Excerpts from ‘Evidences and Reconciliations’ by Apostle John A. Widtsoe, 1943: 1 “Plural marriage has been a subject of wide and frequent comment. Members of the Church unfamiliar with its history, and many non-members, have set up fallacious reasons for the origin of this system of marriage among the Latter-day Saints. The most common of … Read more
Excerpt from a Utah State University baccalaureate address by Boyd K. Packer: 1 “They leave the Church but they can’t leave it alone” Excerpt from an address by David O. McKay given to the North British Mission 1 March 1961: 2 “Every member is a missionary. He or she has the responsibility of bringing … 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
Letter from LDS Apostle Delbert Stapley to then Michigan Governor George Romney regarding Romney’s position about civil rights and attitudes toward black people, January 23, 1964: 1 It was a real pleasure to greet and have a moment to visit with you and Lenore here this past week. It is wonderful to see how enthusiastically … Read more
Letter from LDS Apostle Delbert Stapley to then Michigan Governor George Romney regarding Romney’s position about civil rights and attitudes toward black people, January 23, 1964: 1 It was a real pleasure to greet and have a moment to visit with you and Lenore here this past week. It is wonderful to see how enthusiastically … 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 an address given by George Q. Cannon, November 1, 1891, reported by Author Winter. Published in the Deseret Weekly News, November 21, 1891: 1 “I myself have testified before presidents of the United States before cabinet officers before judges of the Supreme Court before members of the United States Senate and House 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 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 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
On February 4, 1852 an ‘Act of Relation to Service’ was passed in the Utah territory, making slavery legal. 1 Several weeks later, the ‘Act for the Relief of Indian Slaves and Prisoners’ was passed on March 7, 1852, specifically dealing with Indian slavery. 2 … A speech by Governor Brigham Young in Joint Session … 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
In 2016 researchers at the University of Utah conducted tests with 19 returned missionaries, recording fMRI scans of their brains as they evoked spiritual feelings. Excerpt from the UofU article, This is your brain on God: 1 “Based on fMRI scans, the researchers found that powerful spiritual feelings were reproducibly associated with activation in the … 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
Excerpt from Utah Layton Priesthood Leadership Conference, February 15, 2014:1 Q. How do you handle a temple recommend interview with individuals who claim to support the brethren but the individual is clearly supportive of issues that are against the teachings of the prophet such as same-sex marriage? A. Elder Perry: This is difficult for many people, … Read more
Excerpt from Utah Layton Priesthood Leadership Conference, February 15, 2014:1 Q. How should you address a same-sex couple in a Sacrament Meeting who are showing inappropriate affection? A. Elder Perry: Refer to the Jan 9th letter issued by the Senior Brethren. We do not turn anyone away from Sacrament Meeting, but all are to behave appropriately … Read more
Excerpt from Utah Layton Priesthood Leadership Conference, February 15, 2014:1 Q. How do you help a young man or young woman who comes in and says “I think that I’m gay“? A. Elder Perry. Give them association with manly things, strong men that represent the ideal of relationships, a man who is vigorous and knows the … Read more
Image: National Geographic image. A Canadian archaeological dig finding evidence of a viking outpost dating to around 1000 AD. Evidence of Viking Outpost Found in Canada The Smithsonian Institution’s letter “Statement Regarding the Book of Mormon“ Pg. 1 Your recent inquiry concerning the Smithsonian Institution’s alleged use of the Book of Mormon as a scientific guide … Read more
Image: Richard Lyman Bushman (born June 20, 1931) is an American historian and Gouverneur Morris Professor of History emeritus at Columbia University. He was the Howard W. Hunter Visiting Professor in Mormon Studies at Claremont Graduate University from 2008 to 2011. He also serves as one of three general editors of the Joseph Smith Papers. … 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: President Thomas S. Monson and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf – April 2017 General Conference Excerpt from President Thomas S. Monson’s April 2017 General Conference address:1 “We live in a time of great trouble and wickedness. What will protect us from the sin and evil so prevalent in the world today? I maintain that a strong … Read more
Image: 2017 April General Conference, view from inside the LDS Conference Center A 2015 Time article (citing a ARIS Study) shows for every 100 male members there are 150 female members (in the state of Utah) of the LDS church:1 One of my web searches turned up a study from Trinity College’s American Religious Identification … Read more
Image: Astronaut Buzz Aldrin walks on the surface of the moon near the leg of the lunar module Eagle during the Apollo 11 mission, 1969 From a 1961 stake conference in Hawaii Joseph Fielding Smith said:1 “We will never get a man into space. This earth is man’s sphere and it was never intended that … Read more