BYU Studies
Alphabetical by Authors

Even considering the fine books and articles on the history of Latter-day Saint women that have been written in the last fifty years, there are still innumerable questions about early Utah women to be explored. For example, how did the votes of women in territorial Utah from 1870 on affect local and territorial elections? Who were the first female politicians in Utah, and what did they accomplish? In what ways were Latter-day Saint women involved in the national suffrage movement in the United States? How did Kanab, Utah, come to have an entire slate of female city officials, and what did they achieve during their service? In addition, there are questions specifically related to the Relief Society: What did the sisters achieve in their work of saving wheat, raising silkworms and spinning silk, and training midwives? Furthermore, beyond a purely academic or historical interest, individuals yearn to know more about the lives and experiences of their own foremothers, actual and spiritual. There are many resources that can provide insights into these and other questions about historical Latter-day Saint women. Some materials are focused on Mormon studies, but others are much broader. All the resources described in this article are open access, which means they can be searched for free anytime from anywhere. Some resources provide just references, while others include the full text of various documents. This article will be a journey through the world of libraries, archives, and publications of all types.

One way to read the Book of Mormon is to be attentive to ways in which it comes across as a translated text. Being mindful of this is wise, because all translations—even inspired translations—lose something of the primary language, particularly as meanings shift when words are rendered into the vocabulary or idioms of the target language. While the exact nature of the original language used by Abinadi, Ammon, Aaron, or Mormon is unknown, the English text of the Book of Mormon gives helpful hints. Two passages (1 Ne. 1:2 and Morm. 9:32–33) suggest that Egyptian and Hebrew elements were found in the language used by Book of Mormon speakers and writers, which allows present-day scholars to look for places where the current translation displays these elements. This article suggests a possible connection between three Book of Mormon passages and a Hebrew word with a wide semantic range—a range that appears to be reflected quite purposefully in the English translation of these three passages in the books of Mosiah and Alma. That Hebrew word is netzach.

In this article, I will explore the notion of communal ascent to heaven in ancient Jewish and Christian literature and seek to answer the questions, Can an entire community ascend to heaven? and Do we see this theme in ancient texts, or is this a complete innovation on the part of Joseph Smith as he sought to unite his followers around an inspiring and unifying goal? To arrive at the answers to these questions, I will analyze a number of ancient Jewish and Christian religious texts that feature the ascent to heaven motif and suggest that not only did their authors envision an individual ascent, but they also imagined groups or communities raised up to the celestial realm.

This book reports on selected buildings and objects that bring to life important events that took place in the first two decades of the Restoration. As museum curators and historians worked to exhibit and tell the history of these objects, they sometimes found that stories told about them were incorrect. This collection’s aim is to tell a more accurate history about these treasured heirlooms. Since the beginning of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, members have kept records and honored their past. Documents and artifacts provide evidence of sacred events and connect the spiritual aspect of the Church to tangible objects. This book reports on selected buildings and objects that bring to life important events that took place in the first two decades of the Restoration. As museum curators and historians worked to exhibit and tell the history of these objects, they sometimes found that stories told about them were incorrect. This collection’s aim is to tell a more accurate history about these treasured heirlooms. Items discussed in this volume: The two Smith family homes in Palmyra-Manchester, New York The artifacts of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, including weapons, canes, Carthage Jail, and watches Eliza R. Snow’s watch, given to her by Joseph Smith The Nauvoo Temple bells The Relief Society Campanile on Temple Square Cannons and other artillery used in Nauvoo and Utah Odometers used on the pioneer trail Telling a better history of these physical objects helps preserve them for future generations. 504 pages Paperback

The Willie Handcart Company offers new insights into the experiences of this group, which sailed from Liverpool, England, in May 1856 and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley five months later. With limited funds and resources, these faithful Latter-day Saints pulled their belongings in handcarts over the Mormon Trail and endured some of the most severe hardships of all those who gathered to Zion. On September 7, for example, after the best oxen were lost in a stampede, flour was taken from one of the company’s few wagons and distributed among the handcarts, according to each man’s strength. James Hurren, age 29, put five of the 100-pound sacks on his handcart, along with his family’s baggage and two small girls who were unable to walk. This extra weight burdened his handcart considerably yet he didn’t complain. Later, on October 19, a member of the rescue party sent by Brigham Young gave Emily Hill, age 20, an onion because she looked starved. Instead of eating it, she gave it to a man who lay on the ground close to death. The man later said this kindness saved his life. These and other heroic sacrifices offer threads of devotion and courage that have enriched the tapestry of spiritual triumph for generations to follow. To illuminate the Willie Company’s daily experiences, Paul D. Lyman includes portions of journals, personal histories, newspapers, maps, and other historical documents. He also has compiled 89 new, detailed maps that show the company’s daily path and campsites. These maps contain modern driving routes and directions for those hardy enough to experience the Saints’ journey firsthand.

A teacher at the Salt Lake Institute of Religion for three decades, T. Edgar Lyon regularly drew more students than could squeeze into his classroom. Lyon’s gift as a vivid storyteller made Church history “come alive.” Dr. Lyon, eyes twinkling, would ask: “Why did Brigham Young choose oxen over horses or mules to move wagons westward?” “Better gas mileage,” Lyon beamed: “They could survive on poor grass without supplemental grain, and they ate less in comparison to the weight they pulled.” Lyon always affirmed, “The testimony is in the details.” Lyon’s rich biography, revealed through an engaging narrative, explores his mission and mission presidency in the Netherlands, University of Chicago study under renowned biblical scholars, contributions to seminary and institute programs during the Church Educational System’s formative years, and work with the Nauvoo Restoration project.

In 1848 James Brady, a poor Irishman living in Scotland, was baptized into the LDS church. Five years later he still was well acquainted with poverty but with the help of the Perpetual Emigrating Fund was able to heed Church counsel to flee “Babylon” and emigrate to America. En route to “Zion,” while in St. Louis, Missouri, he wrote to friends in Scotland, recalling the tight financial circumstances surrounding his departure: “When I left Glasgow I had 5 shillings and I gave 3[shillings] and sixpence in Liverpool for the harp of zion.” His grand sum of five shillings at departure would have equaled about one dollar and twenty-five cents in United States money, yet he paid, seemingly squandered, more than two-thirds of his total savings to buy a single volume of poetry! What influences acted upon destitute Brady and thousands of other poor LDS Saints, causing them to lay out scarce and needed savings to purchase a single book of poems? Early Mormon leaders placed such a high value on poetic expression of the principles of the restored gospel that Church funds were used to pay for the publication and distribution costs of the first book of LDS poetry. By purchasing the Harp of Zion, James Brady was participating in both a material and spiritual activity that would, he was assured, aid his eternal salvation.