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, 18:1 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 the blood of man. … Read more
Image: Apostle Mark E. Petersen Apostle Mark E. Petersen, “Race Problems – as they affect the church:1 “In spite of all he did in the pre-existent life, the Lord is willing, if the Negro accepts the gospel with real, sincere faith, and is really converted, to give him the blessings of baptism and the gift … 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, 19541 “God has commanded Israel not to intermarry. To go against this commandment of God would be in sin. Those … Read more
In 1981 Elder Hartman Rector, Jr. Of the First Quorum of the Seventy gave an address titled ‘Turning the Hearts’1. 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. Some of the discrepancies include: “I consider it a great … Read more
Image: Polygamist FLDS Prophet Warren Jeffs. From the LDS church’s Gospel Topic Essay ‘Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoo’ 1 ‘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 to Joseph several months before her … 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 1 From an April 17, 1860 New York Times article, ‘Polygamy and its Fruits’2and later published in Stanley P. Hirshson’s, The Lion of the Lord3: ‘Some time ago HEBER KIMBALL was lecturing some missionaries who were preparing to start out on foreign missions, in the … Read more