Former Oregon Senator Gordon Smith speaking privately to LDS leaders about how he tried to help their aims while in congress. February 2009 (Beginning at 13:15): 1 “I know, and have been a critic of the Iraq war, but I also admit to you that I voted for it because I felt the Lords hand … Read more
LDS Official Declaration 1, October 6 1890, Wilford Woodruff: LDS Official Declaration 1 – https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/od/1?lang=eng To Whom It May Concern: Press dispatches having been sent for political purposes, from Salt Lake City, which have been widely published, to the effect that the Utah Commission, in their recent report to the Secretary of the Interior, allege that … 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
Notice issued by Joseph and Hyrum Smith in the Times and Season paper, February 1, 1844 (at the time Joseph had more than 30 plural wives): 1 “NOTICE As we have lately been credibly informed, that an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ, of Latter-day Saints, by the name of Hiram Brown, has been … Read more
Excerpt from the Journal of Discourses, Topic on LDS.org: 1 “The Journal of Discourses is not an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is a compilation of sermons and other materials from the early years of the Church, which were transcribed and then published. It included some doctrinal instruction … Read more
Excerpt from the ‘Miracle of Forgiveness’, Spencer W. Kimball: 1 “On the sad character Cain, an interesting story comes to us from Lycurgus A. Wilson’s book on the life of David W. Patten. From the book I quote an extract from a letter by Abraham O. Smoot giving his recollection of David Patten’s account of … 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
Excerpt from LDS apostle Orson Pratt’s 1874 General Conference address: 1 “…I have heard now and then (I am very glad to say that only a few such instances have come under my notice), a brother or a sister say, “I am a Latter-day Saint, but I do not believe in polygamy.” Oh, what an … Read more
Footnote 31, ‘Translation and Historicity of the Book of Abraham’, LDS Gospel Topic Essay: 1 “31. John Whitmer, History, 1831–ca. 1837, 76, in Karen Lynn Davidson, Richard L. Jensen, and David J. Whittaker, eds., Histories, Volume 2: Assigned Historical Writings, 1831–1847, vol. 2 of the Histories series of The Joseph Smith Papers, edited by Dean … Read more
Excerpt from the LDS Race and the Priesthood 2014 essay: 1 ‘In 1850, the U.S. Congress created Utah Territory, and the U.S. president appointed Brigham Young to the position of territorial governor. Southerners who had converted to the Church and migrated to Utah with their slaves raised the question of slavery’s legal status in the … 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
Excerpt from a 2015 BYU Idaho address Millions Shall Know Brother Joseph Again, by Professor Jayson Kunzler: 1 “As we humbly search the scriptures, we will come to know both Jesus Christ and his servant, Joseph Smith. In this connection, may I offer a suggestion to all of us? If we truly desire to know … Read more
Apostle Russell M. Nelson referenced a list of things the Book of Mormon is during his October 2017 General Conference address. The following is an excerpt from that list: 1 “The Book of Mormon affirms: The individual identity of Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ.” From Wikipedia, Sabellianism: 2 In Christianity, Sabellianism … Read more
Excerpt from Handbook 2: 20.7 Conferring the Priesthood and Ordaining to an Office: 1 * 1. Calls the person by his full name. * 2. States the authority by which the ordination is performed (Aaronic or Melchizedek Priesthood).2 * 3. Confers the Aaronic or Melchizedek Priesthood, unless it has already been conferred. * 4. Ordains … Read more
Excerpt from an April 1969 General Conference address by Apostle Mark E. Petersen, The Dangers of the So-called Sex Revolution: 1 “That law is irrevocable and inescapable and applies to all, whether we believe in God or not. Everyone is subject to its penalties, no matter how they may try to ignore them, The wage … Read more
Wikipedia, Gender Equality: 1 ‘Gender equality, also known as sexual equality, is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making; and the state of valuing different behaviors, aspirations and needs equally, regardless of gender.’ May 2017, General Authorities and General Officers of The Church … Read more
Excerpts from 3 Nephi, Christ is speaking to the remnant survivors in America, describing the destruction he’s caused: 1 1 And it came to pass that there was a voice heard among all the inhabitants of the earth, upon all the face of this land, crying: 2 Wo, wo, wo unto this people; wo unto … Read more
Image: Kate Kelly is an American Mormon feminist and human rights attorney who founded Ordain Women, an organization advocating for the ordination of women to the priesthood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Kelly was excommunicated from the LDS Church in 2014. 1 Excerpt from Handbook 1: Stake Presidents and Bishops, 6.2.1: 2 6.2.1 … Read more
September 11th marks the anniversary of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. A five day siege that culminated in the slaughter of some 120 California-bound immigrants in 1857, at the hands of Mormon militiamen (reinstated Nauvoo Legion) from Parowan, Utah.1 A month before the emigrants departed Arkansas on their journey west, Parley P. Pratt (LDS Apostle) was … Read more
Image: LDS Temple sealing room Excerpt from the LDS temple marriage ceremony (sealing of spouses). 1 [The sealer sits at the head of the altar with two witnesses, one seated at his right and the other at his left. The bride and groom kneel at opposite sides of the altar, facing one another, clothed in … Read more
Image: George Albert Smith, President of the LDS Church, May 21, 1945 – April 4, 1951 1 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 is not a … Read more
Image: Portrayal of a traditional LDS testimony meeting. Testimony excerpt of a member of The True and Living Church of Jesus Christ of Saints of the Last Days:1 “I’ve been searching for a witness of this work and of this church and just tonight I got my witness and it’s burning within my soul how … 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
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
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
Image: Joseph Fielding Smith From the 1954 publication of Doctrines of Salvation by Joseph Fielding Smith (President of the Quorum of the 12 at the time):1 Again I repeat, no man can consistently accept the doctrine of the evolutionist and also believe in the divine mission of our Redeemer. The two thoughts are in absolute … 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