VOL. 1 NO. 2 SPRING 1976 Three Mormon Women Guatemala Project - Escape from Saigon Mormon Shakespears Pioneer Architects poetry Fiction A QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF MORMON FXPERIENCE, SCHOLARSHIP, ISSUES, AND ART P 0. BOX 5% FROVO. UTAH 8.1601 Executive Committee Scott Kenney, President Peggy Fletcher, Vice-President Elizabeth Shaw, Secretary Kris Cassity, Managing Editor Gaig Call, Business Manager Joseph Davidson, ex officio Issue Editor Peggy Fletcher Board of Directors Stanley Abshel Susan Hobson David Azzolina Scott Kenney Sandy Ballif Nancy Law Ashby D. Boyle Anita Madsen Benita Brown Norman Mecham Craig Call Roger Purdy Orson Scott Card Allen Roberts Kris Cassity Elizabeth Shaw Gaig Fineshriber Tod Sloan David Frost Brad Stone Peggy Fletcher Karen Williams Staff Ann Chidester Eric M. Segur Sioux Slagle Phil Story John Tamer sunslone IS puDllSheCi quarterly ay I ne sunstone Foundation, a non-pro& corporation with no offiaal connection with The Church of JesusChnst of Latter-day Sa~nts.Artides published represent theattitudes of the authors only, and not necessarily those of the editors. Manuxripb for publication must be typewritten and submitted in duplicate. Materials cannot be returned unless accompanied by return postage. Subpmption rates are$ll per year; $8 for students, missionaries, and retired persons. Add $2.50 for foreign mailing. Single issues $3. Application to mail at second-class postage rates is pendingat Provo, Utah. Sunstone, P.O.Box 5%. Provo, Utah 84601. @ 1976 by The Sunstone Foundation. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States ofAmerica. Graph~cDesign by David E. Canaan Destgn Cover IUustration by Edward Holmes SUNSTONE 3 Contents Letters Po* Is prophecy a gift? - Orson Smtt Card In a crowded Sunday School class - Orson Scott Card Double Helix -Roy K. Bird Contemporary Experience Destination: Freedom, A Diary of the Saigon Airlift April 1975 - Thu Ahn Doan The Genealogist as Scourge - Clifton Holt Jolley Fiction Morning -Karen Rosenbaurn Mormon Women Three Mormon Women in the Cultural Arts -Jill C. Mulmj Fiction The Crazy House - Roger Ekins Social Commitment Alone in a Valley Cordell Andersen's Private Peace Corps - Elizabeth Shaw poetry Book of Visions - Stanley Absher Literature Mormon Shakespears: A study of Contemporary Mormon Theatre -Frederick Bliss and P. Q. Gump Art Utah's Unknown Pioneer Architects: Their Lives and Works - Allen Roberts Review Helen Andelin's Fascinating Womanhood - reviewed by Reva L. Keek William E. Phipps Was Jesus Married? - Ogden KrautrsJesus Was hrried - reviewed by Keith Norman Forum The Best-Kept Secret - Jizlina Fielding 4 SUNSTONE Letters I just finished reading the first issue of the magazine is that it is a quarterly and Sunstone magazine and I have to say that I not a monthly - see if you can't expand am very pleased with its first fruits. I sent the magazine. my subscription early in the summer and I May all of us defeat doubt and pride of didn't know what to expect. For a time I mind. wondered if Sunstone would get off the drawing boardbut the wait made the taste Peter M. Bowman sweeter. Reading, Pennsylvania I enjoyed the entire issue and the stories of two men who wrestled with doubt and Thank you so much for the copy of won. I myself had been an intellectual Sunstone. I am sorry to say that I wasn't convert to the Church for much of my even aware that such a magazine was in Church life. I've been a member since existence and how grateful I am that you January 28,1973, but my spiritual have called it to my attention. I wish to conversion didn't begin until January 1, congratulate you and the rest who are 1975. Now I have the spiritual testimony responsible for what is a beautiful, which is the greater testimony. beautiful, long overdue magazine. Of Conversion and testimony are never course, I am particularly thankful for the complete in mortality. fact thatFires oftheMind by Robert Elliott This issue has shown me so clearly that has finally been published. It is perhaps love is the key to bridging the gap between our finest Mormon play, ceaainly a play intellect and faith. Real and noble love for that asks many questions and that, in and others and of others humbles the intellect of itself, is important today. I was sufficiently for the Holy Spirit to touch the particularly pleased also with John mind and spirit of the doubter. I can Kessler's personal experience "Facing truthfully and accurately say that my Spiritual Reality." spiritual conversion was a labor of love; by Best of Luck the Godhead, my friends, and my family. The first issue of Sunstone is a success. A Charles Whitman standard of excellence is set and hopefully Provo, Utah it will be equalled and surpassed in the future. It's too bad that such a few people Really have to say you folks have done a of the Church will gain the depth and beautiful job with your journal. Everyone richness of this facet of life and gospel. that I have shown it to is very impressed Hopefully more people will get the with the layout and content. Keep up your opportunity to read this fine magazine. I excellent work. Now that I have seen would urge the subscribers to share their exactly what it is, I can at least guess at the copies with friends, family, and all the need it is designed to fill, and believe me water spiders skimming across the surface there is a need. The need I have in mind is of life and the gospel. My only criticism of that of insuring some of the intellectuals SUNSTONE 5 and young turks of Morrnondom that they The first issue of Sunstone showed are needed in the Church. excellence in a brilliant form. I thrilled at Endosed is a gift order for my reading Robert Elliott's play, "Fiies of the Mind." I was chalenged by his attention to father-in-law, Dr. Smith; he is one of those subtle details and the exquisite ending. disenfranchised intellectuals, of sorts. He Thanks for presenting it. was impressed by the story of the young Salt Lake lawyer when he read it at our I was stimulatedby the articles of Norman home Thanksgiving Day. Thus, we and Kesler. The elasticity of the articles decided to rush him off his own allows the individual to deepen his subsaiption. More articles of awareness of self. May the same detail and accomplished individuals who have careful planning go into succeeding issues become humble and found their way back of Sunstone. into the fold would certainly provide a buttrrssment to our efforts. Madeline Free Once again let me say that I think there is Salt Lake City great great value in what you're attempting to do. Please keep up your fine Editor: efforts. God Bless You. The first issue of Sunstone arrived a few Peace: days ago and I wanted to thank you for it Gregory A. Daneke and convey to you my impressions. To Visiting Assistant Professor begin with it is very handsome; the design Stillwater, Oklahoma and thelayout are first rate. You can takea good deal of pride in its appearance. Mr. Kenney asked that Sunstone 'bear the My main critiasm of the ktissue, if I can witness worthy of a living faith that is both be honest with you, is that it's difficult to intellectually vigorous and spiritually know where you stand. There is no discerning." With the printing of "Facing declaration of purpose that seems dear cut Spiritual Reality'' by John T. Kesler this nor is there any focus or indication as to the wish is, in my mind, fulfilled. Mr. Kesler's direction the journal will go. As a teacher storv of conversion is one of real I've always believed that it was important inspiration, not sterile intellectualism or to nail my thesis to the door the first day of modeled sentimentality. Wanting to class to let students know what they could avoid, as he says, "self-deluding leaps of expect of me and what not to expect, to tell faith," he does make the final leap, them what I believed in and where I stood, well-timed and perfectly executed, across just to clarify things and to make a much smaller &asm than originally communication easier. In spite of your thought. Though one hesitates to editorial, I don't find that declaration or comment on something as intensely focus in the first issue. personal as one man's conversion, I do I know the problem you have in wish to extend my gratitude to Mr. Kesler publishing a journal among a people who for sharing his experience. suspect your motives and intent before In his latest book, Chairn Potok observes you begin and I would not by any means that "all beginnings are hard." Certainly encourage you to be rash or radical, but I the real truth of this seemingly simple do think that you have to address yourself statement is apparent to thestaff of this to issues and concerns that are of vital journal. In my opinion, the challenge of moment to young people in the Church if this begnning has been met and I look Sunstone is to succeed. When giving some forward to the next issues of Sunstone. advice to a novice editor and publisher over a hundred years ago, William Gilmore Simrns, one of the South's most Gaig L. Fineshriber important writers, said this, "Remember Salt Lake City, Utah what Spenser writes over all the doors but 6 SUNSTONE one -'be bold, be bold, be bold!' Over orienkd toward a Wengmgand inspiring only one door he writes - 'be not too generation ofstudents and young adults.