cute. One year I canned peach pits while I was doing my canning thinking ahead for white elephant season, I thought it was super funny but the people who got it didn't think it was funny at all. You never know what people will laugh at.

- Sue W.

A box of SOS pads……no one wanted it…..someone got stuck with it……only to find $20 inside! Makes the one who gets stuck have the last laugh!

- Jo

I once received a couple of nice hand towels and dishcloths that had extension cords duct taped to them, with a note that said “Electric dishwasher and dryer.” They were a really nice set of towels and the cords were great too!

-anonymous

I always wrap up something useful like a heavy duty flashlight. I top it with a fun little stuffed animal so if it is to be bid on, it is usually sought after. Have you considered something like a couple of canisters of Play Dough? Or an absolutely huge elephant-sized item of clothing (from an outlet)? Or a very strange jar of food from an import store? Maybe a wig from a thrift store. Or maybe you could make a macaroni necklace with a really strange object hanging in the middle of it as a pendant.

- Janis K.

One of those huge Costco cans of Spam, or hominy, that is a good one too.

- Michelle D.

A silver Y2K baseball hat 8-track tapes A bobble head pig bamboo planter An old Thighmaster An amateur painting of Snoopy on black velvet Napoleon Dynamite sleep mask Funny trend cookbooks or other specialty or how to books Anything from the 60's or 70's Old electronic equipment - once I found some device to make your TV louder (it was like a speaker you plugged in to bring the sound closer to you)! It had to be over 30 years old. Virtually anything hand knitted or crocheted by a beginning knitter! The multi-colored yarns are always a big hit! Toaster cozies, any animal accessories for the kitchen, stylized soap holders, etc. Anything that you would buy on late night TV! Our RS exchange next week is using the term "Shuvunda" gift - something you would "shove under" the bed!

- Elaine S.

The best one we had last year at our RS enrichment was the wife of one of the bishopric gave some kind of 70s looking dance movie. One time I got a Chevy Door handle from a decade or so previously.

- anonymous

One we did was a frame with a picture of our family. The all time favorite though was a box of chocolates. We had my 2 year old take bites of a few different ones (and she ate some) so there were a couple missing and a couple with bites out of then. Then, to top it off, we took pictures of her eating them and printed them and stuck them in the box too! The person who got the box was excited it was chocolate (and then confused when they new our other gift was funny) so we made him open it and everybody LOVED it! Cheap, easy, hilarious!

- Sarah

I have given things that are no longer used--like fondue pans or some fad or craze, like a chiapet.

A Mr. Magoo Santa and another one of those “press-here” plush reindeers that sings and I loved him so much I opened him myself and kept him!

Some thrift stores have lots of Christmas decorations that you would never want, but can give away. We have had this traveling monstrosity of a magi, he is sprayed gold, made with some dip and drape fabric and glue over a glass bottle. He has no hands and whoever made it commercially used a Santa mask on him. My daughter bought him at a dollar store or something years ago and this guy has made the circuits every single year.

A popular gift was an empty box because the girl wrapping it forgot to put in the horrible Christmas tie and we all just giggled (her husband, through the trade, ended up getting the empty box back), a bobble-head picture frame that also travels--it was wrapped with another equally awful picture frame, 2 exercise videos, the good gift was a Christmas apron and hot pads with snowman peeps and a snowman chocolate bar, a hot and ready t-shirt from little Caesar's pizza with a free pizza coupon, another dated video about teaching children something or rather, a sheep-shaped welcome friends sign, and the other good gift was a candelabra that held 4 round candles on it.

- Jennifer F.

Someone I know did a ten pound bag of spuds in a really nice package.

- Lori C.

The most unusual one I've seen was a live gold fish in a bag - it was wrapped in the most beautiful looking box and safely secured inside with padding. It went around as the most exchanged/wanted one and at the end no one could believe what was inside.

Candy/chocolate are always the biggest hit. I wouldn't be brave enough to give a box of chocolates with a bite out of each one, but I would use a nice chocolate box and put something else inside like nuts, etc.

- Holly S.

One year I wrapped a package of batteries & wrote a tag that said "toy not included". We have also gotten a toilet seat cover & hot glued stones to it to "bling it up" a bit.

- Sam C.

One of the best ones though was when a sister opened up a small box with grass in it, and a small green snake. She picked it up and looked at it and commented on how real it looked then it stuck its tongue out at her. One of the men had brought a harmless grass snake as his exchange.

We once made enough caramel popcorn to fill a 5-gal bucket and brought that. The fun part about it was when you opened it the smell was so good that everyone was trying to figure out how to steal it away from the sister who had picked it.

- Darlene A.

We got a Mr. Potato Head Santa from Target that we used for YM/YW and they loved it.

- anonymous

The funniest thing I've seen was a very petite woman receive a XXXL size pair of boxers!

- Tricia M.

The ones I always thought were fun to get were the really practical ones. I once got a box that had a flashlight, toothpaste, chocolate bar, stuff like that. Everyone thought it was very funny, but I loved it because I actually was planning on stopping at the store on the way home to get toothpaste! I also once open a ceramic white elephant! That was hilarious! Here are some other great ideas: toilet paper rubber chicken fruitcake can of beans, gas-x, air freshner copier paper and one of those fake 1000 dollar bills brown lunch bag or sock paper that you made

- Allison Y.

About 10 years ago, I took a Twinkie, dated it about 5 years back as the "use by date" and it was a huge hit! The funniest part of it is that it keeps recirculating at the annual Christmas party! Now it's even older! And it still is soft and un-moldy.... creepy, huh?

- Brenda

Enrichment Activity: Midnight Madness

LDSFiles.com — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 16:23:00 +0000

Pizza, cocoa, games and fun. This is a great get-to-know-your-sisters activity for Enrichment. Very creative ideas in here.

Source: Sugardoodle.net
Created By: Lara Purdie

Talk: Mitt Romney's Faith in America

LDSFiles.com — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 15:56:00 +0000

This talk is not LDS doctrine nor is it particularly useful in our Church callings. I'm posting it here simply because I found it interesting, and it has been the topic of discussion across America for the week. Our beliefs have been brought front and center as a result of this, so I thought I would post it here in the case you find it useful and interesting.

Thursday, Dec 06, 2007

"Faith In America" Remarks As Prepared For Delivery The George Bush Presidential Library College Station, Texas December 6, 2007 "Thank you, Mr. President, for your kind introduction.

"It is an honor to be here today. This is an inspiring place because of you and the First Lady and because of the film exhibited across the way in the Presidential library. For those who have not seen it, it shows the President as a young pilot, shot down during the Second World War, being rescued from his life-raft by the crew of an American submarine. It is a moving reminder that when America has faced challenge and peril, Americans rise to the occasion, willing to risk their very lives to defend freedom and preserve our nation. We are in your debt. Thank you, Mr. President.

"Mr. President, your generation rose to the occasion, first to defeat Fascism and then to vanquish the Soviet Union. You left us, your children, a free and strong America. It is why we call yours the greatest generation. It is now my generation's turn. How we respond to today's challenges will define our generation. And it will determine what kind of America we will leave our children, and theirs.

"America faces a new generation of challenges. Radical violent Islam seeks to destroy us. An emerging China endeavors to surpass our economic leadership. And we are troubled at home by government overspending, overuse of foreign oil, and the breakdown of the family.

"Over the last year, we have embarked on a national debate on how best to preserve American leadership. Today, I wish to address a topic which I believe is fundamental to America's greatness: our religious liberty. I will also offer perspectives on how my own faith would inform my Presidency, if I were elected.

"There are some who may feel that religion is not a matter to be seriously considered in the context of the weighty threats that face us. If so, they are at odds with the nation's founders, for they, when our nation faced its greatest peril, sought the blessings of the Creator. And further, they discovered the essential connection between the survival of a free land and the protection of religious freedom. In John Adams' words: 'We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion... Our constitution was made for a moral and religious people.'

"Freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom. Freedom opens the windows of the soul so that man can discover his most profound beliefs and commune with God. Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone.

"Given our grand tradition of religious tolerance and liberty, some wonder whether there are any questions regarding an aspiring candidate's religion that are appropriate. I believe there are. And I will answer them today.

"Almost 50 years ago another candidate from Massachusetts explained that he was an American running for President, not a Catholic running for President. Like him, I am an American running for President. I do not define my candidacy by my religion. A person should not be elected because of his faith nor should he be rejected because of his faith.

"Let me assure you that no authorities of my church, or of any other church for that matter, will ever exert influence on presidential decisions. Their authority is theirs, within the province of church affairs, and it ends where the affairs of the nation begin.

"As Governor, I tried to do the right as best I knew it, serving the law and answering to the Constitution. I did not confuse the particular teachings of my church with the obligations of the office and of the Constitution – and of course, I would not do so as President. I will put no doctrine of any church above the plain duties of the office and the sovereign authority of the law.

"As a young man, Lincoln described what he called America's 'political religion' – the commitment to defend the rule of law and the Constitution. When I place my hand on the Bible and take the oath of office, that oath becomes my highest promise to God. If I am fortunate to become your President, I will serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause, and no one interest. A President must serve only the common cause of the people of the United States.

"There are some for whom these commitments are not enough. They would prefer it if I would simply distance myself from my religion, say that it is more a tradition than my personal conviction, or disavow one or another of its precepts. That I will not do. I believe in my Mormon faith and I endeavor to live by it. My faith is the faith of my fathers – I will be true to them and to my beliefs.

"Some believe that such a confession of my faith will sink my candidacy. If they are right, so be it. But I think they underestimate the American people. Americans do not respect believers of convenience. Americans tire of those who would jettison their beliefs, even to gain the world.

"There is one fundamental question about which I often am asked. What do I believe about Jesus Christ? I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of mankind. My church's beliefs about Christ may not all be the same as those of other faiths. Each religion has its own unique doctrines and history. These are not bases for criticism but rather a test of our tolerance. Religious tolerance would be a shallow principle indeed if it were reserved only for faiths with which we agree.

"There are some who would have a presidential candidate describe and explain his church's distinctive doctrines. To do so would enable the very religious test the founders prohibited in the Constitution. No candidate should become the spokesman for his faith. For if he becomes President he will need the prayers of the people of all faiths.

"I believe that every faith I have encountered draws its adherents closer to God. And in every faith I have come to know, there are features I wish were in my own: I love the profound ceremony of the Catholic Mass, the approachability of God in the prayers of the Evangelicals, the tenderness of spirit among the Pentecostals, the confident independence of the Lutherans, the ancient traditions of the Jews, unchanged through the ages, and the commitment to frequent prayer of the Muslims. As I travel across the country and see our towns and cities, I am always moved by the many houses of worship with their steeples, all pointing to heaven, reminding us of the source of life's blessings.

"It is important to recognize that while differences in theology exist between the churches in America, we share a common creed of moral convictions. And where the affairs of our nation are concerned, it's usually a sound rule to focus on the latter – on the great moral principles that urge us all on a common course. Whether it was the cause of abolition, or civil rights, or the right to life itself, no movement of conscience can succeed in America that cannot speak to the convictions of religious people.

"We separate church and state affairs in this country, and for good reason. No religion should dictate to the state nor should the state interfere with the free practice of religion. But in recent years, the notion of the separation of church and state has been taken by some well beyond its original meaning. They seek to remove from the public domain any acknowledgment of God. Religion is seen as merely a private affair with no place in public life. It is as if they are intent on establishing a new religion in America – the religion of secularism. They are wrong.

"The founders proscribed the establishment of a state religion, but they did not countenance the elimination of religion from the public square. We are a nation 'Under God' and in God, we do indeed trust.

"We should acknowledge the Creator as did the Founders – in ceremony and word. He should remain on our currency, in our pledge, in the teaching of our history, and during the holiday season, nativity scenes and menorahs should be welcome in our public places. Our greatness would not long endure without judges who respect the foundation of faith upon which our constitution rests. I will take care to separate the affairs of government from any religion, but I will not separate us from 'the God who gave us liberty.'

"Nor would I separate us from our religious heritage. Perhaps the most important question to ask a person of faith who seeks a political office, is this: does he share these American values: the equality of human kind, the obligation to serve one another, and a steadfast commitment to liberty?

"They are not unique to any one denomination. They belong to the great moral inheritance we hold in common. They are the firm ground on which Americans of different faiths meet and stand as a nation, united.

"We believe that every single human being is a child of God – we are all part of the human family. The conviction of the inherent and inalienable worth of every life is still the most revolutionary political proposition ever advanced. John Adams put it that we are 'thrown into the world all equal and alike.'

"The consequence of our common humanity is our responsibility to one another, to our fellow Americans foremost, but also to every child of God. It is an obligation which is fulfilled by Americans every day, here and across the globe, without regard to creed or race or nationality.

"Americans acknowledge that liberty is a gift of God, not an indulgence of government. No people in the history of the world have sacrificed as much for liberty. The lives of hundreds of thousands of America's sons and daughters were laid down during the last century to preserve freedom, for us and for freedom loving people throughout the world. America took nothing from that Century's terrible wars – no land from Germany or Japan or Korea; no treasure; no oath of fealty. America's resolve in the defense of liberty has been tested time and again. It has not been found wanting, nor must it ever be. America must never falter in holding high the banner of freedom.

"These American values, this great moral heritage, is shared and lived in my religion as it is in yours. I was taught in my home to honor God and love my neighbor. I saw my father march with Martin Luther King. I saw my parents provide compassionate care to others, in personal ways to people nearby, and in just as consequential ways in leading national volunteer movements. I am moved by the Lord's words: 'For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me...'

"My faith is grounded on these truths. You can witness them in Ann and my marriage and in our family. We are a long way from perfect and we have surely stumbled along the way, but our aspirations, our values, are the self-same as those from the other faiths that stand upon this common foundation. And these convictions will indeed inform my presidency.

"Today's generations of Americans have always known religious liberty. Perhaps we forget the long and arduous path our nation's forbearers took to achieve it. They came here from England to seek freedom of religion. But upon finding it for themselves, they at first denied it to others. Because of their diverse beliefs, Ann Hutchinson was exiled from Massachusetts Bay, a banished Roger Williams founded Rhode Island, and two centuries later, Brigham Young set out for the West. Americans were unable to accommodate their commitment to their own faith with an appreciation for the convictions of others to different faiths. In this, they were very much like those of the European nations they had left.

"It was in Philadelphia that our founding fathers defined a revolutionary vision of liberty, grounded on self evident truths about the equality of all, and the inalienable rights with which each is endowed by his Creator.

"We cherish these sacred rights, and secure them in our Constitutional order. Foremost do we protect religious liberty, not as a matter of policy but as a matter of right. There will be no established church, and we are guaranteed the free exercise of our religion.

"I'm not sure that we fully appreciate the profound implications of our tradition of religious liberty. I have visited many of the magnificent cathedrals in Europe. They are so inspired ... so grand ... so empty. Raised up over generations, long ago, so many of the cathedrals now stand as the postcard backdrop to societies just too busy or too 'enlightened' to venture inside and kneel in prayer. The establishment of state religions in Europe did no favor to Europe's churches. And though you will find many people of strong faith there, the churches themselves seem to be withering away.

"Infinitely worse is the other extreme, the creed of conversion by conquest: violent Jihad, murder as martyrdom... killing Christians, Jews, and Muslims with equal indifference. These radical Islamists do their preaching not by reason or example, but in the coercion of minds and the shedding of blood. We face no greater danger today than theocratic tyranny, and the boundless suffering these states and groups could inflict if given the chance.

"The diversity of our cultural expression, and the vibrancy of our religious dialogue, has kept America in the forefront of civilized nations even as others regard religious freedom as something to be destroyed.

"In such a world, we can be deeply thankful that we live in a land where reason and religion are friends and allies in the cause of liberty, joined against the evils and dangers of the day. And you can be certain of this: Any believer in religious freedom, any person who has knelt in prayer to the Almighty, has a friend and ally in me. And so it is for hundreds of millions of our countrymen: we do not insist on a single strain of religion – rather, we welcome our nation's symphony of faith.

"Recall the early days of the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia, during the fall of 1774. With Boston occupied by British troops, there were rumors of imminent hostilities and fears of an impending war. In this time of peril, someone suggested that they pray. But there were objections. 'They were too divided in religious sentiments', what with Episcopalians and Quakers, Anabaptists and Congregationalists, Presbyterians and Catholics.

"Then Sam Adams rose, and said he would hear a prayer from anyone of piety and good character, as long as they were a patriot.

"And so together they prayed, and together they fought, and together, by the grace of God ... they founded this great nation.

"In that spirit, let us give thanks to the divine 'author of liberty.' And together, let us pray that this land may always be blessed, 'with freedom's holy light.'

"God bless the United States of America."

Source: MittRomney.com

And our next Giveaway Winner is...

LDSFiles.com — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 00:29:00 +0000

And the Winner Is...

The winner of Wednesday's Third Day of Giveaways is none other than Janet C. of Dover, Delaware! She has won the book Saving Kristen by Jack Weyland just for signing up for email updates of the What's New at LDSFiles.com newsfeed. There's still 9 Days of Giveaways left! To enter or get more details, click here.