The Cultural Hall Podcast

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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.

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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.

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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.

Richard Benjamin Crosby earned his PhD in communication with an emphasis in rhetoric and critical studies at the University of Washington. He is a professor of rhetoric in the Department of English at Brigham Young University. His research focuses on the intersections of rhetoric, religion, and politics. His work has been published in his field’s top journals, and his first major book, American Kairos: Washington National Cathedral and the New Civil Religion, was published by Johns Hopkins University Press in 2023. Isaac James Richards is a PhD student and University Graduate Fellowship recipient at the Pennsylvania State University. His work has appeared in the Western Journal of Communication, The Journal for the History of Rhetoric, and The Journal of American Culture. His honors include the Kenneth Burke Prize in Rhetoric from the Center for Democratic Deliberation and the James L. Golden Outstanding Student Essay in Rhetoric Award from the National Communication Association. Latter-day Eloquence: Two Centuries of Mormon Oratory Discount Code (for 30% off): S26UIP The post Latter-day Eloquence: Two Centuries of Mormon Oratory – 1023 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

Jennifer Champoux is a teacher, scholar of Latter-day Saint visual art, and the director of the Book of Mormon Art Catalog. She authored C. C. A. Christensen: A Mormon Visionary, coauthored Picturing Christ: Understanding Depictions of Jesus in History and Art, and coedited Approaching the Tree: Interpreting 1 Nephi 8. She hosted the limited-series podcasts Latter-day Saint Art and Behold: Conversations on Book of Mormon Art. Jenny earned a BA in international politics from Brigham Young University (2004) and an MA in art history from Boston University (2006). She lives in Colorado with her husband and three children. C. C. A. Christensen: A Mormon Visionary (University of Illinois Press; Amazon) Related work I’ve published: “‘In Their Promised Canaan Stand:’ Outlawry, Landscape, and Memory in C. C. A. Christensen’s Mormon Panorama,” BYU Studies Quarterly 60, no. 2 (2021). Highlights about C. C. A. Christensen: 1. C. C. A. Christensen was born to a poor family in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1831. As a youth, he lived and studied at a poor house boarding school, before taking classes at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts. 2. While he was an art student, the first Latter-day Saint missionaries arrived in Copenhagen. C. C. A. joined the Church in 1850. He threw himself into the work of learning the Gospel, reading the Book of Mormon, helping with Danish translations of hymns, helping his mother and brothers immigrate to Utah, and then serving a mission in Scandinavia before immigrating himself. His art training and career took a back seat to his religious commitments. 3. C. C. A. served three missions in Scandinavia. The first, in Norway, was from 1853 to 1857. He faced religious persecution and was jailed. Christensen returned from Utah to serve a second mission in Scandinavia from 1865 to 1868. He returned again to serve in Denmark from 1887 to 1889. 4. C. C. A. married Elise Haarby on the ship as they set off for Utah in 1857. They traveled across the plains as handcart pioneers. He later took a second wife, Maren Pettersen, in 1868. He had a total of 14 children, 12 of which lived to adulthood. 5. C. C. A. was the most prolific 19 th -century artist of Latter-day Saint history and scripture. He combined his European art training with Latter-day Saint beliefs and subjects. He also wrote extensively. He published poetry, essays, and letters to the editor. He helped write a history of the Scandinavian Mission. And yet, his work is not well known today. 6. The Mormon Panorama was a massive painted scroll detailing 23 scenes of early Mormon history. In the last quarter of the 19 th century, CCA and some of his family traveled around Utah cities in the winters giving presentations of the Mormon Panorama. It helped solidify the Saints’ understanding of their history. 7. In 1886, Church leaders hired CCA to paint the creation room mural in the Manti Temple. It was recently restored and is still there today. 8. In 1890, C. C. A. won a contest to illustrate a Church flipchart on the life of Nephi. These 10 images were distributed by the Deseret Sunday School Union. 9. Christensen was fully dedicated to living his beliefs, often at great personal cost. The post C. C. A. Christensen with Jenny Champoux – 1022 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints requires that adult members wear garments under their clothes day and night. Though a central practice, the wearing of garments exists behind a wall of silence, as Church authorities and LDS culture discourage discussion of such a sacred matter. Nancy Ross, Jessica Finnigan, and Larissa Kanno Kindred draw on a survey of over 4,500 Church members and their own backgrounds to explore the multifaceted meanings and experiences of Mormon garments. As the authors show, garments also function as a tool of social control that shapes behavior and reinforces conformity around sexuality. The diverse lived experiences of Latter-day Saints reveal how belief and gender intersect with feelings of secrecy, shame, and obedience while creating complexities for LDS members as they navigate questions of faith, identity, and agency. In addition, the authors call for greater understanding of the people grappling with tensions between personal customs and religious expectation. Buy The Book Insightful and rich with detail, Mormon Garments sheds light on an intimate practice in the lives of Latter-day Saints. The post Mormon Garments Sacred and Secret 1020 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

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6:56 Taking the call to be President Clark 10:39 The Value of #HearingHim 14:58 This silly little thing called the web 22:55 Getting the call back to BYUI 27:48 Here’s an idea 30:27 Presidents in their own right 33:27 Rexburb – The Boston of Idaho 37:34 What is BYU Pathway 43:24 Three forms of Education 51:56 How is the Church changing The post Get to Know the Newest Apostle Clark Gilbert The Cultural Hall Way appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.