The Cricket and Seagull Fireside Chat

Hammie Orr's little St. Johns cabin. The widow Walker's house built from freighters' materials. The Ahlstrom & Russell cabins now married together. The Johnsons with their amazing two-story Rush Valley cabin. Archie Gardner and his mill.  Why were these structures, which would have been destroyed if they hadn't become part of Gardner Village, preserved? What stories need to be told? Nancy Hanson, Rob Honey, Sam Payne, Tammy Robinson and Clive Romney have been talking with the Ghosts of Gardner Village and have created a production of enchanting musical tales from the stories they've been told. Clive and Tammy talk about the new CD, upcoming live performances, and why and how you should consider turning your own family history into art. And yes, at the veeerry end, we’ll even include an actual ghost story or two. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

You don't serve in the Relief Society General Presidency and interact with women around the world without learning a thing or two about their role in the church and in the world.  You don't become CEO and President of Deseret Book without learning a thing or two about leadership.  And you don't write over a half-dozen best-selling books unless you know how take what you've learned and put it into words in a way that sticks with people. Sheri Dew is a remarkable person even aside from the honors and service listed above.  In this interview she uses quotes from her new book, "Saying It Like It Is," as a springboard to discuss women, priesthood, inspiration, and how the Saints can make a difference in the world. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

If you're sick and tired enough of being trapped and strapped, if the desire to break out of financial bondage is strong enough, it can be done—more quickly than you'd think and without using a budget or sending Mom out to work.  But be warned, this book is not for the faint of heart.  It's the bracing slap-in-the-face print equivalent of a financial boot-camp. After she and her husband paid off business debts of over $60,000 in just three years and then did the same with their home mortgage over the next three, author and professional-grade spendthrift Cheryl Carson has the experience, the know-how, and a book full of practical advice to really help you make it happen.  You'll be amazed, you'll think she's crazy, and then—if you've got enough humility— you'll might find yourself rethinking words like "needs" and "wants." Listen as Cheryl describes four ways the adversary uses debt to bind and discourage us, then shares a brief overview of her "Six Steps to Debt-Free Living." That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

Writing and producing music for youth is always a challenge, but especially when you're creating material to work in settings as varied as chapels and outdoor activities. Producers Barry Gibbons and Jim Funk talk about creating this project in support of the 2009 theme for LDS Young Men and Young Women, and the serendipitous inclusion of a few lines of lyric even before "Virtue" was added to the Young Women's values statement. That's this week, on The Cricket and Seagull...

The sacrament prayers have to be delivered word-perfect, but the person giving the prayer gets as many chances as he needs to get it right. And if he messes it up again the next week, he gets to try again. When the prayer is finally delivered correctly, the effort is counted as perfect, no matter how many tries it took to get there. From a wealth of experience as an LDS bishop and mission president, well-known author and speaker Brad Wilcox shares hopeful insights into the continuous nature of Christ's atonement, why repentance is a process more than an event, why we are in danger of losing a generation who give up rather than grasp the idea of "incremental worthiness," and how the atonement can do so much more than just bring us back to God, but actually changes our natures. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

Condensing any lifetime into a one-hour documentary is a daunting task, but it can be even more difficult when you're also trying to find space for 20 or so songs to represent the life work of one of the LDS Church's best-loved and most prolific composers. The documentary premieres Monday, February 16, 2009, at 8 PM Mountain Time. Producers Clinton Baxter and Greg Anderson talk about choosing the material, doing the interviews, the surprising things they learned along the way, and, in particular, the subject herself, Janice Kapp Perry. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

Elder and Sister Brewster, the current directors of The Historic Mormon Trail Center, and the sister missionaries who serve here, will tell you that it's not the busy season right now, but winter at Winter Quarters in present-day Omaha, NE, and the sites just across the river in Kanesville, IA, have enough history and stories to warm any mid-winter heart. To stand in the cemetery today and see a temple rising where once only hopes and prayers for the future ascended, is to see those hopes fulfilled, and heavenly promises kept.  Today we’ll listen to Elder Hoyt Brewster talk about the faith of those who lived here for a season, and why the dedication of this particular temple was so touching to President Hinckley. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

Part 2 of 2. For years the original manuscript of "The History of Joseph Smith, Jr. by His Mother, Lucy Mack Smith" was lost, but once it was recovered, Scot and Maurine Proctor, editors and publishers of Meridian Magazine, combed through the manuscript to restore Lucy's fascinating original narrative. With the addition of maps, nearly a hundred photographs, and painstaking endnotes, "The Revised and Enhanced History of Joseph Smith by His Mother" has become the authoritative edition of this historical treasure. This week we bring you Part 2 of a longer presentation Scot & Maurine Proctor gave in June of 2005 at "This Is The Place Heritage Park" at the mouth of Emigration Canyon in Salt Lake City, Utah--including a fascinating Question & Answer Session. You can read the serialization of The Revised and Enhanced History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, published on MeridianMagazine.com. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

For years the original manuscript of "The History of Joseph Smith, Jr. by His Mother, Lucy Mack Smith" was lost, but once it was recovered, Scot and Maurine Proctor, editors and publishers of Meridian Magazine, combed through the manuscript to restore Lucy's fascinating original narrative. With the addition of maps, nearly a hundred photographs, and painstaking endnotes, "The Revised and Enhanced History of Joseph Smith by His Mother" has become the authoritative edition of this historical treasure. This week we bring you Part 1 of a longer presentation Scot & Maurine Proctor gave in June of 2005 at "This Is The Place Heritage Park" at the mouth of Emigration Canyon in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Watch for Part 2 next week, which includes a fascinating Question & Answer Session.) You can read the serialization of The Revised and Enhanced History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, on MeridianMagazine.com. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

The angel Moroni said his name would be had for good and for ill throughout the world, but the publication of The Joseph Smith Papers can help insure that whatever the Prophet is known for can at least be historically accurate. Patrick Dunshee, Manager of Marketing and Communications for the project, and Dr. Mark Ashurst-McGee, co-editor of this first volume, give an overview of this years-long project which may encompass 30 volumes by its end, discuss the content of this first book of the journals series, describe the day-to-day work of the editing, and the purpose behind the creation of the Church Historian's Press and The Joseph Smith Papers. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

The story this week isn't breaking news even though it's good news. In fact, old or new don't really apply--it's timeless. I hope you'll have a quiet moment to relax and listen to The Christmas Story read from the New Testament, interwoven with some of my favorite Christmas music. Simple, short, and sweet. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

From the joyful opening strains of "The Morning Breaks, the Shadows Flee," to its more somber conclusion, this new release from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square commemorates the life and mission of Joseph Smith, called the prophet of the Restoration by Latter-day Saints everywhere.  The release date of December 23rd also marks the Prophet's birthday in 1805 in Sharon, Vermont. For those not familiar with the theology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often called “Mormons” or “Latter-day Saints,” the role of a Prophet is very important—like Moses to the Israelites, or Peter and Paul to the early Saints. The first of these, the one called by God to Restore the ancient church in the latter days, was Joseph Smith, Jr. Besides the cover painting by David Lindsley, the CD booklet is beautifully illustrated inside with 9 full-color paintings by Jon McNaughton and includes a short history of the life and times of Joseph Smith. Music Director and Arranger Dr. Mack Wilberg talks about the song choices and the arrangements in this album of LDS classic hymns such as "Joseph Smith's First Prayer," "An Angel From on High," and the title hymn, "Praise to the Man."  Also included are two children's songs, as well as the millennial hymn "Adam-ondi-Ahman," and of course "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief." That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull.

In nearly 5 decades of performing, pianist Marvin Goldstein has delighted audiences with his often whimsical interpretations of LDS Primary songs. Now with 'Popcorn Popping' he puts them all together into a collection that's fun without being silly--a musically smart and surprisingly sophisticated children's CD that may please adults best of all. Together with acclaimed woodwind artist Daron Bradford, Marvin brings you 24 playful selections including 'Popcorn Popping,' 'Book of Mormon Stories,' 'Handcart Blues,' 'In the Leafy Treetops,' and a whole bunch more. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

For whatever reason, People Present always seem to remember Christmases Past with a certain nostalgia and longing. Are we reaching for a moment of childhood magic to relive? To connect with family and home in a way we rarely have time to anymore? Whatever the reason, "Candlelight Christmas" at This Is The Place Heritage Park is a chance for everyone to step back into a simpler time and place and celebrate a pioneer Christmas by making crafts, learning a pioneer dance in the school house, hearing live carolers, riding a train to Brother Brigham's house for hot cider. There's something for everyone at Candlelight Christmas! That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...

Combining a world-famous choir and orchestra with the world-renowned King's Singers was both a joy and a challenge for Tabernacle Choir director Dr. Mack Wilberg. Besides waving the baton and keeping everyone together, he also did the bulk of the beautiful arrangements on this new holiday release (also available on DVD). Dr. Wilberg shares his approach to arranging for the choir, points out a few musical highlights from this new production, and talks about the privilege of doing the work he does. That's this week on The Cricket and Seagull...