Blog Tour: Mormon Origami by Todd Huisken

Mormon Origami, by Todd Huisken
2013, 82p, LDS Non-Fiction
My Rating=5 stars
Source: Provided copy by publisher for an honest review


There are more things to make from Sunday meeting programs than airplanes and fortune tellers; now your kids can fold CTR shields, pioneer handcarts, or the Salt Lake Temple!

Mormon Origami provides 25 simple to intermediate origami designs from the Book of Mormon and Church history. These designs can be used by teachers and parents as lesson handouts or activities to help children be reverent. This unique skill will entertain and help illustrate principles as you include these gospel-oriented designs in your lessons, activities, and everyday fun!

I am fully aware that my paper airplanes have a lot to be desired so when I saw this book up for review, I jumped at the chance to learn how to make something that actually looks cool!

The author starts by showing different diagrams on how to do the folds, which is helpful as you actually start to make the designs. (Full disclosure: I don't do well looking at written diagrams, so I looked up some of the more difficult folds on YouTube to see an actual demonstration and use the pictures to refresh my memory.)

There are three different sections: Book of Mormon Designs, Church History Designs and Latter-day Temple Designs. He shows the skill level for each design (1, 2 or 3) and shares a little trivia. I'm currently sticking to the skill level 1 designs but plan to work my way up to level 3, which have the coolest looking designs, like the Nephite Temple, Pioneer Handcart, Ox, Statue of Moroni and Salt Lake Temple.

I made some of the level 1 designs with my children and we had lots of fun. This is a great activity to keep kids entertained and might make you the coolest Primary teacher ever (just saying). It's definitely a great resource to have on hand!

Todd Huisken is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the Counseling Manager at LDS Family Services in Fountain Valley, CA. He attended Brigham Young University and The University of San Diego and has a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. Todd has served as the Assistant Director of Disaster Mental Health Services for the Orange County Chapter of the American Red Cross. He has worked with victims from the San Diego Fires, Hurricanes Ivan and Katrina, and he spent two weeks in Haiti after the devastating earthquake in 2010. He was an early morning seminary teacher for six years. He is the author of The Dating Directory and the founder of Process and Content, a graduate program newsletter at the University of San Diego. The most important thing about Todd is that he has been married to his beautiful wife for 21 years and they have three daughters and a son and they try to make Disneyland their second home.