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Discusses the culture of the mound builders whose remains stretch from New York to Central America. The mounds, thought to be works of defense, religious structures, or sepulchral monuments, are as large as 70 feet high and 1000 feet in circumference. Relics of art have been found such as implements of copper, single and double axes, pottery, and cloth. Author believes that the mound builders and the Toltecs were the same people.
Gives a brief synopsis of Jaredite history including their sailing to the American continent from the Tower of Babel. Also cites many ancient American flood myths that relate to the biblical story of the flood at the time of Noah.
Independence, MO: Herald House, 1950
Consists of 13 lessons directed towards adults of the RLDS church. Lesson contents include a definition of doctrine, an overview of the contents of the Book of Mormon, and discussions dealing with faith in God, the law of revelation, repentance, baptism, spiritual birth, the Holy Spirit, resurrection, justice and judgment, worship, the Trinity, and the significance of Book of Mormon doctrine.
RLDS pamphlet that makes summary statements about three colonies—the Jaredites, Lehites, and Mulekites—and mentions the coming of Christ to ancient America Writes regarding the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. Cites archaeological evidence.
Those who hold the Aaronic Priesthood open the door for all Church members who worthily partake of the sacrament to enjoy the companionship of the Spirit of the Lord and the ministering of angels.
Like the mortal life of which they are a part, adversities are temporary. What is permanent is what we become by the way we react to them.
RSC Topics > D — F > Fall of Adam and Eve
RSC Topics > L — P > Plan of Salvation
Again and again the Book of Mormon teaches that the gospel of Jesus Christ is universal in its promise and effect.
The subject I believe we have neglected is the Book of Mormon’s witness of the divinity and mission of Jesus Christ and our covenant relationship to him.
The Holy Ghost will protect us against being deceived, but to realize that wonderful blessing we must always do the things necessary to retain that Spirit.
The burden [of a bishop] is a heavy one that cannot be fulfilled without the supportive efforts of ward officers and members.
In contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something.
To accomplish its mission, BYU must have all parts of its community united in pursuing it.
Because of God’s plan and the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can be cleansed by the process of repentance.
President Oaks describes the divinely inspired principles in the United States Constitution. He teaches how Latter-day Saints can defend these principles.
To achieve our eternal destiny, we will desire and work for the qualities required to become an eternal being.
President Oaks teaches that the plan of salvation is founded on Heavenly Father’s love for us.
A good marriage does not require a perfect man or a perfect woman. It only requires a man and a woman committed to strive together toward perfection.
We must strive for mutual understanding and treat all with goodwill. We must exercise patience. We should all speak out for religion and the importance of religious freedom. We must, above all, trust in God and His promises.
Available information wisely used is far more valuable than multiplied information allowed to lie fallow.
Following Christ is not a casual or occasional practice but a continuous commitment and way of life that applies at all times and in all places.
May God bless us to live our lives so as to avoid entangling ourselves in sin and compromising our precious and unique gift of free agency. May we accept responsibility for our thoughts and our actions. May we use our free agency to make righteous choices and to act upon them as we have the freedom to do so.
RSC Topics > D — F > Fall of Adam and Eve
These remarks were given at the Provo Tabernacle on Wednesday, March 2, 2005. Used by permission.
Reflections on the life of Hugh Nibley and his contributions as a historian.
“Each year there are new examples of coincidences—I call them miracles—that further our ties and our friendship with China and its people.”
When we give thanks in all things, we see hardships and adversities in the context of the purpose of life.
Because we have the truth about the Godhead and our relationship to Them, we have the ultimate road map for our journey through mortality.
More important than what you do as a student are the choices you are making in your personal life—the priorities you are adopting consciously or subconsciously. Are you going forward against the world’s opposition?
We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families.
He has given us His Atonement, His gospel, and His Church, a sacred combination that gives us the assurance of immortality and the opportunity for eternal life.
In our sacred callings of gospel teaching, no effort is too good for the work of the Lord and the growth of His children.
We who know God’s plan and who have covenanted to participate have a clear responsibility to teach these truths.
As Latter-day Saints use the words saved and salvation, there are at least six different meanings.
The healing power of the Lord Jesus Christ … is available for every affliction in mortality.
We have this priesthood power, and we should all be prepared to use it properly.
President Oaks teaches that God inspires many organizations and individuals to help those in need and that the Church is committed to work with others in that effort. The Church of Jesus Christ is committed to serving those in need, and it is also committed to cooperating with others in that effort.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks addresses the arguments of those who term themselves believing Latter-day Saints yet advocate that Latter-day Saints should “abandon claims that [the Book of Mormon] is a historical record of the ancient peoples of the Americas.” The argument that it makes no difference whether the Book of Mormon is fact or fable is surely a sibling to the argument that it makes no difference whether Jesus Christ ever lived.
The issue of the historicity of the Book of Mormon highlights the difference between those who rely solely on scholarship and those who rely on revelation, faith, and scholarship. Those who rely solely on scholarship reject revelation and focus on a limited number of issues. But they can neither prove nor disprove the authenticity of the Book of Mormon through their secular evidence and methods. On the other hand, those who rely on a combination of revelation, faith, and scholarship can see and understand all of the complex issues of the Book of Mormon record, and it is only through that combination that the question of the historicity of the Book of Mormon can be answered.
Though men’s hearts are failing them, you should take heart. There have always been challenging times. We, the generations of your predecessors, have survived daunting challenges, and so will you. The answer to all of these challenges is the same as it has always been. We have a Savior, and He has taught us what we should do.
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
He introduces this special session of general conference focused on the concerns of women and their organizations.
The full measure of [our] conversion to men and women of God happens best through our labors in His vineyard.
My subject is Joseph Smith in a personal world. My lens is primarily a personal one—his impact on me and believers I have known during my lifetime. I will also discuss Joseph Smith’s own personal world and his impact on his acquaintances and friends. A major focus will be Joseph Smith’s role as a prophet and his teachings on the reality of revelation. By prophet I mean one who speaks for God in revealing divine truth to others. By revelation I mean God’s communication to man—to prophets and to every one of us, if we seek.
Only from Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior of this world, can we obtain the living water whose partaker shall never thirst again, in whom it will be “a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”
Priesthood keys direct women as well as men, and priesthood ordinances and priesthood authority pertain to women as well as men.
We have a loving Heavenly Father who will see that we receive every blessing and every advantage that our own desires and choices allow.
The love of God does not supersede His laws and His commandments, and the effect of God’s laws and commandments does not diminish the purpose and effect of His love.
As followers of Christ we should live peacefully with others who do not share our values or accept the teachings upon which they are based.
In the Church the authority of the priesthood is exercised under the direction of a priesthood leader who holds the keys of that priesthood.
The scriptures clearly teach the origin and need for a church directed by and with the authority of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Are we serving priorities or gods ahead of the God we profess to worship?
Opposition permits us to grow toward what our Heavenly Father would have us become.
A person who engages in self-congratulation over a supposed strength has lost the protection of humility and is vulnerable to Satan’s using that strength to produce his or her downfall.
Dallin H. Oaks discusses the parable of the sower and warns of attitudes that prevent the word of God from growing in our hearts and bearing “fruit.”
Our Heavenly Father’s great plan of happiness tells you who you are and the purpose of your life.
The family proclamation is the Lord’s reemphasis of the gospel truths we need to sustain us through current challenges to the family.
Let us all improve our personal behavior and redouble our efforts to protect our loved ones and our environment from the onslaught of pornography.
The magnifying of the holy priesthood you hold is vital to the work of the Lord in your families and in your Church callings.
We need to make … spiritual preparation for the events prophesied at the time of the Second Coming.
There are many similarities and some differences in the way priesthood authority functions in the family and in the Church.
None should resist the plea that we unite to increase our concern for the welfare and future of our children—the rising generation.
Elder Dallin H. and Sister Kristen M. Oaks talk about dating, hope, and how to push back against the pressures of the world by keeping the Sabbath day holy.
Only the gospel of Jesus Christ can unite and bring peace to people of all races and nationalities.
Repenting means giving up all of our practices—personal, family, ethnic, and national—that are contrary to the commandments of God.
Resurrection is much more than merely reuniting a spirit to a body. … The resurrection is a restoration that brings back “carnal for carnal” and “good for that which is good” (Alma 41:13).
I know that God lives and that revelation to his children is a reality. I pray that we will be worthy and willing, and that he will bless us to grow in this principle of revelation.
RSC Topics > L — P > Personal Revelation
RSC Topics > Q — S > Revelation
RSC Topics > L — P > Prayer
RSC Topics > Q — S > Revelation
The ordinance of the sacrament makes the sacrament meeting the most sacred and important meeting in the Church.
Our lives of service and sacrifice are the most appropriate expressions of our commitment to serve the Master and our fellowmen.
The most effective missionaries, member and full-time, always act out of love. … If we lack this love for others, we should pray for it.
What we call “member missionary work” is not a program but an attitude of love and outreach to help those around us.
“We don’t have to have personal experience with the effects of serious transgressions to know that they are destructive of our eternal welfare.”
We need to be reminded that in total and over a significant period of time, seemingly small things bring to pass great things.
Because of His Atonement, the Savior has the power to succor—to help—every mortal pain and affliction.
Dallin H. Oaks - Live so that you can be guided and taught by the Spirit in all your activities. - October 1971 General Conference. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1971/10/strive-for-excellence?lang=eng15861 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUaIbVRoW4M
Jesus Christ is the Only Begotten and Beloved Son of God. … He is our Savior from sin and death. This is the most important knowledge on earth.
We are given the scriptures to direct our lives. My message today consists of a selection of the words of our Savior—what He said.
Knowledge encourages obedience, and obedience enhances knowledge.
The first principle of the gospel is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith means trust—trust in God’s will, trust in His way of doing things, and trust in His timetable. We should not try to impose our timetable on His.
Our only sure reliance is to trust in the Lord and His love for His children.
When we seek the truth about religion, we should use spiritual methods appropriate for that search.
Our tolerance and respect for others and their beliefs does not cause us to abandon our commitment to the truths we understand and the covenants we have made.
RSC Topics > T — Z > Tolerance
We must try to keep both of the great commandments. To do so, we walk a fine line between law and love.
We must use both the personal line and the priesthood line in proper balance to achieve the growth that is the purpose of mortal life.
Our Savior teaches us to follow Him by making the sacrifices necessary to lose ourselves in unselfish service to others.
“The weightier matters that move us toward our goals of eternal life are love of God, obedience to his commandments, and unity in accomplishing the work of his Church.”
President Oaks teaches that Jesus Christ made it possible for each of us to return to our Heavenly Father and achieve our eternal destiny.
What seem to be only small deviations in direction or small detours from the straight and narrow path can result in huge differences in position down the road of life.
We make better choices and decisions if we look at the alternatives and ponder where they will lead.
One of Martin Harris’s greatest contributions to the Church, for which he should be honored for all time, was his financing the publication of the Book of Mormon.
In recent years the idea has been promoted that the Book of Mormon should be viewed as a great moral work but not as the actual history of peoples in the Americas. In this paper, Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles defends the historicity of the Book of Mormon from the standpoint of faith and revelation. He demonstrates that scholarship cannot create faith and that secular evidence will never be able to prove or disprove the Book of Mormon. He also illustrates how the burden of negative proof lies squarely on the shoulders of skeptics, how God values the witness of revelation more than the witness of man, and how historians’ methodologies are unable to sufficiently account for the Book of Mormon.
Additional authors: Tad R. Callister, John Gee, Joel A. Flake, and Gerald N. Lund.
Patience may well be thought of as a gateway virtue, contributing to the growth and strength of its fellow virtues of forgiveness, tolerance, and faith.
Given the importance of the message, the help offered by the Spirit, the number of the missionaries and the size of the field that is ready to harvest, 300,000 new converts per year is not nearly enough.
This is why we partake of the sacrament each week: to renew our covenants we have made with the Lord in the waters of baptism; to remember Him and to keep His commandments; to refresh in our minds who we are and what our role is in God’s plan.
The Lord needs to know on whom He can rely.
Relates Harris’s connection with the coming forth of the Book of Mormon and his unfaltering testimony regarding seeing the gold plates and the angel.
The priesthood needs to be exercised to accomplish any good. You are called to “arise and shine forth,” not to hide your light in darkness.
Elder Ochoa teaches three principles to help anyone who feels the plan of salvation isn’t working in their lives.
Today is the time to look to the Source of truth and ensure that our testimonies are strong.
Old Testament Topics > Prophets and Prophecy
RSC Topics > L — P > Old Testament
RSC Topics > L — P > Prophets
Points out that Book of Mormon prophets made rich use of figurative language, but inasmuch as they delighted in plainness, they often explained the meaning of the figurative language that they used. Examples include the chains of hell, lake of fire and brimstone, seed (in Alma 32), and kingdom of the devil.
The Book of Mormon prophets were intentionally plain in their language even when using figurative language; they generally avoided using obscure figures with hidden meanings. In this paper, Kelly Ogden lists metaphors used in the Book of Mormon along with the plain definitions the prophets gave to explain the figurative language they used. Ogden notes that when teaching doctrine the prophets would often repeat concepts using different words so the people could not misunderstand.
The 38th Annual Brigham Young University Sidney B. Sperry Symposium The Prophet Joseph Smith said that those who read the Bible can “see God’s own handwriting in the sacred volume: and he who reads it oftenest will like it best, and he who is acquainted with it, will know the hand [of God] wherever he can see it.” We cannot be true students of the Book of Mormon or Doctrine and Covenants without also being students of the Old Testament, for Jesus declared that the Old Testament scriptures “are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). This book of scripture serves as the First Testament of Jesus Christ. ISBN 978-1-60641-138-4 Published in 2009
Old Testament Topics > Jerusalem
Old Testament Topics > Jerusalem
Whatever your past has been, your future is spotless, so tie yourself to your potential, not to your past. One of the most beautiful truths of the plan of happiness is that the Lord forgives and forgets.
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > Q — S > Resurrection
Old Testament Topics > Sabbath
Old Testament Topics > Ten Commandments
Do you want to expand and deepen your study of the Book of Mormon? If so, you will find what you’re looking for in this commentary written by gospel scholars D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew C. Skinner. This volume is the first of a two-volume, reader-friendly exploration of the book of scripture that is the keystone of our religion. It incorporates sound doctrinal commentary with quotations from General Authorities and explanations of difficult passages—all sprinkled generously with the authors’ own experiences to illustrate great lessons and personal applications. Interspersed with the commentary are feature articles that offer new glimpses into such topics as angels who have come to earth, names and titles of God, Israel and Zion in Latter-day Saint usage, the Isaiah chapters of First and Second Nephi, the allegory of the olive tree, and prophecies of Christ. Highly informative and easy to read, this commentary on the Book of Mormon provides stimulating views that complement the scriptures. It will be treasured by anyone who wishes to understand more fully the teachings of those whom the Lord called in the land of promise to testify of him.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
Do you want to expand and deepen your study of the Book of Mormon? If so, you will find what you’re looking for in this commentary written by gospel scholars D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew C. Skinner. This volume is the second of a two-volume, reader-friendly exploration of the book of scripture that is the keystone of our religion. It incorporates sound doctrinal commentary with quotations from General Authorities and explanations of difficult passages — all sprinkled generously with the authors’ own experiences to illustrate great lessons and personal applications. Interspersed with the commentary are feature articles that offer new glimpses into such topics as the importance of record keeping, the purpose of a covenant people, teachings regarding war, the sealing power, God as a God of miracles still today, the Americas as the promised land, and the love of God for all his children. Highly informative and easy to read, this commentary on the Book of Mormon provides stimulating views that complement the scriptures. It will be treasured by anyone who wishes to understand more fully the teachings of those whom the Lord called in the land of promise to testify of him.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
Old Testament Topics > Adam and Eve [see also Fall]
Old Testament Topics > Jesus Christ, the God of the Old and the New Testament
Old Testament Topics > Priesthood
Old Testament Topics > Geography
Old Testament Topics > Jerusalem
RSC Topics > L — P > New Testament
RSC Topics > L — P > Prophets
Being “an example of the believers,” living a life of kindness and compassion, keeping your covenant “to mourn with those that mourn,” and serving others can all have powerful effects on those around you.
RSC Topics > L — P > Parenting
RSC Topics > Q — S > Repentance
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
RSC Topics > D — F > The Family: A Proclamation to the World
RSC Topics > L — P > Parenting
RSC Topics > L — P > Marriage
RSC Topics > L — P > Parenting
RSC Topics > D — F > Family
RSC Topics > L — P > Parenting
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sacrifice
RSC Topics > L — P > Parenting
RSC Topics > D — F > Family
RSC Topics > L — P > Obedience
RSC Topics > L — P > Parenting
RSC Topics > L — P > Parenting
RSC Topics > D — F > Family
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > L — P > Marriage
At the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Nephi writes, “The fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved” (1 Nephi 6:4; emphasis added). He later writes, “I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell” (2 Nephi 33:6). The pinnacle of the Book of Mormon occurred in 3 Nephi when Jesus Christ personally ministered to the Nephites and Lamanites. Clearly the central purpose of those writing on the plates was to invite and persuade each of us to come unto Jesus Christ, helping us understand his redeeming role. Jesus Christ is the central figure in the Book of Mormon. Ancient prophets in the western hemisphere consistently pointed to His life and atoning sacrifice. For example, Nephi wrote, “I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell” (2 Nephi 33:6). After His Resurrection, Jesus Christ personally ministered to the Nephites and taught them. This volume shares important reminders about how to focus on Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 2 Nephi
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Jacob
Book of Mormon Scriptures > 3 Nephi
RSC Topics > G — K > Happiness
RSC Topics > G — K > Hope
RSC Topics > T — Z > Trials
“No other success can compensate for failure in the home” is a statement made famous by President David O. McKay, who taught Church members the importance of focusing on the family. At the age of thirty-two, he magnified his responsibilities as a newly called Apostle. He had to learn to juggle world travel, heavy Church assignments, and duties with his small but growing family. Later, as a member of the First Presidency, he spent a lot of time teaching and fostering both his children and grandchildren. He embraced a new type of fatherhood in which men were more nurturing and involved in their children’s lives. He seemed to be ahead of his time in his parenting style and practices. This book takes an unprecedented and in-depth look at President McKay’s parenting and family life in his own home and invites readers to learn from his best practices. There are no other books available that take a contemporary parenting theory and apply it backward into history—in this case, taking a closer look at a modern-day prophet who advocated a prominent emphasis on families. ISBN 978-1-9443-9414-1
RSC Topics > D — F > The Family: A Proclamation to the World
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > L — P > Parenting
RSC Topics > Q — S > Service
RSC Topics > L — P > Prophets
RSC Topics > Q — S > Service
RSC Topics > T — Z > Youth
Elder Ojediran teaches that we come unto Christ through covenants, and he explains how the Holy Ghost and the sacrament help us keep those covenants.
RSC Topics > Q — S > Resurrection
Abstract: The name Heshlon, attested once (in Ether 13:28), as a toponym in the Book of Mormon most plausibly denotes “place of crushing.” The meaning of Heshlon thus becomes very significant in the context of Ether 13:25–31, which describes the crushing or enfeebling of Coriantumr’s armies and royal power. This meaning is also significant in the wider context of Moroni’s narrative of the Jaredites’ destruction. Fittingly, the name Heshlon itself serves as a literary turning point in a chiastic structure which describes the fateful reversal of Coriantumr’s individual fortunes and the worsening of the Jaredites’ collective fortunes. Perhaps Moroni, who witnessed the gradual crushing and destruction of the Nephites, mentioned this name in his abridgement of the Book of Ether on account of the high irony of its meaning in view of the Jaredite war of attrition which served as precursor to the destruction of the Nephites.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
More than ten years ago, Stephen Ricks and John Tvedtnes presented a case for interpreting the Book of Mormon proper noun Zarahemla as a Hebraic construct meaning “seed of compassion” or “child of grace, pity, or compassion.” The authors theorized: It may be that the Mulekite leader was given that name because his ancestor had been rescued when the other sons of King Zedekiah were slain during the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem. [See Mosiah 25:2.] To subsequent Nephite generations, it may have even suggested the deliverance of their own ancestors from Jerusalem prior to its destruction or the anticipation of Christ’s coming.
A tract in which the author believes the Book of Mormon is a deception and represents a plagiarism. Provides examples in which the book borrows from the Bible and other writings.
Phyllis Carol Olive’s latest book, The Lost Empires and Vanished Races, provides a guide for readers searching to unravel the mysteries of a world that once played host to mankind’s ancient prophets. Her geographical descriptions, archeological insights, and sociological commentaries uncover the secrets of a land long-lost to the forgotten annals of history, and her work proudly stands as the most comprehensive exposé currently circulating in regard to ancient Book of Mormon scenes. Join Phyllis as she walks the various new-world territories frequently described in scripture, yet rarely understood by history; explore the fascinating political factors that led to endless cycles of war extensively recorded by ancient scriptural historians; and pursue compelling psychological avenues as you unveil the hidden motivations that sparked generations of inhabitants to live as they once lived in the enigmatic world of this lost American empire. [Book jacket]
“The Second Coming of Christ has been prophesied from the very beginning of this earth, and after millennia of prophecies, we are beginning to see their fulfillment in these last days. This insightful book looks back at prophecies from the Book of Mormon, from various Native American tribes, and from prophets of the restored gospel. Today, we are living the fulfillment of these prophesies living in the eleventh hour. It is more important than ever that we are prepared, for as we look back at history, mankind has either risen in glory because of their righteousness or fallen because of sin. In the end, you must ask yourself, On this scale, where do we stand today?” [PUBLISHER]
Old Testament Topics > New Testament and the Old Testament
Armed with BYU degrees, you will leave this place that has grown sacred to you because of the academic and spiritual opportunities you have been afforded here. You too carry the responsibility to add burnish to the name Brigham Young University. It now becomes your time to demonstrate to your employers, your graduate school professors, your business colleagues, your neighbors, and your friends what a BYU education truly means.
I believe you will clearly see that—as with the parade of students who have passed through these same portals—your most cherished experiences at BYU came because the Spirit of the Lord was undergirding and surrounding your experiences. The Spirit was manifest in dedicated classrooms and on acres of consecrated soil, and it was witnessed to you by leaders with testimonies of the truth.
RSC Topics > Q — S > Service
RSC Topics > T — Z > Youth
“In recent decades, Mormon scholars have narrowed down the search for the land of promise. Some of the most popular hypotheses propose that Book of Mormon events occurred in MesoAmerica. Internal evidence in the Book of Mormon, based mostly upon times required to travel from site to site, clearly supports the concept of a restricted area… possibly a few hundred miles in length and less than that in width. In recent years, a significant amount of ’digging around’ has accordingly been undertaken by well qualified experts in archaeology and anthropology. Clearly a driving force in the efforts has been the desire to prove that the Book of Mormon is a genuine scripture and that Joseph Smith was an authentic Prophet of God… My hope is that, as an uninvited intruder in a sacred domain, I will be permitted to present the Malay Hypothesis as a tentative guess… The presentation is divided into sections. In each section an attempt is made to show how well the accounts in the Book of Mormon and the archaeological evidence ’fit’ the Old World Hypothesis [and more specifically, the Malay Hypothesis]. Each section is reasonably independent of other sections; accordingly, there is some repetition. Comparisons are made, where appropriate, to traditional New World Hypotheses [and, more specifically, the currently popular MesoAmerican Hypotheses].” [Author’s introduction]
Prompted by inconsistencies in the placement of Book of Mormon events in the Americas, the author proposes the Malay Peninsula as an alternative location. While not claiming to definitively prove the location, the author gives cultural, geographic, and agricultural evidence that supports the Malay theory.
RSC Topics > T — Z > Trials
RSC Topics > T — Z > Youth
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine
RSC Topics > T — Z > Teaching the Gospel
Elder Olsen teaches that the answer to our challenges and questions is Jesus Christ. No matter how difficult or confusing the challenges may be, you can always remember that the answer is simple: it is always Jesus.
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sin
RSC Topics > T — Z > Temptation
Abstract: Since the mid-twentieth century, scholarly studies of the literary craftsmanship of biblical texts have revealed considerable insights into the intended purposes of the authors of these scriptural narratives. The present study applies the analytical methods of these studies to Mormon’s abridgment of Alma’s records of the Zoramite mission (Alma 31–35), revealing intricate patterns of literary conventions ranging from the most specific (e.g., diction, syntax, and figures of speech) to the most general (e.g., rhetoric, tone, and structural logic). From this perspective, Alma 31 provides a framework to distinguish Nephite and Zoramite religious practices and structure the narrative of the entire Zoramite mission, including the missionaries’ teachings. More broadly, Mormon’s account of the Zoramite mission sets the stage for the general degradation of Nephite society that focuses his abridgment of Nephi’s Large Plates for the next one hundred years.
[Editor’s Note: This article provides a good example of using literary analysis to enhance understanding of the scriptures. While it was previously published, it has not been widely accessible, and thus we have chosen to republish it to bring it to the attention of readers. It was first presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Mormon Letters, 25 January 1992, at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. An abridged and edited version was later published as “Patterns of Prayer: Humility or Pride,” Ensign 22, no. 8 (August 1992), 8–11, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1992/08/patterns-of-prayer-humility-or-pride. The original presentation was included in The Association for Mormon Letters Annual 1994, 212–15. The article is reprinted here with the permission of the author, with minor edits.]
RSC Topics > L — P > Plan of Salvation
Ancient world civilizations believed that the perceived order of territorial environment, in its “natural” and built-up features, revealed the structure of a sacred universe. The epitome of this symbolic order was a capital city or ceremonial center. “In those religions which held that human order was brought into being at the creation of the world there was a pervasive tendency to dramatize the cosmogony by constructing on earth a reduced version of the cosmos, usually in the form of a state capital.” Characteristic of complex societies throughout the ancient world, this phenomenon is referred to as cosmic urban symbolism. The principles of cosmic urban symbolism account for many ideas and events in the Book of Mormon which are otherwise unexplained within a nineteenth-century American context.
Abstract: With the trained eye of an anthropologist and a historian, Steven Olsen refutes claims that the Book of Mormon is a simple hodge-podge of biblical phrases and responses to controversies that Joseph Smith absorbed from his surroundings. Through a careful discussion of four main claims, he illustrates his thesis that the Book of Mormon “evidences a high degree of focus and coherence, as though its principal writers intentionally crafted the record from a unified and comprehensive perspective.” He shows that the Book of Mormon is not merely a history in the conventional sense, but rather is purposeful in the selection and expression of its core themes.
[Editor’s Note: Part of our book chapter reprint series, this article is reprinted here as a service to the LDS community. Original pagination and page numbers have necessarily changed, otherwise the reprint has the same content as the original.See Steven L. Olsen, “The Covenant of Christ’s Gospel in the Book of Mormon,” in “To Seek the Law of the Lord”: Essays in Honor of John W. Welch, ed. Paul Y. Hoskisson and Daniel C. Peterson (Orem, UT: The Interpreter Foundation, 2017), 209–46. Further information at https://interpreterfoundation.org/books/to-seek-the-law-of-the-lord-essays-in-honor-of-john-w-welch-2/.].
The literary sophistication of the Book of Mormon is manifest at all levels of the text: vocabulary, rhetoric, narrative, and structure. A prime example of this craftsmanship is the concept of ethnicity, that is, how different social groups are defined and distinguished in the record. Nephi defines ethnicity by four complementary concepts: nation (traditional homeland), kindred (descent group), tongue (language group), and people (covenant community). While all four concepts are relevant to the Nephite record, people predominates. The term people is by far the most frequently used noun in the Book of Mormon and is the basis of a distinctive covenant identity given by God to Nephi. Following God’s law was the essential condition of this covenant and the basis of most of the sermons, exhortations, commentary, and other spiritual pleas of this sacred record. The covenant of the chosen people accounts for much of what befalls the Nephites and Lamanites, positive and negative, in this history. Mormon and Moroni follow Nephi’s covenant-based definition of ethnicity in their respective abridgments of the large plates of Nephi and the plates of Ether.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Moroni
The symbolism of land and its covenantal associations are viewed as guiding structural elements in the Book of Mormon narrative. Involving “existential space” more than “geometric space,” the concept of land is central to an understanding of the book as a sacred, covenant-based record.
This article approaches the narrative of Laban’s death using literary criticism and studies how Nephi’s use of specific words and phrases offers additional insight to this story.
Abstract: Joseph Smith dictated Doctrine and Covenants 21 at the inaugural meeting of the Church of Jesus Christ on April 6, 1830. The present study examines the literary craftsmanship of the revelation to plumb the depths of its role in the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The analysis explores the meaning of patterns of usage in the text from the most specific (diction, syntax, figures of speech) to the most general (tone, rhetoric, and structural logic). The hypothesis of this study is that Doctrine and Covenants 21 provides a metanarrative of the Restoration — that is, a set of governing principles and guidelines for keeping the official record of the gospel’s final dispensation.
Remember is one of the most frequently used verbs in the Book of Mormon. It is consistently used by its authors in a covenant context—establishing or renewing an eternal relationship with God, expressing and realizing the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and preserving the distinctive identity of a covenant people. The present study examines the complex and profound ways that the complementary concepts of memory, identity, and covenants express the meaning of the sacred Nephite history through the vocabulary and narrative structures of the text and postulates how and why the Nephites preserved this official record for posterity.
Review of Chiasmus: The State of the Art, edited by John W. Welch and Donald W. Parry (Provo, UT: BYU Studies and Book of Mormon Central, 2020). 358 pages. $24.68, paperback.
Abstract: This collection of essays represents the latest scholarship on chiasmus. They were selected from papers delivered at an academic conference at Brigham Young University in 2017. Articles reflect both “the state of the art” and the state of the technique in chiastic studies.
Abstract: Peter’s denial of Christ is one of only about two dozen events reported in all four gospels. Three of the accounts conclude by Peter’s weeping. This paper examines the antecedents, possible motivations, and long-term consequences of this crisis in Peter’s life as recorded in the scriptural text and considers its application for all disciples of the Savior.
Utilizing techniques adapted from literary criticism, this paper investigates the narrative structure of the Book of Mormon, particularly the relationship between Nephi’s first-person account and Mormon’s third-person abridgment. A comparison of the order and relative prominence of material from 1 Nephi 12 with the content of Mormon’s historical record reveals that Mormon may have intentionally patterned the structure of his narrative after Nephi’s prophetic vision—a conclusion hinted at by Mormon himself in his editorial comments. With this understanding, readers of the Book of Mormon can see how Mormon’s sometimes unusual editorial decisions are actually guided by an overarching desire to show that Nephi’s prophecies have been dramatically and literally fulfilled in the history of his people.
Nephi and Mormon both treat the covenant of the promised land, expounding on characteristics of prospering in the land: obeying God’s law, practicing domesticated economies, preserving sacred records, bearing and raising children, securing adequate defense, constructively using natural materials, worshipping at temples, requiring industriousness, and providing righteous leadership.
Olsen explains why historical documentation is essential to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Insights can be gained by considering the eight-year wilderness sojourn of Lehi’s company through the eyes of the women who were there. Leaving the comforts of civilization for the difficulties of the desert would have been very challenging. While the record in 1 Nephi mentions nine women, Sariah was the only one identified by name. Nephi records Sariah’s struggles as well as her testimony. The record of the women in 1 Nephi communicates much about the need to seek and receive one’s own witness of truth.
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine
RSC Topics > D — F > Faith
RSC Topics > L — P > Mercy
RSC Topics > Q — S > Repentance
RSC Topics > Q — S > Salvation
The 32nd Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium The first publication of the Book of Mormon was completed only a few days before the Church was organized. The Lord revealed that it “contains a record of a fallen people, and the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Before the revelation was received on the organization of priesthood quorums, before the vision of the three degrees of glory, before knowledge of vicarious work for the dead, and before Joseph Smith was instructed to begin an inspired translation of the Bible, the Book of Mormon was received as scripture for all members of the Church. As the “keystone” containing a “fulness of the gospel,” the Book of Mormon connects, enhances, and clarifies the other standard works. This volume was published to encourage all who read it to discover and rediscover for themselves that the Book of Mormon does indeed contain the fulness of the gospel. ISBN 9781590381885
RSC Topics > G — K > Gifts of the Spirit
RSC Topics > G — K > Holy Ghost
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > Q — S > Spiritual Gifts
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > G — K > Jesus Christ
RSC Topics > L — P > Missionary Work
RSC Topics > T — Z > Women
RSC Topics > Q — S > Resurrection
RSC Topics > T — Z > Testimony
The BYU 2012 and 2013 Easter Conferences At times, prophets have compared various aspects of the Savior’s ministry to the mother hen, teaching that he has healing in his wings. The Savior likewise used that metaphor to describe his own power to offer refuge to his followers. By likening himself to a mother hen, the Savior testifies that he will cover us symbolically with his wings to save us if we, like the chicks, will come to him. This volume discusses the Savior, his life, his mission, the Atonement, and his healing influence in our lives today. Contributing authors are Elder Gary J. Coleman, Elder John M. Madsen, Brad Wilcox, Brent L. Top, Andy C. Skinner, and Gaye Strathearn. ISBN 978-0-8425-2836-8
RSC Topics > D — F > Devil
RSC Topics > G — K > Heaven
RSC Topics > L — P > Plan of Salvation
RSC Topics > Q — S > Salvation
RSC Topics > L — P > New Testament
An in-depth review of Hugh Nibley’s book Abraham in Egypt.
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Pearl of Great Price > Book of Abraham > Characters > Abraham, Sarah, Abram, Sarai
Hugh W. Nibley Topics > Hugh Nibley > Scholarship, Footnotes, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, CWHN, Editing > Temples, Cosmos
A coloring book depicting Book of Mormon life. Includes pages illustrating the role of Joseph Smith in the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.
RSC Topics > G — K > Grace
RSC Topics > L — P > Obedience
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sin
RSC Topics > T — Z > Worship
Review of Zion in the Courts: A Legal History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-1900 (1988), by Edwin B. Firmage and Richard C. Mangrum
This article addresses the belief that the account of secret combinations in the Book of Mormon is a satire on Masonry. Many scholars claim that the term secret combinations was exclusively used in the 1820s to refer to Masonry. However, Nathan Oman points out that this term was also used in legal situations to refer to criminal conspiracies.
Abstract: This is a challenging moment for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints. Both its efforts at retention and missionary work are less effective than they have been in the past. At this moment, what is the most important task facing Latter-day Saint intellectuals? In contrast to those who argue that faithful thinkers and writers should focus either on defending the faith or providing criticisms of the Church’s failings, this essay argues that the Latter-day Saint clerisy should focus on celebrating the Restoration and finding new language in which to express what makes the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ a compelling and attractive force in people’s lives. The language which we have used in the past no longer seems to be as compelling as once it was. This is unsurprising. The history of the Church shows a cyclical pattern focused on missionary work, with seasons of harvest giving way to fallow times and seasons of planting. However, over time the Church tends to transform itself in the image of its most successful messages for proclaiming the Gospel. Latter-day Saint intellectuals have an important, albeit subordinate, role in finding such messages. Pursuing the project of celebrating the Restoration need not involve either usurping the prerogatives of Church leaders nor compromising one’s intellectual integrity. In this moment in the history of the Church, it is the most important project to which Latter-day Saint thinkers can turn their attention.
Based on historical research by Richard Oman, curator for the Tabernacle exhibit at the Museum of Church History and Art.
For me, these kinds of paradigm-shifting moments triggered by a facing of truth are fundamental to the real BYU experience. Indeed, they help me understand the words of Christ when He said, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).
Beginning with 100 b.c., Book of Mormon history is compared with concurrent world history.
This book, for older children, is in the form of a dialogue between a father and his three children. The children ask questions about the Book of Mormon and the father answers. Some topics discussed are: where did the Book of Mormon come from, who were the peoples in it, what does it say about them, what does the Bible say about the Book of Mormon, what prophecies does the Book of Mormon contain, and which prophecies have been fulfilled?
Book of Moses Topics > Selection of Ancient Sources > Apocalypse of Abraham — Secondary Sources
Book of Moses Topics > Selection of Ancient Sources > Apocalypse of Abraham — Secondary Sources
Book of Moses Topics > Selection of Ancient Sources > Apocalypse of Abraham — Secondary Sources
Teaching aid. Compilation of 1900 scriptural passages organized alphabetically under 300 subject headings.
This mortal experience can take a toll on our testimony and commitment to the gospel. It is precisely in these times of testing that we need to be intellectually honest with ourselves and consciously remember the authentic spiritual experiences we have had.
A polemical tract against Mormon interpretations of biblical prophecy supportive of the Book of Mormon. Author asserts that the Book of Mormon contradicts the Bible.
Review of S. Michael Wilcox, Holding On: Impulses to Leave and Strategies to Stay (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2021). 128 pages. $11.99 (paperback).Abstract: In his latest book, S. Michael Wilcox has written a masterpiece on grappling with doubts and overcoming our impulses to leave the Church. Wilcox displays a refreshing degree of personal vulnerability and openness, deep empathy and compassion for the struggling; and concrete and memorable suggestions for successfully dealing with faith crises. These traits give this book a power that no other work published by Deseret Book on this topic can match.
Review of Blaire Ostler, Queer Mormon Theology: An Introduction (Newburgh, IN: By Common Consent Press, 2021). 152 pages. $10.95 (paperback).
Abstract: Blaire Ostler attempts to show how “Mormon theology is inherently queer” and may be expanded to be fully “inclusive” of LGBTQ+ members. Unfortunately, Ostler conflates God’s love with indulgence for behavior that he has described as sinful. She offers a pantheistic/panentheistic conception of deity that collapses any differences between men and women in sharp contrast to the Latter-day Saint understanding that men and women are complementary and require one another for exaltation and eternal life. Many of this book’s arguments are sophistry and the philosophies of men mingled with scripture. None of it is compatible with revealed truth contained in The Family: A Proclamation to the World and consistently taught by prophets, seers, and revelators.
RSC Topics > D — F > Doctrine and Covenants
RSC Topics > G — K > Grace
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sacrament
RSC Topics > Q — S > Sin
True conversion occurs as you continue to act upon the doctrines you know are true and keep the commandments, day after day, month after month.
Bonnie L. Oscarson encourages Latter-day Saint women to defend marriage, the divine roles of parents, and the sanctity of the home.
If these things are true, then we have the greatest message of hope and help that the world has ever known.
I love the Prophet Joseph Smith. His life, example, and experiences provide a rich resource for our learning and understanding of gospel principles.
Some of the most significant needs we can meet are within our own families, among our friends, in our wards, and in our communities.
Sister Oscarson teaches sisters that they need to rise up to become women of faith by studying and having a testimony of the essential doctrines of the gospel.
We must stop concentrating on our differences and look for what we have in common.
Every young woman in the Church should feel valued, have opportunities to serve, and feel that she has something of worth to contribute to this work.
In these two ways, “to believe on their words” is like borrowing a flame to light a spiritual fire. There is no need to return the flame; no one comes asking for it. We just need to continue to fuel the fire. And those words can become pure revelation that we call our own.
RSC Topics > L — P > Learning
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
Conversion is the goal of all gospel learning and teaching. Conversion is not a onetime event. It is a lifelong quest to become more like the Savior.
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > T — Z > Temptation
We teach key doctrine, invite learners to do the work God has for them, and then promise that blessings will surely come.
It’s important to remember that we should not try to judge another’s motives. But we can judge our own motives. We need to look inside and take stock. Are we doing what we do out of love? Or has some other motive taken over?
The Three Witnesses fulfilled the function of bearing living testimonies of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. They became witnesses when they received a heavenly manifestation in June 1829.
Blake Ostler examines what relationship exists between the papyri of the ancient Egyptian Book of Breathings possessed by Joseph Smith and the Book of Abraham. Ostler finds that Joseph Smith, in associating vignettes of the Book of the Dead to explain Abraham’s experiences, was actually duplicating an ancient practice about which he could not have known from secular sources available in his day.
The Book of Mormon clearly contains evidences of ancient origin and complexity, yet many elements appear to be modern. Author advances the theory of “prophetic expansion” in which certain modern elements were imposed upon the more ancient material.
Review of How Wide the Divide: A mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation (1997), by Craig L. Blomberg and Stephen E. Robinson
The Book of Mormon displays examples of ceremony or ritual that accurately reflect the ritual tradition followed by the ancient Israelites. Many similarities are found, in addition to some differences. It is highly unlikely that any person could accurately write about Israel’s rituals and covenants without having been directly and intimately familiar with them.
An in-depth examination of grace, comparing the Book of Mormon concept with that of Augustine and the major instigators of the Reformation. The doctrines related to grace were largely carried through into the Nauvoo period.
Review of Carl Mosser. “Can the Real Problem of Evil Be Solved?” in The New Mormon Challenge: Responding to the Latest Defenses of a Fast-Growing Movement
Review of The Mormon Concept of God: A Philosophical Analysis (1991), by Francis J. Beckwith and Stephen E. Parrish
Review of Mark A. Wrathall, Alma 30–63: A Brief Theological Introduction (Provo, UT: The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2020). 176 pages. $9.95 (paperback).
Abstract: Mark A. Wrathall’s analytic treatment of Alma 30–42 is a sheer gift that inspires insight into the theological depth of Alma’s thought. His reading of Alma teases out insights not previously recognized and not easily discovered regarding belief and knowledge and their relation to faith and committed action. This extremely rewarding introduction provides a glimpse at the best any writer in the Latter-day Saint tradition has written on Alma’s thoughts and goals.
Review of Paul Copan and William Lane Craig. “Craftsman or Creator? An Examination of the Mormon Doctrine of Cration and a Defense of Creatio ex nihilo.” and Review of Paul Copan and William Lane Craig. Creation out of Nothing: A Biblical, Philosophical, and Scientific Exploration.
Book review.
Old Testament Scriptures > Isaiah
Old Testament Scriptures > Ezekiel
Old Testament Scriptures > Twelve Minor Prophets
Old Testament Topics > Prophets and Prophecy
LDS philosopher and theologian Blake T. Ostler employs the tools of logic and formal argumentation to assess recent claims against Book of Mormon historicity.
LDS philosopher and theologian Blake T. Ostler employs the tools of logic and formal argumentation to assess recent claims against Book of Mormon historicity.
RSC Topics > A — C > Covenant
RSC Topics > Q — S > Revelation
RSC Topics > G — K > Joseph Smith
RSC Topics > L — P > Missionary Work
RSC Topics > G — K > Jesus Christ
RSC Topics > Q — S > Restoration of the Gospel
RSC Topics > T — Z > Worship
RSC Topics > A — C > Agency
RSC Topics > D — F > Death
RSC Topics > D — F > Faith
RSC Topics > G — K > Justice
RSC Topics > L — P > Plan of Salvation
RSC Topics > Q — S > Spirit World
The 45th Annual Brigham Young University Sidney B. Sperry Symposium This book is a compilation of essays from the 45th annual Brigham Young University Sidney B. Sperry Symposium titled Foundations of the Restoration. The keynote address by Robert L. Millet highlights the restoration of plain and precious truths. Readers will learn how we understand LDS history and doctrine, about the beliefs declared in the Articles of Faith and how we apply their truths, about the development of temples and temple ordinances, and about the restoration of true Sabbath worship. Also included are chapters on Church newspaper editor and hymn writer William W. Phelps’s contributions to our understanding of the Restoration of the gospel; the historical development of sustaining members of the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve as prophets, seers, and revelators; and the harmony and counsel needed in their declaring doctrine and making administrative decisions. ISBN 978-1-9443-9407-3
RSC Topics > D — F > Devil
RSC Topics > G — K > Hell
RSC Topics > G — K > Judgment
RSC Topics > Q — S > Resurrection
RSC Topics > D — F > First Presidency
RSC Topics > G — K > High Priest
RSC Topics > L — P > Priesthood
RSC Topics > L — P > Prophets
RSC Topics > Q — S > Quorum
RSC Topics > Q — S > Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
RSC Topics > L — P > Learning
RSC Topics > T — Z > Teaching the Gospel
RSC Topics > A — C > Apostle
RSC Topics > D — F > Dispensations
RSC Topics > D — F > First Presidency
RSC Topics > G — K > High Priest
RSC Topics > L — P > Melchizedek Priesthood
RSC Topics > L — P > Priesthood
RSC Topics > Q — S > Quorum
RSC Topics > Q — S > Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
RSC Topics > Q — S > Spirit World
RSC Topics > T — Z > Tithing
RSC Topics > A — C > Consecration
RSC Topics > Q — S > Stewardship
RSC Topics > T — Z > Tithing
Volume 6 in the Regional Studies Series Ohio became the first gathering place for the Saints in this dispensation when the Lord declared, “A commandment I give unto the church, that it is expedient in me that they should assemble together at the Ohio” (D&C 37:3). Members of the Church in New York responded to this command by gathering in and around Kirtland, Ohio, where the Lord promised that He would give them His law and endow them power. Revelation was abundant and sometimes accompanied by the Lord’s presence. Almost half of the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants were received in Ohio. Soon, stretching northward into Canada, the message of the restored gospel reached the homes of John Taylor, Mary Fielding, and other early converts. This book also tells the story of journalist and political activist William Lyon Mackenzie and his interest in the Saints. Contributors are Richard E. Bennett, David F. Boone, Richard O. Cowan, H. Dean Garrett, William Goddard, Steven C. Harper, Daniel H. Olsen, Craig James Ostler, Kip Sperry, Dennis A. Wright, and Helen Warner. ISBN 978-0-8425-2653-1
RSC Topics > T — Z > Zion
Tour the historic sites of Salt Lake City from the comfort of your own home. This full-color book includes a virtual tour DVD. Both the book and the DVD explain the historical and modern significance of each site. The authors guide the DVD tours with descriptions and details of historic sites. Also look for the travel-size companion book, Salt Lake City, Ensign to the Nations, Walking Tours. ISBN 978-0-8425-2671-5
This travel-size companion to the larger Salt Lake City, Ensign to the Nations takes the tourist on three distinct walking tours of Salt Lake City. The first tour is of the Temple Square area. The second tour is of the Pioneer Business District, and the third tour is of the Capitol Building and Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum area. Each tour offers explanations of historical and modern significance of sites. ISBN 978-0-8425-2670-8
A homemaking fair focused on the Book of Mormon. Creative ideas included a children’s quiet book and a quilt depicting stories from the Book of Mormon.
When we learn a few fundamental principles about teaching and are shown how to teach, all of us can do it.
A polemical work against Mormonism. Pages 30-36 discuss the Book of Mormon. Argues against the Book of Mormon’s claim of multiple authorship, claims the book resembles the Spaulding manuscript, plagiarizes the Bible, and anachronistically mentions the horse and the ass.
Additional authors: Barbara R. Carter, Paul H. Peterson, Dan J. Workman, Walter D. Bowen, S. Michael Wilcox, Susan Howe, Paul C. Richards, George D. Durrant, Paul Grant, Leon R. Hartshorn, and Cardell Jacobson.
A collection of statements made by General Authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints concerning Book of Mormon passages. Volume one begins with statements by Church leaders concerning 1 Nephi to Words of Mormon; volume two contains statements dealing with Mosiah and Alma; volume three with the books Helaman to Moroni.
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Words of Mormon
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Mosiah
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Alma
Book of Mormon Scriptures > Helaman
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
The introductory essay on discoveries in American antiquities that have a bearing on the Book of Mormon.
Points out “remarkable” similarities between the Book of Mormon and the Popol Vuh, relating it to the Nephites, Mulekites, Jaredites, and various geographical locations from Book of Mormon. Compares the river Sid to the Rio Usumasint and Zarahemla to the ruins of Palenque.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Series of articles dealing with archaeological, anthropological, geographical, societal, religious, and historical aspects of Ancient America and their connections to the Book of Mormon, which is the key to understanding “old American” studies.
Points out “remarkable” similarities between the Book of Mormon and the Popol Vuh, relating it to the Nephites, Mulekites, Jaredites, and various geographical locations from Book of Mormon. Compares the river Sid to the Rio Usumasinta and Zarahemla to the ruins of Palenque.
Old Testament Scriptures > Exodus
Old Testament Scriptures > Numbers
Old Testament Scriptures > Esther
Book of Moses Topics > Selection of Ancient Sources > General Collections and Key Texts
RSC Topics > Q — S > Service
May we have added insights into and greater appreciation for the power of testimony, especially as it is borne by those [who are bowed in years].
RSC Topics > Q — S > Service
What are we doing to ensure that [our] legacy is being passed to our beloved children and to our grandchildren?
Old Testament Topics > Women in the Old Testament
“When we don’t use our arms, we lose the use of our muscles. So it is with our talents and testimonies in our lives.”
Review of How Wide the Divide: A mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation (1997), by Craig L. Blomberg and Stephen E. Robinson
We must deliberately take time each day to disconnect from the world and connect with heaven.
There will be times when the path ahead seems dark, but keep following the Savior. He knows the way; in fact, He is the way.
The moment we set foot on the path of repentance, we invite the Savior’s redeeming power into our lives.
I believe something powerful happens anytime we gather as God’s covenant people anywhere in the world, no matter how many people the gathering may include. That power can be difficult to describe, but perhaps these words of the Savior explain it best: “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them”.
When you were a student, we expected you to study, work hard, and develop into a person of faith, intellect, and good moral character. We invite you to continue to grow educationally and spiritually.
Just as our students consider the world our campus, BYU alumni have truly gone forth from this campus in excellence to work and serve in communities locally and all around the globe.
I am confident you will all use your individual talents to “go forth to serve” and will represent us well. D&C 64:33 states: “Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.”
A BYU education is not easy to accomplish. But you have retooled, refocused, and refined yourselves by experiencing a university that blends secular and spiritual truths. Congratulations, Cougars.
Examples from Israelite history and modern times of looking beyond the mark in search of personal, prideful desires
Joseph and Hyrum Smith exemplified leadership as they worked together in organizing and operating the Church, teaching, speaking, and building temples and towns. As leaders, they held firm to their convictions, roused the hearts and minds of men and women in varied walks of life, and left legacies sufficient to stamp them as two of the most remarkable and influential men of the nineteenth century. The stories and examples of their shared leadership illustrate how they honored agency, exerted righteous influence, grew through adversity, forged bonds of obligation and love, governed conflict, and organized through councils. Their examples in this book can help us transform our personal perspective of leadership, lead with an eternal focus, heal and bless others through our leadership, learn and grow by asking authentic questions, share leadership in the home, and lead in the governmental arena. By incorporating these principles in our lives, we can foster more satisfying relationships in our homes, our Church service, and our professional lives. The book concludes with a call for each of us to carry on their legacy, which transcends time and place. Their lives and teachings are filled with lessons and skills we can easily apply today. ISBN 978-0-8425-2754-5
RSC Topics > L — P > Love
RSC Topics > D — F > Dispensations
RSC Topics > G — K > Heaven
RSC Topics > T — Z > Temples
RSC Topics > T — Z > Zion
Archaeologists have largely suppressed the writings of Ixtlilxochitl, considering them to be “baseless dreams of poetic fancy”
States that the writings of Ixtlilxochitl contain biblical stories that parallel ancient Mexican myths, e.g., concerning original sin and the flood.
Ancient American calendars indicate that Quetzalcoatl was born on April 6, about the same year that Jesus was born.
Relates Mexican data concerning Quetzalcoatl to the messianic concept of the Old Testament and ultimately to Jesus.
Relates Quetzalcoatl to the Yucatan statue of Choc Mool.
Recounts several myths about Quetzalcoatl, whom the later Mexicans identified with Jesus.
Reports a conversation the author had with a descendant of the Toltecs. Includes a description of and legends about Quetzalcoatl.
Excerpts from the writings of Ixtlilxochitl are used to discuss humanity’s first parents.