An LDS community like no other; the latest changes in temple clothing

The Mormon Land newsletter is the Salt Lake Tribune's weekly highlight of news in and about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Join us Patreon and get the full newsletter, podcast transcripts, and access to all of our religion content.

The Making of Genesis

There was no mass exodus from Genesis.

The support congregation founded 53 years ago this week for black Latter-day Saints continues to draw crowds for its monthly devotions and other activities.

“Genesis was and is a unique unity of the church,” the group’s website says. “…We are more than just a 'Fireside' and less than a community. What fireside has a presidency set up for a specific purpose? … There is beauty in the special calling (of the church). There is also responsibility. We exist and serve at will to the leadership of the Lord's Church. Our purpose is the Lord’s purpose – to help lead souls to the restored gospel.”

On October 19, 1971, then-Apostles Gordon Hinckley, Thomas Monson and Boyd Packer installed Ruffin Bridgeforth, Darius Gray and Eugene Orr as the first presidency of the Genesis Group.

Revisit this Mormon Land podcast with Gray from Genesis' golden anniversary as he talks about his past, his present and his future.

Sleeveless templewear? Yes, they are a thing now.

The Church offers new sleeveless temple clothing for women and men in hot climates. The first reviews show that members agree.

“I'm excited to hear about the garment redesign,” says Rachel Gerber, Instagrammer at LDS Changemakers, who sees the open sleeve option as an answer to her prayers.

Here are some recent Tribune stories and Mormon Land podcasts about garments:

• Leaders modify temple recommendation questions to make it clear: There is no room for personal interpretation of clothing items.

• Who should decide when, where, and how often Latter-day Saints wear temple clothing?

• The Church reinforces this message: Wear your temple clothing every day.

• Body image and more – how temple clothing affects women mentally, physically and socially.

• What Latter-day Saint women like—and dislike—about wearing temple clothing.

• Increased focus on clothing and motherhood may not keep young women engaged in society.

• How much temple clothing costs – other than that 10%.

• Why it's OK to show photos of temple clothing.

• Why temple clothing could change again.

The Latest Mormon Land Podcast: Raising Successful Children

By following an unconventional parenting path, Latter-day Saints Gabrielle Blair of Design Mom and her husband Ben Blair, co-founder and president of Newlane University, have learned to defy conventional parenting wisdom—and along the way, remove much of the stress that comes with raising children. It turns out that there are many paths to success.

The couple joins this week's show to talk about the parenting journey detailed in their new book, The Kids Are All Right: Parenting With Confidence in an Uncertain World.

Listen to the podcast.

More hurricane relief

More than 12,000 Latter-day Saint volunteers have contributed 170,000 hours to date to assist in relief efforts after back-to-back hurricanes struck Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas.

“Disaster relief work is truly the 99 looking for the 1,” Area Seventy John Amos said in a news release. “We gather in hundreds, wearing yellow shirts and holding chainsaws, to help those in need. But we don't just remove trees – we restore hope. We don’t just clear out houses – we share His light. We don’t just cover a roof – we bring peace. In doing so, we live the great commandments to love God and our neighbors.”

The recent storm also damaged some Latter-day Saint buildings in Florida.

A conference review

A “heresy review” of the most recent general conference is available, courtesy of Ziff, the pseudonym of a blogger on the Zelophehad's Daughters website. Here are some of the author's views:

Best smile line: “My father often reminded me that just sitting in a pew on Sunday doesn’t make you a good Christian any more than sleeping in the garage makes you a car.”

— General Authority Seventy David Buckner

Best line: “If you feel filled with love at this time in your life, please try to hold on to it as effectively as a sieve holds water. Squirt it everywhere.”

— General Authority Seventy Karl Hirst

Worst line: “There are two kinds of commandments of the Lord: permanent, as the teaching of Christ, and temporary.”

– First Counselor of the First Presidency Dallin Oaks

“Fascinating!” Ziff writes about Oaks' statement. “And I assume that at the time of issuance there is a reliable way to tell which is which, right? Or is it just a post hoc categorization?”

Find more Ziff zingers here.

From the Tribune

• These new sleeveless temple garments will provide more fashion options for Latter-day Saint women and men.

• It's time, writes Tribune columnist Gordon Monson, for the Church's prophets and apostles to urge its members on “moral grounds” not to vote for Donald Trump.

• The church, already considered an agricultural “titan,” is sowing, er, spending $289 million to grow 46 farms with more than 41,500 acres – about 65 square miles – of farmland in eight states.

• This Latter-day Saint General Authority Emeritus believes in climate change. However, he is not sure this is the case with other senior church leaders.

• The first dean of Brigham Young University's new medical school, still under construction, has been announced.

• It's starting to look like Christmas – at least in this regard: A Tony Award-winning headliner has been announced as a guest singer with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square's holiday concerts in December.

• Speaking of choir: A former George W. Bush Cabinet secretary loves his church performance because he can sit “right next to” the renowned singing troupe. He explains this and more in these excerpts from our current “Mormon Land” podcast.