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 MacKay’s work for The Joseph Smith Papers, this volume examines what the existing historical documents really tell us.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

Joseph Smith taught, “Don’t let a single corner of the earth go without a mission.” In response to the Prophet’s counsel, years later, Brigham Young and his counselors in the First Presidency planned a special missionary conference in 1852. At this conference, one hundred Latter-day Saint men were called to proselytize in distant lands—the largest cohort of full-time elders in the church’s three-decade history. This book tells the stories and adventures of eight men called to Wales, Prussia, Gibraltar, the Cape of Good Hope, the Sandwich Islands, China, Siam, and Australia. These faithful missionaries left their families, possessions, and newly settled homes in the West to “seek to fulfill the initial obligation given to that church in the very opening of the New Dispensation, namely, to preach the gospel of the kingdom to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.” ISBN 978-1-9443-9472-1

This volume is a compilation of inspirational stories shared by Latter-day Saints who served on the front lines in several recent military conflicts. These stories detail their trials, challenges, setbacks, faith, courage, and numerous victories in overcoming extraordinary circumstances. This book is filled with remarkable first-person accounts from Latter-day Saint soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen, and civilians who served in the Gulf War, the War in Afghanistan, and the Iraq War. Their amazing stories—published together for the first time—chronicle the sacrifice, dedication, and humor of day-to-day life in modern combat zones. This book also shares the story of how fully functioning districts of the Church were organized and operated in the war-torn countries of Afghanistan and Iraq to meet the spiritual needs of the Church members there. Richly illustrated with photographs from the participants, this book will introduce you to a new generation of Latter-day Saint heroes. ISBN 978-1-9443-9487-5

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were among US soldiers in World War II who endured the atrocities of the Bataan Death March in the Philippines and the brutality of Japanese POW camps. This is the story, largely told through their personal accounts, of a group of twenty-nine Latter-day Saint POWs in the Philippines, the events that brought them together to form an informal branch of the Church in an infamous POW camp, a remarkable event in the history of the Church, and the events that would later pull them apart—twelve to their liberation and seventeen to their death. ISBN 978-1-9503-0413-4

Tonga has by far the highest percentage of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of any country in the world. How did this come to be? At first, missionary work in Tonga appeared to be a failure. Then after the mission was closed for a decade, the Church returned and began harvesting the fruits from the seeds that were planted earlier amid tremendous official opposition. The truths of the gospel resonated with the Tongan people, who exhibited tremendous faith and sacrifice. The Church grew to be a strong influence in the Kingdom of Tonga and with the people of the country. ISBN 978-1-9443-9488-2

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

For more than 150 years, “Come, Come, Ye Saints,” the anthem of the pioneer journey, has praised Salt Lake City as “the place, which God for us prepared.” This new book from Brigham Young University’s Religious Studies Center analyzes the fulfillment of that poetic longing. The sixteenth in a series of regional studies on Latter-day Saint church history, it contains a collection of essays by faculty members in the Department of Church History and Doctrine discussing Salt Lake’s place in our sacred story. Topics include histories of significant landmarks, stories from the city’s past, and discussions of Church organizations. The reader will see connections between the revelations of Joseph Smith and Salt Lake City as a modern city of Zion, the place, indeed, where the Saints have been blessed. ISBN 978-0-8425-2799-6

For three days, April 11-13, 2002, Brigham Young University hosted a unique conference titled “Salvation in Christ: Christian Perspectives.” Scholars, theologians, and interested laypersons came together to celebrate the redemptive act of our Lord Jesus Christ and to explain their understandings of salvation in Christ from the viewpoints of their respective Christian denominational backgrounds. A broad spectrum of Christian approaches were represented, as was the range of issues needing to be addressed with the monumental topic of “Salvation in Christ” as the theme for the gathering. The purpose of the conference was for participants to speak, listen, and learn from one another--to become better acquainted with various faith traditions, particularly different perspectives on the major doctrines associated with Christian salvation. ISBN 0-8425-2606-4

Former Air Force pilot Dale T. Tingey launched into a lifetime of service to the Native Americans when he accepted the calling of president of the Southwest Indian Mission in 1968. Not long after he returned, he took over the reins of Brigham Young University’s American Indian Services, where he fostered programs and solicited donations to help with scholarships and other needs. People grew to love his natural warmth and spontaneity, his fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants style, and his infectious laugh. Insistent with wealthy donors but never patronizing to humble recipients, Dale brought scholarships, tractors, farm implements, garden seeds, and Christmas gifts to reservations throughout North America. ISBN 0-8425-2564-5

This third volume by the Book of Mormon Academy at Brigham Young University is a study of the sermon of Samuel the Lamanite by means of four analytical lenses. The first, a prophetic lens, discusses the roles of prophets, the prophetic promise of “prolonged days,” and Samuel’s prophecies. The second lens is pedagogical, providing readers with a greater understanding of how to teach the sermon. Readers who take advantage of the third lens, which is cultural-theological, will discover a useful framework for comprehending the ethics of wealth in the sermon, witness how Samuel stands up to Nephite discrimination, and benefit from a detailed reading of the sermon that will enable them to grasp how spiritual death divides both Christ and human beings. Lastly, the fourth set of lenses, literary in nature, assists the reader in recognizing a newly identified type-scene, traces possible sources Samuel may have relied on, explores sources Mormon may have turned to as he abridged the work, and studies parallels between the ancient sermon and a form of early American speech known as the “jeremiad.” ISBN 978-1-9503-0410-3

Prominent scholars of diverse backgrounds participated in a March 1980 symposium, “Scriptures in the Sesquicentennial,” and brought to it their unique insights into the world of records. This book, a compilation of the addresses, explores some of those records that evidence both the antiquity and the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. ISBN 0-8849-4538-3

The 39th Annual Brigham Young University Sidney B. Sperry Symposium Christians around the world look to the Sermon on the Mount for encouragement and guidance in developing the attitudes and behavior the Lord admonished us to have. The 2010 Sperry Symposium focuses on the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew, Luke, and 3 Nephi. It will discuss in depth specific passages and textual variations in the different accounts of the Sermon, as well as the social and cultural context of the Sermon. Chapters will review the contributions that the Joseph Smith Translation makes to our understanding, as well as the use of the Sermon in later biblical and Book of Mormon teachings. Contributors include Richard D. Draper, Matthew J. Grey, Daniel K Judd, Jennifer C. Lane, Eric-John K. Marlowe, Robert L. Millet, Thomas A. Wayment, and John W. Welch. ISBN 978-1-60641-823-9

“We are a biblical church. This wonderful testament of the Old World, this great and good Holy Bible is one of our standard works. We teach from it. We bear testimony of it. We read from it. It strengthens our testimony. And we add to that this great second witness, the Book of Mormon, the testament of the New World, for as the Bible says, ’In the mouths of two or three witnesses shall all things be established.’” –President Gordon B. Hinckley This volume sheds light on many questions that students of the New Testament attempt to answer, such as: How do we reconcile Paul’s teachings on women with the doctrines of the Restoration? What is the relationship between grace and works? What do Latter-day Saints believe about grace? How are the Atonement, justification, and sanctification connected? How can we identify spiritual gifts and use them to serve others? How can we guard ourselves against the “wisdom of men” in today’s world? ISBN 978-0-8425-2725-5

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

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

“The challenge of Jesus was to replace the rigid, technical ’thou shalt not’ of the law of Moses that the spiritually immature children of Israel needed with the spirit of the ’better testament,’” writes President James E. Faust in his chapter “A Surety of a Better Testament.” Drawn from more than three decades of Sidney B. Sperry Symposia held at Brigham Young University, twenty-six authors expand our understanding of the life of Jesus Christ, the culture in which He lived, and the obstacles He and His Apostles confronted in trying to teach the higher law of Jesus Christ. These insightful essays written by General Authorities and religious educators illuminate the New Testament as they testify that Jesus is the Christ, the Risen and Redeeming Lord, the Savior of the world. ISBN 978-1-5903-8628-6

This collection of articles will add zest and savor to your study of the Old Testament. You will find a wide range of readings taken from the Sidney B. Sperry Symposium series. The articles in this book touch on a variety of aspects of Old Testament study. Some authors discuss the Old Testament itself, others offer explanations and interpretations, and still others use the Old Testament as a springboard to discuss Restoration theology. ISBN 1-59038-533-0

Light is everywhere! It gives us vision, keeps us warm, and facilitates life. Light is even responsible for developments in communications technology, the internet, and space travel. However, light is not just a physical concept. It is a central theme used throughout scripture to literally and metaphorically describe spiritual concepts. Throughout history, scientists have studied light physically and theologians have studied light spiritually. But what if these two realms of study were combined? What if the physical light we see is actually related to the spiritual light discussed in scripture? Can we apply what we know about light scientifically to what we know about light doctrinally? In this book, engineer, chemist, and professor Aaron D. Franklin explores these questions and more by connecting principles of physical light to gospel truths about spiritual light. In so doing, Franklin provides an accessible way for us all, no matter our scientific or doctrinal prowess, to learn how we see, feel, and know truth—which is, of course, light. ISBN 978-1-9503-0407-3

The essays in this book inspire Latter-day Saints to consider carefully their stewardship in caring for God’s creations. It also encourages finding common ground with those of other persuasions. The book demonstrates that our religion offers a vital perspective on environmental stewardship that encompasses the best impulses of liberal generosity and conservative restraint. ISBN 0-8425-2618-8

This volume uncovers the significant but previously unknown contributions of the electioneers who advocated for Joseph Smith’s 1844 presidential campaign. The focus is the cadre of more than six hundred political missionaries—who they were before the campaign, their activities and experiences as electioneers, and who they became following the campaign’s untimely collapse. This book recounts their important and even crucial contributions they made in the succession crisis, the exodus from the United States, and the building of Zion in the Great Basin. Importantly, this narrative describes how their campaigning with the Quorum of Twelve Apostles using theodemocratic themes, coupled with the shock of Joseph Smith’s assassination, steeled and subsequently spurred many of them into effective religious, political, social, and economic leaders—leaders who shaped Latter-day Saint history. ISBN 978-1-9443-9492-9

This book zeroes in on thirteen of the less famous, behind-the-scenes Saints—supporting Saints. These pioneers were typical of the strength, courage, and faith that built the early Utah church as the base on which today’s worldwide church was founded. Their life stories are recounted here with a wealth of fascinating detail. Here, then, are supporting Saints, both men and women, in a variety of situations and occupations. Their stories, absorbing in themselves, bring us also much interesting detail about life in Utah and many other areas a hundred and more years ago. ISBN 0-8849-4565-0