“I laughed a lot.”

That was my 15-year-old daughter’s first response as I asked for her thoughts about “Once I Was a Beehive,” which comes out in theaters today, August 14.

I had seen some buzz around the movie, but honestly didn’t think it’d be something I’d like.

Boy, was I wrong.

I’ve been looking at some of the trailers and such, and let me just say this — in my opinion they don’t come anywhere near capturing the essence of this film. Had I tried to make a decision by the trailer, I would have chosen not to see it. There is a cohesiveness to the story arc that no trailer can capture.

The movie is being pitched as a Girl’s Camp Movie, and of course, I can’t argue with that tack. Most of the film’s story takes place at camp, and I imagine those who have attended Young Women camp will likely laugh just a little harder than others.

But then again, maybe not. Because to me it really isn’t a camp movie. It’s about something more.

The film has a delightful balance of humor and heart that I think is accessible to all. (I heard people leaving the theater who aren’t LDS who loved the film and felt the message of it.] And although I loved the way it playfully (and sometimes a little pointedly) pokes fun at some Mormon cultural quirks (and, even more specifically, quirkiness around Mormon women and stereotypical teenage girls), it has a more universal message about human nature. How easy it is to define and divide ourselves by our differences! Through the simple window of a week-long youth camp, the film reflects on how challenges (and even quirky differences) can help people transcend those differences (if hearts are open just enough), and how much we all desire to feel connection, support, and belonging.

Other reviews will recount more of the details of the story. I tend to just share some of my impressions and thoughts about the media I review.

The comment that struck me most in the Q&A session after the preview screening (besides that the bear scene was not done with a green screen! What??) was from Paris Warner. She plays the main character, Lane. Many of the actors are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but she is not. Paris confessed that she felt a little nervous about taking on this role because of that. But to paraphrase her heartfelt comment, her experience working on the film mirrored her character’s experience — she started with trepidation and ended with a circle of friends.

And so, although my typical policy here at Mormon Women is not to do reviews, once in a while I make an exception. I want to encourage people to support this film. Some may want to because it’s an almost all-female cast, but I hope you will go see it because it is just a fun film that I think deserves more reach and spread.

I plan to see it again, and encourage those who can watch it this weekend to go. Heartfelt thanks to all who worked so hard on this film.

Quick character commentary: Warner did a lovely job in her role as actor and narrator. Lisa Clark is hysterical as the high-strung-yet-devoted Young Women leader. Hailey Smith provides a nice steadying force in the extreme swing of caricatures (except, ahem, when the rangers show up). And I adored the character, Phoebe. If you are a Dr. Who fan, you’ll like Phoebe all the more (I’ve never seen the show, but my daughter loves it and she couldn’t stop commenting on Phoebe’s T-shirts). Lastly, I think when I grow up I want to be like Sister Nedra. At the Q&A, we learned that Barta Heiner (who plays Sister Nedra) was director Maclain Nelson’s drama professor. My vote is for Heiner to create a summer drama camp for young women. Trouble is, I would want to sign up just to see what she has to say, do, and share.

Visit the Once I was a Beehive website for the full list of theaters. The show opens today in Utah and will hit national theaters in September. If your city is not listed, you can “Demand It” to come to you! –>http://bit.ly/OnceIWasABeehive-Theaters

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The title of this video is “Our Fun Family Vacation.” And it DOES look like they have a great time. But I also love how it captures the power of extended family — how a loving patriarch and patriarch of their extended family use vacation and fun time to build connections and stay in touch — and in tune — with their family.

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p.s. Those who look a little older than 30 are those who invest their time and energy trying to help make events like this happen. 🙂

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~by Rachael McKinnon

A few years ago, my husband attended a Yankees game in New York City with several coworkers. As the evening progressed and the Yankees took the lead, my husband’s vice president passed around large glasses of beer for all the firm’s employees. When it came to my husband, he very politely replied, “No thank you. I don’t drink.”

A bit taken back, the Vice President suddenly remembered that my husband had been recruited from the Marriott School program at Brigham Young University and was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (often known by the term, Mormon). Even more critical at that moment, the Vice President recalled the rumors he’d heard that members of the LDS faith do not drink alcohol. The man was very gracious to my husband and offered to get him something else. Ten minutes later, an overflowing platter of pretzels were passed around to go with the beer. This time the Vice President carefully turned to my husband and delicately asked, “Are you allowed to eat pretzels?”

My husband told me later how difficult it was to keep from laughing. He knew the Vice President was sincere in his question. He wanted to help my husband feel comfortable at the game while also being respectful to his personal, religious beliefs. My husband went on to reassure his superior that he was a huge fan of pretzels and would happily eat a few.

This experience was not the first of its kind for either me or my husband. But it perfectly illustrated several misconceptions about Latter-day Saints. While Mormons rightfully carry a reputation for abstaining from alcohol, coffee, tobacco, foul language, dishonest conduct, and immoral behavior, it also tends to spill over into other categories of activity and daily living where people assume every facet of our behavior is strictly controlled. The reality is quite the opposite.

It is interesting to note that as members of the LDS faith, we are almost commanded to “have fun” with our families. In A Proclamation To The World regarding the family, LDS leaders counseled, “Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work and wholesome recreational activities.” (1995, emphasis added). So in actuality, members of the LDS faith would be acting in opposition to church doctrine if we did not seek out physical, joyful, bonding activities with our families and each other.

LDS church members celebrate every mainstream holiday; in fact they are extremely patriotic and devoted to their countries. We enjoy sporting events, competitions, attending concerts, ballets, operas, and plays. Members participate and volunteer on local and national levels. We write best-selling books, direct movies, serve in the military, build companies, become doctors, uphold the law and run for office. LDS members run in marathons, compete in triathlons, go camping, take vacations and attend amusement parks. In short, Latter-day Saints take part in nearly every activity/recreation opportunity available, but they do it without alcohol, tobacco and coffee. And for some reason, we tend to get a lot of attention over this – both good and bad.

Several weeks ago, my husband and I had the chance to get away with two other couples and spend the day kayaking and mountain biking in the mountains. We had planned this event for months and since all three of our families have several children, it was nice to have a break from the demands of little ones and enjoy the company of adult friends. The day was brilliant, with lots of sunshine and calm waves. We paddled hard and laughed together over stuffed turkey sandwiches, chocolate chip cookies and cold lemonades. Though we were sore from the physical demands of the day’s activities, my husband and I returned home with renewed ambition and strengthened ties between us. What a wonderful way to build our marriage, enjoy the outdoors and get some much needed exercise.

It reminds me of what the Apostle Paul has counseled, “Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and it there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8). As a member of the LDS faith, I have never seen my life as restrictive. My days are full of freedom, joy and opportunity. What a treasured, blessed life to lead.

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Read more of Vocal Point’s thoughts during the show on The Sing Off’s blog. And watch Vocal Point’s performance videos. (Ben’s performance of “I’ll Be Missing You” in honor of his dad (who died during the early stages of the show), can be found on week 6.)

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The flash mob starts at about 3:25 in the video.

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Well, here’s an example! They’ll often hold FHEs of their own.

(Of course, it’s not very often that such FHEs end up on national television! But this one did. The NBC “Minute to Win It” casting crew came and filmed a re-creation of their activity after seeing a video of the activity on YouTube. Fun.)

See the video of their activity below.

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The answer?

Yes, Mormons dance!

Dancing is very common for Mormon youth and young adults, but Mormons of all ages like to dance. See some evidence in the videos below.

We must admit this is not typical for a Mormon wedding reception, but doesn’t it look fun?

Mormon women at a ward talent show do a spoof dance

Mormon youth in the Phillipines dance as part of a stake youth activity (many local units called wards met together for the activity) — “Who says mormons can’t dance?”

Sometimes the love of dancing starts at a very young age — “Can Mormons dance?”

Can Mormons dance? Part II

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Jenny shares more about herself in her mormon.org profile. (“I love to go camping, hiking, biking, exploring, rock climbing, swimming, or playing in the outdoors with my family. When I’m not outside, I love to quilt.”)

And she shares more of her story in the following video. You’ll note her brutal honesty about her grief, but that ultimately, she is able to boldly say, “Life isn’t fair. [But] life doesn’t have to be fair, because there’s so much more that God is offering us. And that’s why bad things can happen. This is not forever. This is not the end. This is not the final product.”

The gospel of Jesus Christ can help us find peace and perspective even in life’s most difficult times.

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I love to garden, not only because I adore flowers, but because the act of gardening teaches me so many things about life. Growing plants is much like raising children but there is more; gardening helps me to slow down and put things into perspective.

Recently we had a bit of a crisis in the garden. The spigot I turn on and off to allow water to flow through the hose I use to give my plants life-giving water, broke.

It had not been working for quite some time. In fact, it had been leaking quite a lot for years. My husband and I went to the hardware store and purchased a new spigot some years ago. However, when we got it home, we realized that we would need to actually cut a hole in the wall of the house and cut the pipe, the one the spigot was attached to, in order to make the switch from the old, leaky spigot to the new one.

Believing that the repair was too hard for our limited skills and not having the money to pay a plumber, we chose to ignore the problem.

Soon, the leaking became worse.  When I turned it on, the spigot would spray water in all directions. My way of dealing with this was to fit a bucket up under the spigot, held in place by the air conditioning unit just below, and to use the water that accumulated in the bucket to water the larger plants in my garden. I chose to use this system for a number of years, in spite of the fact that it was heavy and burdensome which caused pain in my shoulders and elbows.

Then, one day last week, the problem became a crisis and could no longer be ignored. The spigot broke so that it could not be turned off and water sprayed all over the yard at great speed. We had no choice but to cut off the water supply to our house and make a trip to the hardware store. In the end, we were faced with the same choice; buy a new spigot, make a hole in the wall and cut the pipe so the new spigot could be properly attached. Since this is not our area of expertise, it took a great deal of effort on our part including hours spent without water to our house, to achieve this repair, but we did it!

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After it was all done and I was enjoying watering my garden without needing to heave that heavy, water-filled bucket around the yard, I chided myself for not making the repair earlier. How could I have not done what needed to be done so long ago? It took a full-blown crisis before we were willing—forced—to address the problem. In the end, we were able to do it—it was only our fear that got in our way in the past.

I reflected on how often our choices in life are dictated by fear. How often do we refrain from doing something because we are afraid we will fail or that it will be too hard or that our efforts will all be in vain?

Sin is like a heavy bucket filled with water, water we do NOT need to carry around. Repair is like repentance, something we are often afraid to attempt because it might be hard or too much will be asked of us—or we fear that it will avail us not.

In the New Testament of the Bible, 2 Peter 3:9, we read:  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Knowing that our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, wants us to repent, how can we fail?

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