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Jonathan Ellis
Austin, Texas

The Week in Mormonism, 6/26/16: Tragedy on the Trail

Meaghan Blair with her husband and their two children

Meaghan Blair, a 29 year old mother of two, died Monday of heat-related causes while participating in the popular “Trek” re-enactment of Mormon pioneers crossing the plains. Participants wear heavy period clothing and heatstroke is a danger in the Summer heat.

Church spokeswoman Deborah Neria gave this statement:

We express our love and deepest sympathies to the family of Meaghan Blair, age 29, who died while participating in a youth trek activity (celebrating Mormon pioneer heritage) near Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was serving as a youth leader on the activity, and died from heat-related causes. This is a heartbreaking loss for the family and all who knew her. Meaghan leaves behind a husband, Michael, and two young children. Local church members have been in close contact with the family to offer their love and support. We pray that they will be blessed with God’s peace and understanding as they deal with this terrible loss.

Books and Reviews

  1. The SLT reviews The Latter Days: A Memoir.
  2. This Month in Mormon Literature, June 2016.
  3. An interview with Patrick Mason, author of Planted: Belief and Belonging in an Age of Doubt.
  4. An interview with Fiona Givens, author of Dialogue article “The Perfect Union of Man and Woman.” (Headline: “Mormon founder turned over priesthood keys to women.”)
  5. The Juvenile Instructor has finished week three of their Summer Book Club, featuring Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith.

Church History

  1. When Winston Churchill investigated Mormon missionaries to see if they were just shopping for wives.

Other Links

  1. An explanation of the new Doctrinal Mastery seminary program.
  2. Youth Suicide Drives Down Utah’s Child Health Ranking. “LGBT youth in particular are bombarded with harmful messages.” And Esquire covers the Exclusion Policy.
  3. How the FLDS Will Hide Fugitive Leader Lyle Jeffs.
  4. Church video series role plays defending religious freedom while respecting differences.
  5. 6 Harmful Myths Mormon Women Often Hear About Their Bodies.
  6. Progress in Mormon feminism in the past two years.
  7. The Sacrament of Root Beer Floats. It’s easy to think that [assigned] friendship is inauthentic or artificial... But when moments of crisis make us the ones demanding too much… I am desperately in need of care that comes from someone who loves me not for my own sake, but for Jesus’.”
  8. Physical and spiritual abandonment. “When it comes to leaving the church, who is abandoned? Do some individuals feel the church has abandoned them and not the other way around?”
  9. Mormon Stories interviews podcaster Gina Colvin, Sunstone editor Dan Wotherspoon, and author Thomas McConkie on Staying Active in the LDS Church as an Unorthodox Member.