Cheryl Norman-Behrmann traveled the world with her first husband, the deceased archaeologist V. Garth Norman. She was the primary editor for his 10 research publications. Her particular area of interest is the Izapa, Mexico calendar which she discovered and helped Garth organize the Izapa calendar system that was started by the Olmecs (1500 BC) as the sacred 260-Day Calendar by which humans would mate in the Fall (like all animals do), so their babies would be born in the Spring when rains produce plentiful food for Mothers and their newborns to survive. That sacred calendar is still used today by natives throughout Mesoamerica.
Cheryl has an MM in Piano Performance from BYU & has performed worldwide, including venues where her husband lectured about his Mesoamerican research. She has taught piano at BYU & UVU and now teaches in her home studio where she lives with her second husband, Larry Behrmann. Cheryl was the President of the Utah Music Teachers Assn. 2004-2006, and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Music Teachers National Assn. 2007-2014 with meetings in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Cheryl converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1962 when her boss at the University of California at Berkeley had Missionaries come to her home on Monday, April 14, 1962. She read the Book of Mormon in 5 days and was baptized the following Saturday-April 19, 1962. She has held numerous leadership positions including Ward & Stake Primary President, as well as Ward & Stake Relief Society President.
Cheryl Norman-Behrmann on the Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon changed Cheryl’s life when she read it in 1962. The most profound passages to her then were King Benjamin’s lecture to his people in Mosiah 2-5, especially Mosiah 5:7 “And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name. . .” Another profound passage is in Alma 36 in which an angel appeared unto Alma the Younger who after 3 days of torment, “cried . . .O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me . . . .when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more. . .And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold”. Alma became a righteous leader of his people. The third most profound section was when the Savior, Jesus Christ appeared to the Nephites in the New World in 3 Nephi 11-28, and taught the people & organized the Church among them.