SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is denying wrongdoing in an ongoing lawsuit in Idaho alleging sex abuse and a coverup between leaders of the faith and the Boy Scouts of America.

In a response filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Boise, attorneys for the Utah-based LDS Church issued common denials to the allegations.

“All perpetrators’ alleged conduct occurred outside the course and scope of their duties, if any, and so LDS Defendants cannot be held vicariously liable for their conduct,” church attorney Wade Woodard wrote in the legal answer to the complaint.

The lawsuit filed last month alleges the LDS Church and the Boy Scouts “actively concealed their knowledge that abusers had been joining Scouting for decades to gain access to and sexually abuse boys” back in the 1970s and ’80s. The plaintiffs are five men who claim they were molested in the scouting programs in Boise and Lewiston.

In another part of the LDS Church’s response to the lawsuit, Woodard said some information sought by the plaintiffs may also be protected by clergy-penitent privilege.

In a separate court filing last month, the Boy Scouts of America also denied the accusations in the lawsuit.

Read the LDS Church’s court filing here:

By Paul P. Murphy for CNN

Savannah, 12, made a decision this January; she was going to come out as lesbian at her Mormon Church. Nothing was going to stop her.

She’s a normal almost-teenage girl in Utah: She loves to draw and make art. When she grows up, she wants to be a Disney animator. Her favorite bands are Imagine Dragons and Fall Out Boy.

On June 22, 2016, one day after her birthday, Savannah came out to her parents as lesbian.

Mom had suspicions and knew that day might come.

“I looked at her and said, ‘OK, I love you. And I’ll support you no matter what you do,'” said Heather, her mother.

The family felt strongly that they didn’t have the right to prevent Savannah from telling her story publicly, including sharing it with CNN, but asked that their hometown and last names be withheld to give them a measure of privacy.

After coming out to her parents, Savannah began the process of coming out to her friends and extended family.

Six months later, she felt a calling.

“I had a feeling like I should come out to the church,” Savannah said shyly. “I came out to all of my family and I just wanted to do something more.”

Both her parents were taken aback by their daughter’s desire to come out in front of her church.

“I was mostly nervous for her and where this would take her as a 12-year-old girl,” said Josh, her father.

Josh and Savannah are still members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the official name of the church.

Heather left the church a year and a half ago after official church policy documents were leaked online in 2015.

Those documents, confirmed by the church to CNN to be authentic, apostatize same-sex couples who marry and bar any of their children from blessings or baptism until they themselves reach legal age. They remain church policy.

Official church policy welcomes members of the Mormon faith that have same-sex attractions. They say it’s possible to be “Mormon and gay.”

Church teaching, however, mandates that members with same-sex attractions cannot act on those feelings. They must remain celibate and they cannot get married to members of the same sex.

“It resonated in my heart that it felt wrong,” said Heather, speaking about those policies. Her “inklings” about Savannah’s sexuality kept running through her mind.

The family gathered, walking Savannah through the good and the bad that could come from her speech. They walked through what the Mormon Church teaches about same-sex attraction.

“We let her make that decision, not us,” Josh said pointedly. “I had nothing to do with … coercing her or anything.”

Heather remembers Savannah’s rationale. “I want to be a voice for those that might be positive,” she recalls Savannah saying. “I want them to know that I’m an ally. That they’re safe with me. I want them to know that it’s OK to be Mormon and be gay.”

She also wanted to garner more respect for gays in her church, something she feels is lacking.

“We came to the conclusion it wasn’t our place; we couldn’t silence her,” said Heather. “It would be giving her a bigger message that she wasn’t allowed to speak or there was something wrong with her.”

So, Savannah went to work writing. Draft after draft, she began crafting her message.

She decided on giving testimony on Fast Sunday, which is traditionally when Mormons hold testimony meetings.

“It’s sort of what you believe in,” Savannah says of testimony. “It’s your spiritual talk.”

An emailed statement to CNN from the local bishop, Judd Law, said, “It is common for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to stand before a congregation of families and share feelings and beliefs — a testimony — during a worship service.”

As she prepared, her parents continued to think about what this could mean for Savannah.

“I was mostly nervous for her and where this would take her as a 12-year-old girl,” said Josh. “I’m mostly really nervous for her and how people would react.”

The day had arrived. Savannah put on a tie and battled her anxiety, making her way to the rostrum.

Friends of her’s began quietly recording videos as a “keepsake,” which they later gave to the family. The family then provided that unedited, raw video to CNN.

Edited versions of the video have since been published on social media; Savannah first told her story on an LGBT Mormon podcast, “I Like to Look for Rainbows.”

She began speaking. “Hi, my name is Savannah and I want to share my testimony with you.”

Her voice didn’t betray her nerves. Savannah read slowly, focused on getting her testimony out. She was scared to see people’s faces and their reaction to her testimony so she did not look up once to see their reactions.

Then Savannah said it; she came out as gay in front of her congregation.

“God loves me just this way, because he loves all his creations,” she said in the speech. “I do believe he made me this way on purpose.”

She didn’t stop with theology. Savannah wanted her congregation to know about her hopes and dreams, too.

For Savannah, even at 12, it’s simple. She wants to love herself and not feel shame for being who she is.

“I hope to find a partner and have a great job. I hope to get married and have a family,” she said. “I know these dreams and wishes are good and right. I know I can have all of these things as a lesbian and be happy.”

Shortly after that, the mic suddenly cut out. It’s unclear what exactly happened, but one of the church leaders leaned over and began speaking to Savannah.

“I thought it was broken at first. So, I turned around to talk to him,” she said. “And then he told me to sit down.”

Despite repeated requests to church headquarters and Law, the bishop, they did not explain why Savannah’s mic ceased to work.

On a Mormon Church website titled “Mormon and Gay,” it offers the following advice on Mormons who want to come out: “If you decide to share your experiences of feeling same-sex attraction or to openly identify as gay, you should be supported and treated with kindness and respect, both at home and in church.”

In the video, Savannah returns to her seat as murmured chatter continues around her.

“I was telling her that she was perfect and beautiful,” says Heather.

A church leader stood up and made a small speech as Savannah was sitting down, in part saying, “I also want to recognize that we are all children of God. And that we are loved by our heavenly Father. And I have no doubt that heavenly Father has made us all unique in different ways. For that, I am grateful.”

In the emailed statement to CNN, Law took issue with the recorded video, saying it was unauthorized.

Additionally, he said that a “group of visitors jubilantly left the service. … Everyone is welcome and understands the standards of decorum and behavior if they decide to participate. It is unfortunate that this group of adults chose to violate them.”

Law said the video was being exploited for “political purposes.”

But Savannah’s parents don’t see it that way. They say they didn’t witness anyone being disruptive. They also say there was no “group” present.

“Savannah invited a few close friends as allies,” Heather tells CNN, responding to the statement from the local bishop. “There was no group.”

The family did leave shortly after. Heather says Savannah was distraught and crying.

Savannah says she was feeling a mixture of emotions. She was confused because she didn’t know what was going on, she was happy because she finally came out at church and “felt accepted.”

But she was sad because she couldn’t finish her speech.

Her parents, though, are proud. Josh responds, “absolutely,” when asked.

“She has more courage than I’ve ever seen in anybody,” Heather says. “To be able to share something so personal with everybody. That made my heart soar as a parent.”

“This incident has created some tender emotions, first and foremost for a brave young girl,” said Law in his emailed statement to CNN. “As a congregation, we continue to reach out, and do all that we can to make sure she knows that we love her and her family.”

Disclaimer: According to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Taking photographs or making video recordings in chapels is not permitted. Meetings and other events that are held in the chapel may not be broadcast over the Internet or by any other means (see 18.3.1 for an exception).”

Link: LDS Church to close 3 temples for renovation

The LDS Church, which weighs in on moral and social issues, has spoken out against recreational cannabis ballot initiatives in the past. Asked by FOX 13 about the medical marijuana ballot initiative filed in Utah, a church spokesman responded with a statement:

"Lawmakers across the country have wrestled with whether to legalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. This discussion raises legitimate questions regarding the benefits and risks of legalizing a drug that has not gone through the well-established and rigorous process to prove its effectiveness and safety.

During the 2017 legislative session, a bill was passed that appropriately authorized further research of the potential benefits and risks of using marijuana. The difficulties of attempting to legalize a drug at the state level that is illegal under Federal law cannot be overstated.

Accordingly, we believe that society is best served by requiring marijuana to go through further research and the FDA approval process that all other drugs must go through before they are prescribed to patients."

The Utah Patients Coalition, which is running the campaign for the medical marijuana ballot initiative, told FOX 13 it would not comment on the LDS Church's statement. Instead, it would focus on persuading voters to approve the ballot initiative in 2018.

Internal polling released by the group claims 73% of Utah voters have said they would vote in favor of the ballot initiative. Presumably, that would include Mormon voters.

Supporters told FOX 13 they hoped the LDS Church would not be vocally opposed to the ballot initiative.

"I'm hoping they stay neutral on this issue because this is a harm-reduction tool," said Christine Stenquist, the head of Together for Responsible Use and Cannabis Education (TRUCE), which supports the ballot question.

"We're talking about saving lives. Utah truly does have an opioid crisis."

Supporters of the medical marijuana ballot question include a number of people with medical issues and patient advocates. They said they have pushed for it after years of inaction by the Utah State Legislature.

The Utah Patients Coalition filed the paperwork on Monday to begin the process to get it before voters on the 2018 ballot. They will next hold public meetings across the state and, if paperwork checks out with the Lt. Governor's Office, they can begin gathering nearly 115,000 signatures to put it on the ballot.

Former Sen. Mark Madsen, L-Saratoga Springs, said Monday patients who are LDS are put in a tough spot when it comes to medical cannabis. In some states it's legal, but in Utah it is not.

"If I stay here, I not only run the risk of being a criminal but my status with my church is dubious," he said. "Can I or can I not go to the temple? Those decisions, I think, are unfair to put a member of the church in."

Madsen said he remains hopeful that as the ballot initiative moves forward, the LDS Church stays out of it.

"I think I have about as much business running the church as they do running the state," he said.

ST. GEORGE, Utah — Police in St. George are investigating a spree of vandalism at chapels owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

St. George News reports two chapels were tagged with random symbols and messages Thursday afternoon.

Both LDS Chapels are next door to each other on West Valley View Drive in St. George. Another chapel in the Winchester Hills area was found to have been defaced with graffiti Thursday morning, and police believe the incidents may be related.

In all three instances, the graffiti included a five-pointed star, an anarchy symbol and other random messages.

St. George Police ask anyone with information about the vandalism to call police dispatch at 435-634-5730 or their anonymous tip line at 435-627-4300. Tips can also be made by contacting the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 435-656-6500.

Visit St. George News for local coverage of this story and more photos of the vandalism. 

Below is the latest update for parents, friends and family from the France Paris Mission Babin:

PARIS - Officials with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said all missionaries based in Paris are safe.

All missionaries in the France Paris Mission Babin were inside their apartments when the attacks began.

Zone leaders have been ordered to keep missionaries inside until further notice.

No missionaries will be allowed back out in Paris Saturday.

Officials said they will post more updates on Facebook as their situation develops.

MORE: Click here to get latest updates on attacks in Paris

Click here to contact the U.S. Embassy in Paris to check on friends and family. 

SALT LAKE CITY -- "The Book of Mormon" musical has returned, this time playing in the new Eccles Theater, located a block from Temple Square.

But patrons will have to chug their beer, because Utah liquor laws prohibit them from bringing it into the theater for this particular show. State law prohibits liquor licensees from serving alcohol and showing anything with nudity or depicting sexual acts.

In "The Book of Mormon," there's a risque scene where a prop male genitalia is shown and a sexual act is simulated. As a result, the Eccles Theater is not allowing patrons from bringing beer into the theater space itself.

A sign in the lobby of the Eccles Theater informs patrons they cannot take alcohol into the theater itself for "The Book of Mormon" musical. (Photo by Ben Winslow, FOX 13 News)

"Utah State Liquor Laws have clear regulations about alcohol consumption during events with mature themes. In compliance with the regulations, we are limiting alcohol consumption to the lobby and the Bistro," Cami Munk, communications manager for the Salt Lake County Center for the Arts, which runs the theater, said in an email to FOX 13.

"During the run of 'The Book of Mormon,' we encourage patrons to come and enjoy a pre-show dinner and drinks at the Encore Bistro.  The dinner menu includes Funeral Potatoes, a perennial Utah favorite."

Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control spokesman Terry Wood told FOX 13 on Friday that the change in where people can drink is to ensure compliance with state law.

"The Book of Mormon" is advertised outside the Eccles Theater in downtown Salt Lake City. (Photo by Ben Winslow, FOX 13 News)

"The Eccles Theater is currently in compliance with its licensing agreement in state law as far as serving alcohol during 'The Book of Mormon' play," he said.

Once the show finishes its run August 20, it can ask the DABC to expand its area for alcohol service back into the theater.

This isn't the first time the Eccles Theater has had to make changes to comply with state liquor laws. When the theater first opened, it had to install a "Zion Ceiling," a version of a "Zion Curtain" because the open-air lobby enabled patrons to look down from above and see drinks being poured in the bistro -- a violation of state law at the time.

Utah is currently being sued over it's law on nudity and sexual content and liquor service. The Salt Lake City movie theater Brewvies is facing revocation of its license for showing "Deadpool," which features nudity and sexual content. The theater is suing the DABC over the law on First Amendment grounds.

SALT LAKE CITY — He was a highly trusted member of the Quorum of the Seventy, a general authority of the LDS church.

On Tuesday, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the excommunication of elder James J. Hamula.

LDS general authorities are rarely excommunicated. The last time it happened was nearly 30 years ago when George Lee of the Quorum of the Seventy was excommunicated for apostasy.

In October of 2014, James Hamula spoke from the pulpit at the 2014 LDS General Conference, addressing the nearly 16 million members of the LDS church.

Hamula was sustained as a church authority in 2008, and was most recently serving as an executive director of the correlation department. In a statement released Tuesday, the LDS church confirmed the excommunication of Hamula following "disciplinary action."

“It's just a very sad and terrible experience,” said John Dehlin.

In 2015 John Dehlin - the host of the well-known podcast Mormon Stories - also went through a high profile excommunication.

“My heart is with Elder Hamula and his family because it's just so humiliating to not only have all the allegations but speculations spread across the world about what may or may not be the cause of the excommunication,” Dehlin said.

James Hamula (image courtesy The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)

Dehlin says his name was pulled from church records for apostasy.

“I was excommunicated because I was speaking openly on difficult issues like same-sex marriage and Joseph Smith's polygamy and women ordination in the church,” Dehlin said.

The church's website says "church leaders have a solemn responsibility to keep confidential all information they receive in confessions and interviews."

Tthey refused to give a reason for Hamula's excommunication, but confirmed it was not because of apostasy.

“The church is basically wanting to make sure that members don't think it's because he doubted the church or had questions about the church,” Dehlin said.

Dehlin argues that, because the church made that statement, it makes matters worse for Hamula.

“It just muddies the waters and contributes to the shame,” Dehlin said.

Hamula had addresses in Utah as well as Arizona. Fox 13 checked both states and did not find any criminal records – only a minor traffic violation.

If Hamula chooses to do so he can go through a process to get rebaptized and become a member of the LDS church again.

SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released a statement Sunday in response to the violence that has occurred in Charlottesville.

The LDS Church views the “violence, conflict and tragedy of recent days in Charlottesville” with great sadness and deep concern, according to the statement, which also includes a quote about racism from late LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley.

“No man who makes disparaging remarks concerning those of another race can consider himself a true disciple of Christ. Nor can he consider himself to be in harmony with the teachings of the Church of Christ.”

The LDS Church says their prayers are with all who are suffering because of the intolerance and hatred that has occurred, and they pray that people will treat one another with greater kindness and compassion.

The full text of the statement from the LDS Church is below:

It is with great sadness and deep concern that we view the violence, conflict and tragedy of recent days in Charlottesville, Virginia. People of any faith, or of no faith at all, should be troubled by the increase of intolerance in both words and actions that we see everywhere.

More than a decade ago, the late Church President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008) addressed the topic of racism when speaking to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He powerfully and clearly taught this principle: “No man who makes disparaging remarks concerning those of another race can consider himself a true disciple of Christ. Nor can he consider himself to be in harmony with the teachings of the Church of Christ.” For members of the Church, we reaffirm that teaching today and the Savior’s admonition to love our neighbor.

Our prayers are with those who are suffering because of this intolerance and hatred. We pray for peace and for understanding. Above all, we pray that we may treat one another with greater kindness, compassion and goodness.

SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a statement Wednesday applauding LOVELOUD, a music festival to be held in Orem later this month in support of LGBTQ youth.

“We applaud the LoveLoud Festival for LGBTQ Youth’s aim to bring people together to address teen safety and to express respect and love for all of God’s children. We join our voice with all who come together to foster a community of inclusion in which no one is mistreated because of who they are or what they believe,” the statement said. “We share common beliefs, among them the pricelessness of our youth and the value of families. We earnestly hope this festival and other related efforts can build respectful communication, better understanding, and civility as we all learn from each other.”

Imagine Dragons singer Dan Reynolds founded LOVELOUD “to engage a passionate and supportive audience in the fight against teen suicide and to bring communities together to start the conversation and celebrate,” according to a statement from Reynolds on the loveloudfest.com website.

LOVELOUD, scheduled for August 26 at Brent Brown Ballpark in Orem, will feature performances by Imagine Dragons, Neon Trees, Krewella, Nicholas Petricca, Joshua James and Aja Volkman.

Proceeds from the concert will go toward Reynolds’ LOVELOUD Foundation, “which lends support to various charities such as Encircle and Stand4Kind, as well as national charities, The Trevor Project and GLAAD,” according to the foundation’s website.

“Our goal is to create support and resources for those in crisis, specifically by providing insight into recognizing and helping those in need, resources to those wanting to learn more, and guidance on how to more effectively start a conversation with family and friends,” Reynolds stated.

Visit loveloudfest.com for more information.

OREM, Utah -- More than 17,000 music lovers assembled in Orem Saturday for a festival to support LGBTQ Youth.

The LOVELOUDFest raised money and awareness to help LGBTQ youth in Utah, and the festival earned the support of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

Many people came together to make the event happen, but it was the brainchild of Imagine Dragons' frontman Dan Reynolds, who says love is something that can save lives.

"We may have different beliefs, we may come from different backgrounds, different religions, different politics, different cultures, different ethnicities: None of those things matter. We all can agree our LGBTQ youth need us," Reynolds said.

Zeke Stokes of GLAAD said they were thrilled to take part.

"I have to say it's not often that a straight, Mormon rock star calls us up at GLAAD and says, 'Hey, I want to throw a concert in Utah," Stokes said.

In Utah, suicide is the leading cause of death for young people under the age of 25. Statistics indicate that LGBTQ youth are four times more likely to consider suicide than their peers.

"We all need to be banding together to provide support for young people, to ensure that they stay safe and that they can be loved no matter who they are or what God they believe in or don't believe in," said Amit Paley, CEO of the Trevor Project.

Reynolds said this concert is just the first and that they hope to grow the festival each year.

SALT LAKE CITY -- He served in the Utah legislature for 16 years and stepped down last year to become the global ambassador for the University of Utah.

But in his years on Utah’s Capitol Hill, State Senator Steve Urquhart found himself at odds with the way the church he belongs to deals with lawmakers.

Urquhart sat down for 3 Questions with Bob Evans:

1. You recently posted two posts on Facebook, talking about the LDS Church and its tactics in lobbying the Utah legislature. And you complain that they don’t ‘come in the front door’ like all the other lobbyists: What exactly do you mean by that?
2. When you say that the LDS Church is whispering in the ears of the leadership of the legislature, can you be specific? I mean, are they really pulling them aside and saying, ‘Hey, listen. This is what we really want to do.’ And have you seen that happen up there?
3. Section Four of the Utah Constitution declares in part that: “there shall be no union of Church or State, nor shall any church dominate the State or interfere with its functions.” Is that section of the Utah Constitution being adequately observed, and, if not: who is at fault?

See the video below for the extended interview with Steve Urquhart:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAgIOvHuqOQ

HOUSTON, Texas — President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other LDS leaders traveled to Houston Sunday to meet with members and oversee the faith’s relief efforts.

Uchtdorf, second counselor in the LDS Church’s First Presidency, traveled to Houston with Bishop Gerald Causse of the Presiding Bishopric and Elder J. Devn Cornish of the Quorum of the Seventy.

The LDS leaders met with members from four congregations who were affected by the flooding or who are assisting with clean-up efforts.

“The Church is really not so much the organization,” Uchtdorf said during his remarks. “The Church is you, every individual member. That makes the difference. And your work, your service, your love, your kindness is a reflection of what the Church is all about.”

After the meeting, Uchtdorf and the others visited a nearby command center where the faith’s relief efforts are being coordinated. The LDS Church states they’ve sent 16 truckloads of water and supplies to Houston and other communities in Texas.

The group also toured the damage caused at the Houston Texas Temple and visited neighborhoods hit hard by the flooding, where they spoke with volunteers assisting with the clean up.

The press release states that six LDS Church meetinghouses have been flooded while 20 others sustained minor damage. There are more than 56,000 members of the LDS Church spread among more than 200 congregations in the region. Of those, 2,800 members have been displaced and 800 members’ homes have been damaged.

The final stop on the trip for Uchtdorf and the others before returning to Salt Lake City was an American Red Cross warehouse in Houston.

SALT LAKE CITY — As Hurricane Irma hits Puerto Rico and moves toward other communities, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says they are taking steps to help members in the affected areas prepare.

In a statement issued Wednesday night, the LDS Church says they’ve instructed members and missionaries to seek shelter and prepare supplies.

The LDS Church also states that missionaries in affected areas have been or will be moved to other locations as necessary. Preparations are already underway for relief efforts.

The full statement as provided by the LDS Church is below:

“As this serious hurricane has approached the Caribbean and continues in its path west and north, we have taken important steps to prepare. Members and missionaries have been given instruction on seeking shelter, gathering food and water and preparing for the days ahead. As necessary, missionaries have been or will be moved to other locations. As it has for other disasters, the Church is monitoring this situation closely and preparing to respond with relief and recovery efforts as soon as possible. During this critical time, the people of these regions are in our thoughts and prayers.”

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said all missionaries in the area are safe after a Magnitude 8.1 earthquake hit Mexico overnight.

The LDS Church sent Fox 13 this statement:

“With the rest of the world, we are deeply concerned about the many natural disasters that have occurred around the globe in recent weeks. Last night’s earthquake in Mexico affected thousands of people, and we pray for their safety and wellbeing. Two missions of the Church were directly impacted (the Mexico Tuxtla Gutierrez and Mexico Oaxaca Missions) and the quake was felt throughout a much larger region. We have confirmed that all missionaries are safe and well. The condition of other Church facilities and the earthquake’s impact to other members are unknown at this time. We will provide additional information as it becomes available.”

SALT LAKE CITY -- Nearly all of the Utah State Senate has signed on in support of a Colorado shop who refused to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple in a case now pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, also signed on in support of Masterpiece Cake Shop in a series of amicus filings.

For 22 of the 24 members of the Utah State Senate's Republican majority caucus, they insist they are not anti-gay, and spent part of their filing defending their record on LGBTQ rights.

"Amici are Utah Republican State Senators who support compromise between LGBT protections and religious liberties. In 2015, against then prevailing political currents, supermajorities in Utah’s GOP controlled legislature added sexual orientation and gender identity to state antidiscrimination laws after stakeholders carefully balanced LGBT safeguards with religious liberties," the filing states. "This 'Utah Compromise' brought together LGBT organizations and faith groups with the mutual goal of achieving fairness for all in state employment and housing laws."

Scroll down to read the filing by the Utah Republican senators

The LDS Church pointed out its role in passing non-discrimination laws in the Utah State Legislature. However, the Mormon church (joined by the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, the National Association of Evangelicals, and the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, among others) asks the U.S. Supreme Court to take into account the First Amendment rights of deeply-religious people.

"Amici are religious organizations who accept that same-sex civil marriage is the law of the land. But some deeply religious Americans, including some of amici’s members, cannot in good conscience assist with same-sex weddings. Now that the Court has protected the liberty of same-sex couples, it is equally important to protect the religious liberty of these conscientious objectors," the filing begins.

Scroll down to read the LDS Church's court filing

With the LDS Church's support, the Utah State Legislature passed Senate Bill 296, a landmark law that prohibits discrimination housing and employment in the state. It also carved out exemptions for government employees who objected to performing a same-sex marriage and also has safeguards for transgender people using restrooms.

The bill came in 2015 after Utah lost efforts in the courts to defend its constitutional amendment prohibiting same-sex marriage, but before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality.

In Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, owner Jack Phillips refused to bake a wedding cake for David Mullins and Charlie Craig, citing his religious beliefs against same-sex marriage. Colorado has a law prohibiting discrimination in public accommodations, which includes things like race, gender, or sexual orientation. The state ruled against the cake shop under Colorado's public accommodations law, and the case is now pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Utah law currently has no public accommodations protections that cover sexual orientation, but it does cover race, gender and religion. Salt Lake City Councilman Stan Penfold told FOX 13 he was working on an ordinance covering sexual orientation in public accommodations.

That ordinance is still being drafted.

"There is not a bride who has reached the altar in Utah who hasn’t been helped by a fabulous gay along the way," joked Troy Williams, the executive director of the LGBTQ rights group Equality Utah.

Williams said he believed religious freedom should not allow someone to pick and choose who they discriminate against.

"If the LDS Church and the Utah legislature don’t want the courts to decide something like public accommodations, that’s awesome," he told FOX 13. "Let’s get together this January at the Utah legislature and let’s start working together to pass a law that protects everybody."

Senate Majority Whip Stuart Adams, R-Layton, who sponsored SB296, insisted the amicus was encouraging the U.S. Supreme Court to find balance like Utah did previously.

"In my opinion, the business simply says they would give service to everyone. But because of their deep-seeded religious beliefs they have a challenge trying to actually balance those two," he told FOX 13. "We need to find a way for the business to give that service but allow the individual to be able to step off and follow their conscience."

Read the amicus by the Utah State Senate Majority Caucus here:

Read the amicus by the LDS Church and other religious groups here:

SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has acquired the printer’s manuscript of the Book of Mormon, and the $35 million sale price was provided by donors.

The LDS Church announced Wednesday they had acquired the printer’s manuscript for the book, which they call “the keystone of their faith.”

“We hold the Book of Mormon to be a sacred text like the Bible,” stated Elder Steven E. Snow, Historian and Recorder for the LDS Church. “The printer’s manuscript is the earliest surviving copy of about 72 percent of the Book of Mormon text, as only about 28 percent of the earlier dictation copy survived decades of storage in a cornerstone in Nauvoo, Illinois.”

While the LDS Church’s release did not mention the sale price,  a statement from Community of Christ indicates the LDS Church purchased the manuscript from them for $35 million that “was provided by generous donors.”

The Community of Christ in Independence, Missouri has owned the manuscript since 1903. The Community of Christ was known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints until 2001.

Elder Snow also thanked the Community of Christ for the care they took while the manuscript was in their possession as well as the donors who “provided the means to acquire this treasure for the Church.”

The LDS Church is making plans to display the manuscript to the public at the Church History Library.

PROVO, Utah -- In a surprise announcement, Brigham Young University said it would begin selling caffeinated sodas on campus.

It is a cultural shift for a campus that has been "caffeine-free" since the 1950s.

"Until more recently, Dining Services rarely received requests for caffeinated soda. Consumer preferences have clearly changed and requests have become much more frequent," the university said in an FAQ announcing the change.

FOX 13 first reported on demands for BYU to allow caffeine on campus in 2012, when a movement sprung up after The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints clarified caffeine use for the faithful.

"Despite what was reported, the Church revelation spelling out health practices (Doctrine and Covenants 89) does not mention the use of caffeine. The Church’s health guidelines prohibits alcoholic drinks, smoking or chewing of tobacco, and “hot drinks” — taught by Church leaders to refer specifically to tea and coffee," the church wrote at the time.

That led to some on campus petitioning for caffeination. The university consistently resisted calls for a caffeinated campus, insisting its consumers did not want it.

In the FAQ, BYU said it was adjusting to meet consumer demand now.

"Yes, the Administrative Vice President has been supportive and has kept the President’s Council informed," the university said.

BYU said it made the decision based on consumer demand, not financial needs. The Mormon church-owned private university still will not sell highly caffeinated energy drinks, but will offer "freestyle" Coca-Cola machines allowing personalization of sodas.

BYU said some soda machines on campus have already been switched out with the fully-loaded beverages.

SALT LAKE CITY -- Wednesday afternoon nearly two dozen LDS Missionaries packed Terminal Two at the Salt Lake City International Airport. The missionaries were serving in Puerto Rico when devastation hit the island.

They, along with more than a hundred other missionaries, were forced to leave most of their belongings as they evacuated the island after Hurricane Irma tore through Puerto Rico. Most of them got out before hurricane Maria hit. Meanwhile, the missionaries' loved ones waited anxiously for updates.

“I was worried. You never know what could have happened. The hurricane was big and he was in the middle of absolutely everything. He's on his mission, God was totally protecting him,” said Vanesa Soto.

When Vanesa found out her twin brother, Elder Benjamin Soto, would be reassigned from Puerto Rico to Utah where she had recently moved, she met him at the airport for an emotional and unexpected reunion.

“I felt safe and I’m sure he did too to see me again after all he's been through, he got to see me again and excited for that," Vanesa Soto said. "He really needed that, he needed some love from family, he really did."

While Elder Soto has been a missionary for only eight months, she hasn't seen him for almost two years. He was living in Argentina with family when he was called to serve in Puerto Rico. She was anxious to know he was OK after the hurricanes tore through.

“They didn't have anything: no electricity, no water, they didn’t have anything; and now he's in a safe place and I’m glad he's here,” Vanesa Soto said.

But Vanesa says it was hard for Elder Soto to leave the people he was serving, people he had grown to love.

“The people in Puerto Rico are amazing," Vanesa Soto said. "The people are very humble, very nice, he's going to miss the people over there."

While it's not typical for missionaries to see family members, the mission president allowed for a quick hug.

Elder Soto and the other 22 missionaries will be serving from Provo to Logan, where they can use their Spanish skills. The Puerto Rico mission isn't closed but missionaries won't be going back until basic needs can be met.

SALT LAKE CITY — A member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Quorum of the Twelve has been hospitalized.

A statement from the church said Robert D. Hales has been hospitalized “for treatment of pulmonary and other conditions.”

Due to his hospitalization, Hales will be unable to attend this weekend’s General Conference sessions.