Genesis Group Home Page President Don Harwell First Counselor Orin Howell Second Counselor Eddie Gist Webmaster and Newsletter Editor Kathryn B. Jenkins Archived Newsletters Archived Articles Meetinghouse: 6710 E. 1300 S. Salt Lake City Cover Story: President Spencer Woolley Kimball As we approach the thirtieth anniversary of the revelation that restored the priesthood to all worthy males, Genesis member Margaret Blair Young reflects on the life of President Spencer W. Kimball, who received the revelation on what some Apostles described as "a day of Pentecost." Young begins with her reflections on the day President Kimball came to her grandparents' home in Idaho Falls, Idaho, to set her grandfather apart as a temple president, including a sweet memory of singing "I Am a Child of God" to President Kimball's piano accompaniment. Drawing a simple portrait of this eloquent and complex man, Young establishes a foundation that helps us understand that this humble servant of God was concerned about prejudice and race relations his entire life. Read her stirring article here.   "How to Reach African-Americans" "How to Reach African-Americans," by Genesis Public Affairs Co-Chair Marvin Perkins, with expanded scriptural support and historical perspectives that show how all of us can be more effective in our missionary labors to all of Heavenly Father's children, particularly our Black friends and neighbors. July Genesis Meeting: LDS Artist Greg Olsen July 6—The July Genesis meeting will feature LDS artist Greg Olsen, who will speak about the inspiration for his art. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the Genesis meetinghouse, 6710 South 1300 East,Salt Lake City. For biographical information about Greg Olsen, click here. A Salute to Black History Click the title above to check out an amazing web site on Black history, posted and maintained by Lawson State Community College in Bessemer, Alabama. This Week in History: June 30–July 6 Take a look at what happened during this week in history—and how African-Americans have influenced who, what, and where we are today. Genesis Choir The Genesis Choir practices at 6 p.m. at the Genesis meetinghouse before each Genesis meeting (the first Sunday of each month). If you are interested in singing in the choir, please come to practice! Need to Be Set Apart? If you have received a calling in the Genesis Group and need to be set apart, that ordinance takes place at 6:15 p.m. in the Relief Society Room on the first Sunday of each month, just before the Genesis meeting. No appointments are necessary. President Hinckley on Racial Intolerance It bears repeating: In chastising Church members for racial intolerance, President Hinckley stated in the April 2006 priesthood session of General Conference, "I remind you that no man who makes disparaging remarks concerning those of another race can consider himself a true disciple of Christ. Nor can he consider himself to be in harmony with the teachings of the Church of Christ." Read the excerpt of President Hinckley's talk here. Elder Holland: "My Words . . . Never Cease" In talking about the scriptures, Elder Holland reminded us that they "are not the ultimate source of knowledge for Latter-day Saints. They are manifestations of the ultimate source. The ultimate source of knowledge and authority for a Latter-day Saint is the living God. The communication of those gifts comes from God as living, vibrant, divine revelation." Read the excerpt of Elder Holland's talk here. Submit News and Views Have information you'd like to submit to the Genesis Group newsletter? For submissions, email Margaret Young or Marvin Perkins of the Genesis Group Public Affairs Committee. Elvis Haslem: Working to Bring More Blacks to the Gospel Elvis Haslem had become dissatisfied and was investigating a number of religions. Find out how an amazing network of support and information combined to help him realize that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true—and to instill him with the desire to help other Blacks to the truthfulness of the gospel. Ghana Saint Shares Testimony After being asked repeatedly why he had joined the Church, Edward Richard Kwabena Dwemoh wrote his reasons for an article published in the Accra Daily Mail, Ghana's leading daily newspaper. His story is a marvelous testimony by a man who "asked God" with "real intent." Read the article here. Alex Boye's Road to the Tabernacle Choir In an interview with LDS Living, Alex Boye talks about his musical career, his decision to serve a mission, and the blessings of sharing the gospel through music. Isaiah Smith Baptized Isaiah Smith, son of Keith and Tamu Smith, was baptized a member of the Church on Saturday, May 31. Congratulations, Isaiah! Eddie and Heather Gist: Tailoring Modesty Together Eddie Gist, second counselor in the Genesis Group presidency, and his wife, Heather, have a solid commitment to modesty in dress—and have found a way to encourage women to dress in harmony with Church standards. Read this interview by Rebecca Cressman, originally posted on yourLDSneighborhood.com. Jacob Gibson Earns PhD Genesis member Jacob Gibson is graduating with a PhD in marriage and family therapy from Loma Linda University in southern California. Find out more about Jacob here. Congratulations, Jacob! Stake President: No Room in Life for Prejudice Atlanta Stake President Tony Parker relates his unique conversion story—and has wise words of counsel for Blacks who are investigating the Church. Read the article from the Mormon Times. Priesthood Revelation: Where Were You? Where were you when the priesthood revelation was announced? How did you react? And what has changed since then? Read the responses of a variety of people who were asked those questions, and join us in reflecting on that day of rejoicing. Ex-Black Panther Finds Strength in the Gospel Plan Once a Black Panther, and now a sealer in the Oakland Temple, Ronald McClain found that his interest in the gospel developed slowly. Baptized in 1985, McClain expresses his testimony and suggests ways in which Black members of the Church can has a positive effect on others. Read the article from the Mormon Times. A Week in the Life of a Mormon Family Hilary Ekpo says that being Mormon in his country is most likely very similar to the experiences of other Latter-day Saints elsewhere. “The difference is not much,” said Brother Ekpo. “Whether you are in Russia, Nigeria or Utah, the gospel, the Church and the responsibility of parents to teach their children is the same.” Read this article from Meridian Magazine about the Epko family of Nigeria. Alex Boye: "The Song of the Heart" While most know who Alex Boye is, few are familiar with his driving spirit and the road he took to get where he is today. Find out what took him from his hometown of London and his role in a popular British boy band to the gospel-oriented music he so beautifully sings today. Darron Smith Deployed Darron Smith is enroute to Kuwait with the Army National Guard; he will be serving his country as a physician assistant for one year doing patient care. He is currently at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, and his unit heads out in May. Darron could really use some encouragement from his brothers and sisters in the gospel; you can email Darron at darron@prism.net. Free Tuition for Black Teachers The "Call Me Mister" program, an effort to address the critical shortage of African-American male teachers—particularly among South Carolina's lowest-performing public schools—offers four years of free tuition to future Black male teachers. To find out more, including how to apply, click here. DVD Answers Hard Questions About Race in the Church When confronted with the topic of racism and equality in the Church, many members feel as though they are ill-prepared and at a loss for what to say. Marvin Perkins, who with Darius Gray produced a two-DVD set explaining the answers clearly, says, "One of the issues the Church leaders are getting the most heat over is our doctrine on Blacks. One of the greatest things the members can do to sustain the Brethren and alleviate some of the external pressures would be to learn these issues." Read this feature from Meridian Magazine to learn more. Blacks Giving Mormon Church Second Look The religious pillars of service and community outreach in the LDS Church appealed to 28-year-old Angela Carson, but so did something that may surprise many Blacks: the commitment to diversity she saw at the Church. "I was approached by two younger African-American Mormon missionaries, and it made me think about the Church in a different way," she said. "So many people have asked me why I joined a racist religion, which makes me sad that people would think this faith teaches hate." Read why Blacks are taking a second look at the Church in this report from Columbia News Service. One Man's Effort to Document Black History When Charles L. Blockson's fourth-grade teacher told him that Black people had made no contributions to history, he refused to believe it—and he set out to prove her wrong. Read the inspiring story of Blockson and his collection of more than 300,000 items, housed at Pennsylvania State University. Leadership Utah Scholarship The Salt Lake City Human Rights Commission is now accepting applications for the Leadership Utah Scholarship 2008, a $1,300 tuition waiver to attend the Human Rights Commission's Leadership Utah training program. To apply, you must be a resident of Salt Lake City and a member of the diverse community. Application deadline is July 7. For more information on the scholarship, click here. To access the application form, click here. Hearst Endowed Fellowships Available The Nonprofit Sector and Philanthropy Program of the Aspen Institute in Washington, D.C., is offering the William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fellowship, based on academic excellence and need, to both undergraduate and graduate students of color. For the last two years, Utah has been able to send one of our students to Washington, D.C. Michael Styles will write a letter of recommendation to anyone who is a political science major and who has volunteered for a political campaign or non-profit organizations committed to change. Application deadline is July 15, 2008. African-American History Museum Opens in Northwest Emotions were high as an African-American museum opened in the northwest—and interest in family history research was particularly high among the more than one thousand first-day visitors. Read all about it here. June 1, 1978: A Marvelous Manifestation of God’s Love for All His Children Genesis Mission Leader Michael Rice reflects on the way in which the priesthood revelation of June 1, 1978, was a marvelous manifestation of God's love for all His children—and helps us understand what that means in our individual lives. A Divine Constitution Genesis member Elder Nicholas Frandsen relates his feelings about a special sacrament meeting in which the group assembled honored the Constitution and its role in the Restoration. Sacrifices for the Gospel Brother and Sister Norris Mills, who are serving a mission on the island of Sri Lanka, share examples of the tremendous sacrifices members make to worship with the Saints and bear powerful testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel. Teaching a Family of Ten Genesis member Elder David Ojuka has been serving in the Georgia Atlanta Mission since April 8, and had a baptism within a few weeks of his arrival. He's doing well, loves missionary work, and is currently teaching a family of ten. Two are scheduled for baptism next week, and the rest should be baptized within a month or so. You can write to Elder Ojuka at 1268 Westridge Road, Atlanta, GA 30311. Eric Taylor Called Eric Anthony Taylor, son of Diane Taylor Oliver and Calvin Oliver, and grandson of Don and Susie Taylor, has accepted a call to serve in the Michigan Detroit Mission. He reported to the MTC in Provo May 14. A 2007 graduate of Etiwanda High School, he participated in football and basketball. He accepted a football scholarship to SDSM&T, where he played wide receiver this past fall. He is a Duty to God award recipient and an Eagle Scout. Eric is a member of the Summit Ward, Fontana Stake. A Heart Filled with Joy Sister Berihane Shewandagn of Ethiopia, who is serving a mission in Kenya, talks about her great joy in serving a mission and her deep love for her Heavenly Father. First Spanish Baptism Elder Nakona Justin Felix had his first Spanish baptism while serving in the Bronx. Click to see a picture of him with the brother he baptized. Entering the MTC Elder Micah Franklin of Houston, Texas, entered the MTC on April 18 bound for the Georgia Atlanta Mission. Get his address here. Bound for Atlanta Genesis member Nehemiah Guluka of Bellevue, Washington, reported to the MTC on April 18. He has been called to serve in the Georgia Atlanta Mission. Find out where to write him here.