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MP3 podcasts and Transcriptions of Fireside Discussions on the Temple

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If you are interested in hearing the fireside discussions on the temple we have been having recently as MP3’s, or audio podcasts, instead of watching the videos, the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR) has asked and received our permission to turn them into sound files for the FAIR podcast.  Each FAIR podcast can be found here.  You can subscribe to the FAIR podcast in iTunes here.  Or use this RSS feed link to download the FAIR podcasts.  They don’t have any of our discussions online yet, but they will be coming.

If you can’t wait for FAIR, and would like to download the MP3 audio of these discussions now, there are a number of websites that will allow you to rip the audio from any YouTube video and download it as an MP3.  Here is a sampling: ListenToYouTube.com, video2mp3.net, vidtomp3.com, youtube-mp3.org, mp3ify.com, fullrip.net, flvto.com, etc.  There are also FireFox addons and Chrome extensions that will add links to the YouTube page directly for you to simply click to download the MP3.

Some readers have also asked if these fireside discussions are available as transcripts. Unfortunately, because these firesides are live off-the-cuff discussions, we don’t have anything written down, and we don’t have the resources to have someone go back through the recordings and make official professional transcripts. However, YouTube lets us download the machine transcribed captions that we can share. They aren’t perfect transcriptions because they were transcribed by a computer, and you won’t know who is talking, but they are something. I hope this helps.

Here are the transcriptions from the last two fireside discussions. Simply click to view them in your browser, or right-click the links and choose “save as” to save the file on your computer and then open the file in your word processor:

Part I – http://templestudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/Part1captions.sbv
Part II – http://templestudy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/Part2captions.sbv

The New FARMS – Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture

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Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture

Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture. (Click on graphic to go to MormonInterpreter.com)

I have been through quite a range of emotions the last few weeks. I’ve felt utter despair, grief, and sorrow, as well as bitterness, confusion, and great disappointment. Through it all I’ve been blessed with comfort from our Heavenly Father beyond measure, and by experiences too sacred to share. It’s been a roller coaster of a time with everything that has happened at the Maxwell Institute. I make no bones about it—FARMS had an immense impact on my life, most particularly as it relates to my testimony and faith in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Recently one of our dear readers asked me what so inspired me about Hugh Nibley, what so captivated me emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually about his scholarship and writings? Here was my response:

[Read more…]

Temple Prep Live Google Hangout Fireside Series

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Temple Prep Live Google Hangout

Temple Prep Live Google Hangout

I’m sure many of you are aware of the new Google+ Hangout feature, but let me explain briefly. Essentially it is a group video chat, where you can see video and hear audio from all the other participants in the chat. Google also provides a “On Air” feature which will broadcast the Hangout video and audio live on Google+, YouTube, and anywhere the video is embedded into a website. This provides the opportunity for live events to be broadcasted around the world quite easily, and for many people to participate in them, both by contributing directly with their webcam, or by just viewing the live broadcast, or viewing the recording later.

Some enterprising members, such as Sheila DuBois, have begun using Google Hangouts to broadcast live “firesides” on Sundays. I think this is an innovative use of the technology to help build up the kingdom, and allows members of the Church to connect in ways previously not possible.   [Read more…]

New Mormon.org Website

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New Mormon.org Homepage

New Mormon.org Homepage

Check out the new Mormon.org website that was launched today.  It is very clean and well designed, a big improvement over the former website.  A great new feature of the site that I’m sure will be used a lot is that visitors from anywhere in the world will be able to chat live with missionaries online at any time of the day.

www.Mormon.org

[via NorthTemple.com]

New Site – MormonConferences.org

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One of our readers, Kent White, has built a new website at MormonConferences.org which gives announcements of upcoming conferences and papers which have to do with the Church and Mormonism.  As Kent describes it:

This site’s purpose is to provide those who have an interest in Mormon Studies the ability to easily find all of the conferences where presentations are made on Mormonism’s theology, history, culture, and people. I have particularly tried to make this a resource for scholars of Mormonism and those who enjoy academics, including the most comprehensive list of Calls for Papers on Mormon Studies (even if the papers aren’t presented at a conference).

I haven’t been too involved in the various conferences in the past, but I plan to change all of that.  These conferences/symposiums are an excellent way to stay current on all the latest scholarship in the Church, and to learn a great deal.  I appreciate the work that Kent has done on this website, and I have subscribed to his feeds.  Kent gave me the opportunity to design his site’s logo too, so that was fun.

Check out MormonConferences.org!