Conference tecrus::mormonism

The Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies
P. O. box 7113,
University Station, Provo, UT 84602

"The Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies puts you at
the forefront of modern Book of Mormon research.

"The book of Mormon is rich in detail regarding the life and history,
as well as the religion, of the peoples of ancient America.  Out of those
details arise hundreds of intriguing questions and insights.

"What is the meaning of the cultural similarities between ancient America
and many Near Eastern civilizations?  How might the system of weights and
measures outlined in Alma 11 correlate with the weights and measures in
ancient Egypt?  What does the Book of Mormon say and mean to us today?

"Research in these and countless other questions is yielding fascinating
new insights into the Book of Mormon.  Now you can share these insights--
and become part of an expanding Book of Mormon research effort--through
the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies.  F.A.R.M.S is an
independent, non-profit educational organization that offers you a number
of services and opportunities.

"F.A.R.M.S. Research Available in Up-to-date Publications and Productions

"Book of Mormon Research

"F.A.R.M.S. sponsors research examining Book of Mormon texts, especially
aspects that reflect ancient culture or language, to enhance our
understanding of the Book of Mormon and other scriptures through the
insights of ancient studies.

"Research includes:

"o Hugh Nibley Archive
"o textual analyses
"o comparative studies
"o geography and culture
"o bibliographies

"Books, Reports, Reprints and Videos

"Interesting information about the Book of Mormon is readily available
through F.A.R.M.S., worldwide, at cost, as a service to teachers, students,
researchers and general readers.

"Distribution includes:

"o reprints of previously published articles
"o preliminary reports on current research
"o books, maps and catalogs
"o videos and slides
"o UPDATES, a monthly report on recent developments
"o INSIGHTS, a quarterly newsletter

"Over 400 titles are now available from F.A.R.M.S."

The above information was taken from a small pamphlet distributed by
F.A.R.M.S.  If you write to them, they will enroll you for one-year
as a free member.  After that year, members donate $10 or more to
retain their membership ($5.00 for students, senior citizens, and low-income
families)

Many of the contributors to F.A.R.M.S. are BYU professors.

"Brigham Young University Studies" is published quarterly and contains
papers from individual contributors.  The papers express individual opinions
and statements and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Church, BYU,
the editors, or the editorial board.

Subscription is $10.00 for four numbers, $19.00 for eight numbers, and $27.00
for twelve numbers.  Single numbers are $4.00.  The rate to bona fide students
and missionaries is $8.00 for four numbers.  All subscriptions begin with the
current issue unless subscriber requests otherwise.  Send subscriptions to

     BYU Studies
     1102 JKHB,
     Brigham Young University
     Provo, Utah 84602

>Subscriptions are available to both LDS and non-LDS by contacting the following
>address.

>The Ensign Magazine    or    The New Era Magazine    or    The Friend Magazine
>50 East North Temple Street,
>Salt Lake City, Utah 84150

>Prices for one year for USA delivery (I don't know about Canada or other
>countries) are $10.00.

>The Church also publishes magazines in other languages, but I don't have
>information on them.


Try 
   International Magazines
at the above address for info.  A year or so ago at Christmas they were also
listed in the 'Subscribe now' insert in the Ensign at $9.00/year.

Many many languages are available, icluding (from memory):

German
French
Italian
Icelandic
Norwegian
Swedidh
Danish
Finnish
Spanish
Portuguese
Japanese (I think)
Korean (I think)
some of the less known Pacific languages
and others.

Chad

	There is a tabloid published bi-weekly here in Phoenix that
	some may be interested in.  It is the Latter-Day Sentinel.
	"The Latter-Day Sentinel is a privately owned news and advertising
	medium."  The paper is not associated with the LDS. Church 
	officially but is produced by a coalition of Mormons.
 	     
        It has news items concerning the LDS. Church and Mormons in
	Arizona and around the world.  It is the type of news that you may
	not get in the Ensign Magazine but most items are interesting and
	at times even controversial.  

        For subscription or information write to:
	The Latter-Day Sentinel
	P.O. Box 2440
	Phoenix, Az 85002-2440

	The subscription rates are $14.88 per year.

	You can order the Arizona, California, or Nevada issues.  They 
        do not say anything about a New England edition but I suspect 
        that will change some day as the President of the Board of 
	Directors is a New England resident.

	Just to give some idea of what it offers I would like to give
	you a sample of one issue.  The May 28 issue has a color picture 
	of  Alan Cherry who directs the LDS Afro-American Oral History 
	Project.  There are several stories inside about black Mormons and
	the anniversary of the Lord calling our black brothers to serve
	with us.  One story is about Alan Cherry and his family and titled
	THE BLACK EXPERIENCE.   Another story tells of building the church
	in Nigeria titled BLAZING TRAILS IN THE AFRICAN BUSH. I find the
	growth of the church in Africa so fascinating that I will make an
	entry on this is the Growth Topic using some of these stories.

	I enjoy the small little news tidbits like these:

	   THE MORMON CONNECTION  by Rod Reed
	   Everyone knows the story of the Earp brothers.  There was 
 	   Virgil, Morgan and their famous brother Wyatt who joined
	   with Doc Holladay in the famous gunfight at the OK Corral.
	
	   But few know there's another side to Virgil Earp's story.

	   This lawman of the wild west, citizen of Dodge City and 
           Sheriff in Tombstone, Ariz., had a famous Mormon relative.
	   
	   Thats right.  Virgil had a brother-in-law who also helped
	   settle the west, leading thousands to the Salt Lake Valley
	   and who, today, is considered by millions to be a prophet 
	   of God.

	   Virgil married Allie Fulsome.  And Allie's sister Amelia, 
	   went to Utah, joined the church and married Brigham Young.

	

	WHERE IS THIS FAST-GROWING CHURCH GROWING FASTEST IN THE U.S.?
	   As everyone knows, the Church's population is exploding
	   in foreign lands.  but where is it growing the fastest 
	   within our 50 states?   Between 1985 and 1987 Florida, 
           Alaska and South Dakota led the country with a 50-59% growth 
           rate of LDS.  California LDS increased 40-49% and in Arizona 
	   and Nevada the Church grew a 30-39%.  The slowest-growing
	   states, at 15% and under, were Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and 
	   Iowa.


	ACLU PROTESTS USE OF "JESUS CHRIST" IN UTAH GOVERNMENT PRAYERS.
	   Despite protests from the American Civil Liberties Union,
	   Salt Lake County Officials recently decided to continue 
	   using the name of Jesus Christ in its invocation.  The Salt
	   Lake City Council recently voted to stop opening their 
	   meetings with prayer, in response the the ACLU's protests.


	TWO-INCOME FAMILIES: IT DOESN'T PAY
	   According to a recent study by two University of Virginia 
	   sociologists, two-income couples not only spend less time
	   together than traditional one-income couples, but the time
	   they do spend together is not as satisfying.


	There are stories of interest to Arizona Mormons and some 
	that all Mormons would appreciate such as the story on the
	passing of President Romney.  
	
	I appreciate the movies that are reviewed relative to LDS 
	standards and use this as a guide to family viewing.	

	I would recommend this paper to other LDS readers.


	-gary
    

    Address:
    
    DIALOGUE: A Journal of Mormon Thought
    202 West 300 North
    Salt Lake City, Utah  84103
    
    Subscriptions are $25.
    
    Feelings:
    
    I have a mixed response to DIALOGUE.  There are authors I enjoy
    greatly, who can be found in it often (including my all-time favorite,
    Eugene England).  Their articles always seem to be written with
    an eye toward the primary purpose we here on earth - to learn more
    about who we are and to develop in ourselves the characteristics
    of someone who can return to live with our Father in Heaven.
    
    There are also occasional articles which seem to lose sight of this
    perspective and become wrapped up in some worldly issue.
    
    In general, I believe they try hard to maintain an evenhanded approach
    to issues.
    
    
                      

A magazine called "This People" is published by Utah Alliance Publishing, Inc..

Prices for USA subscriptions are $10.00 for four issues, and $12.50 for
subscriptions in other countries.

     This People magazine
     P.O. Box 2250
     Salt Lake City, Utah 84110

The magazine appears to be pro-Mormon.  It is nice looking in terms of
layout, art work, etc.  It contains advertisements from companies "friendly"
to the Church.

I recognized a few names of the Columnists/Contributors: Leonard Arrington,
Steven Covey, and Val Hale.

To give you an idea of the scope of the magazine, here are the contents of
the Summer 1988 issue.

Features

18 Without regard for race
     Ten years ago, a long-awaited revelation opened the door to the
     priesthood for blacks.  What has happened since, and where?  The results
     may surprise you.

24 Silent songs we've never heard
     The black LDS community in America is finding answers to problems that
     deeply trouble their race.  The nation needs to listen.

28 Hope in a torn land
     Returning to South Africa 20 years after his mission there, a journalist
     sees hope where there was only despair.  "The Lord built a temple here;
     we can live in peace."

32 It's a long way from Talladega
     You'll have to join the Church and go on a mission, they warned Jeff
     Chatman.  He did and he will.  But there's the little matter of the
     NBA that has to be settled first.

36 Don't leave home without them.
     Traveling with toddlers may seem like cruel and unusual punishment.
     But with the three P's -- patience, preparation and pampers -- there's
     at least an even chance you'll survive.

42 Buckin' for Bucks, Ropin' for riches
     When two Mormon cowboys finish one-two in the rough, tough world of
     rodeo competition, it's got to be something more than jeans.

50 Winging it
     People who can write ought to be smart enough to handle fatherhood,
     right?  But as the confessions of these Mormon authors prove, it's no
     sure bet.

56 Fish bowl fathers
     Living with famous fathers has its drawbacks.  But, taking it all 
     together, the offspring of five famous fathers conclude that their
     dads succeeded about as well at home as in public.


Departments

 6 From the editor
 7 Letters
10 Naturalist's corner
15 A peculiar people
60 Personal effectiveness
63 Vitality
66 Pop quiz

     Tree of Life Productions
     P. O. Box 28873
     Las Vegas, Nevada 89126

This company is marketing audio tapes that are concerned with a defense
of the LDS faith.  They also have a few booklets.  You can write for an
order form giving a brief description of each tape or booklet.


A Defense of the Faith Tape Series

   A series of tapes that answer charges of anti-Mormons such as Ed Decker
   and the Tanners.  Some of the tapes contain "conversion stories" of
   anti-Mormons who were converted to the Church.


Tapes by Einar C. Erickson

   A series of tapes concerning the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Books of Enoch
   and similar topics.


Tapes by other outstanding scholars

   A series of tapes from Catholic and Protestant ministers who joined
   the LDS Church.

As explained in a letter from the membership committee:

"The Zarahemla Research Foundation is a private research group which receives
no direct support from the church or any church-related institution.  The
purpose of the foundation is elucidation of the Book of Mormon, and the
increase of our knowledge of ancient civilizations of the Western Hemisphere.

We began publication [of THE ZARAHEMLA QUARTERLY] in January, 1987.  Our goal
was to achieve a quality comparable to THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, and with
our third issue we feel we have attained it."

To give an idea of the contents of the QUARTERLY, the Jan-Mar issue contained
the following articles:

o Moroni's fortifications at Noah - a unique Defensive Style

    Tired of hearing critics claim there is no hard physical evidence which
    supports the Book of Mormon?  Then you won't want to miss this article.
    In a step-by-step comparison of the Maya site of BECAN in Campeche,
    Mexico with Moroni's fortifications at Noah, the two defense systems are
    shown to be identical.  [illustrated]

o Proving the Book of Mormon

    What are the real issues governing vindication of the Book of Mormon?
    What is preventing the Book of Mormon cities from becoming as well-known
    as the cities in the Bible?

o The fourth day of the month - evidence from pre-Columbian America

    In this astonishing article, discover how we have learned that the famous
    Aztec Calendar Stone is actually a monument to the crucifixion of Jesus
    Christ. [illustrated]

In addition to feature articles, the QUARTERLY contains regular sections
such as:

o Excerpts from "All the men of the Book of Mormon"
    Concise biographies of the characters in the Book of Mormon.  A must for
    inspiring talks, lessons, and personal growth for every member of your
    family.  Indispensable for Family Home Evenings!

o Studies in the Maya glyph system and pre-Columbian Maya languages

    You or other members of your family can obtain an education in this
    fundamental pre-Columbian language just by reading the QUARTERLY!  Learn
    what is known and what isn't; follow the progress being made in the
    field. [illustrated]

One-year membership & subscription: $32.00
Subscription only: $16.00; $12.00 for students & full-time missionaries if
    payment accompanies subscriptions


    ZARAHEMLA RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Downtown Plaza, Suit 14
    400 12th Street
    Modesto, California 95354

The Church publishes three magazines in the English language for general use.
Through these magazines, the Church provides spiritual and practical helps
for our daily lives, and the articles cover quite a broad spectrum of topics.
(See Note 74 for a list of the Table of Contents for the 1988 issues of the
Ensign)

The magazines are the "Ensign" (pronounced N'sign not ensun) for adults, the
"New Era" for teens, and the "Friend" for children.

Subscriptions are available to both LDS and non-LDS by contacting the following
address.

Church Publications
50 East North Temple Street,
Salt Lake City, Utah 84150

Prices for one year for USA delivery (I don't know about Canada or other
countries) are $10.00 for the Ensign and $8.00 for the other two.

The Church also publishes magazines in other languages, but I don't have
information on them.

A quarterly newsletter is published by the following group.

Latter Day Saint Home Educators Association
Joyce Kinmont
2770 South 1000 West
Perry, Utah 84302
(801) 723-5355


A catalog of supplies useful for home educators, as well as general family
education, is available from the following group.

Latter Day Family resources
242 East Southfield Rd
Spanish Fork, Utah 84660

    There is another publication that is for and about Mormom women.  It is
    called Exponent II and provides a forum for women to write about a
    variety of issues.  I have found it to be a wonderful resource when I
    have become impatient with the "patriarchy" and ohter seemingly
    contradictive elements in the church.  It costs $12.00 a year for a 
    subscription and can be ordered by sending your check or money order to: 
    
    Exponent II 
    P.O. Box 37
    Arlington, MA 02174 
    
    

The order desk of Deseret Book Company can be by calling (800) 453-4532.

Turn your computer into a gospel research center.

Databases of gospel information for your IBM PC and
clones.  Great for research and study because you can
search on individual words and phrases and on topics.

1.  LDS Scriptures Infobase, including KJV, BoM, D&C, PofGP,
    Joseph Smith Translation, Topical Guide.  Uses 5.2MB of
    hard disk.  $39.95

2.  Basic Set Infobase, including KJV, BoM, D&C, PofGP,
    Joseph Smith Translation, Topical Guide, Teachings of
    Prophet Joseph Smith, Discourses of Brigham Young,
    Gospel Doctrine (Joseph F. Smith), Jesus the Christ,
    (Talmage), Articles of Faith (Talmage), Lectures on Faith
    (Joseph Smith).  Uses 9.2 MB of hard disk.  $99.95.

There are 15 other Infobases that include writings of modern
prophets and church history.  In addition there are several
Infobases on American History.  Some of the larger ones require
CD-ROM.  One of them that has 58 unabridged volumes is available
for MAC as well as PC.  The largest Infobase has 81 volumes.


     Infobases, Inc.
     1875 South State Street STE T-100
     Orem, UT 84058-9917

     (800) 274-1048

I have played with their products some, and I am very impressed. I would
recommend this company and their products to anyone. Make sure you get the
Journal of Discourses and Teaching of the Prophets (JS, BY, etc). Then when
you search by subjects, you will get a whole new perspective to the scriptures.

Bryan