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Hanna Seariac

What is FAIR?

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by Scott Gordon

I find that some people are very confused about what FAIR is and what we do. First of all, we know that there are several organizations that use the term “FAIR.” For us, it stands for Faithful Answers, Informed Response. We are a group of volunteers. Yes, that’s right – volunteers. We don’t have a staff of customer service people to make things happen. We have two people that work for us. They help organize our volunteers, organize our conference, do our accounting, and mail out books. Because the rest of us are volunteers, we often move more slowly than I like. But we do our best.

What do we do?

People send us questions via emails and we try to answer them. We keep all names confidential. We have even received emails from some in the former Latter-day Saint community, but again, we keep the names confidential. The volunteers answer the emails. Some of those answers, stripped of all identifying material, are posted on our website. Find Answers [Read more…] about What is FAIR?

FAIR Voice #34: Witnesses Pt. 1 with Daniel C. Peterson

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Dr. Peterson joins Hanna to talk about the upcoming feature film Witnesses as well as discuss some of the important historical issues surrounding the witnesses themselves. You won’t want to miss this interview or this film! As mentioned in the intro, FAIR’s conference is soon! Please look here for more details.

A native of southern California, Daniel C. Peterson received a bachelor’s degree in Greek and philosophy from Brigham Young University (BYU) and, after several years of study in Jerusalem and Cairo, earned his Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). Dr. Peterson is a professor of Islamic Studies and Arabic at BYU, where he has taught Arabic language and literature at all levels, Islamic philosophy, Islamic culture and civilization, Islamic religion, the Qur’an, the introductory and senior “capstone” courses for Middle Eastern Studies majors, and various other occasional specialized classes. He is the author of several books and numerous articles on Islamic and Latter-day Saint topics–including a biography entitled Muhammad: Prophet of God (Eerdmans, 2007)—and has lectured across the United States, in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, and at various Islamic universities in the Near East and Asia. He served in the Switzerland Zürich Mission (1972-1974), and, for approximately eight years, on the Gospel Doctrine writing committee for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also presided for a time as the bishop of a singles ward adjacent to Utah Valley University. Dr. Peterson is married to the former Deborah Stephens, of Lakewood, Colorado, and they are the parents of three sons.

Hanna Seariac is a MA student in Greek and Latin at Brigham Young University. She works as a research assistant on a biblical commentary and as a research assistant on early Latter-day Saint history. Her interests thematically center around sacrifice, magic, and priesthood as it pertains to ancient Judaism, early Christianity, ancient Egyptian religion, and early Restoration history.

FAIR Voice #35: Witnesses pt. 2 with actors for Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery

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Please remember to see the film Witnesses! In this episode, Hanna talks with actors Caleb and Paul who play Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith respectively about what it was like to play these characters and to talk more about the film. Actor Paul described playing Joseph Smith as the role of a lifetime and actor Caleb was largely introduced to Latter-day Saint religion through this film. This conversation does not disappoint!

Hanna Seariac is a MA student in Greek and Latin at Brigham Young University. She works as a research assistant on a biblical commentary and as a research assistant on early Latter-day Saint history. Her interests thematically center around sacrifice, magic, and priesthood as it pertains to ancient Judaism, early Christianity, ancient Egyptian religion, and early Restoration history.

Come, Follow Me Week 23 – Doctrine and Covenants 60-62

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These words sunk deep into my heart, “But with some I am not well pleased, for they will not open their mouths, but they hide the talent which I have given unto them, because of the fear of man. Wo unto such, for mine anger is kindled against them.” (D&C 60:2). Confronting the Lord’s anger in scripture can be harrowing and difficult, as it might be difficult to square that “negative” emotion with our perception of a loving God, but my mind turned to a couple other scriptures.

In the gospel of Matthew we read, “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33).  Then in that same chapter, but further down, we read, “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.” (Matthew 10:38-39). These verses indicate that preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ allows Jesus Christ to advocate for us in heaven. God’s anger kindled against us when we do not preach Christ’s gospel will fade into obscurity when we surrender our will to the will of God’s.

Whenever I think of the anger of the Lord, my mind is drawn to these verses, “For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer…For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.” (Isaiah 54:7-8, 10). Although the Lord might be angry with us for a moment, the Lord’s covenant with us is to gather us and to be kind to us. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 23 – Doctrine and Covenants 60-62

Come, Follow Me Week 21 – Doctrine & Covenants 51-57

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by Hanna E. Seariac

One of the amazing elements of the Doctrine and Covenants is the way that the Lord teaches us about personal stewardship and responsibility in the scripture. Many callings are given to the saints and the faithful, where God asks them to stretch and grow to fill the capacity of their calling. While we may think about callings as a way for ourselves to grow, how often do we see them as a privilege?

We read, “And thus I grant unto this people a privilege of organizing themselves according to my laws.” (D&C 51:15). God’s commandments and covenants give us the privilege of becoming more like Him, becoming more good, becoming more loving; they compose the greatest privilege that we have in this life—to grow in the principle of perfection and love like our Savior. With that being said, my mind turns to a verse in Luke 9, “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:26).

When we frame commandments and covenants as privileges that God grants to us rather than as burdens or hindrances, we can remember the words of our ancestors, “Why should we mourn or think our lot is hard?/’Tis not so, all is right/Why should we think to earn a great reward/If we now shun the fight?” This acts as a guiding principle for us when we consider how the Lord calls us. Edward Patridge was given a great calling and was told, “And whoso is found a faithful, a just, and a wise steward shall enter into the joy of his Lord, and shall inherit eternal life.” (D&C 51:19). We inherit eternal life not merely because the Lord grants it to us, but because we become the type of person who could live eternally with the Lord, who brings souls to Jesus Christ, which is the work and purpose of the Lord. The Lord’s organizational structure allows us to have stewardship in specific areas to learn how to love in the way that the Lord does. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 21 – Doctrine & Covenants 51-57

FAIR Voice #33: Dan Ellsworth on Fowler’s stages

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See his article here: https://publicsquaremag.org/faith/easter-is-reality/

Dan Ellsworth is a consultant and writer living in Charlottesville, Virginia. Dan serves on the Mormon Studies Council at the University of Virginia, and is a contributor to Interpreter and other groups dedicated to improving Latter-Day Saints’ understanding of theology and scripture.

 

 

Hanna Seariac is a MA student in Greek and Latin at Brigham Young University. She works as a research assistant on a biblical commentary and as a research assistant on early Latter-day Saint history. Her interests thematically center around sacrifice, magic, and priesthood as it pertains to ancient Judaism, early Christianity, ancient Egyptian religion, and early Restoration history.

FAIR Voice Podcast #32: Mission Stories

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This week, I briefly talk about the upcoming podcast episodes on the Witnesses film before talking to Monica Moore Smith and Bryce Clark about their movie Mission Stories. Both Mission Stories and Witnesses are fantastic movies to watch with your family. In this interview, we discuss themes of the movie, such as grace and the atonement of Jesus Christ, as well as what it is like to go on a mission.

Hanna Seariac is a MA student in Greek and Latin at Brigham Young University. She works as a research assistant on a biblical commentary and as a research assistant on early Latter-day Saint history. Her interests thematically center around sacrifice, magic, and priesthood as it pertains to ancient Judaism, early Christianity, ancient Egyptian religion, and early Restoration history.

Come, Follow Me Week 16 – Doctrine & Covenants 37-40

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God gathers us to bless us 

The Lord instructed Joseph, “Behold, I say unto you that it is not expedient in me that ye should translate any more until you shall go to Ohio, and this because of the enemy and for your sakes.” (D&C 37:1). At the time of this instruction, Joseph labored on his inspired Biblical commentary, having read Genesis 5. The city of Enoch appears in Moses 7, and Enoch weeps bitterly over the problem of evil. The Lord comforts Enoch by giving him a vision, “And it came to pass that Enoch looked; and from Noah, he beheld all the families of the earth; and he cried unto the Lord, saying: When shall the day of Lord come…And behold, Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man…and his soul rejoiced, saying: The Righteous is lifted up, and the Lamb is slain from the foundation of the world; and through faith I am in the bosom of the Father, and behold, Zion is with me.” (Moses 7:45, 47).

Seeing all the families of the earth, Enoch also saw how the Savior Jesus Christ would rescue and restore them. Central to gathering, whether it be as families or wards or stakes or friends, is the Savior Jesus Christ. The Lord says, “And again I say unto you that ye shall not go until ye have preached my gospel in those parts, have strengthened up the church, whithersoever it is found.” (D&C 37:2). One of the Lord’s purposes in gathering is so that we can strengthen one another.

Jesus instructed Peter similarly in the New Testament, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you ,that he may sift you as wheat” but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” (Luke 22:31-32). We are gathered because we can learn from one another. This learning is integral to our becoming more like Jesus Christ. [Read more…] about Come, Follow Me Week 16 – Doctrine & Covenants 37-40

FAIR Voice Podcast #31: Murder Among the Mormons with Richard Turley

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Richard E. Turley Jr. was named as the new managing director of the Public Affairs Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 26, 2016.

Prior to his appointment, he served for eight years as assistant Church historian and recorder. He also served for eight years as managing director of the Family and Church History Department, overseeing the Church Archives and Records Center, the Church History Library, and the Museum of Church History and Art, which collectively contain the world’s largest collection of resources for the study of Latter-day Saint history and one of the richest collections on the settlement of the western United States.

He also oversaw the Church’s worldwide family history operations, which include hundreds of documentary microfilming and digital-imaging projects in dozens of countries; the Family History Library, the largest genealogical library in the world; the Granite Mountain Records Vault, a secure preservation facility for copies of millions of records from around the globe; over 4,000 branch family history centers on six continents; and teams that generated highly acclaimed software and data products.In addition, he supervised the Church Historical Department from 1986 to 2000 and the Family History Department from 1996 to 2000. The two departments were merged in 2000.

Under his guidance in 1999, the Family History Department launched the popular FamilySearch.org Web site, an online resource that provides free access to some of the world’s largest genealogical databases. Under his direction, the department also issued compact disc products containing useful historical data, including the records of the Freedman’s Bank (a treasure trove of information for African-American genealogy); the Mormon Immigration Index; Vital Records Indexes from several European countries and Australia; the 1880 United States Census; the 1881 Canadian Census; and the 1881 British Census, which was awarded the Besterman/McColvin Award from the Library Association of Great Britain. During his tenure, the department furnished data to the National Park Service and the Ellis Island Foundation for populating the Ellis Island database.

Under his editorship in 2002, the Family and Church History Department published Selected Collections From the Archives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Provo: Brigham Young University Press, 2002), a collection of 74 DVDs containing nearly 500,000 color images of many of the Church’s most important early documents, including the Joseph Smith Collection and Brigham Young’s letterbooks. Critics have hailed Selected Collections as “the most important event in modern Mormon publishing,” “an achievement of such significance that no praise, no matter how effusive, seems sufficiently laudatory.”

Turley received a bachelor’s degree in English from Brigham Young University, where he was a Spencer W. Kimball Scholar. He later graduated from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University, where he served as executive editor of the law review and was elected to the Order of the Coif. He also received the Hugh B. Brown Barrister’s Award, presented each year to the graduating student who demonstrates the highest standards of classroom performance.

He is a member of the editorial board for The Joseph Smith Papers and general editor of The Journals of George Q. Cannon series. His book Victims: The LDS Church and the Mark Hofmann Case (Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1992) is an oft-cited history of the famous Hofmann forgery-murder case of the 1980s. Along with Ronald W. Walker and Glen M. Leonard, he has written Massacre at Mountain Meadows, was published in 2008 by Oxford University Press.

Turley served as president of the Genealogical Society of Utah and was a member of the committee for Fort Douglas Heritage Commons, a “Save America’s Treasures” official project that served as the athlete village for the 2002 Winter Olympics and currently houses University of Utah students. He has also been a vice president of the Small Museum Administrators Committee, American Association of Museums; a member of the Utah State Historical Records Advisory Board, National Historical Publications and Records Commission; and a member of the Copyright Task Force, Society of American Archivists.

In 2004, he received the Historic Preservation Medal from the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Hanna Seariac is a MA student in Greek and Latin at Brigham Young University. She works as a research assistant on a biblical commentary and as a research assistant on early Latter-day Saint history. Her interests thematically center around sacrifice, magic, and priesthood as it pertains to ancient Judaism, early Christianity, ancient Egyptian religion, and early Restoration history.

FAIR Voice Podcast #30: Come Follow Me with Brent Top

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Brent L. Top is a professor of Church history and doctrine and former dean of Religious Education. He was born and raised in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and served a full-time mission to the Denmark Copenhagen Mission. He received all of his degrees from Brigham Young University—a BA in history, a master’s degree in instructional media, and a PhD in instructional science and technology. Before joining the BYU Religious Education faculty in 1987, he worked for the Church Educational System as a released-time seminary teacher, an institute teacher, and an administrator. Dr. Top served as associate dean of Religious Education from 1997 to 2002. He held the endowed Professorship in Moral Education for two years before his call as president of the Illinois Peoria Mission (2004–7). He was appointed department chair in June 2009. He is married to the former Wendy Cope from Idaho Falls. They are the parents of four children and reside in Pleasant Grove, Utah, where Brother Top served as the president of the Pleasant Grove East Stake.

Hanna Seariac is a MA student in Greek and Latin at Brigham Young University. She works as a research assistant on a biblical commentary and as a research assistant on early Latter-day Saint history. Her interests thematically center around sacrifice, magic, and priesthood as it pertains to ancient Judaism, early Christianity, ancient Egyptian religion, and early Restoration history. She values Jesus Christ, family, friends, hiking, baking, and good ice cream.