Latest from Mormon Land: An LDS congregation unlike any other; the new changes in temple garments

The Mormon Land newsletter is The Salt Lake Tribune’s weekly highlight reel of news in and about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Join us on Patreon and receive the full newsletter, podcast transcripts and access to all of our religion content.

The genesis of Genesis

There has been no mass exodus from Genesis.

The support congregation, established 53 years ago this week for Black Latter-day Saints, continues to draw crowds to its monthly devotionals and other activities.

“Genesis was, and is, a unique unit of the church,” the group’s website notes. " ... We are more than a ‘fireside’ while less than a ward. What fireside has a presidency set apart to a specific purpose? … There is beauty in [the congregation’s] special calling. There is also responsibility. We exist and serve at the pleasure of the leadership of the Lord’s church. Our purpose is the Lord’s purpose — we help to bring souls to the restored gospel.”

On Oct. 19, 1971, then-apostles Gordon Hinckley, Thomas Monson and Boyd Packer set apart Ruffin Bridgeforth, Darius Gray and Eugene Orr, respectively, as the Genesis Group’s first presidency.

Revisit this “Mormon Land” podcast with Gray from Genesis’ golden anniversary as he discussed its past, its present and its future.

Sleeveless temple garments? Yes, they’re now a thing.

The church is offering new sleeveless temple garments for women and men in hot climates. The early reviews show the members are cool with them.

“I am thrilled to hear about the garment redesign,” says Rachel Gerber, an Instagrammer with LDS Changemakers who sees the “open sleeve” option as an answer to prayers.

Here are some recent Tribune stories and “Mormon Land” podcasts about garments:

• Leaders alter temple recommend questions to make it clear: There’s no room for personal interpretation on garments.

• Who should decide when, where and how often Latter-day Saints wear temple garments?

• The church steps up this message: Wear your temple garments every day.

• Body image and more — how temple garments affect women spiritually, physically and socially.

• What Latter-day Saint women like — and dislike — about wearing temple garments.

• Doubling down on garments and motherhood may not keep young women in the fold.

• How much temple garments cost — besides that 10%.

• Why it’s OK to show photos of temple garments.

• Why temple garments could change again.

The latest ‘Mormon Land’ podcast: Raising successful kids

By following an unconventional parenting path, Latter-day Saints Gabrielle Blair of Design Mom fame and her husband, Ben Blair, co-founder and president of Newlane University, have learned to buck conventional parenting wisdom — and, along the way, remove a lot of the stress that comes with raising kids. Turns out, many roads lead to success.

The couple join this week’s show to discuss the parental journey outlined in their new book, “The Kids Are All Right: Parenting With Confidence in an Uncertain World.”

Listen to the podcast.

More hurricane help

More than 12,000 Latter-day Saint volunteers have logged 170,000 hours — so far — helping with relief efforts after back-to-back hurricanes battered Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas.

“Disaster relief work is truly the 99 seeking the 1,” area Seventy John Amos said in a news release. “We gather in groups by the hundreds, wearing yellow shirts and carrying chain saws, ready to help those in need. But we are not just removing trees — we are restoring hope. We are not just mucking out homes — we are sharing his light. We are not just tarping a roof — we are bringing peace. In doing so, we are living the great commandments to love God and love our neighbors.”

The latest storm also damaged some Latter-day Saint buildings in Florida.

A conference review

A “heretic’s review” of the latest General Conference is in, courtesy of Ziff, the pen name for a blogger at the Zelophehad’s Daughters website. Here are some of the writer’s takes:

Best laugh line: “My father often reminded me that simply sitting in a pew on Sunday doesn’t make you a good Christian any more than sleeping in a garage makes you a car.”

— General authority Seventy David Buckner

Best line: “If you do feel filled with love in this season of your life, please try and hold on to it as effectively as a sieve holds water. Splash it everywhere you go.”

— General authority Seventy Karl Hirst

Worst line: “The Lord’s commandments are of two types: permanent, like the doctrine of Christ, and temporary.”

— First Presidency first counselor Dallin Oaks

“Fascinating!” Ziff writes of Oaks’ declaration. “And I assume there’s a reliable way to tell which is which at the time it’s issued, right? Or is it just post-hoc categorization?”

Read more Ziff zingers here.

From The Tribune

• These new sleeveless temple garments will open up more fashion options for Latter-day Saint women — and men.

• It’s time, writes Tribune columnist Gordon Monson, for the church’s prophets and apostles to urge members, on “moral grounds,” not to vote for Donald Trump.

• Already seen as an agricultural “titan,” the church is sowing, er, uh, spending $289 million to reap 46 farms covering more than 41,500 acres — about 65 square miles — of cropland in eight states.

• This emeritus Latter-day Saint general authority believes in climate change. He’s not sure, however, other top church leaders do.

• The first dean has been announced for Brigham Young University’s still-developing new medical school.

• It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas — at least on this score: A Tony-winning headliner has been announced as the guest singer for The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square’s holiday concerts in December.

• Speaking of the choir, a former George W. Bush Cabinet secretary loves his church gig because he gets to “sit right next” to the renowned singing troupe. He explains that and more in these excerpts from our recent “Mormon Land” podcast.