Emily W. Jensen: Bloggernacle Back Bench: Introducing the Mormons

“Look, Mommy!” said Neylan McBaine’s 7-year-old daughter, pointing to the top of the New York taxi at the Mormon.org advertisement. “Your work!”

Maybe you’ve heard about how the Mormons are arriving in New York City in a Mormon.org advertising blitz in wake of the interest in the new “Book of Mormon” musical. Neylan McBaine, creative director at Bonneville International, works on the profiles featured and is in New York City this month. In the post "I'm A Mormon and I'm Here," she describes the almost surreal experience of seeing so many references to the religion she embraces in the city she calls home:

“I’ve seen dozens of the 'I’m A Mormon' taxi toppers since I arrived in New York a week ago, and my heart leaps every time. To describe my reaction, I find strangely that Dr. Seuss the parablist comes to mind. My leaping heart feels like the joyful clatter of Dr. Seuss’ Whos from 'Horton Hears A Who' when Horton finally figures out how to get the other animals to hear them on their seemingly invisible, insignificant speck. Desperate not just to save their homes but simply to define that their existence is as every bit as real and vital as the animals who loom over them, the Whos unite in a chorus of 'We are here! We are here!' They are not content to let others decide that their speck is too little to have a voice. My own voice might be small, but I’m telling my hometown once again that I’m a Mormon, and I am here.”

Beautiful.

Others are taking notice of Mormon.org. Both the Belief Blog at CNN, who writes “As ‘Book of Mormon’ takes New York, city gets Mormon church ad campaign,” and The Boston Globe, who writes about the “Mormons’ image campaign.”

CNN quotes Elder Richard G. Hinckley, executive director of the Missionary Department: "Our church is known for our efforts to share our message. ... This is one way to get to know us — through the lives of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.” They also include a video depicting the video billboard at Times Square.

The Globe quotes Stephen B. Allen, managing director of the missionary program: “I’ll never forget this one woman, (about when participants were asked how they would feel about doing community service with Mormons) she said, … 'If you are serving alongside them, you can ask them the questions you always wanted to ask.'”

Wow, even more positive coverage about Mormons. I wonder who will notice the Mormons next?

And speaking of the Book of Mormon musical, I just have to feature these two made-you-look links. First, Seth Adam Smith makes a video of the “The Book of Mormon Musical By Mormons” that tells quite a different story then the Broadway play.

And then check out this LDS Church News article, with a title that proclaims “Book of Mormon musical results in five baptisms.” As a hint, look at the dateline.

Now let’s check out other popular posts from this last week in the Bloggernacle: