Excerpt from a February 27, 2015 interview with Apostle Jeffrey R. Holland and Hugh Hewitt: 1 HH: The first was a man, the second was a woman. I would wonder what the burden of having all these young people on the road in an era of religious intolerance is like. JH: It is a burden. … Read more
Excerpt from the BYU Journal of Undergraduate Research, A Recently Recovered Source: Rethinking Joseph Smith’s Bible Translation (March 16, 2017): 1 “Joseph Smith’s translation of the Bible has attracted significant attention in recent decades, drawing the interest of a wide variety of academics and those who affirm its nearly canonical status in the LDS scriptural … Read more
Excerpts from a 1954 Address by Apostle Mark E. Petersen, ‘Race Problems As They Affect The Church’: 1 “It is a good thing to understand exactly what the Negro has in mind on this subject, I’ll be talking about other races besides Negroes, of course, but it is the Negro question which pinpoints it, so … Read more
Excerpts from a 1954 Address by Apostle Mark E. Petersen, ‘Race Problems As They Affect The Church’: 1 “It is a good thing to understand exactly what the Negro has in mind on this subject, I’ll be talking about other races besides Negroes, of course, but it is the Negro question which pinpoints it, so … Read more
Excerpts from a 1954 Address by Apostle Mark E. Petersen, ‘Race Problems As They Affect The Church’: 1 “It is a good thing to understand exactly what the Negro has in mind on this subject, I’ll be talking about other races besides Negroes, of course, but it is the Negro question which pinpoints it, so … Read more
Excerpts from a 1954 Address by Apostle Mark E. Petersen, ‘Race Problems As They Affect The Church’: 1 “It is a good thing to understand exactly what the Negro has in mind on this subject, I’ll be talking about other races besides Negroes, of course, but it is the Negro question which pinpoints it, so … Read more
Excerpts from a 1954 Address by Apostle Mark E. Petersen, ‘Race Problems As They Affect The Church’: 1 “It is a good thing to understand exactly what the Negro has in mind on this subject, I’ll be talking about other races besides Negroes, of course, but it is the Negro question which pinpoints it, so … Read more
Excerpt from Wikipedia, topic: Illusory Truth Effect: 1 “The illusory truth effect (also known as the truth effect or the reiteration effect) is the tendency to believe information to be correct after repeated exposure. This phenomenon was first identified in a 1977 study at Villanova University and Temple University. When truth is assessed, people rely … Read more
From Wilford Woodruff’s journal entry, June 9 1897, Vol. 7, Pg. 305: 1 “June 9th I was quite restless all night. Felt chilly. Took a little Brandy sling and a cup of coffee, and slept some before daylight and until 9 am” From Wilford Woodruff’s journal entry, April 1897, Vol. 7, Pg. 290: “Arrived … Read more
Excerpt from the LDS Gospel Topic Essay, ‘Race and the Priesthood’: 1 “Today, the Church disavows the theories advanced in the past that black skin is a sign of divine disfavor or curse, or that it reflects unrighteous actions in a premortal life; that mixed-race marriages are a sin; or that blacks or people of … Read more
Excerpt from a 2017 YSA Face to Face with Russell Ballard and Dallin Oaks:1 MALE HOST:“…we have a lot of questions in the YSA about their friends dealing with doubts. A question from Utah asks what advice/guidance would you give for answering tough questions about church history when we are asked about them by someone … Read more
Excerpt from “Start with Faith: A Conversation with Elder Steven E. Snow,” Religious Educator 14, no. 3 (2013): 1 “Part of my challenge is to make certain that I understand that if the Brethren have questions, we get to them and answer them quickly. We have an opportunity to defend positions with them and to … Read more
The Editor [George Q. Cannon], “Topics of the Times,” Juvenile Instructor 34 (March 1, 1899): 137-138. Reprinted in Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star 61 (March 30, 1899):1 “In some minds there seems to be an idea that there should be a different form of blessing for children born of non-members and for those who are identified … Read more
Excerpt from a discourse by Elder Orson Pratt, delivered in the 14th Ward Assembly Rooms, Sunday Afternoon, Dec. 15, 1872: 1 “When a female in the Latter-day Saint Church marries a person outside the Church it is not a marriage in our estimation, in the scriptural sense of the word, it is only a union … Read more
LDS Apostle Orson Pratt, discourse delivered in the Salt Lake City Tabernacle, Sunday Afternoon, July 18, 1880: 1 “All these principles that I have treated upon, pertaining to eternal marriage, the very moment that they are admitted to be true, it brings in plurality of marriage, and if plurality of marriage is not true or … Read more
Excerpt from an address given in the October 2017 LDS General Conference, by Apostle M. Russell Ballard: 1 “Among those first Saints to arrive in Utah was Jane Manning James—the daughter of a freed slave, a convert to the restored Church, and a most remarkable disciple who faced difficult challenges. Sister James remained a faithful … Read more
Image: Melvin Russell Ballard, Jr. is an American businessman and religious leader who has been a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 1985. From the October 2016 talk To Whom Shall We Go? by M. Russell Ballard If any one of you is … Read more
Joseph Smith Jr. From the LDS Gospel Topic Essay, Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo found on LDS.org. ‘The youngest [of Joseph’s brides] was Helen Mar Kimball, daughter of Joseph’s close friends Heber C. and Vilate Murray Kimball, who was sealed to Joseph several months before her 15th birthday.’ Teen Brides of Joseph Smith Jr. … Read more
Image: Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, entrepreneur, publisher, and lecture. In Mark Twain’s book titled Roughing It (1872), he gives a review of the Book of Mormon: All men have heard of the Mormon Bible, but few … Read more
A unique doctrine that was taught for decades in the early church is that of Adam-God. In essence, the doctrine teaches that Adam was once a mortal man who became resurrected and exalted. From another planet, he came as Michael to form Earth. Adam brought Eve, one of his wives, with him to Earth, where … Read more
In 1829 Joseph Smith received a revelation to sell the copyrights of the Book of Mormon in Canada. Ultimately the effort was unsuccessful. Revelation given to Joseph Smith regarding the sell of the Book of Mormon copyright, Joseph Smith Papers – 1829: “A Revelation given to Oliver [Cowdery] Hyram [Hiram Page] Josiah [Stowell] & Joseph … Read more
From the current (2017) LDS Handbook 2: Administering the Church: 21.4.15Surgical Sterilization (Including Vasectomy) The Church strongly discourages surgical sterilization as an elective form of birth control. Surgical sterilization should be considered only if (1) medical conditions seriously jeopardize life or health or (2) birth defects or serious trauma have rendered a person mentally incompetent … Read more
Image: President Dieter F. Uchtdorf – April 2017 General Conference From the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 10-13, 18:[footnote]1 Nephi 10-13, 18 – LDS.org[/footnote] 10 And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed … Read more
Image: Apostle Mark E. Petersen Apostle Mark E. Petersen, “Race Problems – as they affect the church:[footnote]Mark E. Petersen, “Race Problems – as they affect the church,” August 27, 1954, p. 17[/footnote] “In spite of all he did in the pre-existent life, the Lord is willing, if the Negro accepts the gospel with real, sincere … Read more
From the first account of the first vision in 1932, 12 years after the experience: At about the age of twelve years, my mind become seriously impressed with regard to the all-important concerns for the welfare of my immortal soul, which led me to searching the scriptures—believing, as I was taught, that they contained the … Read more
From the first account of the first vision in 1932, 12 years after the experience: At about the age of twelve years, my mind become seriously impressed with regard to the all-important concerns for the welfare of my immortal soul, which led me to searching the scriptures—believing, as I was taught, that they contained the … Read more
Image: Martin Luther King Jr., Civil Rights Activist Excerpts from an address by Apostle Mark E. Peterson given at the Convention of Teachers of Religion on the College Level Brigham Young University Provo, Utah – August 27, 1954[footnote]Race Problems—As They Affect The Church – Mark E. Petersen, 1954 [/footnote] “God has commanded Israel not to intermarry. To go against … Read more
In 1981 Elder Hartman Rector, Jr. Of the First Quorum of the Seventy gave an address titled ‘Turning the Hearts'[footnote] Turning the Hearts, Elder Hartman Rector, Jr. – LDS.org [/footnote]. The more controversial elements such as birth control and homosexuality were later censored from the textual version of the address on LDS.org, though the audio version remains complete. … Read more
Image: Polygamist FLDS Prophet Warren Jeffs. From the LDS church’s Gospel Topic Essay ‘Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo’ [footnote]Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo – LDS.org [/footnote] ‘Careful estimates put the number {of wives} between 30 and 40.’ ‘The youngest was Helen Mar Kimball, daughter of Joseph’s close friends Heber C. and Vilate Murray Kimball, who was sealed … Read more
Frances Ward (“Fanny”) Alger Custer (September 30, 1816 – November 29, 1889) is generally considered as Joseph Smiths first plural wife. Although undocumented, the marriage of Fanny and Joseph most likely took place in Kirtland, Ohio sometime in 1833 (before sealing authority had been restored). She would have been sixteen years old at the time. Joseph kept … Read more
Image: Image of Polygamist FLDS Prophet Warren Jeffs and his wives [footnote] Warren Jeffs – Wikipedia [/footnote] From an April 17, 1860 New York Times article, ‘Polygamy and its Fruits'[footnote] The New York Times, April 17, 1860 [/footnote]and later published in Stanley P. Hirshson’s, The Lion of the Lord[footnote] The Lion of the Lord: A Biography … Read more