Logan Utah Firesides

Beginning March 23rd, 2009, a group of Latter-day Saints will meet the 3rd Sunday of each month in Logan, Utah (see the North Star Calendar for potential date changes). The purpose of these meetings is to create an atmosphere of love and support for those touched in some way by same-gender attraction who strive to live within the standards of the LDS Church.

NOTE: North Star does not sponsor the gatherings held in Logan. In addition to activities and events sponsored by North Star, we provide a calendar of events sponsored by other individuals or groups we have reason to believe to be in general harmony with the mission of North Star and the values and standards of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

If you are interested in attending one of these firesides, please contact loganfireside@gmail.com for location information and to be added to the email reminder list. Additional information can be accessed at the Logan Fireside blog.

2010 Fireside Schedule

After much consideration, we have decided to make some changes to the fireside schedule. We are no longer holding the firesides on the 3rd Sunday of each month. Instead, we’ll be holding the firesides on the last Sunday of every third month. We will still send out emails to let everyone know what is going on and who is speaking, just not as often.

The tentative dates for this years firesides are:

April 25, 2010

July 25, 2010

October 24, 2010

We may have an occasional get together like a BBQ or Christmas party, but those will be random and announced here and in emails.

2009 Fireside Schedule

Sunday, December 20
Guest Presenter: Ty Mansfield

A life-long member of the Church, Ty served in the Manchester New Hampshire mission and graduated from BYU in Asian Studies and Business Management. Upon graduation, he worked in Washington, DC, for two years for a Department of Defense contractor, and currently lives in Texas where he's doing graduate work in family therapy and serving in his stake as an Institute instructor.

He loves hiking, running, eating, skiing, writing, strawberry cheesecake, beef ravioli, and Gladys Knight. He also loves to travel and has lived or studied internationally in Japan, China, Israel/Palestine, and Egypt. He is a co-author, with Fred and Marilyn Matis, of In Quiet Desperation: Understanding the Challenge of Same-Gender Attraction, published by Deseret Book, which includes a personal memoir of his spiritual journey as a member of the Church dealing with same-gender attraction.

Ty will be talking about the concept of premortality and theological possibilities, with insights both from teachings of Church leaders and from Near-death Studies, that may shed some light on some of the complexities and difficulties of mortality and inspire hope and confidence in the divine purposes of life's circumstances.

Sunday, November 15
Guest Presenter: Chuck Mitchell

Chuck was born and grew up in rural Southern Idaho. Chuck served a full-time mission for the LDS Church in the Florida Tallahassee Mission where he learned to speak Southern. He met his wonderful wife at a student ward, and they were married in 2003. Chuck asked her to accompany him on the piano while he sang a special musical number in sacrament meeting and jokes that she's been "accompanying him ever since." Chuck and his wife are the parents of two boys, four and two, and a ten month old baby girl.

Chuck graduated from Ricks College in 2000 and had a short lay-over at Idaho State University where he met his wife. He then enrolled at Utah State University where he graduated with dual bachelor degrees in Social Work and Sociology in 2007. He graduated from Institute and earned both certificates available post-graduation. He finished his graduate work at the University of Utah in 2008 with a Masters in Social Work, and he hopes to go on to achieve his Doctorate. Currently, Chuck works in private practice in Southeast Idaho as a Social Worker. He works with adolescent males with a variety of issues including individuals with unwanted same-sex attraction, sex addictions, and juvenile sex offenders.

Chuck has worked with homosexual attraction issues for ten years, both his and also assisting others. He has participated in, and facilitated, online support groups for LDS individuals struggling with their attractions and trying to maintain the Gospel standards. He assisted in planning an organization that ssists adolescents with their journey. When Chuck couldn’t find the support he wanted, he and his therapist formed a support group for same-sex attracted men in his area. Chuck has been actively involved in support groups when possible.

Chuck will be talking about his life experiences, relationships with others, and some common stumbling blocks for trying to live the Gospel who experience homosexual feelings.

Sunday, October 18
Guest Presenter: Wendy Parker

Wendy Parker has been married 31 years to Todd H. Parker. She has two Children and a daughter-in-law. She is the grandmother of 1 (and a half). Her daughter is currently serving a mission in the Baltimore, Maryland Mission. She has been teaching Seminary (and institute) for 11 years. Her first two years, she taught traditional classes as a volunteer. After that she began teaching the classes for special needs individuals (now known as adaptive programs.) She still had children at home so she worked part time until her daughter graduated. In the interim, Wendy went back to school and got a degree in Special Education, emphasis severe. She worked with the church central committee for Special Education correlating curriculum. CES hired her full time in 2008 and she now serve as the Adaptive Needs Advisor for the Utah North Area. Of her experience, Wendy says: “I love what I do, it’s not a job, it’s a great blessing. I have learned so much from these wonderful students and their amazing peers.”

Sunday, September 20
Guest Presenter: Colleen C. Harrison

Our speaker this month is Colleen C. Harrison, author of He Did Deliver Me From Bondage. The following is a brief bio from the book, as well as a summary of the book:

"Drugs, alcohol, food, work, perfectionism, spending money, gambling, destructive sexual behaviors, you name it, we're addicted to it. Being mortal and being addicted are almost synonymous," so says Colleen Harrison, a self-acknowledged recovering junk food addict, maintaining a weight loss of over 140 pounds for the last ten years. During these ten years of recovery, Colleen, mother of twelve children, has survived the death of her oldest daughter and the loss of her first marriage to addictive behavior. Drawing on the power (grace) of Jesus Christ, Colleen has completed a B.A. and an M.A. in English at Brigham Young University. While at BYU, Colleen combined courses in psychology, human development and creative writing to create a uniquely LDS version of narrative therapy. "Writing—in a journal, on the back of an envelope, anywhere—is one of the cheapest and most powerful forms of therapy a person can use to recover from addiction, compulsion, or any other earth-life challenges," Colleen maintains.

Currently, Colleen is pursuing a Ph.D. in Family and Human Development at Utah State University, in Logan, Utah. "Family and human development—that's what the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is all about—Eternal Family and Eternal Development." Strongly committed to both, Colleen continues to maintain the recovery the Lord has blessed her with through consistent, daily application of the Twelve Step principles as they correlate with the Book of Mormon and the gospel of Christ. In this book she has attempted to capture in a very personal style the process of spiritual awakening in these twelve principles. They have truly given her a hope in Christ that is her strength and her light as the last days strike close to home.

Colleen lives with her husband, Phil Harrison. They have a combined family of 17 children, 18 grandchildren, 3 cats and a dog.

Monday, August 23
Guest Presenter: Chris

Chris grew up in Logan, UT in what he considers less than fortunate circumstances. His father passed away when he was 7 years old, leaving his mom to provide for the family. As time went on, she became more and more depressed. She passed away when Chris was 17 years old. He recalls that his outlook on life as a teenager was very bleak and dark, and he always wondered, "What difference does it make if I live or die? Does anyone really care about me? Would anyone miss me?" To deal with the pain, he abused drugs and intentionally ignored his conscience.

Through his experiences with pain, addiction, and unexpected loss and suffering, he learned there is hope in the Gospel and desires to share that message through his unique experiences.

Monday, July 20
BBQ Morgan Residence

The "Loganside" for July will be a BBQ at the Morgan residence! Email Ryan Knighton for time and location details; please RSVP so we know about how many to plan on. I'll send out another reminder as time gets closer. Brother and Sister Morgan will provide hamburger/hotdog buns and drinks. Please bring your own meat to grill and a dish of some sort to share with everyone.

Sunday, June 21
Guest Presenter: Chris Maddern

Chris Maddern. Chris grew up in Logan, Utah, in what he considers less than fortunate circumstances. His father passed away when he was 7 years old, leaving his mom to provide for the family. As time went on, she became more and more depressed. She passed away when Chris was 17 years old. He recalls that his outlook on life as a teenager was very bleak and dark, and he always wondered, "What difference does it make if I live or die? Does anyone really care about me? Would anyone miss me?" To deal with the pain, he abused drugs and intentionally ignored his conscience.

Through his experiences with pain, addiction, and unexpected loss and suffering, he learned there is hope in the Gospel and desires to share that message with others.

Monday, May 18
Guest Presenter: Robert Crowther

Brother Crowther is an instructor at the Logan Institute of Religion.

Monday, April 20
Guest Presenter: Shari Phippen

Sister Phippen will present on lessons she learned when she found out she has mitochondrial myopathy, a form of muscular dystrophy.

Update: The text from the Sister Phippen's fireside address can be found on Ryan Knighten's blog.

Monday, March 23
Presenter: Ryan Knighton

Ryan will present on lessons learned while visiting the Auschwitz concentration camp.

Follow-up: Text from Ryan's fireside presentation can be found on his personal blog.