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 to receive ad-free podcast episodes, the full newsletter and access to all of our religion content.
Latter-day prophetesses
Miriam, Deborah and Anna are described in the Bible as prophetesses.
They were, according to Latter-day Saint teachings, women with testimonies of Jesus who — though lacking priesthood keys — nonetheless enjoyed the spirit of prophecy and revelation in delivering God’s message to people of their day and every day.
So who, Exponent II blogger Rose asks in part, might be Latter-day Saint prophetesses amid the faith’s patriarchy?
Rose points to three:
• Poet Carol Lynn Pearson, who “speaks powerfully about the crushing weight of polygamy in the past and present church.
• Author Fiona Givens, who “finds God in expansive and loving ways.”
• Author and former general Relief Society counselor Chieko Okazaki, whose “writings [still] inspire readers to become their best selves.”
A commenter added scholar Melissa Inouye, whom The Salt Lake Tribune described upon her death in 2024 as one whose life and writings “exemplified — and expounded on — earthly struggles.”
Others, no doubt, might qualify. Perhaps Emma Smith, wife of faith founder Joseph Smith, who described her as an “elect lady,” or poet Eliza Snow, a plural wife of Joseph and Brigham Young, and whom the latter called a “prophetess.”
What about the church’s two most famous Black female converts, Jane Manning James and Gladys Knight, or any of the faith’s Relief Society leaders, say, Elaine Jack or Sharon Eubank?
Whom do you see as Latter-day Saint prophetesses?
The latest ‘Mormon Land’ podcast: The NAACP alliance
(Rick Bowmer | AP) Then-church President Russell M. Nelson shakes hands with Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP, in 2018. Johnson is eager to speak with Nelson's successor, Dallin Oaks, far left.
In 2018, then-church President Russell Nelson formed a groundbreaking alliance with the NAACP. The partnership brought donations, scholarships and humanitarian initiatives.
Now the church has a new president, Dallin Oaks, who has urged members to “root out” racism and famously called “Black lives matter” an “eternal truth all reasonable people should support.”
So what is the state of the church’s alliance with the NAACP? And what are the expectations for the future? NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson provides answers.
Listen to the podcast.
Also: Scholar Dan McClellan says the recently approved modern Bible translations could strengthen — or challenge — members’ faith. Either way, Sunday school classes are about to get more interesting.
Listen to the podcast.
Washing away former lyrics
(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) A boy is baptized in New Zealand.
As the church moves toward completion of its new hymnbook — titled “Hymns — For Home and Church” — some lyrics are getting a rewrite.
An example was recently revealed in the beloved children’s song “When I Am Baptized” (the one that starts with “I like to look for rainbows whenever there is rain”).
The second verse used to say:
“I know when I am baptized, my wrongs are washed away, and I can be forgiven and improve myself each day.”
It now reads:
“I know when I am baptized, I choose the Savior’s way. And I will be forgiven as I turn to him each day.”
Why the change?
“The previous words referred to the water washing away their wrongs,” children’s Primary General President Susan Porter explains in an Instagram post. “Water does not wash away sin. It is a symbol.”
Jesus, she adds, is “the cleansing power through the Holy Ghost.”
Expect more tweaks not only to long-standing lyrics to improve “doctrinal clarity” but also to well-known tunes to make them easier to sing or accompany,” a news release states. “Updates will also be introduced to replace culturally outdated words and phrases.”
Mitt Romney: Make me pay
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Mitt Romney speaks in December 2024 shortly before leaving his Senate seat.
Mitt Romney, retired from elected office but still the most prominent Latter-day Saint politician, wants to shell out more in taxes.
“It’s time for rich people like me to pay more,” Romney writes in a New York Times op-ed. “...We have reached a point where any mix of solutions to our nation’s economic problems is going to involve the wealthiest Americans contributing more.”
From The Tribune
(Leslie Nilsson | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) The church's First Presidency tours the construction of the Salt Lake Temple on Friday, Dec. 12, 2025.
• Church President Dallin Oaks and his counselors tour the Salt Lake Temple as renovations inch closer to completion.
• A BYU senior is not a fan of the big money going into Cougar sports.
• With 55 new missions coming on line next year, opportunities abound for church growth, especially in the Global South. Listen to the podcast. Read the excerpts.
• BYU alums create an anti-porn app that uses a different approach.
(Relay) This image depicts the Relay app's user interface and shows the Red Flag feature, which allows users to reach out to members in their group for support.
• Pajamas, presents and poems. Tribune guest columnist Eli McCann recalls many a cozy Christmas.
• Oaks also delivered the following seasonal video message:
“Christmas awakens in us a desire to extend ourselves beyond our normal ties of love and friendship. The heavenly proclamation ‘on earth peace goodwill toward men’ was not limited to those for whom we already have feelings of love and affection. It directed goodwill to casual friends, to strangers, even to enemies. Christmas is also a time for forgiving, a time to heal old wounds, and restore relationships that have gone awry. Merry Christmas to each of us. May we all feel God’s love for us and show that love toward our neighbors during this special season.”