Romney loses a long-held lead in Iowa. He wins Wyoming. He loses a long-held lead in New Hampshire. Now he wins Michigan, apparently with 39 percent or so to McCain’s 30 percent or so.

This is going to be a long, long campaign. South Carolina and Nevada will be big. I’ll check in later with some reports from the crucial state of Florida, which Mitt still has a chance to win, and where I am marginally involved in the Romney campaign.

Meanwhile, please read one of the best articles I have yet seen addressing the “plastic” nature of Mitt’s public personality. I am becoming more and more convinced that Mitt’s biggest failing has been his inability to show people his true character, not his religion.

Update: This article in USA Today discusses this issue.

Last Sunday I learned about a project called “Reflections of Christ” that will be displayed at the Mesa Arizona Temple Visitor’s Center during the annual Easter Pageant.

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I don’t necessarily agree with this spin, but I thought it was worth sharing. Go to the bottom to get my take, if you’re interested.

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I’m happy to say that I live in an enlightened ward. Though some wards are stuck with bishoprics who misunderstand something and thus only let men say the opening prayer, my ward happily asks women, men, and teenagers of either sex to give the opening prayer. And closing prayer.

I was uncertain about speaking order, though. It seemed women always spoke first, and men always spoke last.

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The following is a guest post submitted by Dr. Warner Woodworth, Social Entrepreneur & Professor, Marriott School, BYU.

By Dr. Warner Woodworth

We are engulfed in a sea of money and conspicuous consumption. This was a shocking realization for me a few days ago when I ventured out to buy my wonderful wife, Kaye, a Christmas gift. We usually give our money and time to the needy during the holidays, which always makes for a spiritual season for our family. Many times, we spend the days doing humanitarian work around the globe.

But I decided to actually go to the University Mall in Orem and purchase a small gift this year, knowing it could be a pleasant surprise. To avoid the temptations of materialism and shopping frenzies, I took a vow each of the past few years to stay away from such places, dens of iniquity and greed that I often refer to in my campus courses as “Palaces of Babylon.”

But I thought after so many years I was now strong enough so that I could withstand the environment of materialism, and that a nice Christmas gift would show my love.

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