See the icons used for the links to the available media types for an article
Search the full Interpreter Foundation Bibliography
Advanced Search of the full Interpreter Foundation Bibliography
This form allows you to perform an advanced search. You only need to fill in one field below. This can be any field. If you select "not" as your match criteria, you must select at least one other field.
Citations with multiple authors are listed multiple times, once under each author’s name
Essays by Church leaders
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Discusses Lehi’s eight year journey in Saudi Arabia and the possibility that he preached to and converted a group of people who later named themselves the “Lihyanites”
“The Two Bibles” refers to the discovery of “sacred stones of Ohio,” upon which were inscribed Hebrew phrases (Millennial Star 28/41:641-43). This article analyzes the inscriptions further, showing that the decalogue was poorly written. It suggests the tribes of Dan, Reuben, Zebulun, or Joseph could have wandered to America and deposited the stones in Ohio.
Though external evidence validates the Book of Mormon, it is the internal evidence that reveals its divinity. Like the Bible, the Book of Mormon rebukes sin, explains the existence of mankind, is filled with the “pure spirit of inspiration,” explains the law of opposition, and discusses the philosophy that brings one to believe in God.
A comprehensive report on the teachings of prayer in the Book of Mormon. A primary interest of the author is to provide teachers in the Church with a source for teaching prayer.
Old Testament Topics > Old Testament: Overviews and Manuals
An analysis of human nature, or the “natural man” in LDS terminology and how that applies to the warfare depicted within the pages of the Book of Mormon and how it benefits the validity of this Book.
A poem telling the story of Abinadi, his preaching to King Noah, and his martyrdom.
A poem telling the story of Abinadi, his preaching to King Noah, and his martyrdom.
The size and price of the Book of Mormon often prevent its sale. It is the best missionary tool available and should go to “every nation, kindred, and people” It has a heavenly influence that penetrates the hearts of men to convict, convert, and confound. It is a lack of faith that prevents its wide distribution.
The so-called Genesis Apocryphon (1Q20) from Qumran Cave 1 has suffered from decades of neglect, due in large part to its poor state of preservation. As part of a resurgent scholarly interest in the Apocryphon, and its prominent position among the Aramaic Dead Sea Scrolls, this volume presents a fresh transcription, translation, and exstenive textual notes drawing on close study of the original manuscript, all available photographs, and previous publications. In addition, a detailed analysis of columns 13-15 and their relation to the oft-cited parallel in the Book of Jubilees reveals a number of ways in which the two works differ, thereby highlighting several distinctive features of the Genesis Apocryphon. The result is a reliable text edition and a fuller understanding of the message conveyed by this fragmentary but fascinating retelling of Genesis.
Book of Moses Topics > Selection of Ancient Sources > General Collections and Key Texts
Book of Moses Topics > Selection of Ancient Sources > Noah
The 2018 BYU Church History Symposium Historians have increasingly examined how economics and business have influenced religion and religious practices, and these examinations have provided better understandings of race, gender, and ethnicity within American religion. This volume highlights the research of fifteen presenters at a BYU Church History Symposium, including keynote addresses by Bishop Gérald Caussé and Sharon Ann Murphy. The remaining essays examine the practice of consecration and cooperation by the Church, specific case studies of business and economics in Utah Territory, and financial issues pertaining to the institutional Church. These essays illuminate topics such as plural marriage, immigration, the Saints’ relationship to the federal government, and the creation and demise of Church programs. The BYU Church History Symposium highlighted that the field of economics and finance have much to offer to Latter-day Saint history. ISBN 978-1-9443-9482-0
The article discusses research concerning a document known as the “Caractors” and its relationship to the “Book of Mormon” and the gold plates associated with the “Book of Mormon,” and its significance to the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS). It discusses the testimony of possible gold plates witness David Whitmer, the interpretative research of historian George Q. Cannon, and whether the document was the same as the document taken to scholar Charles Anthon from LDS convert Martin Harris.
Witnesses of the Book of Mormon > The Translation of the Book of Mormon
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine
RSC Topics > Q — S > Revelation
RSC Topics > Q — S > Salvation
RSC Topics > G — K > Gold Plates
RSC Topics > T — Z > Urim and Thummim
The 45th Annual Brigham Young University Sidney B. Sperry Symposium This book is a compilation of essays from the 45th annual Brigham Young University Sidney B. Sperry Symposium titled Foundations of the Restoration. The keynote address by Robert L. Millet highlights the restoration of plain and precious truths. Readers will learn how we understand LDS history and doctrine, about the beliefs declared in the Articles of Faith and how we apply their truths, about the development of temples and temple ordinances, and about the restoration of true Sabbath worship. Also included are chapters on Church newspaper editor and hymn writer William W. Phelps’s contributions to our understanding of the Restoration of the gospel; the historical development of sustaining members of the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve as prophets, seers, and revelators; and the harmony and counsel needed in their declaring doctrine and making administrative decisions. ISBN 978-1-9443-9407-3
Although both members and academics alike often think of this story as well known, recent insights and discoveries associated with the efforts by the Church History Department to publish The Joseph Smith Papers have provided a fuller, richer understanding of the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon. This book was written to provide a detailed explanation of how Joseph Smith and the scribes who served with him described the process of translating the gold plates and the difficulties encountered as they sought to publish the completed book. ISBN 978-0-8425-2888-7
RSC Topics > A — C > Church History 1820–1844
This book discusses the origins of Joseph Smith’s seer stones and explores how Joseph used them throughout his life in a way that goes beyond translating the Book of Mormon. It also traces the provenance of the seer stones once they leave his possession. The authors also examine how the Book of Mormon itself provides a storyline about the history of seer stones, which also helped Joseph Smith learn about his own prophetic gifts. Finally, this book explores how Joseph Smith took his own experiences with seer stones and created a theology of seer stones that became closely linked with his unique doctrines of exaltation. ISBN 978-1-9443-9405-9
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sacrifice
RSC Topics > G — K > Joseph Smith
RSC Topics > L — P > Peace
RSC Topics > L — P > Prayer
RSC Topics > Q — S > Revelation
Newel Knight (1800–1847) was one of the very earliest Latter-day Saint converts and maintained a lifelong friendship and close association with Joseph Smith Jr. The journals of Newel Knight are part of a handful of essential manuscript sources that every historian of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints relies on to understand its early history. He was one of a few early converts to provide an eyewitness account of the founding events in Church history, including the rise and fall of the Church in Missouri, miraculous healings, legal battles, the construction and dedication of the Kirtland Temple, the first marriage performed by Joseph Smith Jr., the martyrdom, and the cold, difficult exodus from Illinois to Winter Quarters. Knight’s history has always been a difficult source to use because it was never published in one volume until now. This book brings together his various accounts into one place to tell the story of the rise of the Latter-day Saints. ISBN 978-1-9443-9483-7
Winner of the Harvey B. and Susan Easton Black Outstanding Publication Award (Gospel Scholarship in Church History and Doctrine). Many Church members may not realize that the birthplace of Mormonism is not just a cut-and-dried bit of historical trivia. In fact, initial Church publications referring to the organizational meeting mistakenly claimed it happened in Manchester, New York. The authors of the book Inventing Mormonism challenged traditional Latter-day Saint history by pointing out inconsistencies concerning the Church’s birthplace. This book sorts through the complicated history of where the Church was established. Building on Dr. MacKay’s work for The Joseph Smith Papers, this volume examines what the existing historical documents really tell us. This book reestablishes the significance of Fayette as the true birthplace of Mormonism and illuminates what the sacredness of a place means for modern-day members. ISBN 978-0-8425-2979-2
No abstract available.
Old Testament Scriptures > Genesis
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
A sketch of some medieval European Christian exegetical and homiletic traditions, which analyzes references from the second century to the Carolingian Renaissance.
The Book of Mormon contains various colophons and source indicators that signal documents or authors that Mormon and the writers of the small plates used, quoted, paraphrased, or summarized in composing the final text. Some of these headers have been italicized and separated out by the printer; others form an integral part of the text but could as well have been separated and italicized. Mormon’s extensive notation of sources is another set of evidence for the intricate and complex nature of the text and, simultaneously, of the magnitude of Mormon’s work as an ancient editor and historian.
RSC Topics > T — Z > Youth
This article recounts the background and consequences of the Utah War of 1857–58 and comments on the power struggle that existed between Governor Brigham Young and President James Buchanan during that time.
RSC Topics > T — Z > Temples
Review of New Approaches to the Book of Mormon: Explorations in Critical Methodology (1993), edited by Brent Lee Metcalfe. The claims of Metcalfe's New Approaches to the Book of Mormon appear to have been adequately responded to in the Review.
A look at Lehi’s vision from a literary-critical point of view. Emphasis is placed on symbolic aspects of the tree of life, especially as it relates to death and renewal of life.
I testify to you that there is another, a greater One, who lived, who walked the dusty roads of Galilee, who atoned for our sins, who was crucified and resurrected, and who lives again.
Great minds conceive great questions—questions that spark imagination, questions that stimulate discovery, and questions that provoke more questions. Ignorance cannot last long when accompanied by investigation and inquiry.
Old Testament Scriptures > Ezra/Nehemiah
Old Testament Scriptures > Esther
Old Testament Scriptures > Job
Old Testament Scriptures > Psalms/Proverbs/Ecclesiastes/Song of Solomon
Old Testament Scriptures > Isaiah
Old Testament Scriptures > Jeremiah/Lamentations
Old Testament Scriptures > Daniel
Old Testament Scriptures > Twelve Minor Prophets
Old Testament Scriptures > 1 & 2 Kings/1 & 2 Chronicles
Abstract: In this personal essay, Ann Madsen reflects on the ways in which the healing power of Christ converges with His exalting power at Easter. Cold gives way to warmth, pride to submission, and reflection to sanctification. The weekly Sacrament provides a time for cleansing, renewal, and drawing our thoughts toward the Lord. The path leads to us becoming like Him.
Hugh Nibley had a wealth of knowledge. Ann Madsen had the opportunity to catch much of it in a graduate class. These are her thoughts about his works and about Bro. Nibley as a teacher, person, and friend.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 2 Nephi
Old Testament Topics > Joseph and Asenath
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Melchizedek
Winner of the Harvey Black and Susan Easton Black Outstanding Publication Award (Gospel Scholarship in Ancient Scripture), Opening Isaiah provides what has never before been provided to Latter-day Saints. It brings all important versions of Isaiah—King James, Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith Translation, Dead Sea Scrolls, and the modern New Revised Standard Version—into comparison for readers to help them clearly see the similarities and differences in each one. Readers can thus study Isaiah’s writings with a focus on the inspired texts themselves. In addition to beautiful maps that guide the reader through the geography of Isaiah’s day, the editors have carefully provided guidance in footnotes to untangle difficult passages, point to important symbolism, and reveal historical context. This book may become the most important resource on Isaiah you will ever purchase. ISBN 978-1-9443-9430-1
RSC Topics > D — F > Endowment
RSC Topics > G — K > High Priest
RSC Topics > L — P > Ordinances
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sealing
RSC Topics > T — Z > Temples
Old Testament Topics > Melchizedek
When the prophet Abinadi preached repentance to the Nephites, the people were upset and turned him over to King Noah. While in the king’s presence, Abinadi explained to the king and to the priests the meaning of Isaiah’s messianic prophecies. Although they did not heed Abinadi’s teaching, modern readers of the Book of Mormon are now able to better understand the life of Jesus Christ and the key principles of the atonement through Abinadi’s teachings.
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Uses B. H. Roberts’s “Studies of the Book of Mormon” and other of his writings as evidence that Roberts in his later years believed the Book of Mormon to be a product of Joseph Smith’s “fertile imagination” and Ethan Smith’s book View of the Hebrews.
John W. Welch suggested that Brigham D. Madsen, editor of Studies of the Book of Mormon,
RSC Topics > L — P > Marriage
RSC Topics > Q — S > Relief Society
RSC Topics > T — Z > Women
RSC Topics > Q — S > Relief Society
In her fifty years as a public figure, Emmeline B. Wells edited the Woman’s Exponent, represented Latter-day Saint women in national women’s organizations, courageously defended her religion in the halls of Congress, and helped mitigate anti-Mormon sentiments, all before becoming Relief Society General President in 1910 at age eighty-two. Her mediating efforts won friends inside and outside LDS circles and earned her a sculpted bust placed in a niche in the Utah state Capitol. The simple inscription speaks volumes: “A Fine Soul Who Served Us.” “Emmeline Wells left indelible footprints not only in Utah—where she had a close working relationship with five church presidents—but on the national stage, including interviews with four U.S. Presidents, one in her own home. . . . Madsen broadens and deepens what she began in her award-winning dissertation [on Wells’s life and work] to provide the full, engaging story of this woman who both chronicled and made history. Wells encouraged and inspired the women of her day. With Madsen’s eloquent retelling, Emmeline’s accomplishments may now inspire those of our own age, too.” Ronald K. Esplin, Joseph Smith Papers general editor, president Mormon History Association (2006–2007)
Old Testament Topics > Abraham and Sarah [see also Covenant]
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
New Scholarship on Latter-day Saint Women in the Twentieth Century opens dialogue on women’s past experiences and analyzes developments for Mormon women from the Progressive Era through civil rights reforms to the emerging women’s movement. This volume of proceedings covers essays by new and seasoned scholars presented at Women’s History Initiative seminars held in 2003 and 2004.
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Joseph Smith believed in sustaining the law. This book presents his main legal encounters in the context of his day. Party to more than two hundred suits in the courts of New York, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, and elsewhere, he faced criminal charges as well as civil claims and collection matters. In the end, he was never convicted of any crime, and he paid his debts. These incidents were significant institutionally as well as personally. Eleven legal scholars analyze these legal encounters. Topics cover constitutional law, copyright, disorderly conduct, association, assault, marriage, banking, land preemptive rights, treason, municipal charters, bankruptcy, guardianship, habeas corpus, adultery, and freedom of the press. A 53-page legal chronology presents key information about Joseph’s life in the law. An appendix provides biographies of sixty lawyers and judges with whom he was involved, some being the best legal minds of his day. This book is for anyone interested in the life of Joseph Smith, whether general readers, historians, lawyers, or law students. Each chapter tells a fascinating story based on controlling legal documents—many just recently discovered—that allow detailed legal analysis and accurate understanding. The full book is available for free here: Sustaining the Law, edited by Gordon A. Madsen, Jeffrey N. walker, and John W. Welch Individual chapters: Preface Introduction Joseph Smith and the Constitution The Smiths and Religious Freedom Jesse Smiths 1814 Church Tax Protest Standing as a Credible Witness in 1819 Being Acquitted of a Disorderly Person Charge in 1826 Securing the Book of Mormon Copyright in 1829 Organizing the Church as a Religious Association in 1830 Winning against Hurlbuts Assault in 1834 Performing Legal Marriages in Ohio in 1835 Looking Legally at the Kirtland Safety Society Tabulating the Impact of Litigation on the Kirtland Economy Losing Land Claims and the Missouri Conflict in 1838 Imprisonment by Austin Kings Court of Inquiry in 1838 Protecting Nauvoo by Illinois Charter in 1840 Suffering Shipwreck and Bankruptcy in 1842 and Beyond Serving as Guardian under the Lawrence Estate 1842-1844 Invoking Habeas Corpus in Missouri and Illinois Defining Adultery under Illinois and Nauvoo Law Legally Suppressing the Nauvoo Expositor in 1844 Legal Chronology of Joseph Smith Lawyers and Judges in the Legal Cases of Joseph Smith Glossary of Early Nineteenth-Century Legal Terms Contributors Index
Each one of us, as sons of God, can fulfill our mission and destiny.
RSC Topics > D — F > Easter
RSC Topics > Q — S > Resurrection
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
To know the Lord Jesus Christ, we and all mankind must receive Him. And to receive Him, we must receive His servants.
Old Testament Topics > Jesus Christ, the God of the Old and the New Testament
Old Testament Topics > Law of Moses
Old Testament Topics > Jesus Christ, the God of the Old and the New Testament
Old Testament Topics > Law of Moses
RSC Topics > G — K > Jesus Christ
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine
RSC Topics > G — K > Joseph Smith
RSC Topics > L — P > Ordinances
In this article Madsen introduces B. H. Roberts and presents a synopsis of his rigorous life-time study of the Book of Mormon. Roberts approached the Book of Mormon from many different perspectives, all adding to his conviction that it was authentic scripture. The article explores these perspectives and suggests that B. H. Roberts\'s five- decade probing of the book was “shrewd,” “ground-breaking,” and faith-promoting. Through Roberts the modern reader can come to understand the kind of challenge the Book of Mormon poses for an honest inquirer and how one can try to deal with that challenge.
Transcript of a panel discussion presented on television in St. John, New Brunswick, in which the author, president of the New England mission, faces three Protestant ministers. Aspects discussed concern the King James language of the Book of Mormon, archaeology, the divinity of Christ, the trinity, and continuous revelation.
Covenant and chosenness resonate deeply in both Mormon and Jewish traditions. For both of these communities, covenant and chosenness represent enduring interpretations of scriptural texts and promises, ever-present in themes of divine worship and liturgy. The chapters of this volume written by leading scholars of both communities, debate scriptural foundations, the signs of the covenant, the development of theological ideas about covenant, and issues of inclusivity and exclusivity implied by chosenness.
Pages 35-38 revised as of June 30, 1986
Old Testament Topics > Elijah
This article is an essay for youth about prayer, using Enos as the model.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Enos
Thoughts on Hugh Nibley, his personality, and his works.
Thoughts on Hugh Nibley, his personality, and his works.
Reflections on Hugh Nibley’s personal history, habits, and work.
RSC Topics > T — Z > Temples
Al registrar los sentimientos que tuvo al salir de la Arboleda y en los días subsiguientes, José dejó registrada esta oración: “Mi alma se llenó de amor, y por muchos días pude regocijarme con gran gozo, y el Señor estaba conmigo, pero no pude encontrar a ninguno que creyera mi visión celestial”.
Recording the feelings he had on leaving the Grove and on the subsequent days, Joseph left on record this sentence: “My soul was filled with love and for many days I could rejoice with great joy and the Lord was with me but [I] could find none that would believe the heavenly vision.”
I want to focus not so much on his prophetic character and gifts as on the characteristics observed by those who surrounded him—on Joseph Smith the man.
I have gone through the life of Joseph Smith and singled out instances in that life when these gifts were manifest. It is no surprise that he did, in fact, experience all the spiritual gifts.
In all of this Joseph struggled both to endure and to overcome. That is the tension we all face. What must we simply go through, and what, through our faith and worthiness, can we overcome?
The Kirtland Temple was an unprecedented sacrifice, and it was met with an unprecedented divine outpouring.
There is a difference between speaking, testifying, and teaching, and that setting in which soul is alone with soul. And in this again the Prophet was a master.
The Nauvoo era also was the period of a life-and-death struggle, for there were many who by that time were organized against the Church and who swore they would bring Joseph Smith and his kingdom of blockheads to naught.
Like many of the prophets of ancient times, the prophet of the last dispensation was martyred for the Lord’s cause.
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
When you are on record and in the presence of others, and are trying to be truthful, and you consult the depths of your own soul, you yourself may learn how profoundly you know.
It is during our Abrahamic tests, our moments of excruciating trial, that we prove to ourselves how strong our conviction really is and receive our rewards.
This first of two volumes of essays honoring Hugh Nibley includes scholarly papers based on what the contributors have learned from Dr. Nibley. Nearly every major subject that he has encompassed in his vast learning and scholarly production is represented here by at least one article. Topics include the influence of Nibley, Copts and the Bible, the Seventy in scripture, the great apostasy, the book of Daniel in early Mormon thought, an early Christian initiation ritual, John’s Apocalypse, ancient Jewish seafaring, Native American rites of passage, Sinai as sanctuary and mountain of God, the Qurʾan and creation ex nihilo, and the sacred handclasp and embrace.
Addresses the argument that names are simply sounds made up to label something and suggests that this takes away from the religious belief that some names have a divine origin.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Temples, Cosmos
This book is the result of the symposium of twelve renowned scholars at BYU on Judeo-Christian parallels. The contributors brought to the task a careful scrutiny of Mormon source materials, a patient application of their own special methods, and a sensitivity to modern commentaries and to ancient records discovered in recent decades. The striking comparisons, clarifications, and appraisals that result mark out ground for further scholarly research and provide a fascinating overview of these significant topics. ISBN 0-88494-358-5
The heritage of prayer in this church teaches us that, whether or not we settle the question of foreknowledge, there is a point in reaching up to that Person, not a thing, who is himself free and has used his freedom to forbid to himself the use of force.
The answer to “What is a temple?” is partially the answer to “What was the temple?” Here a distinguished array of scholars trests this theme. This collection of essays—which grew out of a BYU symposium of experts—presents recent findings on the temple in antiquity: historical, linguistic, and archaeological data which bear on the idea of the temple in Israelite, Jewish, and Christian traditions. The book includes an expansive introduction to temple traditions and a bibliography for further clarification and comparison. ISBN 0-8849-4518-9
Old Testament Topics > Temple and Tabernacle
“On this campus you have engaged texts and teachers. In the temple you can engage and commune with the intimate and ultimate Creator.”
Among the words of the English language the word farewell is the hardest to pronounce, and I, probably, will succeed very poorly at my present attempt.
Amid the ever-changing scenes of development . . . there must go through it all, like a golden thread, one thing constant: the spirit of the latter-day work.
A brief description of the mission of Abinadi. He was the Stephen of that dispensation, sent by God in response to the wickedness of King Noah.
A brief description of the life and mission of Alma: He was of pure blood of Nephi and became one of the greatest prophets and leaders of the Nephites.
Just as Moses had appointed Joshua as the secular leader and Aaron as the spiritual leader of the people, so too had Nephi anointed a king as the secular leader and Jacob the spiritual leader. Jacob provides valuable lessons on polygamy and the outcome of the anti-Christ such as Sherem.
A short description of Nephi’s character. Maeser writes that Nephi had a strong character and was an excellent servant of God because of his temperance caused by his submission to the will of God and the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
A brief description of the life and mission of Alma: He was of pure blood of Nephi and became one of the greatest prophets and leaders of the Nephites.
A brief summary of the events recorded in the Book of Mosiah. Maeser mentions King Mosiah2, Abinadi, Limhi, Gideon, and King Noah, and the expedition of Ammon.
A brief discussion of the seven prophets after Jacob and before King Benjamin. Maeser also summarizes the events that these prophets recorded.
This work contains statements by prophets from Joseph Smith to Spencer W. Kimball concerning the Lamanites. Topics treated include: “Nephites Found in New Mexico,” “Lamanites a Shield to Us,” “Blessings Promised to Lamanites,” and “Zelph—White Lamanite”
Discusses the origin and history of the American Indians (Lamanites), mistreatment of Indians, God’s directing hand in their affairs, and the latter-day responsibility of the Church to take the gospel to them.
Some of the Andean Indians also have versions of the Flood story
Old Testament Topics > Flood
North, Central, and South American Indians all “preserved the story of the flood.” Their deluge accounts share with the Bible three main themes: “(1) mankind becomes wicked and offends the Gods, (2) a worldwide flood destroys sinners and purifies the earth, and (3) one righteous family or group is spared to begin a new, improved human race.” Samples of the writings of early American explorers relating to Indian traditions about the flood are given.
Many native tribes in the Western Hemisphere preserve oral traditions about the ancient appearance of a white god who came down from heaven to instruct and organize his people. Some of the most interesting versions of this tradition come from Peru, where this legendary deity is known by different names. A number of Spaniards, attempting to preserve the history and traditions of the conquered Incan empire, wrote accounts of this white god that they gathered from the wisemen and noblemen of the Incas. Synthesizing elements from various Peruvian versions of the story, an interesting portrait of the white god emerges—one that correlates rather closely with the account of the resurrected Christ to America as recorded in the Book of Mormon.
Discussion about Hugh Nibley’s work on the Book of Mormon’s potential geography.
No abstract available.
North, Central, and South American Indians all “preserved the story of the flood” Their deluge accounts share with the Bible three main themes: “(1) mankind becomes wicked and offends the Gods, (2) a worldwide flood destroys sinners and purifies the earth, and (3) one righteous family or group is spared to begin a new, improved human race” Samples of the writings of early American explorers relating to Indian traditions about the flood are given.
Chronicles recorded shortly after the Spaniards reached South America describe Peruvian legends of a great white god. Author parallels four prominent versions of the white god legend with the account of Christ’s visit to the Nephites shortly after his resurrection.
This article surveys the past and current research on Huqoq, an ancient Jewish village near the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. Historical sources and modern explorations show that Huqoq was a small agricultural village during the biblical and postbiblical periods. Formal excavations of the site began in 2011 and have uncovered portions of the ancient village and its synagogue. This article highlights the discoveries made during the first two seasons of excavation (2011-2012), including pieces of a mosaic floor in the synagogue’s east aisle that depict two female faces, an inscription, and an illustration of Samson tying lit torches to foxes (Judges 15:1-5). Because of the rarity of Samson in Jewish art, the religious significance of this mosaic is difficult to explain. However, liturgical texts from late antiquity indicate that some synagogue congregations celebrated Samson as an apocalyptic image and messianic prototype, whose victories against the Philistines fostered hope in the eschatological messiah expected to appear and deliver the Jewish community from foreign oppression.
Questions—particularly questions that arise about the gospel—can be especially trying. Questions are inherently born of uncertainty, and we as humans are vehemently opposed to uncertainty. We dislike the feeling of not knowing because we feel vulnerable. Yet this vulnerability can actually be a sacred space.
Author dogmatically asserts that the Spaulding Manuscript was the source from whence the Book of Mormon sprang. He lists twenty-two “points of perfect identity” between the two books and dismisses the witnesses’ testimonies on the grounds that they only claimed to have seen with one “eye of faith”
RSC Topics > A — C > Conversion
Book of Moses Topics > Selection of Ancient Sources > General Collections and Key Texts
A brief statement on how the Book of Mormon answers vital questions.
To find rest unto our souls includes peace of mind and heart, which is the result of learning and following the doctrine of Christ.
It takes courage to accept a religion that requires sacrifices of the heart. The nineteenth-century Scandinavian converts are a commendable example of this courage. They gave up worldly goods, standing in the community, and sometimes their lives for their newfound beliefs. As a family history resource, this compilation contains vital information, scrupulously researched, about each of these valiant missionaries. Other features include explanations of surnames in Scandinavian countries, a pronunciation guide, and photos. ISBN 978-0-8425-2668-5
The Book of Mormon is a corroborating witness with the New Testament concerning the events of the pre-mortal and historical Jesus. Thematically similar passages from the New Testament and Book of Mormon are juxtaposed in parallel columns, an exercise that allows readers to view the manner in which the Book of Mormon stands as another witness of Jesus Christ.
Former members of the “Mormon” Church give reasons for denouncing the LDS church and joining the RLDS church. The Book of Mormon is a second witness for Christ, it states that all are the children of God regardless of race or color. The authors condemn the practice of discrimination against people of color as well as the practice of polygamy, which is also condemned by the Book of Mormon.
From 1830 to the present those who find it difficult to accept “angelic visitations in the age of railroads” have searched Joseph Smith’s nineteenth-century environment for sources of the subject matter of the Book of Mormon. For example, in 1990 Susan Curtis explains the economic subthemes of the book as Joseph Smith’s commentary on “market capitalism.” But the economic conditions of Joseph Smith’s time and place are not reflected in the Book of Mormon. Its economic descriptions are consistent with our vast knowledge of the economic conditions of the ancient Middle East and not inconsistent with the little known of the economics of Mesoamerica of the relevant time period. Those more comfortable with Joseph Smith as universal commentator on the issues of his day would be well advised to ignore economics or limit that topic to the Doctrine and Covenants. Those who accept him as translator of ancient scriptural documents can gain additional reassurance from the economics of the Book of Mormon.
RSC Topics > Q — S > Service
Large, homemade study guide for the benefit of RLDS members. Contains questions answered by citing the relevant verses directly. Used as a study guide.
I have since learned that dwelling obsessively on what we do wrong is one of the greatest sources of interference to maximizing our potential. Self-doubt is dangerous.
RSC Topics > Q — S > Restoration of the Gospel
The story of the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo to a new mountain home “far away in the west” still stirs the imagination of writers, artists, historians, and musicians. Letters, diaries and other manuscript sources continue to be discovered that recount this stirring chapter in Mormon history. An entire believing people came to trust that they would find their place to worship without fear of persecution if they followed their God. This book is divided into three sections: the Mormons’ forced departure from their Nauvoo homes in 1846–47; the Mormons’ experiences along their journey to the Rocky Mountains; and what the Mormon Trail has come to mean in recent times. Even readers who have followed this history will discover new and inspiring facts about this enduring story. ISBN 978-0-8425-2969-3
RSC Topics > G — K > Holy Ghost
RSC Topics > Q — S > Spiritual Gifts
RSC Topics > T — Z > Temples
RSC Topics > T — Z > Zion
RSC Topics > L — P > Mercy
The BYU 2012 Church History Symposium This book is a compilation of presentations from a BYU Church History Symposium. It features more than twenty messages about the life of Joseph F. Smith, including chapters by Elder M. Russell Ballard and Joseph Fielding McConkie. Elder Ballard, great-grandson of Joseph F. Smith, describes how the Lord prepared President Smith to lead the Church. Several scholars, historians, educators, and researchers highlight aspects of President Smith’s life, including his boyhood and adolescence, his family and personal relationships, his doctrinal contributions, Church government, and initiatives taken during his presidency in education, building construction, building the Laie Temple, creating the seminary program, and public outreach. ISBN 978-0-8425-2747-4
RSC Topics > T — Z > Zion
RSC Topics > L — P > Missionary Work
RSC Topics > L — P > Missionary Work
RSC Topics > T — Z > Zion
Latter-day Saints may think Church history in Illinois began in 1839 with establishment of the city of Nauvoo. However, important events took place much earlier in the decade. For example, the missionaries to the Lamanites unexpectedly had to cross the state on their trip from Ohio to Missouri. This happened in 1830, ten years before more prominent events took place in the history of the Church in Illinois. This occurrence made Illinois one of only four states to receive missionaries in the year 1830. The Church grew rapidly there, and by 1835 it was likely the fourth largest religious body in the state. This account fills in the ten-year gap of Church history in Illinois using both LDS and non-LDS sources. The book tells the story of the conversion of future Apostle Charles C. Rich. It also talks about the Saints’ involvement in the so-called Mormon War. Other chapters discuss the events of Zion’s Camp, Kirtland Camp, and the Saints’ exodus from Missouri to Quincy, Illinois. ISBN 978-0-8425-2652-4
Volume 6 in the Regional Studies Series Ohio became the first gathering place for the Saints in this dispensation when the Lord declared, “A commandment I give unto the church, that it is expedient in me that they should assemble together at the Ohio” (D&C 37:3). Members of the Church in New York responded to this command by gathering in and around Kirtland, Ohio, where the Lord promised that He would give them His law and endow them power. Revelation was abundant and sometimes accompanied by the Lord’s presence. Almost half of the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants were received in Ohio. Soon, stretching northward into Canada, the message of the restored gospel reached the homes of John Taylor, Mary Fielding, and other early converts. This book also tells the story of journalist and political activist William Lyon Mackenzie and his interest in the Saints. Contributors are Richard E. Bennett, David F. Boone, Richard O. Cowan, H. Dean Garrett, William Goddard, Steven C. Harper, Daniel H. Olsen, Craig James Ostler, Kip Sperry, Dennis A. Wright, and Helen Warner. ISBN 978-0-8425-2653-1
Volume 8 in the Regional Studies Series When most Latter-day Saints conjure up images of Church history, their minds are filled with pictures of the sacred sites and peoples of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, and Utah. But years before Brigham Young declared the Salt Lake Valley to be the site of future gathering in 1847, Church members had already pushed even further west into the Pacific Basin frontier. William Barratt made his way to Australia on a mission in 1840. Addison Pratt and his evangelizing companions arrived in the Society Islands in 1844, the year Joseph Smith was martyred in Illinois. And during the early 1850s, when Saints in the Utah Territory were clawing for their physical survival in American’s Great Basin, missionaries enjoyed proselyting success among the native Sandwich Islanders in today’s Hawaii. Clearly, the Pacific Isles have played a major—and early—role in the unfolding of the Restoration. In preparation for the 2008 BYU Church History and Doctrine Department’s regional studies tour to the Pacific Isles, faculty members were invited to research and write on the peoples and places of Polynesia, Micronesia, Melanesia, and Australasia. Topics include the introduction of the gospel to Tubuai, the influence of Jonathan Napela in Hawaii, the receptivity of Tongans to the gospel, the Oahu Tabernacle, the contributions of educational missionaries to Kiribati, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s performances in the Pacific Islands, and the destruction fire in the Apia Samoa Temple, among others. Contributors are Reid L. Neilson, Arnold K. Garr, Fred E. Woods, Michael A. Goodman, Matthew O. Richardson, R. Devan Jensen, Dennis A. Wright, Megan E. Warner, Cynthia Doxey, Lloyd D. Newell, Richard O. Cowan, Scott C. Esplin, and Kip Sperry. ISBN 978-0-6152-0037-8
RSC Topics > A — C > Church History 1820–1844
Twenty-three thought-provoking essays exploring and explaining the great truths found in the Doctrine and Covenants have been selected from more than three decades of symposia and conferences held at Brigham Young University and from the Ensign. Written by General Authorities and religious educators, these chapters are filled with insights into the “capstone” scriptures of the Church. This book is arranged in the order that the revelations came forth and covers a wide variety of gospel topics. ISBN 1-59038-388-5
Twenty-three thought-provoking essays exploring and explaining the great truths found in the Doctrine and Covenants have been selected from more than three decades of symposia and conferences held at Brigham Young University and from the Ensign. Written by General Authorities and religious educators, these chapters are filled with insights into the “capstone” scriptures of the Church. This book is arranged in the order that the revelations came forth and covers a wide variety of gospel topics. ISBN 978-0-8425-2733-0
RSC Topics > T — Z > Trials
RSC Topics > T — Z > Zion
This article discusses the writings in the Bible and Book of Mormon that use the term “isles” and discusses what land is referred to by the prophets.
Short, illustrated storybook for children about the acquisition of the plates of brass.
Illustrated children’s storybook about Lehi.
Accepts Sidney Rigdon as the real impetus behind the Book of Mormon. Sees the following chain in nascent Mormonism: from Sidney Rigdon to Alexander/Thomas Campbell and from them to John Locke.
The Lord knows you by name. He is so eager to share His infinite love with you. He wants you to feel His love so that you will embrace your life’s plan and cherish the gift that it is.
Abstract: Nothing was more terrifying in the ancient world than a siege. Besiegers disregarded normal conventions of war and either utterly slaughtered or enslaved a city’s residents. Nephi used siege warfare imagery — including fire arrows, blinding, and being led away into captivity — to teach his brothers the importance of holding fast to Christ’s iron rod (see 1 Nephi 15:24). By analyzing this scripture and the vision of the Tree of Life in context of ancient siege warfare, we learn how Satan besieges God’s people, cuts off their access to the Tree of Life, draws them away through scorn, blinds them, and yokes them with a yoke of iron. Christ, in contrast, extends his iron rod through Satan’s siege, inviting us to hold fast to his word, accept him as our covenant family head, and join him in his work by speaking his word. Those who act on Christ’s invitation will find safety and joy in Christ’s kingdom.
The autobiography of a young preacher’s experiences in New England during the early 19th Century. Pages 340-42 discuss his brief encounter with Mormons and the Book of Mormon and his dismissal of the book as a fraud.
In discussing home-centered worship, this volume explores both individual and family worship and draws from reports from a diverse sample of more than five hundred Latter-day Saints who have shared the challenges and barriers they have faced—and successes they have experienced. Individuals and families can establish and maintain a home-centered religious life and strengthen their conversion to the gospel by using these real-life experiences, quotes, and key findings in the social sciences. ISBN 978-1-9503-0432-5
An anthology of scriptural quotations from the Book of Mormon. The brief work is divided into two main sections—the predictions of Christ’s birth in the holy land and his visit to the Americas. No commentary is supplied by the compiler.
A topically arranged ready reference on gospel subjects taken from the Book of Mormon. The compiler offers no commentary.
Historical narratives are extracted from the Book of Mormon and quoted verbatim to create a Book of Mormon history. The selections are arranged in historical order from 1 Nephi to Mormon, with the exception of the book of Ether, which is placed last.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Ether
RSC Topics > A — C > Church History 1878–1945
RSC Topics > T — Z > Tolerance
RSC Topics > L — P > Ordinances
RSC Topics > Q — S > Service
RSC Topics > L — P > Obedience
Built amid sugarcane fields on the island of O‘ahu and dedicated in 1919, the Lā‘ie Hawai‘i Temple was at the forefront of a Churchwide shift away from gathering to the Intermountain West. This temple was among the first brought to the people, and for decades it stood as the closest temple geographically to half the planet. One of the first Latter-day Saint temples to accommodate large numbers of patrons from different cultures speaking different languages, it has been one of the most ethnically prodigious temples of the latter days. It was an early physical symbol of the boldness of a relatively young and provincial church to take the fullness of the gospel, realized only in temples, to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. Commemorating the Lā‘ie Hawai‘i Temple’s one hundredth anniversary, this volume shares the remarkable history and contributions of this beloved temple. ISBN 978-1-9443-9485-1
RSC Topics > T — Z > World Religions
RSC Topics > L — P > Marriage
This pamphlet cross references the LDS 1981 edition with the RLDS 1908 and 1966 editions of the Book of Mormon.
A polemical article that attempts to enumerate numerous modern environmental factors that influenced the Book of Mormon such as anti-Masonic influences, theories regarding Indian origins, and money digging. The 1826 trial of Joseph Smith, Anthon episode, Book of Mormon witnesses, lack of archaeological evidence, and plagiarisms from the Bible are also discussed.
A polemical article attempting to show that the Book of Mormon uses biblical material anachronistically and that the Book of Mormon plagiarizes biblical material. Numerous examples are listed. The writer also suggests that many Book of Mormon events are patterned after events in the Bible.
Two articles reprinted from the Journal of Pastoral Practice
It is possible to reach your goals if you work hard, keep the right perspective, and use your challenges as opportunities to grow and develop.
Brothers and sisters, you are the light of the world and the future mileposts in the timeline of technology. May we recognize a loving Heavenly Father’s hand in the miracles of the technologies around us and remember that He gave them to us to bless us and our families and to advance His purposes.
Christ has the power to bring us into loving fellowship with the Father and with one another.
It is true that we have to shoulder our burdens and do hard work, but when we look with hope and love to Christ, we will be given compensating blessings that will bind us to Him in powerful ways—even if our challenge remains.
We must stand firm in our faith and lift our voices to proclaim true doctrine.
We build the kingdom when we nurture others. We also build the kingdom when we speak up and testify of truth.
When we open ourselves to the Spirit, we learn God’s way and feel His will.
Musical selections for chorus, solo voices, and the organ.
A small handbook of references for missionaries. The scriptural references are placed according to topic: “Where does faith come from?” “Is sincerity of belief enough?” “Who should be baptized?” and “Are revelations continuous?”
Among the more puzzling passages in the Book of Mormon is 2 Nephi 19:1. It is a modification of Isaiah 9:1 as contained in the King James Bible. The modifications made specifically in 2 Nephi 19:1 have long been puzzling for textual critics and other students of the Book of Mormon and a point of attack among critics of Joseph Smith. Several solutions have been proposed for the questions that have arisen, but each is found wanting given various considerations regarding the historical context of both Isaiah and Nephi’s writing and the correlative correct translation of Isaiah 9:1. Any solution to “the Red Sea problem” in 2 Nephi 19:1 must account for all data presented in Isaiah 9:1 and 2 Nephi 19:1. This paper proposes a new solution that accounts for all the data.
Abstract: The multiple historical accounts of Joseph Smith’s First Vision have been an area of intense study, debate, and discussion for several decades. The newest addition to the discussion is a specialized monograph engaging the various accounts of the First Vision through the lens of psychology and, particularly, memory studies. This book, authored by Steven C. Harper, proves to be a valuable resource in answering some pressing questions about the integrity of the First Vision accounts, even though that was not the book’s explicitly stated purpose. This review highlights these contributions as interpreted through the lens of a Millennial reviewer — a demographic widely assumed to be facing challenges today in recontextualizing, repurposing, and appreciating the First Vision, with which this new book can help.
Review of Steven C. Harper, First Vision: Memory and Mormon Origins (New York: Oxford University Press, 2019). 271 pages with index. $35.
RSC Topics > L — P > Obedience
RSC Topics > T — Z > Teaching the Gospel
Brigham Young studied the text of the Book of Mormon for approximately two years before he decided to be baptized. This article discusses how his family life prepared him to receive the teachings of the Book of Mormon and the influence his testimony had on him throughout his life, as second president of the church, and as the first governor of the state of Utah. Despite his conversion to the Book of Mormon, Brigham did not often refer to its teachings in his sermons. This seemingly strange practice was likely a result of the cultural dependence on the Bible at that time and of Brigham’s careful attention to the prophet Joseph Smith Jr.’s teaching style, which did not include a large number of Book of Mormon references. Even though Brigham did not incorporate direct references in his teachings, he was greatly influenced by the principles taught in the Book of Mormon.
RSC Topics > G — K > Humility
The 34th Annual Brigham Young University Sidney B. Sperry Symposium The 34th annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium held at Brigham Young University marks several significant anniversaries. One hundred eighty-five years before, in the spring of 1820, the Prophet Joseph Smith experienced the First Vision when our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ appeared to him in Palmyra, New York, ushering in the dispensation of the fulness of all times. The year also represented the 200th anniversary of the birth of the Prophet Joseph Smith, born December 23, 1805; the 175th anniversary of the founding of the Church, in April 1830; and the 170th anniversary of the calling of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, ordained in February 1835. The focus of this symposium was to help those in attendance discover that the Restoration is real. And 175 years later it continues to move forward at a quickened pace to fulfill its ultimate and prophesied purpose. ISBN 1-59038-489-X
Old Testament stories compared with modern ones show that miracles still happen
The more we are acquainted with the life and ministry of the Prophet Joseph Smith, the more evident it becomes that Elder John Taylor did not overstate reality when he said that “Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it” (D&C 135:3). This passage goes on to specify that it was the abundance of revelation and scripture given Joseph Smith that particularly qualified him for such a lofty epithet.
RSC Topics > A — C > Bible
RSC Topics > Q — S > Scriptures
RSC Topics > Q — S > Scriptures
RSC Topics > D — F > Foreordination
RSC Topics > G — K > Jesus Christ
RSC Topics > L — P > Law of Moses
RSC Topics > L — P > Melchizedek Priesthood
RSC Topics > L — P > Priesthood
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sacrament
RSC Topics > T — Z > War
RSC Topics > Q — S > Resurrection
RSC Topics > Q — S > Scriptures
RSC Topics > A — C > Bible
RSC Topics > Q — S > Scriptures
Tour the historic sites of Salt Lake City from the comfort of your own home. This full-color book includes a virtual tour DVD. Both the book and the DVD explain the historical and modern significance of each site. The authors guide the DVD tours with descriptions and details of historic sites. Also look for the travel-size companion book, Salt Lake City, Ensign to the Nations, Walking Tours. ISBN 978-0-8425-2671-5
This travel-size companion to the larger Salt Lake City, Ensign to the Nations takes the tourist on three distinct walking tours of Salt Lake City. The first tour is of the Temple Square area. The second tour is of the Pioneer Business District, and the third tour is of the Capitol Building and Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum area. Each tour offers explanations of historical and modern significance of sites. ISBN 978-0-8425-2670-8
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
RSC Topics > G — K > Hope
RSC Topics > T — Z > Teaching the Gospel
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Prophets and Prophecy
RSC Topics > D — F > Eternal Life
RSC Topics > G — K > Jesus Christ
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sin
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
Note: Although the author of a mammoth novel can afford the luxury of conveying every detail of the characters he is creating, an incisive story often is accomplished with just a few words. This vignette was written by Donald R. Marshall of Brigham Young University.
The message of the Atonement is a message of joy. Our Savior knows our suffering. He took upon Himself our suffering that we might have joy.
Conversion narrative wherein a Book of Mormon was shared with a co-worker.
Abraham’s example in finding his son a celestial partner
Old Testament Topics > Marriage
Old Testament Topics > Teaching the Old Testament
“A culture’s level of scientific understanding significantly influences how its religious texts are interpreted. The interplay between scientific discovery and scriptural understanding has been controversial throughout history. For example, the Catholic church’s response to scholars who disproved the geocentric understanding of the universe is well known. The studies of geology, astronomy, and organic evolution have all caused numerous problems with literal interpretations of the Biblical account of creation. Similarly, the Book of Mormon, a sacred text for a number of American religions, has been subject to reinterpretation in light of new scientific understanding. Its particular account of the history of the American continent has been intensely examined since its introduction by Joseph Smith, Jr., in the mid-nineteenth century.” [Author]
Assessment of the historical accuracy of Harry Anderson’s painting Moses Calls Aaron to the Ministry.
Each of us has the capacity to accomplish much good in this life, but we must always return credit and appreciation to the source of all that is good and truthful.
Fictional story based on account of Teancum in Alma 62.
An literary comparison of Orson Scott Card’ Series with religiosity of the Book of Mormon. Comparing and contrasting mormon theology and doctrine as it is found between the two.
Because mortality is a test, we will all experience some dark days that may include grief, illness, disappointment, disillusionment, temptation, confusion, unanswered questions, and pain. The good news is that Jesus Christ promises deliverance from all our mortal suffering and his promises are sure. While we wait for deliverance to come in his time and in his way, Christ’s intimate understanding of our lives, our trials, our hopes, and our heartaches allows him to perfectly succor, strengthen, and refine us. Speaking from the annual Brigham Young University Easter Conferences in 2021 and 2022, authors Marie C. Hafen, Virginia Hinckley Pearce Cowley, Tyler J. Griffin, John Hilton III, Jan J. Martin, and Jennifer Reeder teach and testify of the power of Christ’s deliverance. ISBN 978-1-9503-0423-3
In 1831, Alexander Campbell (1788-1866), the founder of the Disciples of Christ Church and leader in the early nineteenth-century religious reformation known as the Restoration, published a short pamphlet entitled Delusions: An Analysis of the Book of Mormon: With an Examination of Its Internal and External Evidences, and a Refutation of Its Pretences to Divine Authority. In the pamphlet, Campbell argued that the Book of Mormon was a linguistic hodgepodge, “patched up and cemented with ’And it came to pass’ - ’I sayeth unto you’-’Ye saith unto him’-and all the King James’ haths, dids and doths-in the lowest imitation of the common version:’ He insisted that “it has not one good sentence in it, save the profanation of those sentences quoted from the Oracles of the living God:’ For Campbell, the seventeenth-century English in the Book of Mormon demonstrated that Joseph Smith was a fraud.
A polemical work against several religious faiths that the author sees as heretical. He devotes a chapter to Mormonism. Items discussed pertaining to the Book of Mormon are lack of archaeological evidence, Spaulding theory, Anthon denials, Mongoloid origin of native Americans, and contradictions with the Bible.
A polemical work against Mormonism. The author discusses numerous elements that he sees as anachronistic, including contradictions with the Bible, Christian teachings before Christ, and alleged plagiarisms from the New Testament.
A polemical tract against Mormonism debunking Mormon history, doctrines, and the Book of Mormon. The book of Mormon “adds” to the word of God contradicting the divine warning of Revelation 22:18.
This article claims that Chihuahua, Mexico was once inhabited by a brilliant civilization. A visit to the ruins shows remarkable skills in masonry, textiles, and pottery, as well as a preoccupation with warfare and ingenious designs for protection. The inhabitants of this civilization may have been the Gadianton robbers.
“The journals of James Henry Martineau are comparable the most descriptively written diaries of their period. They shed light on the historical events of the era, the lives of average people, and the impact of Church leaders. At times they read more like a novel than a journal. They are exciting, testimony building, and detailed. The reader will see clearly what Martineau is picturing and feel what he is experiencing. His focus was on his family and his work, while the result is a reflection of a common, yet uncommon, Latter-day Saint pioneer.”—Donald G. Godfrey ISBN 978-0-8425-2697-5
Book of Moses Topics > Selection of Ancient Sources > Enoch — Primary Sources
The love of Jesus Christ must be our guide if we are to become aware of the needs of those we can help in some way.
Elder Martinez explains blessings that come from living principles of self-reliance and participating in the Children and Youth program.
We may never know in this life why we face what we do, but we can feel confident that we can grow from the experience.
Remember that there is one thing Christ and Satan have in common: they both want us to become like them. Satan, however, wants to trick us into it. Christ wants it to be our choice.
Be obedient, remember the times when you have felt the Spirit in the past, and ask in faith. Your answer will come.
Since historians cannot prove or disprove the truth of the Book of Mormon or whether Joseph Smith was a prophet, they should adopt a middle ground and only discuss secondary issues. Thus, they simply seek to understand how the Book of Mormon influences those who believe in it without discussing whether or not it is true.
The historical influences of the past on modern religion are important for the future of religion.
Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can all stand spotless, pure, and white before the Lord.
To help mitigate the soteriological problem of evil, that one having had no chance to hear the gospel would be sent to hell, many early Christians practiced baptism for the dead. The only reference to this in the New Testament comes in 1 Corinthians 15:29, a scripture that some scholars attempt to reinterpret or repunctuate to dismiss baptism for the dead but that most scholars defend as a legitimate reference. Further strengthening the historicity of the practice are references by early writers such as Tertullian and Ambrosiaster. The quest for authenticating the practice of baptism for the dead should rest on these and other historical references, not on retroactively applied standards of orthodoxy.
RSC Topics > Q — S > Service
RSC Topics > T — Z > Welfare
James O. Mason - What will these health missionaries do? A guiding principle, in the tradition of the Word of Wisdom, will place emphasis on health education and disease prevention. These health missionaries will work with priesthood leaders.
RSC Topics > L — P > Mountain Meadows Massacre
“Givens’s By the Hand of Mormon was a watershed, to be sure, in terms of placing the Book of Mormon front and center in Mormon studies. But it was a seed that found purchase in fertile ground—soil that had been tilled for more than two decades largely by early American historians and religious studies scholars. Collectively, they had charted the course for what the study of the Book of Mormon, and the religious tradition from whence it came, could look like in the secular academy. Most of the scholars who are currently defining the shape and trajectory of Book of Mormon studies do not self-define as historians or religious studies scholars. Many have arrived at a similar methodological place as their forerunners did without deep familiarization with the earlier scholarship. They are nevertheless part of a shared intellectual tradition with diverse paths of genesis and development, all working despite the disciplinary fragmentation of the academy within the broad rubrics of postmodernism and postsecularity. In the end, the same general conditions that allowed for the emergence of Mormon studies have also given rise to Book of Mormon studies. Both of these multidisciplinary fields will be richer as they learn to incorporate and appreciate the diverse tributaries that have flowed into today’s scholarly currents.” [Author]
For all its beneficial advances, our secular age has also weakened some people’s ties to religious belief and affiliation. Latter-day Saints have not been immune to this trend. In recent years, many faithful Church members have encountered challenging aspects of Church history, belief, or practice. Feeling isolated, alienated, or misled, some struggle to stay. Some simply leave. Many search for a reliable and faithful place to work through their questions. You can find such a place in Patrick Q. Mason’s Planted: Belief and Belonging in an Age of Doubt. This book gives people who struggle with questions—and people who love those who struggle—practical ways to stay planted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Rather than attempting to answer every possible question or doubt, Planted presents an empathetic, practical, and candid dialog about the relationship of doubt and faith.
RSC Topics > D — F > Faith
“Travel companies boldly offer tours of “Book of Mormon Lands,” and books abound purporting evidence for Book of Mormon peoples or for the appearance of the resurrected Jesus in the New World. Such are only the latest manifestations of the legitimate interest in, and speculation about, the location of the Book of Mormon civilizations. Like their predecessors, most of the recent volumes represent sincere but flawed attempts to weave together unrelated bits and pieces of information from the New World and the Old, usually unconnected to each other in space or time.” [ From Author]
No abstract available.
The Manti Sanpete County, Utah, inscriptions include eight limestone tablets discovered in 1963, four additional tablets found in 1970, and small lead plates situated in a lead box discovered in 1977. The authors conclude that all three finds were “fraudulently manufactured”
A tendentious and sardonic but highly imaginative recounting of Joseph Smith’s life, including the events leading to the coming forth and publishing of the Book of Mormon. Entertaining mixture of fiction with fact.
“I will first introduce the context and content of Understanding the Book of Mormon and then, second, investigate Hardy’s attempt (and, ultimately, his failure) to create a neutral, universal discourse for academic conversation about the Book of Mormon. Third, I will discuss the performances of shame that crop up throughout Understanding the Book of Mormon and how these motivate Hardy’s turn to treating the Book of Mormon as world scripture, before concluding, fourth, with a reflection on how Hardy’s inheritance shapes the contemporary field.” [Author]
RSC Topics > G — K > Hell
RSC Topics > Q — S > Resurrection
RSC Topics > Q — S > Spirit World
RSC Topics > T — Z > War
We can help others become more familiar with the promptings of the Spirit when we share our testimony of the influence of the Holy Ghost in our lives.
As first-generation members, you are the ones who begin the cycle of teaching and strengthening the next generation.
The evils of pride and the justice of God
Review of Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, vol. 4, Third Nephi through Moroni (1992), by Joseph Fielding McConkie, Robert L. Millet, and Brent L. Top
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
It is my testimony that God is love, that the gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of love, and that true discipleship requires sharing that love with all people. It is my hope that we will be able to recognize and reject those false systems of value that demean and divide and instead embrace the love that is true discipleship.
RSC Topics > D — F > Death
RSC Topics > L — P > Law of Moses
RSC Topics > L — P > Prophets
RSC Topics > Q — S > Resurrection
Adam-ondi-Ahman seems to have had reference at an early date to a general area rather than to a specific spot. If the Prophet Joseph Smith knew at that time (March 1832) of a specific location in Missouri to which the name also applied, he left us no written evidence of it. A second reference came some thirty-six months later, on 28 March 1835: the “valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman” is specified in a revelation to the Prophet as the place where Adam met with his posterity.
Old Testament Topics > Geography
Speaks about themes covered in the Book of Mormon: the mission of Christ, the Fall and the Atonement, salvation only through Christ, the nature of God, the devil, spiritual gifts, the ministry of angels, and the philosophies of men. Includes a table listing the names of Christ in the Book of Mormon.
RSC Topics > A — C > Atonement of Jesus Christ
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine
RSC Topics > D — F > Fall of Adam and Eve
Old Testament Topics > Bible: LDS Interpretation
Old Testament Topics > Restoration and Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith taught that the Book of Mormon is a witness for the Bible. It testifies of Jesus Christ and His divinity, teaches a wide range of secular and religious topics, and identifies the enemies of Christ. The Book of Mormon is the most correct of any book on earth, the keystone of the LDS religion, and individuals will “get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts than by any other book”
Compilation of quotes from scripture and Church leaders that demonstrate how the Book of Mormon is a witness for the Bible. Charts of scriptures comparing Old Testament, New Testament, and Book of Mormon show unity of doctrine.
There are many parallel passages in the Book of Mormon and the Bible.
Tells of Jacob’s teachings on the Atonement.
Old Testament Topics > Melchizedek
RSC Topics > G — K > Jesus Christ
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sacrifice
RSC Topics > G — K > God the Father
RSC Topics > L — P > Mercy
The frequency with which the subject of resurrection is discussed, the wide range of details, and the high level of agreement among the many testimonies all show that the doctrine of the resurrection is a major teaching of the Book of Mormon. The extent of these teachings is in keeping with the prophecy of Enoch in Moses 7:62, which says that the record will come out of the earth, “to bear testimony of the Only Begotten, his resurrection from the dead, and also the resurrection of all men.” The Book of Mormon shows that the prophets regarded the resurrection of the physical body as a reality that would unconditionally occur to every person regardless of individual worthiness. It is declared to have coverage as broad as death. The major effort of the prophets was to get people prepared spiritually. Redemption from the spiritual death that results from one’s own sins received serious attention. The Book of Mormon declares that redemption from the effects of Adam’s fall (both the physical and spiritual death) is absolute, unconditional, and automatically assured to all mankind by Jesus Christ without man’s effort. Man’s redemption from sins is available because of the atonement of Jesus Christ but requires individual repentance and obedience. Perhaps because of this individual responsibility the Book of Mormon does not teach how to perform a resurrection, but does teach how to repent.
RSC Topics > G — K > Heaven
RSC Topics > L — P > New Testament
RSC Topics > L — P > Old Testament
RSC Topics > Q — S > Scriptures
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
Old Testament Topics > Fall
While some may argue that gospel truth is separate from historical truth, the gospel cannot be true unless it is also historical. This means that events such as the Creation, Fall, Atonement, and Restoration all truly took place in an identifiable time and place, even if that time and place are not known to us. If these or any gospel events were not historically true, God could not render a righteous judgment on any person.
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
The book of Moses is the first of several documents in the collection of sacred writings published as the Pearl of Great Price. Although this material is currently labeled “Selections from the Book of Moses,” it was not always specified by that name, nor has the content of the material always been exactly as it is today. A quick look at its origin, development, and content can help us more fully appreciate what the book of Moses is, how it came to be, and why it is a unique witness for Jesus Christ.
RSC Topics > L — P > Law of Moses
RSC Topics > L — P > Priesthood
RSC Topics > L — P > New Testament
RSC Topics > D — F > Dispensations
RSC Topics > G — K > Heaven
RSC Topics > G — K > Holy Ghost
RSC Topics > G — K > Joseph Smith
RSC Topics > L — P > New Testament
RSC Topics > L — P > Ordinances
Royal Skousen’s most significant contribution to Book of Mormon scholarship, this paper states, is in openly and systematically detailing the thousands of variants that occur across two manuscripts and twenty editions and showing that these variations do not affect the message or validity of the book as a witness of Jesus Christ. Skousen’s work also offers new insights into the process of translating and publishing the Book of Mormon. Though the work of translation appears to have involved a number of different methods, we can nevertheless be sure that the Book of Mormon was translated by the “gift and power of God.”
RSC Topics > L — P > Plan of Salvation
RSC Topics > Q — S > Revelation
RSC Topics > T — Z > Zion
The latter-day restoration of the gospel included the restoration of much significant truth to the Bible. It brought about the restoration of biblical history that had been lost and the restoration of biblical texts that had been changed or omitted or were in need of clarification. More important, it included the restoration of biblical doctrine that had been either removed, distorted, or simply misinterpreted by a world that did not enjoy the fulness of the gospel.
Shortly after the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint was organized, the Prophet Joseph Smith was instructed by the Lord to undertake a careful reading of the Bible to revise and make corrections in accordance with the inspiration that he would receive. The result was a work of profound significance for the Church that included the revelation of many important truths and the restoration of many of the “precious things” that the Book of Mormon prophet Nephi had foretold would be taken from the Bible (1 Ne. 13:23–29). In June 1830 the first revealed addition to the Bible was set to writing. Over the next three years, the Prophet made changes, additions, and corrections as were given him by divine inspiration while he filled his calling to provide a more correct translation for the Church. Collectively, these are called the Joseph Smith Translation (JST), a name first applied in the 1970s, or the New Translation, as Joseph Smith and others in his day referred to it.
Book of Moses Topics > Basic Resources > Joseph Smith Translation (JST), Primary Manuscripts and Parallel Editions
Old Testament Topics > Bible: Joseph Smith Translation (JST)
Old Testament Topics > Bible: Joseph Smith Translation (JST)
RSC Topics > L — P > Prophets
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
RSC Topics > A — C > Baptism
RSC Topics > G — K > Holy Ghost
RSC Topics > G — K > Jesus Christ
RSC Topics > Q — S > Repentance
RSC Topics > D — F > Fall of Adam and Eve
Old Testament Topics > Restoration and Joseph Smith
Old Testament Topics > Bible: Joseph Smith Translation (JST)
Old Testament Topics > Law of Moses
This article will attempt to look at the Church in the early 1830s and, so far as it is possible, will trace the introduction of several important doctrinal concepts into the Church during that time. In this context we will discuss the role of new translation of the Bible in the restoration of the gospel in this dispensation. When speaking of the “development” of the Church doctrine, we do not mean particularly to dwell on an evolutionary phenomena but rather simply to emphasize that all of the doctrines were not revealed at once and that there has been a developmental increase of doctrine from continuing revelation. It is in the spirit of this principle that we trace the historical relationship that exists between Joseph Smith’s new translation of the Bible and the increase of doctrine during the Kirtland period.
No abstract available.
RSC Topics > Q — S > Scriptures
Old Testament Topics > Scripture Study
Old Testament Topics > Teaching the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Joseph and Asenath
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Helaman
RSC Topics > L — P > Pearl of Great Price
RSC Topics > Q — S > Scriptures
Papers presented at the BYU Symposium ‘As Translated Correctly’: Joseph Smith’s Translations of the Bible, January 13–14, 1995
Old Testament Topics > Symposia and Collections of Essays
Book of Moses Topics > Joseph Smith Translation (JST) > History
RSC Topics > G — K > Judgment
RSC Topics > Q — S > Resurrection
RSC Topics > Q — S > Restoration of the Gospel
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine and Covenants
RSC Topics > Q — S > Restoration of the Gospel
RSC Topics > Q — S > Restoration of the Priesthood
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
Old Testament Topics > Atonement
RSC Topics > Q — S > Scriptures
RSC Topics > G — K > Jesus Christ
RSC Topics > L — P > Ordinances
RSC Topics > L — P > Priesthood
Robert Matthews presents this survey of biblical textual criticism with the suggestion that omissions to the Bible text of today are more extensive and more intentional than most textual critics have realized. He sums up the history of biblical translations and discusses the church situation in June 1830, when Joseph Smith received the first revelation associated with an inspired translation of the Bible.
Old Testament Topics > Restoration and Joseph Smith
Old Testament Topics > Restoration and Joseph Smith
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Robert J. Matthew’s first article in the Autumn 1968 issue of BYU Studies dealt primarily with the making of the Inspired Version of the Bible. It considered two major aspects: (1) the preparation of the manuscript notes by the Prophet Joseph Smith and his scribes, and (2) the publication of the printed editions by The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS). This article will discuss a number of passages that are unique to the Inspired Version and also some of the implications in the text that are frequently overlooked. There are at least three levels at which one may read the Inspired Version. The first and simplest level is to compare it with the King James Version to find the variant readings. The second and perhaps the most informative level is to analyze each variant to determine the actual change in meaning that resulted from the Inspired Version rendition. The third and most difficult level is to examine the Inspired Version not only for content but also for style. This level is not limited to what is said but also involves an analysis of how it is said. The third level is particularly important because it deals with the question of whether the Inspired Version is a restoration of the original text of the Bible. Although not all of the variants in the Inspired Version are suitable for this kind of critical examination, a number of passages are thus suited, and these are highly interesting and even provocative when analyzed. Such passages have characteristics about them which strongly suggest inspiration and even restoration of the original text in some instances.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Ether
In a lecture given to the BYU religion faculty, Robert Matthews emphasizes the points of doctrine in the Book of Mormon and other standard works that elucidate the fall and atonement. He analyzes concepts in several different scriptural chapters and shows how they have points in common as well as areas of particular emphasis and clarification. He contrasts the classical Christian views of how Adam’s transgression affects humankind with the teachings of ancient and modem revelation. He explains how the divine sonship of Jesus Christ enabled him to effect the atonement. Matthews notes that Christ’s mission is intended to save us from both kinds of death (physical and spiritual); there is no viable replacement for the Savior’s atonement.
This article examines the Inspired Version of the Bible translated by Joseph Smith, the first president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Matthews compares Joseph’s Inspired Version with the Bernhisel Manuscript, which has never been published. He also illustrates how Joseph Smith’s revision of the Bible was significant to the establishment of the church.
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
I think we should understand that individuals must shoulder the responsibility for their own preparedness and for their own acquisition of knowledge and of skills and service.
RSC Topics > G — K > Grace
RSC Topics > Q — S > Salvation
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sin
RSC Topics > G — K > Jesus Christ
RSC Topics > Q — S > Resurrection
The Book of Mormon declares the Bible to be a sacred and true record, but it sustained serious losses in its early stages, which has caused considerable stumbling. Many biblical scholars today reject the authenticity of many of the teachings of Jesus. The Book of Mormon confirms the truthfulness of the Bible.
When I was invited to participate in this symposium on the subject of apocryphal literature, my first inclination was to decline. This was a conference for experts trained in the biblical languages. But after some reflection, I changed my mind because I think there is a place for variety, and there might even be an advantage in having a paper from a nonlinguistic point of view. And so, although I do not know Greek or Hebrew, I have had considerable exposure to Church history, and I am familiar with the formation of several books of scripture and non-scripture. This is especially true as pertaining to the books that are used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (hereinafter labeled the LDS Church) and the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (hereinafter called the RLDS Church). And I think there are some parallels between the development of books in the Church anciently and development of books in the Church in modern times.
Old Testament Topics > Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha [including intertestamental books and the Dead Sea Scrolls]
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine and Covenants
A Who’s Who
Not to recognize and appreciate the atonement is the greatest of all ingratitude; to ignore Christ is the height of folly; to obey him is the greatest happiness. The greatest display of wisdom that we can demonstrate on this earth is to follow the Lord and to keep his commandments.
Old Testament Topics > Bible: LDS Interpretation
Old Testament Scriptures > Isaiah
Old Testament Topics > Book of Mormon and the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Problems in the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Sabbath
Old Testament Topics > Bible: LDS edition
The boat we take on life’s journey matters, since it will largely determine how we experience the storms.
A compilation of quotations by different people on the Dead Sea Scrolls and other ancient records. The author ties the archaeological discoveries in both hemispheres to the Book of Mormon and retells the story of the gold plates from Joseph Smith’s point of view.
There are lots of disappointments in the world that may be hard to understand. Instead of stressing over them or blaming others, sometimes it is best to “be still,” become humble, and put your trust in God that all is well.
Written for investigators of the LDS church. The Book of Mormon compliments the Bible and the two make the Lord’s sacred record complete. A short synopsis of the book is presented as well as historical facts concerning its coming forth. A promise is made to all who sincerely desire to know of its truthfulness.
Old Testament Topics > Ephraim
Old Testament Topics > Genealogy and Lineage [see also Covenant, Israel]
Our perspective is limited, so we must act with restraint and compassion. Indeed, our purpose must be to serve. And we, perhaps more than any other group on the planet, are equipped and obligated to establish peace.
Our Savior gave us the perfect example of love, compassion, respite, and rescue. He has beckoned us to come unto Him, to be His hands, and to love one another. May we go forward with a commitment to listen to those spiritual promptings.
The author relates her philosophical journey from transcendentalism to existentialism to Mormonism and explains how her studies of Emerson and modern poets prepared her for her conversion.
Suggestions for effective daily study of the Book of Mormon coupled with a testimony of its benefits.
Review of Fiona Givens and Terryl Givens, All Things New: Rethinking Sin, Salvation, and Everything In Between (Faith Matters Press, 2020). 188 pages. $12.95 (paperback).
Abstract: Fiona and Terryl Givens once again deliver a book worthy of the comparatively wide readership they have gained within Latter- day Saint circles. Their orderly treatment of individual gospel concepts in this book can rightly be seen as a distillation and unification of their previous work, boldly attempting to awaken us from our ignorance of the sheer novelty and vitality contained in the Restoration vision of God and humanity. They convincingly argue that the historically wrought semantic baggage that comes with the most basic religious vocabulary we use must be consciously jettisoned to fully appreciate and articulate the meaning of the Restoration.
All hell may be moved, but as it moves, the devil’s kingdom will be irrevocably shaken, so that many can be shaken loose from his grasp. It is the kingdom of heaven that is coming—triumphant, true, and everlasting!
Discusses the Book of Mormon as an ancient record that was predestined to come forth in this day and is a work relevant to our day.
Christ paid such an enormous, enabling price for us! Will we not apply His Atonement in order to pay the much smaller price required for personal progress?
Five-part series showing how the Book of Mormon is relevant today: all generations need to learn from the past for it teaches of the sorrowing of the damned and the danger of unchastity. Author details some of the “magnificent miscellany” contained in the Book of Mormon, such as the erosion of spiritual experience, reason vs. inspiration, and the importance of two-way communication; shows how the Book of Mormon is congruent with the Bible; details some milestones for modern Christians found in the Book of Mormon in the areas of charity, prayer, and testimony.
The catalyst of prayer helped Jesus to cope with suffering, and by his suffering he emancipated all men from death and made possible eternal life. This cardinal fact about the central act of human history, the Atonement, ought to give us pause, therefore, as we face our challenges individually.
God knows you perfectly. He loves you perfectly. His Only Begotten Son, Jesus, has asked you, “Come, follow me.” Thus, in a real and majestic sense, each of us here tonight has been “called to serve”!
“We must, like the prodigal son, arise and go to our father and be prepared for that resplendent reunion.”
An essay about the Prophet Joseph Smith as a seer. Referring to the translation of the Book of Mormon, the author writes that “since Joseph, who knew the ‘particulars’ [of the translating process], chose not to describe them in detail, we cannot presently be definitive about methodology”
In pondering and pursuing consecration, understandably we tremble inwardly at what may be required. Yet the Lord has said consolingly, “My grace is sufficient for you” (Du0026C 17:8).
Life’s necessary defining moments come within our allotments. … Our responses are what matter. Sufficient unto each life are the tests thereof!
Perplexing things will still happen, but, like Nephi, we can still know that God loves us, a … fact which can and will sustain us through so much!
The family is the tilt point for a vast number of souls who can go either way—to alienation and anger or to sweetness and service.
[God] wants us to have joy. We cannot do that unless we are free to choose. But neither can we have that joy unless we are willing to be spiritually submissive day in, day out, and unless we exercise that grand and glorious freedom to choose in which people truly matter more than stars.
The redeeming presence of our loving Father-God in the universe is the … supernal truth which, along with His plan of happiness, reigns preeminent and imperial over all other realities.
If Joseph Smith had been the conduit for only one such divine revelation, it would be, standing alone, sufficient to ensure his prophetic greatness.
None of us can or will be immune from the trials of life. However, if we learn to endure our struggles well, they will be turned into blessings in eternity.
Oh, how we adore Jesus for his atonement! For his free gift of immortality to all!
Latter-day Saints should have all the genuine excitement others have in the traditional adventure of learning, including learning secular truths—and we, of all people, should have a little more!
From Joseph Smith, one unlearned and untrained in theology, more printed pages of scripture have come down to us than from any other mortal—in fact, as President Holland has pointed out, more than the combined pages, as available at present, from Moses, Paul, Luke, and Mormon.
Laman and Lemuel became rebels instead of leaders, resentful instead of righteous—all because of their failure to understand either the character or the purposes of God.
RSC Topics > Q — S > Revelation
RSC Topics > Q — S > Scriptures
A devotional address concentrating on Jacob’s observation of people who “miss the point” or “look beyond the mark”
Meekness is needed in order for us to be spiritually successful—whether in matters of the intellect, in the management of power, in the dissolution of personal pride, or in coping with the challenges and routine of life. With meekness, living in “thanksgiving daily” is actually possible even in life’s stern seasons.
Furthermore, whether you realize it or not, you are a generation drenched in destiny.
The combined doctrine of God’s foreknowledge and of foreordination is one of the doctrinal roads least traveled by, yet these clearly underline how very long and how perfectly God has loved us and known us with our individual needs and capacities.
The scriptures can help clarify other scriptures
“What we will take with us—to the degree we have developed them—will be the cardinal qualities that Jesus has perfected; these are eternal and portable.”
The daily discipleship of which I’m speaking is designed to develop these very attributes that are possessed to perfection by Jesus. These attributes emerge from a consciously chosen way of life; one in which we deny ourselves of all ungodliness and we take up the cross daily—not occasionally, not weekly, not monthly.
Patience is a vital mortal virtue in relation to our faith, our free agency, our attitude toward life, our humility, and our suffering. Moreover, patience will not be an obsolete attribute in the next world.
The purpose of the Book of Mormon is to support the Bible in bearing witness of Christ. Though it is a highly complex instructional book in its plot, structure, and symbolism, its greatest value lies in its spiritual message. The purpose of scriptures is to remove stumbling blocks, to elevate our minds, hearts, and standards, and to deepen our trust by revealing the purposes of God.
By utilizing the Atonement, we access the gifts of the Holy Ghost, which “filleth with hope and perfect love” (Moro. 8:26).
Work is always a spiritual necessity even if, for some, work is not an economic necessity.
There are clusters of memories embedded in each of your lives. And these can help us to “remember how merciful the Lord hath been.”
Meekness is the real cure, for it does not merely mask selfishness but dissolves it!
The keeping of the seventh commandment is such a vital shield! By lowering or losing that shield, the much-needed blessings of heaven are lost.
I love you. I have great hopes for your generation. Thank you for this chance to bear my witness to you today. This is the Lord’s work.
Thus, there are certain mortal moments and minutes that matter—certain hinge points in the history of each human. Some seconds are so decisive they shrink the soul, while other seconds are spent so as to stretch the soul.
A collection of letters written to the author’s grandchildren with Book of Mormon scriptures interspersed throughout. Early members of the Church had received a firm testimony in spite of limited amounts of leisure time to study its contents. The author bears his own witness of the timeliness in which the Book of Mormon came forth.
Many individuals preoccupied by the cares of the world are not necessarily in transgression. But they certainly are in diversion and thus waste “the days of [their] probation” (2 Ne. 9:27).
“Those of little faith frequently mistake local cloud cover for general darkness.”
RSC Topics > T — Z > Zion
Additional Authors: Ronald W. Walker, James B. Allen, and Richard O. Cowan
In 1899 a skeleton of a mastodon was found in North America and scientists believe that these ancient relatives of the elephant co-existed with men.
An historical work on Mormonism, from a non-Mormon perspective. The author notes what he feels are several problems in the testimonies of the Book of Mormon witnesses. He recounts Anthon’s 1834 letter of denial and accepts the Spaulding theory for the book’s origin. He also asserts that much of the material from the Book of Mormon has been plagiarized from the Bible and that there are many anachronisms and ungrammatical expressions in the book.
RSC Topics > L — P > Lifelong Learning
RSC Topics > L — P > Learning
RSC Topics > L — P > Lifelong Learning
RSC Topics > L — P > Learning
RSC Topics > Q — S > Revelation
RSC Topics > L — P > Learning
RSC Topics > Q — S > Revelation
If you want to become the person the Lord wants you to be, you had better work on it today, because it is a true principle that we become what we do.
Men who have “integrity of heart” are men to be trusted—because trust is built on integrity.
We understand and believe in the eternal nature of the family. This understanding and belief should inspire us to do everything in our power to establish a Christ-centered home.
Our lives must be centered with exactness in Christ if we are to find true joy and peace in this life.
The most important thing we can do in this life is to keep the promises or covenants we have made with the Lord.
When we speak of shaping our lives through service to others, we are really speaking of living a charitable, Christlike life.
Our ability to endure to the end in righteousness will be in direct proportion to the strength of our testimony and the depth of our conversion.
Stay strong and make good choices that will allow you to eat the fruit of the tree of life.
Palmyra was the stage of the Restoration, where the Father’s voice would be heard after nearly two millennia.
This article argues that Book of Mormon accounts of Hagoth agree fully with Maori and Hawaiian traditions, legends, and genealogical records.
Discusses a number of facts and theories that indicate that the Polynesians are descendants of the American aborigines and that the ancestors of the native Americans were Israelites.
RSC Topics > G — K > Grace
RSC Topics > G — K > Heaven
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > Q — S > Salvation
RSC Topics > T — Z > Women
Written by a non-Mormon, the bulk of the article describes the terrain of the American Southwest. Last few pages deal with Book of Mormon origins. The author associates the migration of the Jaredites with a statement by Josephus, and he speculates on where the Book of Mormon peoples landed and settled.
RSC Topics > L — P > New Testament
RSC Topics > Q — S > Scriptures
Smith’s newest book, Where the Gods Are: Spatial Dimensions of Anthropomorphism in the Biblical World (part of the Anchor Yale Bible Reference Library), continues that multidisciplinary trajectory, examining early anthropomorphic conceptualizations of deity in the Hebrew Bible and in cognate literature, as well as the way place and space mediated, influenced, and constrained those conceptualizations. The salience of anthropomorphism in recent years owes much to recent publications like Esther Hamori’s “When Gods Were Men” (2008),4 Benjamin Sommer’s The Bodies of God and the World of Ancient Israel (2009),5 and Anne Knafl’s Forming God: Divine Anthropomorphism in the Pentateuch (2014),6 and Smith engages with each in outlining a unique model of divine embodiment. However, Smith also seeks new insights in Where the Gods Are through the interpretive frameworks of materiality and spatiality, briefly roping in discussions about cognitive science and anthropology (without straying too far from his methodological wheelhouse).
The nature and function of Psalm 82 has long been a subject of debate within biblical scholarship. The text is rather brief and has no real significant textual instabilities, but it stands out within the Hebrew Bible as a text particularly steeped in mythological imagery. Precritical exegetes understood the gods of the narrative to be human judges, but subsequent textual discoveries and concomitant lexicographical advances, combined with more critical methodologies, have largely undermined that reading. A divine assembly setting has become widely accepted since the middle of the twentieth century, and more contemporary scholarship focuses on the psalm’s possible distinction between yhwh and El, its literary form, and its historical contextualization.
David A. McClellan provides a basic understanding of some biological principles that would be helpful to one studying the question of DNA evidence of the authenticity of the Book of Mormon. After a discussion of these fundamental principles, McClellan concludes that DNA tests can neither prove nor disprove the existence of ancient Israelites in the New World.
In the midst of our adversity, it may be tempting to think that God has not fulfilled His promises. But we do not lean for repose on desired outcomes. As the song says, we lean for repose on Jesus, who will not desert us to our foes, though all hell may shake around us.
RSC Topics > G — K > Grace
When the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was first organized in the year 1830, the Book of Mormon had been published in only one language: English. But the church was growing quickly and spreading to other parts of the world. One of the first publications of the Book of Mormon in another language was in French. This article gives an account of the French translation from 1850 to 1852, when Elder John Taylor, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, presided over a newly opened mission in France. Elder Taylor oversaw the translation process, which was done primarily by recent French converts Mr. Wilhelm and Louis Bertrand and one of Elder Taylor’s counselors, Elder Curtis E. Bolton. While these men were translating, Paris was in the midst of political unrest and was wary of unfamiliar social, political, and religious organizations. In fact, both Elder Taylor and Brother Bertrand had to hide from government officials. Despite all the complications that came about during this process, the work was ultimately a success.
RSC Topics > A — C > Bishop
RSC Topics > G — K > Gratitude
RSC Topics > G — K > Hope
RSC Topics > T — Z > Trials
RSC Topics > L — P > Prayer
RSC Topics > L — P > Peace
RSC Topics > Q — S > Repentance
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sin
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
In recent decades, prophets have repeatedly emphasized how a strong marriage and family are the basis of a robust society; they have counseled and warned of the many modern obstacles that can erode a healthy family life. This book draws on inspiring personal stories, research from sociology and psychology, and doctrines of the gospel of Jesus Christ to present key principles that, when applied, will help a marriage thrive. The authors use three broad content areas—the things we each need to do personally to improve our marriage (Me), the things we need to do together as a couple to strengthen our marital relationship (We), and ways we can more fully involve God in our marriage relationship (Thee). This three-part approach is theoretical and practical and will help guide you to a successful and happy marriage. ISBN 978-1-9443-9431-8
RSC Topics > L — P > Marriage
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sealing
RSC Topics > L — P > Parenting
RSC Topics > T — Z > Tithing
RSC Topics > G — K > Heaven
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > L — P > Prayer
RSC Topics > Q — S > Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
RSC Topics > Q — S > Scriptures
RSC Topics > G — K > Humility
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > L — P > Peace
RSC Topics > L — P > Prophets
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > L — P > Peace
RSC Topics > T — Z > Unity
RSC Topics > D — F > Eternal Life
RSC Topics > D — F > Faith
RSC Topics > G — K > Holy Ghost
RSC Topics > G — K > Humility
RSC Topics > G — K > Jesus Christ
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > L — P > Ordinances
RSC Topics > L — P > Priesthood
RSC Topics > Q — S > Repentance
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sacrament
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sealing
RSC Topics > A — C > Bishop
RSC Topics > G — K > Gratitude
RSC Topics > G — K > Hope
RSC Topics > T — Z > Trials
RSC Topics > L — P > Prayer
RSC Topics > L — P > Obedience
RSC Topics > T — Z > Temptation
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
In recent decades, prophets have repeatedly emphasized how a strong marriage and family are the basis of a robust society; they have counseled and warned of the many modern obstacles that can erode a healthy family life. This book draws on inspiring personal stories, research from sociology and psychology, and doctrines of the gospel of Jesus Christ to present key principles that, when applied, will help a marriage thrive. The authors use three broad content areas—the things we each need to do personally to improve our marriage (Me), the things we need to do together as a couple to strengthen our marital relationship (We), and ways we can more fully involve God in our marriage relationship (Thee). This three-part approach is theoretical and practical and will help guide you to a successful and happy marriage. ISBN 978-1-9443-9431-8
RSC Topics > L — P > Marriage
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sealing
RSC Topics > L — P > Marriage
RSC Topics > L — P > Peer Pressure
RSC Topics > T — Z > Youth
RSC Topics > L — P > Peer Pressure
RSC Topics > T — Z > Youth
RSC Topics > T — Z > Youth
RSC Topics > G — K > Happiness
RSC Topics > L — P > Marriage
RSC Topics > L — P > Parenting
RSC Topics > T — Z > Tithing
RSC Topics > G — K > Heaven
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > L — P > Prayer
RSC Topics > Q — S > Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
RSC Topics > Q — S > Scriptures
RSC Topics > G — K > Humility
RSC Topics > T — Z > Women
RSC Topics > D — F > Family
RSC Topics > L — P > Missionary Work
RSC Topics > T — Z > Women
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > L — P > Prayer
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sacrament
RSC Topics > T — Z > Tithing
RSC Topics > T — Z > Women
RSC Topics > T — Z > Youth
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > L — P > Peace
RSC Topics > L — P > Prophets
RSC Topics > D — F > Family
RSC Topics > L — P > Marriage
RSC Topics > L — P > Peer Pressure
RSC Topics > T — Z > Women
RSC Topics > T — Z > Youth
Many scholars have claimed that religion has little or no effect on the lives of young people today; some have even asserted that religion is harmful to teens and young adults. Others have boldly predicted that the secularization of America will continue until religion has no place in our society. This book emerged out of the authors’ efforts to provide scientific evidence that shows how religion does play a significant role in the lives of LDS youth. The authors undertook a groundbreaking study that spans 17 years and three countries. Each chapter of the book examines a different aspect of youths’ religiosity and how it affects other aspects of their lives. It shows that religion is indeed a meaningful and positive force in the lives of LDS teens and young adults. In this groundbreaking volume, Bruce A Chadwick, Brent L. Top, and Richard J. McClendon present the results of their 17-year study of the relationship between religiosity and delinquency in Latter-day Saint young people. Truly the first of its kind, this study shows that LDS youth with a high level of religiosity are not only less likely to participate in harmful delinquent activities but also more likely to have healthy self-esteem, resist peer pressure, and excel in school. Parents, priesthood leaders, and youth leaders know that the youth of the Church are constantly faced with temptation and opposition. This important study can help us provide our youth with the tools they need to fashion a shield of faith. ISBN 978-0-8425-2761-3
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > L — P > Peace
RSC Topics > T — Z > Youth
RSC Topics > T — Z > Unity
RSC Topics > D — F > Eternal Life
RSC Topics > D — F > Faith
RSC Topics > G — K > Holy Ghost
RSC Topics > G — K > Humility
RSC Topics > G — K > Jesus Christ
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > L — P > Ordinances
RSC Topics > L — P > Priesthood
RSC Topics > Q — S > Repentance
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sacrament
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sealing
It is our obligation to go to work on our problems and then counsel with the Lord and get the ratifying seal of the Holy Spirit on the conclusions that we’ve reached; and that ratifying seal is the spirit of revelation.
Excerpts from an address on 18 August 1978 at BYU, and an October 1983 General Conference address. The 8th Article of Faith verifies LDS value of the Bible. Book of Mormon passages concerning the Jesus Christ’s doctrine surpass their counterparts in the Bible. The Book of Mormon’s destiny is to be a witness of Christ, to bring men to Christ, to aid in the gathering of Israel, and to offer salvation to people.
The most important decision you can make in this life is choosing your eternal companion. Don’t settle for less than eternity.
Old Testament Topics > Creation
Old Testament Topics > Jesus Christ, the God of the Old and the New Testament
The following sermon was given by Elder McConkie on 27 February 1977 in Lima, Peru. President Spencer W. Kimball was desirous that it be printed for the membership of the Church.
Old Testament Topics > Bible: Joseph Smith Translation (JST)
Old Testament Topics > Restoration and Joseph Smith
RSC Topics > L — P > Prophets
RSC Topics > Q — S > Restoration of the Gospel
RSC Topics > T — Z > Teaching the Gospel
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
Bruce R. McConkie - As the spirit children of the Eternal Father, we have been placed on earth to be tried and tested, to see if we will keep his commandments and do those things which will qualify us to return to his presence and be like him. He has planted in our hearts an instinctive desire to worship, to seek salvation, to love and serve a power or being greater than ourselves. Worship is implicit in existence itself.
Repentance means that we have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, that we forsake our sins, that we come into the church and kingdom of God on earth and receive the Holy Ghost.
[Joseph Smith] is one of the great dispensation heads, and a dispensation head is a revealer for his age and his period of the knowledge of Christ and of salvation.
If our vision is blurred where this doctrine and these concepts are concerned, or, if knowingly or unknowingly we have fallen prey to any of the false sectarian notions that abound with reference to them, our progress toward eternal life will be slow indeed.
True and saving worship is found only among those who know the truth about God and the Godhead and who understand the true relationship men should have with each member of that Eternal Presidency.
Discusses temples in relation to the patriarchal promise given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
Old Testament Topics > Covenant [see also Ephraim, Israel, Jews, Joseph]
Old Testament Topics > Temple and Tabernacle
It is incumbent upon us to believe the truth. We have the obligation to find out what is truth, and then we have the obligation to walk in the light and to apply the truths that we have learned to ourselves and to influence others to do likewise.
Balaam and his actions
Old Testament Scriptures > Isaiah
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine and Covenants
God grant that we may all believe and know and understand the great eternal verities by which salvation comes and that, believing and knowing and understanding, we may so live as to gain eternal life.
Our Father in Heaven has provided for us all that is required so that we can become holy as He is holy.
May we choose to serve a righteous cause as valiant emissaries of our Lord Jesus Christ.
To be in harmony with heaven’s divine purposes, we sustain the prophet and choose to live according to his words.
Every moment of precious prayer can be holy time spent with our Father, in the name of the Son, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
What matters most is the attitude or spirit by which the teacher teaches.
The Lord has provided the way for every worthy Latter-day Saint to teach in the Savior’s way.
Elder McConkie teaches about the importance of learning about Jesus Christ and helping one another come unto Him.
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine and Covenants
RSC Topics > T — Z > Teaching the Gospel
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
RSC Topics > L — P > Peace
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
RSC Topics > A — C > Book of Mormon
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine
RSC Topics > L — P > Old Testament
RSC Topics > Q — S > Scriptures
Verse-by-verse doctrinal comments on 1 and 2 Nephi. Introductory essays include “Why the Book of Mormon,” “Doctrinal Contributions of the Book of Mormon,” and “Testimony of the Book of Mormon” This work is reviewed in M.304 and in V.045.
Consideration of doctrines taught in the books of Jacob to Mosiah, discussed verse-by-verse or in clusters of verses. Each section includes a heading, one or more verses quoted from the Book of Mormon, and then a commentary by the authors. This work is reviewed in M.304 and in V.045.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Mosiah
Authors make topical comments on each verse (or cluster of verses) of Alma and Helaman. Alma chapters 43-62, which deal with war, do not contain a detailed discussion of verses, but a six- page exposition on various subthemes. The work is doctrinally oriented. This work is reviewed in A.029.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Helaman
The final volume of the series, consisting of commentary on verses from 3 Nephi through Moroni. A reflective essay culminates the work.
RSC Topics > Q — S > Revelation
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sacrament
RSC Topics > Q — S > Salvation
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sacrament
RSC Topics > Q — S > Salvation
It is in the accepting of our lot and moving forward with what the Lord has asked of us that we discover that the Holy Ghost enjoys our company, angels feel constrained to join us, and the heavens open to our vision.
RSC Topics > T — Z > Tolerance
RSC Topics > D — F > Dispensations
RSC Topics > Q — S > Salvation
RSC Topics > T — Z > Zion
Old Testament Topics > Restoration and Joseph Smith
RSC Topics > L — P > Learning
RSC Topics > Q — S > Scriptures
RSC Topics > Q — S > Revelation
Joseph McConkie offers a profile of the Book of Mormon prophet Jacob and discusses two themes taught by Jacob—the scattering and gathering of Israel and his testimony of the mission of Christ. The current gathering in Israel is temporal, not spiritual. From the Book of Mormon perspective, the gentiles are those who come from the gentile nations, even if they are of Ephraim, and are not Jewish nationals.
RSC Topics > L — P > New Testament
Old Testament Scriptures > Psalms/Proverbs/Ecclesiastes/Song of Solomon
RSC Topics > L — P > Old Testament
RSC Topics > L — P > Prophets
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
Old Testament Topics > Symposia and Collections of Essays
The Eden account is both literal and figurative
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
Old Testament Topics > Priesthood
RSC Topics > L — P > Plan of Salvation
RSC Topics > L — P > Prophets
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
Claims that the Book of Mormon is without fault both in its history and teaching. Cites Indian legends that relate to the Book of Mormon. Includes a reference to Quetzalcoatl. Discusses ancient American records.
Address quoting Moroni’s title page, testimony of the Three Witnesses, Ezekiel 37:15-20, 1 Nephi 29:8, Nephi’s vision of the latter days, and various prophecies about the Jews. Exhorts listeners to repent and serve God. Shows how the Book of Mormon and other latter-day scriptures complement the Bible and provide the fullness of the gospel.
Witnesses of the truth are a very important part of God’s plan. The Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon were respected men who approached the Lord in humble prayer in daylight and open air. Eight other witnesses added their testimonies. The chief human witness was the translator, Joseph Smith.
The legal status of the testimony of the witnesses to the Book of Mormon is important. “Their witness stands unimpeached before the world” Despite apostasy, none ever denied his testimony; all were honorable, upstanding men.
Old Testament Topics > Priesthood
The scriptural purpose of angels and references to angels in the standard works
Commentary on women in the scriptures
RSC Topics > L — P > Pearl of Great Price
Later this year, the Religious Studies Center will publish a volume called Joseph Smith’s New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts, edited by Scott H. Faulring, Kent P. Jackson, and Robert J. Matthews. To help readers understand the scope and purpose of this project, the Religious Educator held the following interview with two of the editors.
Concentrates on the claim of the Book of Mormon that it is a record of God’s dealings with the ancient inhabitants of America and that Jesus Christ is the God of the American continent.
We are taught to honor and celebrate those great men who wrote and voted for the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. But none of what they committed themselves to … none of that would have been worth any more than the paper it was written on had it not been for those who were fighting to make it happen.
We can do difficult things and help others do the same, because we know in whom we can trust.
Using recent theoretical work developed by historian of American religions Robert A. Orsi, I argue that in order for the Book of Momron to have a vivid and compelling immediacy it has to be “enlivened.” … Within tourism to Book of Mormon sites, however, one family of tour guides use what I will call “fragmentary presence” to bring life to the sites. [From the text]
The link between Joseph Smith and the Masons is equivocal. At the time of Joseph Smith’s death, it was thought that Masonry was a threat to free government and the Book of Mormon revealed Masonic secrets. The accounts of the brother of Jared, Lehi, and others contain Masonic elements.
Places the Book of Mormon in a hypothetical trial situation with a judge (Jewish rabbi), prosecutors (members of religious denominations), and defendants (LDS missionaries). The verdict is that the Book of Mormon was truly revealed of God.
Review of New Evidences of Christ in Ancient America (1999), by Blaine M. Yorgason, Bruce W. Warren, and Harold Brown
Shows how using the prophetic numbers may prove that the establishment of the LDS church and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon fits the prophetic timetable found in the scriptures such as those in Daniel and the book of Revelation. Advocates that the Book of Mormon substantiates plural marriage.
Daily prayer, daily scripture study, and daily service are three important spiritual antioxidants that help guarantee we will retain our spiritual vision and have the Spirit to guide us in our day-to-day activities.
Believes that the Bible is infallible, all sufficient, and inerrant. Therefore, there is no need for the Book of Mormon, which adds to God’s word. In fact, adding to God’s word is prohibited by scripture. Provides evidence for the accuracy of biblical manuscripts. [M. R.]
A polemical work against Mormonism that enumerates various criticisms against the Book of Mormon, such as changes in the Book of Mormon, translation through the seer stone, use of King James English, Book of Mormon witnesses, Anthon denials, use of Egyptian, and others.
Lucy Mack Smith relates the conversion of Mrs. and Rev. John P. Greene, Phineas Young, Brigham Young, Mrs. Murray, and the wife of Heber C. Kimball through a single copy of the Book of Mormon left with Rev. Greene.
Discusses the phrase “and it came to pass” in the Book of Mormon and its importance as a token of Hebrew abridgment.
The relationship of the Book of Mormon to the Bible from the standpoint of literary accuracy is discussed. The author justifies the textual changes in the Book of Mormon by rehearsing a historical trail of changes made in the English Bible.
From the Nephites we learn the importance of self-defense to protect one’s homeland, freedom, and religion, but also the necessity of finding lasting peace. Contrasts two individuals—Moroni and Zerahemnah.
Talks about the American Indians, their customs and culture, and how they are connected with the Book of Mormon.
The Book of Mormon represents only a “fragment of the inspired writings recorded on metallic plates by Israelitish prophets in America” There existed many additional records, which may be revealed in a future day.
The Book of Mormon was published in an environment of intense opposition. The enemies of the book published strange stories concerning its origin. Newspapers printed numerous articles (some reprinted in this article) prejudicing the public, claiming that the “next generation” would not remember the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon survived the opposition and has been published in foreign languages.
Because of fear, the people of Palmyra tried to prevent publication of the Book of Mormon. For this reason two copies of the translation were made and only portions went to the publisher at a time. A covenant was made among people in the community that not a single copy would be bought. Despite this difficult beginning, the Book of Mormon has become the second best seller in the nation, published also in Braille.
It would have been impossible for an uneducated farm boy to have written the text of the Book of Mormon without provincialism upon every page. Anachronisms and other errors are not part of it. Much information that has recently been uncovered by archaeologists support the book. Though Shakespeare was an accomplished writer his works contain modernized character’s attire.
Discusses the authors’ point of view concerning the identity of the Hill Cumorah as an ancient battlefield. Authors conclude that the scholars “need not search for (Cumorah) in Mexico or Yucatan”
A fictional account of a mission president instructing his missionaries on how to use the Book of Mormon effectively as a proselytizing tool. This imaginary exchange takes place in the Palmyra-Manchester area in 1939.
Argues that the Hill Cumorah and Hill Ramah as geographical locations in the Book of Mormon were located in upstate New York. It therefore challenges the theory that the Hill Cumorah was located somewhere in Latin America. At least some Book of Mormon history took place in southeast Canada and the northeast United States.
Details the coming forth of the Book of Mormon by naming its authors and their records, the transferal of the gold plates from generation to generation, the nature of metal records, and Joseph Smith’s role in the process.
Traditions of the Indians tell of “a book” that their forefathers once possessed. It was taken from them, buried, and promised that it would come forth at a later time. Accounts from letters and journals of early missionaries of the Church as well as scholars of ancient Indians tell of these traditions.
Gives evidence and reasons that Joseph Smith did not quote from the Bible in translating the Book of Mormon as many critics suggest.
Reconciling Joseph’s marriage to an Egyptian and his sons being heirs of the priesthood
Old Testament Topics > Joseph and Asenath
Old Testament Topics > Problems in the Old Testament
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
A literary study of the Bible assists in understanding its origin, purpose, and interpretation; the same is true of the Book of Mormon. Religious truths are conveyed in a distinctive way. The Book of Mormon is mainly narration of a pedantic style with a universal appeal. It was far more important to both recorder and translator that the book be understood than to be a literary masterpiece.
This article contrasts the benighted condition of the Indians when the European colonists arrived in America with the glorious promises that are yet to come as prophesied in the Book of Mormon.
This article describes how the voyage of Christopher Columbus was foreseen by the Book of Mormon prophets. The spirit of the Lord “wrought upon the man.” Columbus wrote to King Ferdinand of his desire to spread the word of God as foretold by the prophet Isaiah in chapters 24 and 64. His journal excerpts show his loyalty to God and his own knowledge of his divine appointment. He recorded that an angel appeared to him and gave him keys to “bind the oceans” and to link the continents.
A series of radio addresses on the Book of Mormon discussing metal plates, the Spaulding manuscript, Hebrew traits and Bible quotations within it, the antiquity of the book, its current relevance, the Book of Mormon as a witness of the Bible, and the witnesses.
This article describes how Moroni experienced two aspects of war—he rallied his soldiers in defense of their liberties and later witnessed the destruction of his people. Moroni later wrote concerning the destruction of his people.
Notes that Moroni’s sermons about spiritual gifts, the sacrament, and charity resemble Paul’s teachings in 1 Corinthians 13. Suggests that Jesus was actually the originator of Paul’s words, since Paul could have collected records from his contemporaries that were not included in the four gospels. Moroni would have learned from Jesus’ actual words to his disciples in America, which explains the similarities in the teachings of 1 Corinthians and the Book of Mormon.
Small four- page polemical brochure containing a letter by the author to the Smithsonian Institute and the Institute’s response.
Small brochure claiming that the LDS church opposes the Bible. Notes that Joseph Smith declared the Book of Mormon to be the most correct book.
Attempts to explain the Book of Mormon on the basis of Spaulding’s Manuscript Found. Does not discuss the 1884 discovery of the manuscript.
“Social justice” has become a post-modern buzzword that carries political connotations in the United States today, but the concept itself is quite ancient and deeply scriptural. Grant Hardy notes that “The Book of Mormon, like the Bible, has strong opinions about what sorts of societies are more just or more righteous than others.” In fact, for those with eyes to see, “restoration scripture is bursting with opportunities for social justice exegesis.” [From the article]
Review of The Mormon Defenders: How Latter-day Saint Apologists Misinterpret the Bible (2001), by James Patrick Holding
Review of Letters to a Mormon Elder: Eye-Opening Information for Mormons and the Christians Who Talk with Them (1993), by James R. White
Review of “Salvation” (1998), by Phil Roberts
Review of Rick Grunder. Mormon Parallels: A Bibliographic Source. Layfayette, New York: Rick Grunder—Books, 2008. 2,088 pp. On CD-ROM. $200.00.
Abstract: Discovering parallels is inherently an act of comparison. Through comparison, parallels have been introduced frequently as proof (or evidence) of different issues within Mormon studies. Despite this frequency, very few investigations provide a theoretical or methodological framework by which the parallels themselves can be evaluated. This problem is not new to the field of Mormon studies but has in the past plagued literary studies more generally. In Part One, this review essay discusses present and past approaches dealing with the ways in which parallels have been used and valued in acts of literary comparison, uncovering the various difficulties associated with unsorted parallels as well as discussing the underlying motivations for these comparisons. In Part Two, a methodological framework is introduced and applied to examples from Grunder’s collection in Mormon Parallels. In using a consistent methodology to value these parallels, this essay suggests a way to address the historical concerns associated with using parallels to explain both texts and Mormonism as an historical religious movement.
.
Review of Rick Grunder. Mormon Parallels: A Bibliographic Source. Layfayette, New York: Rick Grunder—Books, 2008. 2,088 pp. On CD-ROM. $200.00.
Abstract: Discovering parallels is inherently an act of comparison. Through comparison, parallels have been introduced frequently as proof (or evidence) of different issues within Mormon studies. Despite this frequency, very few investigations provide a theoretical or methodological framework by which the parallels themselves can be evaluated. This problem is not new to the field of Mormon studies but has in the past plagued literary studies more generally. In Part One, this review essay discusses present and past approaches dealing with the ways in which parallels have been used and valued in acts of literary comparison, uncovering the various difficulties associated with unsorted parallels as well as discussing the underlying motivations for these comparisons. In Part Two, a methodological framework is introduced and applied to examples from Grunder’s collection in Mormon Parallels. In using a consistent methodology to value these parallels, this essay suggests a way to address the historical concerns associated with using parallels to explain both texts and Mormonism as an historical religious movement.
.
In 1951 in The Improvement Era, Sidney B. Sperry published a short article titled “Some Problems of Interest Relating to the Brass Plates.” In this article he outlines several problems including issues related to the Pentateuch, Jeremiah’s prophecies, The Book of the Law, and the Brass Plates themselves. In many ways, Sperry laid down a gauntlet that has been taken up many times by LDS scholars looking for answers that help to explain these issues in the Book of Mormon within the context of the best current biblical scholarship.
Recently, the Exmormon Foundation held their annual conference in Salt Lake City. A presentation by Chris and Duane Johnson proposed a new statistical model for discussing authorship of the Book of Mormon. The study attempts to connect the Book of Mormon to a text published in 1816: The Late War Between the United States and Great Britain. The latter is a history of the war of 1812 deliberately written in a scriptural style. A traditional (non-statistical) comparison between this text and the Book of Mormon was apparently introduced by Rick Grunder in his 2008 bibliography Mormon Parallels. I will discuss only the statistical model presented by the Johnsons here.
When authors use the rhetorical device of literary allusion, they not only teach through their own words but also attach to their own text meanings and interpretations from the alluded text. This is true of Nephi’s allusion to the account of David and Goliath in Nephi’s own account of his killing Laban, which allusion is generally of a thematic nature. A few of the main thematic parallels between the two accounts are that both unbelieving Israel and Laman and Lemuel are fearful of the main antagonist, both David and Nephi prophesy the death of their opponent, and both Goliath and Laban have their heads cut off and armor stripped. The implications of this allusion run deep. At a time in which the right to kingship was continually in dispute between Nephi and Laman, Nephi casting himself as David—the archetypal king of Judah, whose faith led to his supplanting Saul—could be seen as legitimizing his regal authority over Laman.
Authors inevitably make assumptions about their readers as they write. Readers likewise make assumptions about authors and their intentions as they read. Using a postmodern framing, this essay illustrates how a close reading of the text of 1 and 2 Nephi can offer insight into the writing strategies of its author. This reading reveals how Nephi differentiates between his writing as an expression of his own intentions and desires, and the text as the product of divine instruction written for a “purpose I know not.” In order to help his audience understand the text in this context, Nephi as the author interacts with his audience through his rhetorical strategy, pointing towards his own intentions, and offering reading strategies to help them discover God’s purposes in the text.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 2 Nephi
Review of Ross Anderson. Understanding the Book of Mormon: A Quick Christian Guide to the Mormon Holy Book.
A non-Mormon describes her experience as a member of the cast of the Hill Cumorah Pageant in Palmyra in 1983. She interprets the activities of the two weeks in an anthropological framework referring to the experience as a rite of passage for young Mormons throughout the country. She quotes testimonies of several participants.
I wish you every success and hope your wildest and fondest dreams come true. Clearly you are the hope of our nation, our church, and your families.
I hope that when you are at the end of your days you will not have walked past opportunities that you should have taken or challenges you should have accepted. I hope you will draw each day upon your secular and spiritual knowledge to find your way in faith.
Just as you have passed through the halls at BYU, I hope the Spirit of the Y has passed through you and become a part of you.
I believe you are the hope of things to come in the sciences, the home, politics, technology, medicine, engineering, the arts, and society as a whole. There is no better time than today to catch—then realize—the vision of your possibilities.
RSC Topics > Q — S > Relief Society
RSC Topics > T — Z > Women
This article discusses how the Book of Mormon was key in the restoration of the priesthood and the Church. It has survived a century and a quarter of anti-Mormon criticism.
The Book of Mormon is a witness of Jesus Christ and a valuable tool in teaching the gospel. The article discusses a program of placing copies of the Book of Mormon in hotel rooms.
This article extends an invitation for a Christmas project, for all members of the Church to give a special edition of the Book of Mormon to non-members as Christmas cards.
This article states that members bearing testimony of the Book of Mormon as inspired by the Holy Ghost are able to touch the hearts of those who listen. Furthermore, more witnesses to the Book of Mormon are needed.
This article reports that the printing of the Book of Mormon in Chinese culminates a long and laborious task of translation by two men who were called to the assignment.
Presents five guidelines to determine the authenticity of the New Testament and the Book of Mormon: (1) the claim must be a sensible fact, appealing to the physical senses, (2) there must be witnesses of the fact, (3) the witnesses must be reputable, (4) there must be a memorial/monument to the claim, (5) and the memorial/monument must date back to the claim itself.
This article compiles a number of excerpts from previously published articles by LDS authors that cover such Book of Mormon-related topics as the “fifth gospel,” the stick of Joseph, language, the significance of scientific discoveries, and the manner in which Alma speaks to our day.
A number of excerpts from previously published articles by LDS authors cover such Book of Mormon related topics as the “fifth gospel,” the stick of Joseph, language, the significance of scientific discoveries, and the manner in which Alma speaks to our day.
The article reprints three earlier published recollections of the profound converting effects of the Book of Mormon in the lives of three prominent early LDS personalities—Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, and Parley P. Pratt. Wilford Woodruff received his testimony in a missionary meeting held in a village schoolhouse. Willard Richards was touched by the Lord after reading the entire Book of Mormon twice in just ten days. Parley Pratt read the Book of Mormon straight through, non-stop, day and night, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and he knew it was true.
This article is a challenge to readers of the Book of Mormon to memorize scriptural quotes as they read the work.
This article tells of the assignment, given to every Melchizedek Priesthood holder, to read the Book of Mormon during the year 1961.
Address delivered at BYU: applies “proof of truth” to the Book of Mormon, which requires that (1) the event appeal to the physical senses, (2) it have witnesses, (3) their reliability be tested, (4) a memorial remain, and (5) the memorial/monument date back to the original event. Based on these prerequisites, McKay concludes with a testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.
This article compiles the testimonies of the Book of Mormon borne by the Presidents of the Church—from the Prophet Joseph Smith through President David O. McKay.
This article states that the Book of Mormon teaches “choice lessons of life.” It cites references to illuminate reasons for reading the scriptures, understanding the agency of mankind, listening to the Psalm of Nephi, seeking good counsel, and having faith. It includes commentary on these references.
This article shares the transcriptions of the testimonies of Emma Smith, Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdery, and David Whitmer testifying of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.
This article is a review of the lives of Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris, the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon. Although the Three Witnesses later left the Church, none of them ever denied their testimony of the Book of Mormon.
Discusses the Priesthood. Also explains how the Three Witnesses conform to five criteria for determining the soundness of a testimony.
The power of choice is within you. The roads are clearly marked: one offering animal existence, the other life abundant…
This article discusses the many witnesses to the truth of the restored gospel. The Three Witnesses saw the plates and bore witness of the validity of the Book of Mormon. The Holy Spirit also is a witness to the truth.
This article is a message to young men comparing the Book of Mormon to binoculars, which allow you to see ahead in order to avoid pitfalls and traps. It uses the story of Nephi and his brothers returning to obtain the brass plates to show that young men should fulfill all of their assignments even if they think they cannot.
Even while we are patiently waiting upon the Lord, there are certain blessings that come to us immediately.
The Spirit will help you remember that our potential is beyond our present capacity. We cannot attain it in our current condition and we cannot attain it on our own. We need help. We need a helper. We need Jesus, who is our Helper.
This book provides a detailed description of the process by which Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon. Drawing from firsthand accounts of Joseph himself and the scribes who served with him, From Darkness unto Light explores the difficulties encountered in bringing forth this book of inspired scripture. Recent insights and discoveries from the Joseph Smith Papers project have provided a fuller, richer understanding of the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon. This book helps readers understand that the coming forth of the Book of Mormon was a miracle. Faith and belief are necessary ingredients for one to come to know that Joseph Smith performed the work of a seer in bringing the sacred words of the Book of Mormon from darkness unto light.
“Ever since it was first published in 1830, the Book of Mormon has been intensely scrutinized by both critics and believers. Part of that scrutiny has included speculation about how the book was produced, and many Latter-day Saints have found themselves confused by the various explanations put forth. How exactly did Joseph Smith translate the Book of Mormon? What is the Urim and Thummim, and how did Joseph use it? Why are there different theories of translation, and do they contradict what Joseph Smith and witnesses of the translation described? Historians Gerrit J. Dirkmaat and Michael Hubbard McKay strip away the noise and answer these questions by focusing on primary, historical sources-- records from the key players in the translation, including witnesses, scribes, and Joseph himself. They tell the story of how Joseph obtained the gold plates and then translated them, addressing many common questions Latter-day Saints have about the process.” [From book flap]
Reports statistics of Book of Mormon translations and maintains that the Book of Mormon is not scripture no matter which language it is read in.
Finds fault with LDS pageant “The Man Who Knew” by discussing Lucy Harris’s negative attitude toward Joseph Smith and his work.
Points out that even if the Book of Mormon was inspired, it was written by a man or men. Because it contains false doctrine and anachronisms the Book of Mormon is clearly not an inspired work.
Points out “absurdities and anachronisms” in the Book of Mormon that contradict LDS teachings and disagree with the Bible, therefore invalidating Mormonism.
Since the Book of Mormon contradicts itself, the Bible, and the LDS church, the statement in 1 Nephi 13:12 traditionally interpreted as a prophecy of Columbus’s arrival in America was obviously not written before 1492, making the Book of Mormon “at best a pious fraud”
Warns that accepting Mormonism due to the Book of Mormon’s influence is dangerous because it contradicts the essentials of Mormonism and is out of harmony with historical and archaeological facts.
A polemical tract against Mormonism attempting to explain why Mormonism is a cult. Numerous textual changes in the various editions of the Book of Mormon are noted. The description in 3 Nephi of the destruction of the wicked at the time of Christ’s death is incompatible with the concept of a merciful God.
A Book of Mormon lesson manual for adults of the Reorganized Church. The manual teaches of the Jaredite nation and the Nephite nation 200 years after the appearance of Jesus in the New World.
Originally published in Gospel Quarterly
Consists of a series of thirteen lessons prepared for the study of the Book of Mormon by adults of the RLDS church. The lesson topics include such areas of study as: the reign of King Benjamin, the church in Zarahemla, and Alma’s ministry, and others.
Old Testament Scriptures > Leviticus
Old Testament Topics > Sacrifice
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
Questions 20, 34, and 35 deal with the Book of Mormon: the traditional Mormon interpretation of Ezekiel 37:16-17 is erroneous and the proper interpretation refers to the nations of Israel and Judah; praying about the Book of Mormon is not necessary since the Bible warns against those who preach any other gospel than what has been preached in the Bible; the Book of Mormon is not inspired of God as John 1:18 says that “no man hath seen God at any time” and since Joseph Smith claims to have seen God, he is a false prophet.
A polemical work against Mormonism, which responds to various questions often asked by Mormons dealing with the Bible and Mormon scripture.
A small tract that presents perceived contradictions between Joseph Smith’s teachings and those found in the Book of Mormon.
A polemical letter written against LDS doctrines and teachings. The Book of Mormon is supposed to contain the fullness of the gospel yet does not discuss proxy baptism or celestial marriage. The Book of Mormon condemns the doctrine of a second chance, thereby vitiating the need for baptism for the dead.
An polemical tract that discusses contradictions and errors in the Book of Mormon. The Bible is the sole word of God.
Responds to criticisms of author’s earlier article “Visiting the Book of Mormon Lands?” Quotes various sources to support his viewpoint that the FARMS tour will not necessarily visit actual Book of Mormon sites.
Quotes from Ether and Orson Pratt to discuss the impracticalities of Jaredite barges.
Uses Biblical quotations and the Amarna tablets to refute the LDS claim that Bethlehem was included in “the land of Jerusalem” as referred to in Alma 7:10.
Based on a lack of agreement among LDS scholars as to the location of Book of Mormon events, McKeever argues that an upcoming FARMS tour cannot claim to visit Book of Mormon lands.
A collection of statements made by General Authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints concerning Book of Mormon passages. Volume one begins with statements by Church leaders concerning 1 Nephi to Words of Mormon; volume two contains statements dealing with Mosiah and Alma; volume three with the books Helaman to Moroni.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Words of Mormon
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Mosiah
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Helaman
Remarks by Elder David McKenzie, delivered in the New Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, at the Semi-Annual Conference, October 7, 1873. Reported By: David W. Evans.
Contends that the Book of Mormon has greater authority than the living oracles of the Church. “Other things, which were added to the Church after the translation of that book may be proven not true and still the Church stand, but not so with the Book of Mormon”
Bibliography of publications on the Book of Mormon in 1994.
Review of “A Hemeneutic of Sacred Texts: Historicism, Revisionism, Postitiveism, and the Bible and Book of Mormon” (1989), by Alan Goff.
Many Book of Mormon scholars have attempted to determine the course that Lehi and his family took when they fled Jerusalem to travel to the promised land. In his record, Nephi provided place-names and geographical descriptions, but that information is not sufficient to make conclusive claims. This article draws on the experiences and research of others to discuss the possible locations of the Valley of Lemuel, Shazer, the area where Nephi’s bow broke, Nahom, and Bountiful.
By John W. Welch and Daniel B. McKinlay, Published on 01/01/99
Select bibliography of LDS research on the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Review of Fathers and Sons in the Book of Mormon (1991), by E. Douglas Clark and Robert S. Clark.
RSC Topics > Q — S > Resurrection
Review of Symbols in Stone: Symbolism on the Early Temples of the Restoration (1997), by Matthew B. Brown and Paul T. Smith
The Savior, both in His own recorded words and through the words of His holy prophets, has invited us to come unto Him, to experiment for ourselves on the truthfulness of His gospel, and to claim the attendant blessings.
Review of See the Gods Fall: Four Rivals to Christianity (1997), by Francis J. Beckwith and Stephen E. Parrish
It is my belief that we can obtain this goal of celestial glory as we seek and follow the divine feedback that comes through the still, small voice of the Holy Ghost.
The full text of a letter written by William E. McLellin dated August 14, 1880, to J. T. Cobb in which he reaffirms his testimony of the Book of Mormon. He denies that Sidney Rigdon helped to author the book as he had not known Joseph Smith until after publication of the Book of Mormon.
Tragedies never triumph where personal righteousness prevails.
Our vision of you and your work looks beyond the outward appearance of a boy and sees instead a bearer of the holy priesthood outfitted with its attendant powers, duties, and blessings.
Principles of love, work, self-reliance, and consecration are God given. Those who embrace them and govern themselves accordingly become pure in heart.
Act upon what you know to be true and your righteous works will perfect your faith. Your lives will be full and wonderful.
We need Heavenly Father’s help. Important sources of this help come through man’s service to his fellowman, through prayer, and through focus on Christ.
Just being a member of this Church is not enough. Nor is merely going through the motions of membership sufficient.
Jesus, the very thought of Thee fills my heart with inexpressible joy. It controls every part of my being.
We call upon priesthood bearers to store sufficient so that you and your family can weather the vicissitudes of life.
Change yourself. Decide today “I am going to make the Church and kingdom of God the center of my life!” Position yourself firmly inside God’s kingdom; allow it to encompass you.
Duty does not require perfection, but it does require diligence. It is not simply what is legal; it is what is virtuous.
You and the Aaronic Priesthood office you hold are essential to Heavenly Father’s work with His children and the preparation of this earth for the Second Coming.
Have faith in Christ, trust Him, come unto Him, follow Him. … Step by step the way will unfold before you until … you are back where you belong.
Old Testament Topics > Law of Moses
Old Testament Topics > Sacrifice
Old Testament Topics > Types and Symbols
This article discusses the conundrum of written scripture’s attempt to convey doctrines and experiences that generally included audio and/or visual, such as visions, voices from heaven, and sermons. It highlights three levels of aural logics in the Book of Mormon : the book’s repeated self-characterization as “a voice crying from the dust,” the undermining of the stability of writing by sounding and hearing in the larger narrative of the book, and the process of producing the book in the 1820’s.
John W. Welch suggested that Brigham D. Madsen, editor of Studies of the Book of Mormon,
Abstract: Royal Skousen’s Book of Mormon Critical Text Project has proposed many hundreds of changes to the text of the Book of Mormon. A subset of these changes does not come from definitive evidence found in the manuscripts or printed editions but are conjectural emendations. In this paper, I examine one of these proposed changes — the merging of two dissenting Nephite groups, the Amlicites and the Amalekites. Carefully examining the timeline and geography of these groups shows logical problems with their being the same people. This paper argues that they are, indeed, separate groups and explores a plausible explanation for the missing origins of the Amalekites.
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
A polemical article against Mormonism that appeals to the Spaulding theory for an explanation of the Book of Mormon’s origin.
Response to Brand, E. C. “The Book of Mormon: Elder Brand’s Objections to Mr. Royle’s Article” The Utah Evangelist 1 (April 1884): n.p., which is a response to Royle, J. C. “Faith and Credulity” Earnest Worker 1 (December 1883): n.p. Asserts that the witnesses of the Book of Mormon were only carrying out a “cunning trick arranged for them by Joseph Smith”
Civil War historian James McPherson details important events from history that show how and why the Civil War still matters today.
Abstract: The usage of the exclamation mark has changed over time but continues to serve as an important textual interpretation aid. Punctuation itself has not been a permanent fixture in English, rather it was slowly introduced to English documents with changing standard usages after the invention of the printing press. Here we highlight the use of the exclamation mark across major editions of the Book of Mormon and document the presence of the exclamation mark in a reference table.
RSC Topics > D — F > Diversity
RSC Topics > L — P > Prophets
RSC Topics > L — P > Marriage