Celebrities with Connections to LDS Church

Last week I came across an article on the Huffington Post about stars with ties to Latter-Day Saints (active and less active members); there is actually quite a bunch of popular celebrities on the list; Mitt Romney isn't the only LDS member on the TV (obviously).

Jef Holm, "The Bachelorette" star Emily Maynard's suitor-turned-fiance, was raised Mormon. His parents are the mission presidents in South Carolina. Although, he is just not an active LDS member, Holm is said to have quoted the Book of Mormon - "bridling of passions" (Alma 38:12) - on the show.

    

The other celebrities that have counted Mormonism as a part of their life at one point or another include Ryan Gosling (from Crazy, Stupid, Love & Notebook), Aaron Eckhart (Battle: Los Angeles & The Dark Knight), Chelsea Handler (Chelsea Lately), Katherine Heigl (Grey's Anatomy), David Archuleta, John Heder (Napoleon Dynamite, Blades of Glory, Benchwarmers), the Osmond (Donny Osmond) and Hough siblings (country music singer, Julianne Hough), Amy Adams (Enchanted & The Muppets) and Gladys Knight.

With missionary work coming in different shapes and forms, David Archuleta described the experience on American Idol "in a way an [Mormon] mission". Continuing his missionary service, Archuleta went on a 2-year haitus (in early April 2012) to be a missionary in Chile.

John Heder served in the LDS mission in Japan where he learned to speak Japanese and attended Brigham Young University (not sure which one). On navigating through his prosperous career, he mentions the importance of knowing who you are: "Absolutely it comes from how I was raised. It’s just kind of who I am," he said. "These are the standards I live by and whatever comes my way in the future, whether film-making or animation or whatever, I’m going to do my best to live by those standards." In an interview with Time Magazine he adds, "It's simply about knowing who you are and sticking to what you believe in. Sometimes there's language issues. I'm not interested in sexual content."

The famous singer-songwriter and actress Gladys Knight joined the church in 1997, in this same year she divorced motivational speaker Les Brown. Close friends with President Hinckley, she usually teased him that they needed some "pep" in the church hymns. She directed the Mormon-themed choir Saints Unified Voices who released a Grammy-award winning CD titled, One Voice, which is occasionally played at Firesides. Sidenote: They still exist to this day with 10 years of presenting music and the testimony of Jesus Christ to the world. The famous song "I Am A Child Of God" (written by Naomi Randall) is one of the many that are included this CD.  

Moral of the story: although some of these celebrities may have drifted away from the church or undergone different issues in their lives, its safe to say that the spirit and belief of the church has stuck with them. Amy Adams' parents, for example, divorced when she was 11 years old but she mentions that her religious upbringing "... instilled in me a value system I still hold true. The basic 'Do unto others...', that was what was hammered into me. And love."

Regardless of the fact that you may be less active or active, it is important to keep the spirit of the Church and Lord with you wherever you go. Refer to President Monson's experience, Dare to Stand Alone: "it is almost inevitable that our faith will be challenged... Dare to be a Mormon, Dare to Stand Alone, Dare to have a Purpose Firm, Dare to Make it Known". The importance of staying true to the belief and standards of the Church gives us the strength to push forward with knowledge and set examples. 

I am pretty sure there is more to this list, being that I've heard of a few others (not mentioned here) that I just can't seem to remember. But hey, if you know any other LDS member with a celebrity "title"... comment below; this could be really interesting.