Because the Matis Firesides have been changed to another date, we have also changed ours. The Logansides will now be held on the last Sunday of each month. We will still meet at the Morgan home at 7:00.
This month, we are excited to have Dee Barrett speak to us. Dee was an Institute teacher for a number of years in the Logan area, and is now the seminary principle at Mountain Crest High School. He will be speaking to us on one of his favorite subjects, the parables of Jesus Christ.
We’re excited to have Ty Mansfield, an author of In Quiet Desperation: Understanding the Challenge of Same-Gender Attraction and Vice President of North Star, speak at the next Loganside in December. The Loganside will be held again at 7:00 pm on December 20th. Refreshments and guests are welcome, but please keep in mind that seating and space are limited.
If you would like more information on the upcoming Loganside, please email us.
Sunday, October 18th
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.”
Wendy will be speaking to us about the lessons she has learned in working with people with disabilities.
UPDATE: Wendy spoke about working with people with disabilities from the perspective of an Institute teacher at the Logan Institute of Religion. She said, “Brothers and sisters, adversity comes in different packages. Our perspective makes a difference between becoming bitter or better.”
UPDATE: Audio now available! Click here (or visit the “Fireside Audio” page). The password is “loganside”.
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.
UPDATE: Colleen was sick on Sunday, so her husband, Phillip A. Harrison, spoke in her stead. He is the author of the book Clean Hands, Pure Heart: Overcoming Addiction To Pornography Through The Redeeming Power Of Jesus Christ. For those who want a copy of the short story The Gift, which he authored, you can find it here.
Listen to the fireside here.
The “Loganside” for July will be a BBQ at the Morgan residence! Email Ryan 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 21st
Chris Maddern 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.
For audio from this fireside, click here. The password is “loganside”
Brother Crowther is an instructor at the Logan Institute of Religion.
Monday, April 20th
Sister Phippen presented on lessons she learned when she was diagnosed with mitochondrial myopathy, a form of muscular dystrophy.
Update: Text from the Sister Phippen’s fireside address can be found on Ryan’s blog.
Ryan will presented on lessons learned while visiting the Auschwitz concentration camp.
Follow-up: Text from Ryan’s fireside presentation can be found on his personal blog.
