Excerpt from a Young Adult Devotional talk by Russell M. Nelson, January 10, 2016: 1 This prophetic process was followed in 2012 with the change in minimum age for missionaries and again with the recent additions to the Church’s handbook, consequent to the legalization of same-sex marriage in some countries. Filled with compassion for all, and especially … Read more
‘First Presidency Statement on Temples’, 2 January 2019: 1 “Whenever the Lord has had a people on the earth who will obey His word, they have been commanded to build temples. Scriptures document patterns of temple worship from the times of Adam and Eve, Moses, Solomon, Nephi, and others. With the restoration of the gospel … Read more
Excerpt from a First Presidency Address, published in the September 1981 Ensign, Marion G. Romney: 1 I remember how my father impressed the seriousness of unchastity upon my mind. He and I were standing in the railroad station at Rexburg, Idaho, in the early morning of 12 November 1920. We heard the train whistle. In … Read more
Excerpt from an August 1975 Ensign article, ‘New Information on Church Policies’: 1 “Prayers in Sacrament and Priesthood Meetings. Attention is called to the following instruction which appeared in the July-August 1967 Priesthood Bulletin. The First Presidency recommends that only those who bear the Melchizedek Priesthood or Aaronic Priesthood be invited to offer the opening … Read more
Letter from the First Presidency, April 14, 1969: ((Realities of the Population Explosion, May 1971 Ensign – https://www.lds.org/ensign/1971/05/realities-of-the-population-explosion?lang=eng) “Presidents of Stakes, Bishops of Wards, and Presidents of Missions Dear Brethren: The First Presidency is being asked from time to time as to what the attitude of the Church is regarding birth control. In order that … Read more
Excerpt from a March 30, 1899 article by George Q. Cannon, ‘The Blessing of Children’: 1 THE BLESSING OF CHILDREN. The question has been raised several times as to the proper manner of blessing children. This subject has been written upon before in this paper, but it seems proper that the matter be again referred … Read more
In Mormonism, the oath of vengeance (or law of vengeance) was an oath that was made by participants in the endowment ritual of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) between about 1845 and the early 1930s, in which participants vowed to pray that God would avenge the blood of the prophets … Read more
Statement from the First Presidency of the LDS Church regarding rape, June 4, 1984: June 4, 1984 TO: All general Authorities; Regional Representatives; Stake and Mission Presidents; Bishops and Branch Presidents RE: Statement on Rape Dear Brethren: For the information of members who may inquire about the subject, there follows a statement on rape which … Read more
LDS, second Article of Faith: 1 2 We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression. Handbook 1: Stake Presidents and Bishops, 16:13: 2 Children of a Parent Living in a Same-Gender Relationship A natural or adopted child of a parent living in a same-gender relationship, whether the … Read more
Excerpt from the June 2018 Ensign, ‘The Long-Promised Day’: 1 1. Aware of the promises With the help of others, President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) carefully studied the scriptures and statements made by Church leaders in addresses, journals, meetings, and other sources since the days of the Prophet Joseph Smith, including the following: President Brigham … Read more
Statement of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, August 17, 1949, Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City. Note: The image above is designed to resemble the family proclamation. August 17, 1949 The attitude of the Church with reference to Negroes remains as it … Read more
October 1905 Conference Report, Prophet Joseph F. Smith, Pg. 5: 1 “I want to say further to the Saints, that your brethren to whom you have entrusted the care and management of the finances of the Church stand ready and willing, any moment,’ to answer to YOU — to Latter-day Saints, to tithepayers, to those … Read more
On June 1, 1980 Apostle Bruce R. McConkie gave an address at BYU entitled ‘The Seven Deadly Heresies’. The text version of this talk was drastically altered from the original audio address. 1 Below is a comparison of the two versions. Printed version Audio version I have sought and do now seek that guidance … Read more
On June 1, 1980 Apostle Bruce R. McConkie gave an address at BYU entitled ‘The Seven Deadly Heresies’. The text version of this talk was drastically altered from the original audio address. 1 Below is a comparison of the two versions. Printed version Audio version I have sought and do now seek that guidance … Read more
Excerpt from the Mormon Newsroom, Topic – Polygamy: 1 “Today, the practice of polygamy is strictly prohibited in the Church, as it has been for over a century. Polygamy — or more correctly polygyny, the marriage of more than one woman to the same man — was a part of the teachings of The Church … Read more
Excerpt from the LDS Gospel Topic Essay, Book of Mormon and DNA Studies: 1 The Book of Mormon provides little direct information about cultural contact between the peoples it describes and others who may have lived nearby. Consequently, most early Latter-day Saints assumed that Near Easterners or West Asians like Jared, Lehi, Mulek, and their … Read more
Excerpts from a 1981 LDS Booklet Addressing ‘Homosexuality’, published as a guide to be used for local leaders when working with homosexual members: 1 Pg. 1 Homosexuality is of grave concern to the Church because- 1. It violates the Lord’s eternal plan for man’s progress by perverting the proper use of procreative powers and loving … Read more
Excerpt from Studies of the Book of Mormon by B. H. Roberts, pg. 240: 1 “Did Ethan Smith’s View of the Hebrews furnish structural material for Joseph Smith’s Book of Mormon? It has been pointed out in these pages that there are many things in the former book that might well have suggested many major … Read more
Letter from the First Presidency to Dr. Lowry Nelson, July 17 1947: 1 “Your position seems to lose sight of the revelations of the Lord touching the preexistence of our spirits , the rebellion in heaven, and the doctrines that our birth into this life and the advantages under which we my be born, have … Read more
Letter from the First Presidency to Dr. Lowry Nelson, July 17 1947: 1 “Your position seems to lose sight of the revelations of the Lord touching the preexistence of our spirits , the rebellion in heaven, and the doctrines that our birth into this life and the advantages under which we my be born, have … 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 Church News, 1 January 2012: 1 “The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently announced the call of Elder Steven E. Snow of the Presidency of the Seventy as Church Historian and Recorder, a role previously filled by Elder Marlin K. Jensen of the Seventy.” Excerpt from … Read more
From the April 1942 General Conference, prophet Heber J. Grant: 1 “MESSAGE TO THE YOUTH To the youth of the Church we repeat all the foregoing advice, but above all we plead with you to live clean, for the unclean life leads only to suffering, misery, and woe physically, — and spiritually it is the … 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 letter from the LDS First Presidency to Church leaders, January 5, 1982: 1 “When interviewing married persons, the one doing the interviewing should scrupulously avoid indelicate inquiries which may be offensive to the sensibilities of those being interviewed. Married persons should understand that if in their marital relations they are guilty of … 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: George Albert Smith, President of the LDS Church, May 21, 1945 – April 4, 1951 [footnote]George Albert Smith – Wikipedia[/footnote] Excerpt from ‘Statement of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’, August 17, 1949 “The attitude of the Church with reference to the Negroes remains as it has always stood. It … Read more