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Editor's note: The following story appeared in our special LDS Conference magazine, which offers a preview of the upcoming 191st Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was delivered as part of Saturday's weekend edition of the Daily Herald. The theme of this magazine edition is "Gathering Israel." We will be running the magazine stories online this week in the leadup to conference.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by virtue of the scriptures they uphold, including the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants, believe that America is a blessed land and that the Founding Fathers were wise men raised up by God.

The Book of Mormon lays the foundation and understanding for the gathering of Israel and Americas place in that gathering. It is where the New Jerusalem will be built and saints will gather to it, according to church teachings.

Neil Diamonds song Coming to America says it best when talking about gathering to a land blessed above all other lands.

Far, weve been traveling far,

Without a home, but not without a star.

Free, only want to be free,

We huddle close, hang on to a dream.

On the boats and on the planes,

Theyre coming to America.

Never looking back again,

Theyre coming to America.

... Everywhere around the world,

Theyre coming to America.

Every time that flags unfurled,

Theyre coming to America.

In the Articles of Faith, a list of 13 beliefs of the LDS Church written by Joseph Smith Jr., the 10th Article of Faith states: We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.

In their paper Wise Men Raised Up, by Frank W. Fox and Le Grand L. Baker, found on the churchs website http://churchofjesuschrist.org, they indicate while the Founding Fathers were wise men, they were not attached to organized religion and they had a wide range of beliefs as to how the country should be operated.

Only a minority of the Founders, such as James McHenry, who was president of the first Bible Society in Baltimore, considered themselves religious men in the sense that they attended a church. Most of the Conventions leaders were Deists, the paper states.

These men, like (George) Washington, (James) Madison, and (Thomas) Jefferson, believed that the world had been organized by a Divine Creator, Fox and Baker noted. They recognized his majesty and glory as reflected in the order and beauty of his creations, but they did not believe that the organized religions of their time represented the omnipotent power, majesty, or wisdom of this great Creator.

Practicing members of the church, whether Republican or Democrat or Independent, also believe that those who possess this land will be blessed as long as they worship the God of the land, which is Jesus Christ, according to scripture.

Hence, LDS elected leaders say they worship the God of the Land, but they do the business of the country.

In the Doctrine and Covenants, section 101:78, the Lord says that he raised up these wise men to establish a government which would nurture and defend individual freedom, that every man may act in doctrine and principle according to the moral agency which I have given unto him.

The fundamental philosophy of the Founding Fathers was very consistent with that purpose, according to Fox and Baker.

John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington did not live to see the restoration of Christs church on the earth, as LDS Church members believe. In fact, Adams and Jefferson died on the same day, July 4, 1826. But LDS members do believe God was with them in their endeavors of establishing the government.

Just 33 years following the signing of the Constitution, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established Smith. He not only had revelations concerning the importance of the United States government and future commotions within in it, but prior to his martyrdom, Smith ran for the U.S. presidency, according to church history.

In 1877, Wilford Woodruff, the fourth president of the church, reportedly had a vision in the newly opened St. George Temple in which several eminent men and women demanded to have their temple work completed. Among them were the signers of the Constitution and other Founding Fathers, including George Washington.

Woodruff had their temple work completed and the men received the priesthood, vicariously.

Since Joseph Smith, prophets of the LDS Church, particularly President Ezra Taft Benson, who served as Secretary of Agriculture under President Dwight D. Eisenhower while serving as an apostle, have called upon members of the church to run for office.

Fast forward 234 years from the signing of the Constitution and we see over time many have heeded those promptings and callings and have thrown their hats into the congressional ring or in their state and local governments. Many have been elected and served.

Notable long-term members of recent times in Congress include Senator Harry Reid (D-Nevada), who served 30 years and was the Senate Majority Leader from 2007 to 2015; and Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), who served 42 years from 1977-2019. He is the longest-serving Republican U.S. Senator in history and the longest-serving U.S. Senator from Utah. At the time he left the Senate, Hatch was fourth in line to the presidency.

Members currently serving

As of 2021, there are nine members of the LDS Church serving as members of Congress.

The Utah delegation, all of whom are members of the LDS Church, include: Senators Mike Lee and Mitt Romney, and from the House of Representatives are John Curtis, Blake Moore, Burgess Owens and Chris Stewart.

Outside of Utah, there are three members serving in Congress: Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), and Representatives Andy Biggs (R-Arizona) and Mike Simpson (R-Idaho).

With the gathering of Israel being the most important work members of the LDS Church are to be engaged in, according to President Russell M. Nelson, and the important roles in government leadership, the two callings to serve have an important space in the lives of the current leaders from Utah in Washington.

Each representative has had experiences or opportunities to see how gathering Israel is a part of their Washington experience.

Every time I think of the gathering of Israel, I reflect on the dedicatory prayer of Orson Hyde, said Mike Lee. Hyde gave a dedicatory prayer in 1841 in the Holy Land and dedicated the land for the return of the Jews; a gathering place for the tribe of Judah.

Hyde was one of the first members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and was sent by Joseph Smith to the Holy Land. He preached from April 1841 to December 1842, and proselyted in Palestine.

Lee said the words of the prayer reflected the physical gathering and also the spiritual gathering of Israel.

In many ways, his (Hydes) words have come to pass that are quite stunning, Lee said. In 180 years, its quite remarkable whats happened in the Holy Land.

One of the stories Lee shared was about a dinner he and his wife had as a senator with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Lees wife had attended school at the Brigham Young University Jerusalem Center, which was a point of discussion.

When we told him (Netanyahu) that my wife was a direct descendant of Orson Hyde his face lit up, Lee said. He said, Youre related to Orson Hyde?

We were surprised he had heard of him, Lee added. He (Netanyahu) said he had a profound effect on our Zionist movement.

It was then Lee was able to share an excerpt of Hydes dedicatory prayer with the Prime Minister.

Lee acknowledged that as a Latter-day Saint, hes not in the majority on Capitol Hill. But his faith is a part of him and that goes with him even into the halls of Congress.

I cant imagine my faith not being a part of anything I do, Lee said. The Lord established the Constitution by hands of men he raised up for that purpose. I firmly believe that is church doctrine. That knowledge brings a sense of urgency.

Ezra Taft Benson was the president of the church when Lee was in college. Hed tell us its our job to know the Constitution and defend it, Lee said.

Lee said one thing his dad (former BYU President Rex E. Lee) taught him and his siblings was to defend the Constitution. That doesnt mean the document wasnt infallible, its not divine like scripture is divine.

His father pointed out there should be a shared commitment to its importance.

Perhaps one of the most well-known members of the church in Congress is Sen. Mitt Romney. His faith and belief in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints played a major role in public perception during his first bid for the presidency in 2008. He ran again in 2012 through the primaries.

The ability of our church to share its message in the world is incredible, Romney said. The message of our membership is directly related to democracy and human rights. Those working to foster these conditions are spreading the gospel.

Romney says he has seen the horrific signs around the world of the need for people to be gathered.

I recognize the challenges of war, pestilence and human tragedy will only be overcome with acceptance of the gospel, Romney said. I do everything in my power to improve the conditions and preserve the qualities of life.

While serving his state and country, Romney said he looks inward to find strength.

I endeavor to abide by the covenants Ive made in my personal conduct, Romney said. The principles of the church are universal and should be accepted worldwide.

While he isnt in Congress to be a missionary for the church, people he meets are always curious about his faith and the church he belongs to.

It is very normal with my interactions with leaders around the world to discuss my faith, Romney said. Our faith is respected and I share my respect for theirs. Our common foundation breaks down walls.

Curtis has had many interesting opportunities to see the gathering of Israel from his vantage point on the Foreign Affairs Committee. It has taken us places where the church is growing and flourishing, he said.

In a very humble way, I say I am a piece of a very large puzzle, a piece as a member of Congress where I have a role, Curtis said.

Curtis shared a unique and highly unexpected opportunity while visiting Rwanda.

Prior to leaving, he spoke with a representative of the church if there were any concerns he should bring up.

One of the issues Curtis was told about was a newly passed law that said unless a person had a college degree they could not lead religious congregations and religious groups must worship in a building with specific requirements.

This law would be devastating for members of the church in Rwanda.

As it turned out, they scheduled an unscheduled (dinner) meeting with the president of Rwanda at his home, Curtis said. Speaking with him goes in line of seniority. I was the youngest in the group in seniority.

Curtis said he wasnt sure how or why he was seated at the presidents table because it was a breach of protocol, but he was. And that gave him an opportunity to bring up the law that would affect members of the church who meet in homes and without being degreed.

I see the hand of God around the world, Curtis said. The work moves on.

In January, when Congress was in its darkest hours and trying to get a bipartisan vote on the COVID-19 bill, Curtis said he was walking through the rotunda of the Capitol late at night and he had a special moment realizing that he was serving in there. How cool is that? Curtis said to himself.

One of my beliefs is in the beauty of the Constitution. It is far more resilient than what we give it credit, Curtis said. There have been a lot of things that have stretched that fabric, the Civil War, Watergate, etc. Were in an era where it is being stretched. In an era where we see and feel more contention.

It is amazing the founders built in the Constitution a self-healing government, Curtis said. Its bigger than any man or any cause, its amazing. Well emerge from this era stronger.

He also believes that we will continue to see the gathering of Israel and that individuals will need to take a role in the success of this nation.

Rep. Blake Moore is new to the congressional scene. He was elected in November and began serving in January. He represents District 1, which includes his hometown of Ogden. He says he believes his role in congress is to be truthful and genuine.

I am, who I am. I have spent over 40 years trying to do good in life, Moore said. I have a family that has taught me Christ-like principles, including building relationships that are built on common ground.

I dont get too doctrinal here (in Congress), but focus on Christ-like living, Moore said.

Moore hasnt seen much yet from around the world in his assignments, but he does believe the strength of the nation and the Constitution is an influence in bringing people to this land.

I would probably look to my belief in the Constitution and looking for a better life found in that founding document, Moore said.

Moore says his office is focused on aspirational, pro-growth politics. He would like to bring more people to those core principles. He adds that Utah does some very important things.

We are fiscally responsible and philanthropic, Moore said. He believes that is why many people are drawn to the state.

As for the influence his faith has in his life, Moore said, I make prayerful thoughtful decisions. I have a testimony of Gods influence in our lives.

Rep. Burgess Owens is also a junior Congressman, having been elected in November and beginning his term in January. He represents the 4th District.

Owens was not raised in the LDS Church, but converted in 1983. In 1984, he received his patriarchal blessing. A patriarchal blessing is given to individuals for their own personal use and members of the LDS Church believe it is personal revelation from God to them.

Owens said his blessing indicated that he would work with and influence the youth of the world. That is what he has done. When he came to Utah he had already served 30-plus years with youth. He said he felt he could do something different in Utah.

I felt like I had a chance to do something for Utah and our country, Owens said.

Owens say he sees the attack on families and freedom, and is grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ in his life. When it comes to the gathering of Zion, he said members need to keep worshipping their faith.

We need to get back to teaching of heavenly faith, Owens said. We need to fight back at whats coming at us. Americans are taking freedom for granted.

I want to be a uniter, Owens added. As long as we have the same end game. No matter how we worship, lets dig into our faith.

Owens said he encourages those concerned to have faith, American people are good.

Rep. Chris Stewart has served the longest of the Utah delegation. He began serving in January 2013.

Stewarts congressional office was contacted on several occasions over the past two months for this article, but calls and inquiries were not returned.

Stewart served an LDS Mission in Texas, followed by graduating from Utah State University. He went on to spend 14 years in the Air Force, where he flew rescue helicopters, jet aircraft and eventually the B-1 bomber.

After returning to private life, Stewart was the president and CEO of the Shipley Group, and served as a consultant on energy and environmental projects and issues. The company also was involved with government anti-terrorism training, security and preparedness. He gave up his portion of the company when he was elected to Congress.

Stewart is also the author of 17 best-selling books.

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Gathering Israel: Utah congressmen say democratic ideals in harmony with latter-day work - Daily Herald

Democracy is government of the people, by the people and for the people, said Abraham Lincoln. That remains the simplest and most comprehensive definition of democracy. At the centre of the government are the people. Representative democracy is only a matter of convenience when the numbers are large.

India is a federal state. Delhi is the National Capital of India. It is acknowledged that the government of Delhi has to be different from the governments of states; yet, if that government must be a democratic government, it must put the people at the centre of the government.

The Supreme Court, as the final interpreter and arbiter of the Constitution, said in State (NCT of Dehi) v Union of India: (2018) 8 SCC 501: The exercise of constituent power is meant to confer democratic, societal and political powers on the citizens who reside within the National Capital Territory of Delhi that has been granted a special status. The Court quoted with approval Jaganmohan Reddy J who had said in Kesavananda Bharati that democratic form of government is part of the basic structure of the Constitution.

Constituent Power

The powers and functions of the Delhi government were finally settled by the exercise of the constituent power of Parliament. The Constitution of India was amended in 1991 and Article 239AA was inserted to provide Special provisions with respect to Delhi. The Statement of Objects and Reasons made it clear that Delhi should continue to be a Union Territory and provided with a Legislative Assembly and a Council of Ministers responsible to such Assembly with appropriate powers to deal with matters of concern to the common man.

Article 239AA used words and phrases that had acquired a meaning in every democratic country. Among them were direct election from territorial constituencies, the Legislative Assembly shall have the power to make laws with respect to any of the matters enumerated in the State List or in the Concurrent List and, most importantly, There shall be a Council of Ministers with the Chief Minister at the head to aid and advise the Lieutenant Governor in the exercise of his functions. The Government of the National Territory Act, 1991, was made under Article 239AA to give effect to the provisions contained in that Article.

The Dog and the Tail

In the last 20 years, there were instances when the tail (LG) tried to wag the dog (the council of ministers), but such attempts were put down with a firm hand. Attitudes changed after 2014. The BJP government in Delhi could not tolerate a non-BJP government in Delhi. In particular, the Prime Minister could not tolerate a Chief Minister sharing the political space in Delhi. Hence, a determined effort was made to resurrect the long-buried controversy of who exactly has the real power in the Delhi government.

The attempt was thwarted by the Supreme Court, in State (NCT of Delhi) v Union of India. On July 4, 2018, the Supreme Court declared that the meaning of aid and advise employed in Article 239AA(4) has to be construed to mean that the Lieutenant Governor of the NCT of Delhi is bound by the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers.

Mr Modi is a man of considerable ego (as I suspect all prime ministers are) and does not give up his pursuit of wrong goals. He bided his time and chose to strike when the country was focused on crucial elections in four states and one Union Territory. He could not touch Article 239AA because the NDA does not have a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament; so, he chose the lesser option of amending the Government of the National Capital Territory Act, 1991. Mocking the Supreme Court, the Statement of Objects and Reasons said that the amendment Bill was brought forward in order to give effect to the interpretation made by the Honble Supreme Court! In truth, the Bill is a clumsy attempt to overrule the judgement of the Supreme Court.

Patently Unconstitutional

The Bill amends the law by stipulating that the expression Government shall mean the Lieutenant Governor. Thus, by definition, the tail is the dog and the dog is the tail! The Bill also provides that before taking any executive action to exercise powers of Government the opinion of the Lieutenant Governor shall be obtained on all such matters as may be specified. By legislative legerdemain, the Modi government has installed its Viceroy in Delhi!

Mr Arvind Kejriwal and his ministers have been reduced to footmen to fetch and carry for the Viceroy.

Mr Kejriwal should have known that this day was coming when, in another constitutional coup, Jammu & Kashmir was dismembered and reduced to two Union Territories. Yet, Mr Kejriwal supported that assault on democracy in the name of nationalism. Today, it is his day of reckoning and humiliation. Nevertheless, my sympathies are with him if he chooses to fight the Modi government.

Democracy in India is diminished every day. The world has taken note of the fact that India is only partly free. The goal of the BJP is to establish one-party rule, an over-sized and rubber-stamping Parliament, a compliant judiciary, an officially sponsored media, obedient corporates, and a subservient people who will be happy with material progress. That India will be no different from China. It is deja vu 1935, the Government of India Act, 1935, and Go Back Simon.

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Go back, Viceroy of Delhi - The Indian Express

Democracy 4 lets you take the role of President / Prime minister, govern the country (choosing its policies, laws and other actions), and both transform the country as you see fit, while trying to retain enough popularity to get re-elected...

Built on a custom-built neural network designed to model the opinions, beliefs, thoughts and biases of thousands of virtual citizens, Democracy 4 is the state-of-the-art in political simulation games. A whole new vector-graphics engine gives the game a more adaptable, cleaner user interface, and the fourth in the series builds on the past while adding a host of new features such as media reports, coalition governments, emergency powers, three-party systems and a more sophisticated simulation that handles inflation, corruption and modern policy ideas such as quantitative easing, helicopter money, universal basic income and policies to cover current political topics such as police body cameras, transgender rights and tons more.

Democracy 4 is the ultimate sandbox for testing out your political ideas. We all think our politicians are useless and that we could do a better job ourselves, but is that really true? With one eye on the budget, one-eye on the polls, and somehow finding time to watch out for terrorist attacks at the same time, you will find that staying in power while changing society for the better is a tougher job than you ever imagined.

Would it really be a good idea to legalize all drugs? to give the police machineguns? to ban abortion? to invest heavily in green energy? would UBI really work? can you stay elected after cutting pensions in half to pay for your science budget? There is only one game that lets you find out!

The intention in designing this game is to have no implied bias whatsoever (tricky, but we try!) so this is NOT a game that is going to lecture you about politics, or tell you that your beliefs are wrong. This is a strategy game, not a political protest :D. If you want to turn your country into ayn rand's fantasy, abolish all public spending and all taxes, you can do that. it might work, it might not! depending on how you handle it. On the other hand if you want to nationalise the railways, the energy companies, the water companies, cap CEO pay, ban second-home ownership and put universal income in place, you can do that too. All the game tries to do is model the *likely* effects, short and long term of any action you take.

Because modders have so enthusiastically supported earlier games in the series, we are doing our bet to make Democracy 4 as mod-friendly as possible too, and steam workshop support will make choosing and installing mods easy. Ultimately all our data is in text files that you can edit yourself, so if you think our analysis of the link between car tax and car usage is wrong (for example), its trivial to edit it, and share your changes with other players.

Ultimately Democracy 4 is not a game about simply winning an election, but about running the country. Losing an election is just the end-game (unless you get assassinated), the real challenge to the game is whether or not you can create a country you are honestly proud of. I hope you enjoy trying 😀

Read more:
Democracy 4 on Steam

As trust in American institutions declines, citizens must consider new ways to effect change, three academics said in a panel discussion on Democracy of All Thursday night.

The conversation was one of a series of Zoom events presented by University of San Diegos Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies. Moderated by San Diego Union-Tribune Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Jeff Light, the panel considered how to solve the big problems facing democracy.

If you polled the American populace in the mid-1960s, three out of four of Americans will say they trust the government, said Ethan Zuckerman, an associate professor of public policy communication and information at University of Massachusetts Amherst. If you poll Americans now, fewer than one in five will tell you they trust the government.

That mistrust, which took root starting in the 1970s, extends to other major institutions, such as universities, newspapers, churches and corporations, with the exception of the military, he said. Students who are anxious about the future and eager to improve their world are losing hope about their ability to do so through established channels, such as voting and organizing, he said.

At a moment while it feels like all our institutions are failing us, going to students and saying, Its fine, organize for a candidate and vote, even go out in the streets and protest, and maybe youll persuade your political leaders to behave somewhat differently, those promises ring somewhat hollow, he said.

Graduate student and activist Nikayla Jefferson described her dismay at seeing Californias environment eroding amid climate change.

Ive lived in California my whole life, and over the past 24 years, how this state has transformed for the worst, said Jefferson, a writer with the Sunrise Movement. The wildfire and the droughts and the sea level rise. Im a backpacker, and high Sierras feel like a second home to me, and every time I leave I wonder will I be able to come back. The climate crisis is deeply, deeply personal to me.

That crisis is intertwined with threats to civil rights, Jefferson said. She described a drive home from a backpacking trip amid wildfires and observing orange skies, ash falling like rain on my windshield, but also being absolutely terrified of being pulled over by the Highway Patrol, because Im brown, and I have curly hair.

She said she became committed to organizing after concluding that by the time she finished a Ph.D. in environmental policy years from now, there would be little left of the environment to save.

The perception of failing institutions amid a tumultuous period should be placed in perspective, however, said Patricia Mrquez, dean of the Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies at the USD. Unlike her native Venezuela, which she described as a true failed state, many parts of American democracy and government still function as expected.

There are still a lot of things that work, and its important we dont lose faith, and leverage those things to create trust, Mrquez said. It felt like the election last year was a very scary moment. And Jan. 6, that was a wakeup call that something needs to change, and its still very fragile. I know theres voter suppression, but theres still a lot that works.

Zuckerman said he sees an upside to the cynicism; as Americans have become discouraged by the potential for change through legislative means, they have harnessed economic and technical forces to shift social norms and business practices. He cited the MeToo# movement as a groundswell that shone a spotlight on sexual harassment, forcing workplaces that were complacent about the problem to do better.

Trying to make change through technology and markets can be immensely powerful, he said.

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Democracy in the age of distrust - The San Diego Union-Tribune

The US has fallen to a new low in a global ranking of political rights and civil liberties, a drop fueled by unequal treatment of minority groups, damaging influence of money in politics, and increased polarization, according to a new report by Freedom House, a democracy watchdog group.

The US earned 83 out of 100 possible points this year in Freedom Houses annual rankings of freedoms around the world, an 11-point drop from its ranking of 94 a decade ago. The USs new ranking places it on par with countries like Panama, Romania and Croatia and behind countries such as Argentina and Mongolia. It lagged far behind countries like the United Kingdom (93), Chile (93), Costa Rica (91) and Slovakia (90).

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Dropping 11 points is unusual, especially for an established democracy, because they tend to be more stable in our scores, Sarah Repucci, Freedom Houses vice-president for research and analysis, told the Guardian. Its significant for Americans and its significant for the world, because the United States is such a prominent, visible democracy, one that is looked to for so many reasons.

While Freedom House has long included the US in its global ranking of freedoms, it traditionally has not turned an eye inward and focused on US democracy. But this year, Repucci authored an extensive report doing just that, a move motivated by increasing concern over attacks on freedoms in the US.

The report details the inequities that minority groups, especially Black people and Native Americans face when it comes to the criminal justice system and voting. It also illustrates that public trust in government has been damaged by the way rich Americans can use their money to exert outsize influence on American politics.

And it points out that extreme partisan gerrymandering the manipulation of electoral district lines to boost one party over the other has contributed to dramatic polarization in the US, threatening its democratic foundations. Gerrymandering, the report says, has the most corrosive and radicalizing effect on US politics.

Were really concerned about these longer-term challenges that arent going to be addressed with quick fixes, that were kind of highlighted during the Trump administration and, in some cases, taken advantage of, by that administration. Repucci said. A change of president is not gonna make them go away.

The report offers three recommendations for improving American democracy: removing barriers to voting, limiting the influence of money in politics, and establishing independent redistricting commissions. Democrats in Washington are pushing all three of those reforms as part of a sweeping voting package currently under consideration in the US Senate.

Americans should see it as a wake-up call, Repucci said. American democracy is still strong and we still have a lot going for us especially in the strength of our institutions and in the mobilization that is possible among the population. I do think that these problems can be solved and people should take heart in that.

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US sinks to new low in rankings of world's democracies - The Guardian