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Brandt and Jenny return from break, but only briefly. Why we have been off for so long, what comes next, and when to expect more episodes of the MNR podcast inside! Image via Skip Prichard

Join, Jenny, John and Ben as they discuss D&C 67-70 in this week’s Mormon News Report Come Follow Me discussion.

Today on the show, we’re signing yearbooks and telling each other we’ll definitely hang over Summer Vacation. An odd Tweet from Brandt, MTC’s reopening, and MORMON DATA. All that plus more on the Report! As always, today’s show is brought to you by our friends at Signature Books. Check out their entire collection at SignatureBooks.com Missionary Training Centers to Resume Limited On-Site Training (Church Newsroom) Provo Missionary Training Center Resumes In-Person Training (Church Newsroom) Rising numbers of young adult Mormons in the US are gay, lesbian or bisexual (Jana Riess, Religion News Service) Mesa Arizona Temple to Be Rededicated (Church Newsroom) David Archuleta opens up about his struggle to come out (Good Morning America) Andrew Garfield & Daisy Edgar-Jones To Star In Limited Series ‘Under The Banner Of Heaven’ For FX From Dustin Lance Black (Deadline Hollywood) What golf legend Gary Player had to say about Elder Uchtdorf (KSL) Here’s why James Huntsman may have filed his LDS tithing lawsuit in California (The Salt Lake Tribune) Faith leaders say religious liberty is not synonymous with discrimination (Deseret News) SUNSHINE: Jenny: watermelon. Cut it up and put it in the fridge. You’re welcome. + pride month kindnesses Brandt: Harry Potter and the Outage of Power Image Via AliceCooper.com

Today on the show, a new way to approach religious freedom, a new award, and the Mormon response to Juneteenth. All that plus more on the Report! As always, today’s show is brought to you by our friends at Signature Books. Check out their entire collection at SignatureBooks.com ‘Break down slavery!’ Joseph Smith’s contributions to American democracy (Deseret News) Vandals Go On Rampage At West Jordan Church, $50,000 In Damages (KSL) A Possibly Amended ‘The Book Of Mormon’ Announces November Broadway Return (Deadline Hollywood) MHA Announces New Public History Award (Mormon History Association) Tabernacle Choir Proceeds With 2022 Heritage Tour (Church Newsroom) Dedication Date Announced for Pocatello Idaho Temple (Church Newsroom) Prophet Receives Honorary Degree from the University of Utah (Church Newsroom) “Oath of a Freeman” Forgery Acquired for the Grolier Club (Fine Books & Collections) LDS Church welcome centers provide resources to immigrants, refugees (Daily Herald) U.S. in a ‘perilous moment’ — Legal experts debate LDS leader Dallin Oaks’ talk on the Constitution (Salt Lake Tribune) How Juneteenth brought together a southern Dallas church and the Latter-day Saints (Dallas Morning News) What can America learn from the NAACP-Latter-day Saint relationship? (Deseret News) SUNSHINE: Jenny: YW camp. And Seat Belts. And hbd Monica. Brandt: Dogs and families Image Via Wired

Join, Jenny, John and Ben as they discuss D&C 64-66 in this week’s Mormon News Report Come Follow Me discussion.

Today on the show, we are starting to get back to normal around the United States. What does that mean for the Church? Plus, a great review of a new book, and an historic announcement with the LDS Church and the NAACP. All that plus more on the Report! As always, today’s show is brought to you by our friends at Signature Books. Check out their entire collection at SignatureBooks.com For the Strength of Youth Conferences Start Again in 2022 (Church Newsroom) ‘American Idol’ Finalist David Archuleta Reveals He Is Part Of LGBTQIA+ Community; Talks “Trying To Find That Balance” With His Faith (Deadline Hollywood) God wants you to have this Syracuse temple, Latter-day Saint leader tells church members (KSL) LDS ‘excommunication’ is a term from the past, but the pain, shame and anger are still very much present (Salt Lake Tribune) Steve Young Won 3 Super Bowls but Felt Haunted by His Personal Life During His NFL Career (Sportscasting) Church will reforest sacred Hill Cumorah, site of angel’s visits to Joseph Smith (Deseret News) The Fallacy of Religious Freedom: On Spencer W. McBride’s “Joseph Smith for President” (Los Angeles Review of Books) Temple Square’s North Visitors’ Center will soon be demolished, replaced by garden (Deseret News) How the Mormon church unlocked medical pot for deep red states (Politico) Temple Square Is Reopening to the Public This Summer (Church Newsroom) What NAACP President Derrick Johnson told a Latter-day Saint congregation on Sunday (Deseret News) First Presidency and NAACP Leaders Announce a Shared Vision to “Learn from and Serve One Another” (Church Newsroom) SUNSHINE: Jenny: IN THE HEIGHTS – go see it. Just…just go see it. Brandt: BAJA BLAST IS BACK Image Via Daily Herald

Today on the show, we are starting to get back to normal around the United States. What does that mean for the Church? Plus, a great review of a new book, and an historic announcement with the LDS Church and the NAACP. All that plus more on the Report! As always, today’s show is brought to you by our friends at Signature Books. Check out their entire collection at SignatureBooks.com For the Strength of Youth Conferences Start Again in 2022 (Church Newsroom) ‘American Idol’ Finalist David Archuleta Reveals He Is Part Of LGBTQIA+ Community; Talks “Trying To Find That Balance” With His Faith (Deadline Hollywood) God wants you to have this Syracuse temple, Latter-day Saint leader tells church members (KSL) LDS ‘excommunication’ is a term from the past, but the pain, shame and anger are still very much present (Salt Lake Tribune) Steve Young Won 3 Super Bowls but Felt Haunted by His Personal Life During His NFL Career (Sportscasting) Church will reforest sacred Hill Cumorah, site of angel’s visits to Joseph Smith (Deseret News) The Fallacy of Religious Freedom: On Spencer W. McBride’s “Joseph Smith for President” (Los Angeles Review of Books) Temple Square’s North Visitors’ Center will soon be demolished, replaced by garden (Deseret News) How the Mormon church unlocked medical pot for deep red states (Politico) Temple Square Is Reopening to the Public This Summer (Church Newsroom) What NAACP President Derrick Johnson told a Latter-day Saint congregation on Sunday (Deseret News) First Presidency and NAACP Leaders Announce a Shared Vision to “Learn from and Serve One Another” (Church Newsroom) SUNSHINE: Jenny: IN THE HEIGHTS – go see it. Just…just go see it. Brandt: BAJA BLAST IS BACK Image Via Deseret News

MNR is back after a well-rested Memorial week! Today on the show: Returning to general population church, Mormons and Politics (a LOT, sorry in advance), and is there a church movie that’s out that’s actually…good? All that plus more on the Report! As always, today’s show is brought to you by our friends at Signature Books. Check out their entire collection at SignatureBooks.com Faith-Based ‘Witnesses’ Debuts With Commanding $155K Weekend; ‘Bố Già’ Continues Specialty Box Office Dominance (Deadline Hollywood) Church breaks ground for construction of Tallahassee Florida Temple (KUTV) Focus groups recommend dumping ‘Dixie’ in university name change process (Fox13) QAnon? The ‘big lie’? What might it take to get Latter-day Saints to stop believing in them? (Peggy Stack, Salt Lake Tribune) Latter-day Saint Charities Gives $5 Million to US Refugee Resettlement Agencies (Church Newsroom) Man accused in weekend shooting spree faces a slew of charges (WFSB Connecticut) Mormon family still waiting for asylum at Texas Border (Fox29 San Antonio) How Latter-day Saint voters could help decide the 2022 midterms (Deseret News) Does LDS faith drive fringe views? Not as much as you might think. (Robert Gehrke, Salt Lake Tribune) First Presidency Announces Changes to General Conference (Church Newsroom) SUNSHINE: Jenny: Sweet Tooth on Netflix Brandt: The Upcoming Remote Work Company Culture War by Ed Zitron[I]t’s going to make hiring more difficult for them too, because you can’t offer fringe benefits like Summer Fridays or Ping Pong or Office Happy Hours. When they want someone in the office three days a week, they’re going to have to answer why, and that answer is going to have to be multitudes more satisfying than “I want to make sure we have spontaneity,” which is definitely how spontaneity works. Remote work inherently messes with the power dynamic of the worker and the boss, and it is going to make many, many brains malfunction. Image Via Discogs

Join, Jenny, John and Ben as they discuss D&C 51-57 in this week’s Mormon News Report Come Follow Me discussion.

Did not expect to start the show talking about mid-90s Must See TV Lineup on NBC, but here we are. Church operations opening up more and more, new global broadcast regarding missionary work, and the church has diamond hands and rockets to the moon. All that plus more on the Report! As always, today’s show is brought to you by our friends at Signature Books. Check out their entire collection at SignatureBooks.com Must See TV BYU will hold traditional fall semester in 2021 (Brigham Young University Communications) Missionary Training Centers to Resume Limited On-Site Training (Church Newsroom) Latest temple updates: Manhattan temple to offer all living ordinances, Mexico City temple no longer paused (Church News) Announcement: Brief Theological Introductions to the Doctrine and Covenants (BYU Maxwell Institute) Sudanese Government Leaders Visit Church Headquarters (Church Newsroom) Two Missionaries Serving in Texas Die in Car Crash Near Dallas-Fort Worth (Church Newsroom) Special global broadcast will focus on helping Latter-day Saints share faith more naturally (Deseret News) Mormon group calls for Utah legislators to delay passing of resolutions (KUTV) Why so many new Mormon temples when LDS growth is flat? (Jana Riess, Religion News Service) What’s in a Name? On the Use of “Mormon” (Peter J. Thuesen) Charles Lynn Frost, Utah actor known for ‘Sister Dottie Dixon’ persona, dies (Fox13) The Mormon Church’s secretive $100 billion fund scored a 900% gain on GameStop – and boosted its Tesla bet by 39% (Business Insider) SUNSHINE: Jenny: Kids got appointments! Brandt: The Legend of Frank Martin (5/16/2021) Image Via ABC

Join Jenny, John and Ben as they discuss the Come Follow Me lesson from Doctrine & Covenants Section 49-50   Image Via Steven Harper

Today on the show, COVID is back on the menu as we discuss the new CDC guidance and what that means for all of us returning to church. Plus, Mormons watching Newsmaxx and an interesting headstone for Pres. Nelson? All that plus more on the Report! As always, today's show is brought to you by our friends at Signature Books. Check out their entire collection at SignatureBooks.com Fully vaccinated can drop the masks, skip social distancing (AP) Latter-day Saint aid flowing to India as COVID-19 ravages nation (Deseret News) Survey: Faith groups showcase media divide (Religion News Service) Why BYU, other church schools rejected tens of millions in COVID-19 relief (Deseret News) Are Latter-day Saint voters turning blue? (Deseret News OpEd, Christian Sagers) Filmmaker seeks monuments at Temple Square and This Is the Place honoring early Black Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake Tribune) If Mormons could just hang out in the church building (Jana Riess, Religion News Service) Nelson’s headstone gets assist from temple renovation (Salt Lake Tribune) BYU professor calls gay student a Book of Mormon term associated with anti-Christ (Salt Lake Tribune) SUNSHINE: Jenny: Kids got appointments! Brandt: The Legend of Frank Martin (5/16/2021) Image Via Twitter

Today on the show, Jenny and Brandt discuss a potential lawsuit (maybe?) against the Church, vaccine hesitancy among the Mormons, and controversy among Wendy Watson Nelson's UVU Commencement address. All that plus more on the Report! As always, today's show is brought to you by our friends at Signature Books. Check out their entire collection at SignatureBooks.com Man attacks police after threatening to kill hotel guests and 'The Mormons' (KUTV) Groundbreaking Date Announced for Salvador Brazil Temple (Church Newsroom) Nails over 100 years old found during Salt Lake Temple renovations (ABC4) LDS Church urges court to toss out James Huntsman’s lawsuit, says his bid for tithing refund is ‘without merit’ (Salt Lake Tribune) Senior Service Missionary Opportunities Are Expanding for Latter-day Saints Around the World (Church Newsroom) Half of US Mormons are COVID-19 ‘vaccine hesitant’ or ‘vaccine refusers,’ study shows (Jana Riess, Religion News Service) Relief Society General President Bingham Meets with U.S. First Lady Jill Biden (Church Newsroom) Missouri Republicans move to create a “Rush Limbaugh Day” (The Pitch KC) Former Minnesota Mormon church leader pleads not guilty to sexual assault on child (Yahoo News) How President Nelson received a revelation about 2 temples (Deseret News) The wife of the LDS president is speaking at Utah Valley University’s commencement. Here’s why LGBTQ students are opposed. (Salt Lake Tribune) After tension over her speaking, here’s what the wife of the LDS president told graduates at Utah Valley University LDS President Russell M. Nelson receives honorary degree from U of U (ABC4) Latter-day Saints are talking more about Heavenly Mother, and that’s where the debates and divisions begin (Salt Lake Tribune) SUNSHINE: Jenny: Brandt: Mary Katharine Goddard, the Woman who Signed the Declaration of Independence

Today on the show, Jenny and Brandt remember the life of historian D. Michael Quinn, discuss the odd group known as the LDS Freedom Forum (and why they might view the U.N. as the antichrist), and a very interesting development with the Manti temple. All that plus more on the Report! As always, today's show is brought to you by our friends at Signature Books. Check out their entire collection at SignatureBooks.com Man charged with hate crime, arson of Cape Girardeau church (KFVS, Missouri) Latter-day Saint Church notifies sex therapist of official excommunication (Fox13) Church Encourages Missionaries to Receive a COVID-19 Vaccine (Church Newsroom) Historian D. Michael Quinn, who was booted from the LDS Church as part of the ‘September Six’ but remained a believer, dies at 77 (Salt Lake Tribune) LDS Church embraces the U.N., but some members see the global group as ‘satanic’ (Salt Lake Tribune) 7 more Latter-day Saint temples in Utah reopen for limited youth attendance (KSL) Cottonwood Heights neighbors ask LDS Church to preserve small park instead of selling it for development (Salt Lake Tribune) What Senator Mike Lee Tells Us About the Future of the GOP (Religion & Politics) Help all women — including queer members — to feel they belong in Relief Society, LDS attendees told at BYU conference (The Salt Lake Tribune) More Latter-day Saints are headed to the NFL. Here’s what they can expect (Deseret News) President Nelson Announces a New Temple Will Be Built in Ephraim, Utah (Church Newsroom) SUNSHINE: Jenny: Vaccine Dose #1 Yay! Brandt: The joys of Magnesium and/or L-Theanine for sleep

Today on the show, Jenny and Brandt talk about what it's like returning to church. There's also some news, like LGBTQ+ characters on BYUtv, an update on temples in Utah, and an update on steps to preserve the Minerva Teichert murals. All that plus more on the Report! As always, today's show is brought to you by our friends at Signature Books. Check out their entire collection at SignatureBooks.com BYUtv has a come to Jesus moment on LGBTQ characters (Now Toronto) Response of the Church of Jesus Christ During Volcano Eruption in St Vincent (Church Newsroom) The Latest News on Temple Reopenings (Church Newsroom) Man who did original artwork for iconic CTR ring has died (Deseret News) Sunday rally in Provo supports keeping Minerva Teichert murals in the Manti Temple (Daily Herald) New organization launched to seek out LDS women to run for office (Daily Herald) Mormon sex therapist faces discipline and possible expulsion from the LDS Church (Washington Post) SUNSHINE: Jenny: Vaccine Dose #1 Yay! Brandt: The joys of Magnesium and/or L-Theanine for sleep

Join Jenny, John, Ben and Brandt as we break down the top moments from the April 2021 General Conference this past weekend!

Today on the show, Jenny and Brandt lead off with a provocative piece on Christian "purity culture" and if we see that in the Church. We also can't stop talking about the decision to remove murals and live endowment reenactments, and finally talk about the implications of a new church survey that went out. All that plus more on the Report! As always, today's show is brought to you by our friends at Signature Books. Check out their entire collection at SignatureBooks.com Why the Atlanta Massacre Triggered a Conversation About Purity Culture (David French, The Dispatch) Ex-Maricopa County Assessor Paul Petersen sentenced to 5 more years behind bars (Fox10 Phoenix) How Latter-day Saints are helping save lives through blood drives (Deseret News) Former Dallas Maverick Shawn Bradley left paralyzed after bicycle accident (ABC 25, Central Texas) Groundbreakings Announced for Temples in Syracuse and Tooele (Church Newsroom) Elder Gerrit W. Gong to speak at BYU’s April 22 Commencement Exercises (BYU University Communications) LDS Church commits cultural violence by removing murals from temples (Neylan McBaine, Salt Lake Tribune) FairMormon adopts a new name and urges a kinder approach in defending the LDS Church (Salt Lake Tribune) Arizona senator, Latter-day Saint leader join interfaith leaders calling for LGBTQ equality, religious freedom (Deseret News) What the LDS Church wants to know from young adult Mormons (Jana Riess, Religion News Service) SUNSHINE: Jenny: Dedicated churchgoer, 82, has dressed up in her Sunday best for 52 weeks of VIRTUAL church services (Daily Mail UK) Brandt: Registering for my last semester of grad school 😊

Join Jenny, John and Ben as they discuss the Come Follow Me lesson from Doctrine & Covenants Section 27-28   Image Via Rick Grunder

Join Jenny, John and Ben as they discuss the Come Follow Me lesson from Doctrine & Covenants Section 23-26   Image Via Book of Mormon Central

Today on the show, Jenny and Brandt discuss some new updates on the Church's involvement with vaccine distribution, BYUtv isn't what you think it is, a Mormon connection to the Perseverance rover, and BYU addresses race issues on campus. All that plus more on the Report! As always, today's show is brought to you by our friends at Signature Books. Check out their entire collection at SignatureBooks.com The Wilford Woodruff Papers website is live. Here’s what you need to know (Deseret News) Service Missionaries That Oversee Construction of Temple Talk About the Placing of the Angel Moroni (KPVI Idaho Falls) Students at Brigham Young make rainbow light display on ‘Y’ (Washington Post) The underreported church response to the deceptions recounted in ‘Murder Among the Mormons’ (Deseret News) Church Announces an Addition to Phase 2 Temple Openings in Some Areas (Church Newsroom) Mormon leader says family donation to Biden was 'oversight' (ABC News via Associated Press) Church expands leadership roles for women in Europe (Church Newsroom UK) First Presidency Provides Update about Historic Temple Renovations (Church Newsroom) SUNSHINE: Jenny: And Still, Birth: Death and New Life in a Pandemic by Adrienne Cardon, + one of the (adult) kids moving into their own (first) apartment + 1 year of MNR CFM Brandt: A birthday for a certain 2 year old. Image via LDS Living