The Cultural Hall Podcast

The post The Next Stake President Verlin Youd AoN 1034 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

The post Cryfest from Richie and Al Carraway appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

John C. Giles (born 1960) is an American attorney and Republican politician who served as the 40th Mayor of Mesa, Arizona, from 2014 until 2025. A Mesa native, Giles earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Brigham Young University and his Juris Doctor from Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. In addition to his political career, he is a practicing lawyer at Giles & Dickson and an adjunct law professor. Giles first entered local politics as a member of the Mesa City Council from 1996 to 2000, which included a stint as Vice Mayor. He was elected Mayor in a 2014 special election and served two full terms before reaching his term limit in 2025. During his tenure, Giles focused heavily on community and infrastructure improvements. His key achievements include leading the “Off the Streets” program to combat homelessness, championing the Mesa College Promise to provide free community college to residents, and securing federal grants to expand electric vehicle infrastructure and public transit. Though a member of the Republican Party, Giles gained national attention for his willingness to cross party lines. He endorsed Democrat Mark Kelly for the U.S. Senate in 2022 and served as co-chair of the Arizona chapter of Republicans for Harris during the 2024 presidential election, even speaking at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Outside of politics and law, Giles is a dedicated athlete who has completed multiple Ironman competitions and Boston Marathons. He also hosts It’s Always Cool in Mesa, a podcast highlighting the city’s culture and history. He and his wife, Dawn, have five children and eight grandchildren. The post Former Mesa Mayor John Giles -1032 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

The post Alice Cooper and Alex Cooper are not the same person AoN 1031 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

The post The Temple Square Block Party AoN 1030 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

The post Stakes are Disappearing – is this the END of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives?! AoN 1029 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

A Viral LDS Love Story TikTok creator Kami Skolmoski recently captured the internet’s attention with a ten-part video series detailing how she fell in love with, and eventually married, her Mormon mission companion. The article highlights both the romance of her story and the complex realities of being a queer person raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Key Highlights of Kami’s Journey: Meeting on a Mission: Kami and her now-wife, Heysell, met in 2018 during their LDS mission in California, where Kami was actually assigned to be Heysell’s trainer. Personal Struggles: Kami openly shared the hardships of her mission, which included battling an eating disorder, struggling with her mental health, figuring out her sexuality, and eventually being sent home early. From Roommates to Wives: The two later reconnected as roommates at Brigham Young University in 2020. They eventually realized they were in love, proposed to each other in the summer of 2024, and eloped in Cannon Beach, Oregon in early 2025. A Nuanced Relationship with Faith: Despite the LDS church’s anti-LGBTQ+ policies, Kami still considers herself Christian and occasionally attends church. She credits this to a deeply supportive local community that never turned its back on her. Advocacy Over Institution: Kami maintains that she answers to God, not the church. She chooses to stay somewhat connected to her faith roots so she can act as an ally and advocate for other queer members navigating similar paths. Link to Patreon The post From Mission Companion to Life Companion – 1028 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

The post Another season of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives?! AoN 1027 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

The post Disneyland is greater than Disneyworld?! – AoN – 1026 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

Temple Dedication Harare Zimbabwe Temple – #214 March 1st, presided by Gerrit Gong Elder Dube left in Salt Lake Former Cultural Hall Guest (780) Sean Connolly profiled by Church News First Temple in Zimbabwe, 9th in Africa – Last Monson Temple! Temple District: 23 stakes, 6 districts in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, and Zambia Dedicatory Prayer Temple Open House Begins Lindon Utah Temple Media day on March 9th. Led by Jorge T Bacerra Open House through April 11th (except general conference) Interior Photos Released Two baptistries Linden Tree motifs throughout Green, white and pink, with complementary blue, yellow and gold Temple Dedications and Open Houses Announced San Diego California Temple Media Day: June 15th Open House: June 18th to July 11th First Time open to the public in 33 years Rededication: August 23, 2026 by TBD Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple Media Day: August 12th Open House: August 15th to 22nd Dedication: August 30, 2026 by Patrick Kearon Healthcare Facilities with church donations open Cleveland Ohio Temple Media Day: June 15th Open House: June 18th to July 3rd Dedication: August 16, 2026 by David Bednar Cupula at Last! Torreon Mexico as well. Temple Groundgreakings Fairview Texas Temple Stealth groundbreaking on February 21, 2026 Presided by Jonathan S. Schmitt of area presidency not announced due to the “sensitive” nature of the temple. Teresina Brazil Temple To be held on April 18, 2026, presided by Ciro Schmeil Temple Site Announcements Norfolk Virginia Temple 23 acre site at Harbour View Boulevard and Bridge Road in Suffolk, VA Temple Rendering Released Naga Philippines Temple 9.11-acre site located in the Concepcion Grande neighborhood of Naga Temple Rendering Released Santiago Philippines Temple 14.47-acre site located east of Camella Isabella Main Road in the Malvar neighborhood of Santiago Temple Rendering Released Iloilo Philippines Temple 7.7-acre site located along Circumferential Road 1 at its intersection with Green Meadows Avenue in the Tacas neighborhood of the Jaro district of Iloilo City Temple Rendering Released Rapid City South Dakota Temple 4.86-acre site at the northeast corner of Mount Rushmore Road and Moon Meadows Drive in Rapid City, SD Temple Name Announcement Houston Texas South Temple Be known on the records of the church as the Fort Bend Texas Temple Name of the county as well as the address in Missouri City, TX New Temple Leaders Miraflores Guatemala City Guatemala Temple César Augusto Hernández Galindo and Marie Judith Peñate Escobar Monte María Ward, Guatemala City Mariscal Stake Managua Nicaragua Temple Johnny Cristobal Andino Delgado and Lucia del Carmen Tiffer Ramírez Rene Polanco Ward, Managua Nicaragua Villa Flor Stake Construction Status Heber Valley Utah Temple Drilling of 20 wells Colorado Springs Colorado Temple City Council approves temple in (8-0) vote, denying a citizen’s appeal The church considered a 2-story temple, but chose a 1-story out of respect to the community. Most comments were in favor, while only a few were opposed Springfield Missouri Temple Preliminary Construction occuring Manhattan New York Temple Catholic media outlet covers story of Italian travertine quarry being used for temple renovation Temple Square Conference Center Closure beginning March 1st Exception for general conference, TABCATS concerts and Luz de las Naciones “This operational pause is essential to allow project teams to execute a significantly expanded scope of work” Temple Scaffolding continues to come down Interior photos of Baptistry and chapel area released App to be launched in August or September to reserve open house reservations Free UTA Tickets and an additional parking lot at South Temple & Redwood Road with a Shuttle Service Tour to start at Conference Center followed by a 60-80 minute tour of temple The post Why wasn’t Elder Dube at the Zimbabwe Temple Dedication – Temple Ticker – 1025 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

Picturing Christ tells the story of how Latter-day Saints and other Christians have imagined Jesus and portrayed him in art throughout history, as well as what the archaeological evidence suggests about what he might have looked like. Though what Jesus did is more important than how he looked, how we see him shapes us. Our assumptions about what Jesus would have looked like can have a significant impact on our relationships with Deity, ourselves, and one another. Co-written by three professors of ancient scripture and an art historian, Picturing Christ walks us through the developments in art of Jesus throughout the centuries to help us begin to see him in new and transformative ways. By studying Jesus’s appearance and the long tradition of artistic efforts to reflect and appreciate his likeness, you will better understand the nature of our Savior and come closer to him. Buy the Book The post Picturing Christ – Daniel Becerra, Jennifer Champoux, Mark D. Ellison, Matthew J. Grey – 1024 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.