Mormon Questions: Book of Mormon Musical

I've started off every post of this series talking about how hilarious I think it is to be asked these questions about Mormonism. So why stop now, right? (But really and truly, being asked about Mormonism has never been offensive, only varying degrees of amusing. Keep on asking away!) Every time someone asks me if I've seen the Book of Mormon Musical I can't help but think they are joking. Except they never are. They're always asking in order to ask the follow-up question: What did you think of it? The problem is, I've never seen it! Or ever wanted to see it, or ever known another Mormon who has seen it. So. . .

We watch musicals, just not ones that make fun of our religion. You understand, don't you?

The thing is, I already know about Mormons. . . I am one. And I don't really care to watch several hours of Broadway that make fun of not only my beloved religion but all organized religion in general. If you have more specific questions about the musical then maybe I could address those? Like, post a comment or something? e.g. someone once asked me in the subway if we really believe that Joseph Smith pulled gold plates out of the ground and translated them into the Book of Mormon. Yes, we do. You can read more of what I believe about Joseph Smith in a past post.

If all you really wanted to know is how I feel about a Tony-winning musical making fun of my religion, then I can say most of what I feel is eh with *shoulder shrug*. Haters gonna hate. Though I do know some people who take offense. You can read my friend's response to the musical on her blog Valpo Studio (I don't think she's seen it either).

The official statement released in response to the musical by my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is only one sentence:

The production may attempt to entertain audiences for an evening, but the Book of Mormon as a volume of scripture will change people's lives forever by bringing them closer to Christ.

Word.

Other posts from my Mormon Questions series:
Do you practice polygamy? // Do you really believe Joseph Smith was a prophet? // I don't understand all this Mormon jargon. // Do you have special underwear? // Why do Mormons get married so young?

Baby Love

My little sister, Alexa, truly is a godsend to my money-poor, photography-loving self. She has a natural talent  that cannot be denied and that I will wake up at 5 a.m. to sneak into an orchard and take pictures. Bless her talented heart.

These were all taken on a nice DSLR camera and then edited on my phone because I'm swag like that. Or because Photoshop is now a subscription service that I can't/won't pay for. Can anyone recommend a good, intuitive editing app for Mac?

Him and Her: Top 3 New York Experience

Let it be said, Carter and I did not waste any time in New York City this summer. We hit pavement almost everyday exploring the sights and generally being annoying tourist who like to act like New Yorkers. Carter has high hopes that we'll live here again in the future and after a truly spectacular summer I think I can see it.

Him

1. Bronx Zoo - Carter and I crowned the Bronx Zoo as THE ZOO OF ZOOS after we spent one afternoon killing ourselves se we could see every. single. animal. We failed, alas, because this zoo happens to also be the largest zoo in America, but we did see more animal activity and gorillas than we ever have. The gorillas, man. The gorillas are where it's at.
2. Natural History Museum - Not only is this the museum where we first learned about the mantis shrimp and saw a giant squid, but also Carter had every boyhood dream fulfilled in the dinosaur exhibits. 
3. Financial District - Walking to work as the sun hit the financial district was Carter's greatest daily joy. He also loved working at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York where he worked with people who have and still do influence financial policy. 

Her

1. Shakespeare in the Park - I skeptically waited in line for a couple of hours for free tickets but even though I don't consider myself a "shakespeare person" and there was a torrential downpour during the second act, I triple-L loved it. Shakespearian actors are a league of their own and these particular actors were obviously the best. 
2. Central Park - It's big, it's beautiful, and the north woods remind me of western Oregon. It's worth it to spend at least a few hours, if not a full day enjoying the park.
3. 9/11 museum - New York has no shortage of world-class museums, so the fact that I chose this one as my favorite should speak volumes to it's quality. I loved that they choose to make the final message of the museum one of hope and endurance. Democracy and freedom can't be crushed by the will of a few violent men.

Aaaaaand just for fun a one-week to-do list for NYC (that you'll never be able to do in one-week):

Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4
Statue of Liberty (reserve tickets in advance to enter the statue) Ellis Island	Wall Street NY Stock Exchange Federal Reserve Gold Tour 9/11 memorial and museum (free tickets Tuesday after 4:30)	American Museum of Natural History Bronx Zoo (free on Wed)	Brooklyn Bridge Brooklyn Bridge Park Juliana's Pizza High Line Walking Tour

Day 5	Day 6	Day 7
MoMA (free entry Fridays after 5) Grand Central Station Tour New York Public Library St. Patrick's Cathedral Top of the Rock Times Square	Metropolitan Museum of Art The Cloister's Museum and Gardens	Central Park (Bethesda Fountain and Conservatory Garden) Riverside Church Riverside Park (go at dusk) Abyssinian Baptist Church Visitor’s Service (11am on Sun)