A Reason for Faith was written to do just as the title implies: provide reasons for faith by offering faithful answers to sincere questions. Before the Internet, historical and doctrinal questions not addressed in LDS Church curriculum were mostly found in the scholarly articles of academic journals. This is no longer the case. These topics are now widely debated and discussed online and in other forums. And when members of the LDS Church come across information that is unfamiliar, they may feel surprise, fear, betrayal, or even anger. Respected LDS scholars have teamed with Laura Harris Hales to offer help in A Reason for Faith: Navigating LDS Doctrine and Church History. Together these authors have spent an average of 25 years researching these topics. Their depth of knowledge and faith enables them to share reliable details, perspective, and context to both LDS doctrine and Church history. The information in these essays can begin an exciting process of discovery for readers as they learn from a source they can trust. Each chapter is engaging and thought-provoking, providing an invaluable resource for both the merely curious and the seriously concerned. ISBN 978-1-9443-9401-1

The essays in this book inspire Latter-day Saints to consider carefully their stewardship in caring for God’s creations. It also encourages finding common ground with those of other persuasions. The book demonstrates that our religion offers a vital perspective on environmental stewardship that encompasses the best impulses of liberal generosity and conservative restraint. ISBN 0-8425-2618-8

This book is about finding God and strengthening faith. Though some stories are about joining the LDS church, this is not a book of conversion stories. This three-year effort began as a search for interesting stories about how BYU intertwined with people’s lives and how it affected their faith. The compilers were pleased to discover experiences that were much richer in thought and detail, and far more complex than the anticipated recitations of meaningful classroom interactions and the introduction of religious values in an intellectual environment. In this thoughtful, inspriring, and sometimes humorous book, you’ll read the stories of more than twenty people and their personal interactions with BYU. You’ll read the account of Patricia Holland, who as a young teenager was deeply touched by her first contact with the University. Rabbi David Rosen shares his poignant account of traveling to Salt Lake City to meet with Church leaders about the BYU Jerusalem Center. And you’ll read about Earl Kauffman, then a non-LDS athlete who visited BYU on a recruiting visit and immediately fell in love with the University and found God in his daily interaction with teammates, students, and faculty, and later joined the Church. These essays, each a significant part of the contributors’ life histories, also serve to enrich our lives, as well as our perspectives on Finding God at BYU. ISBN 9781577349297

This exquisitely produced volume presents the official Latter-day Saint edition of the Book of Mormon in an attractive, accessible, readable version that brings to Latter-day Saints the helpful features that have been part of standard Bible publishing for decades: paragraphs, quotation marks, poetic stanzas, section headings, and superscripted verse numbers. The latest Latter-day Saint scholarship is reflected in its brief, thoughtfully considered footnotes, although the focus is always on the text itself—its wording, structure, and interconnections—allowing the book’s sacred message to be heard anew. The Maxwell Institute Study Edition is ideally suited to both new readers of the Book of Mormon and also those who know the book well and have loved its teachings and testimony of Christ for many years. ISBN 978-1-9443-9465-3

This volume explores some of the seminal articles that examine Joseph Smith’s First Vision, which were written by the foremost experts who have studied it for half a century. This book preserves and shares that work. Those who study the First Vision today depend very much on the works of the scholars that are reprinted in this volume. The book includes articles by and interviews with James B. Allen, Richard L. Anderson, Milton V. Backman Jr., Richard L. Bushman, Steven C. Harper, Dean C. Jessee, Larry C. Porter, and John W. Welch. ISBN 978-0-8425-2818-4

This volume celebrates the bicentennial of Joseph Smith’s 1820 First Vision of the Father and the Son, a founding event in the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ. Contributors examine the various accounts of the vision, the religious excitement prevalent in the region, the question that prompted Joseph to enter the grove, the powers of darkness that assailed him, and the natural environment and ultimate preservation of the Sacred Grove. This volume brings together some of the finest presentations from a 2020 BYU Church History Symposium honoring the bicentennial of the First Vision. ISBN 978-1-9503-0408-0

The 33rd Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium Before Joseph Smith was born, religious scholars such as William Tyndale and Martin Luther put their lives in jeopardy to spread the word of God to their followers, blazing doctrinal trails so that a restoration of the gospel could occur. This volume highlights these influential men and other important Reformers who helped pave the way for the Restoration. ISBN 1-5903-8329-X

The 2009 BYU Church History Symposium The pattern of keeping records dates back to the earliest days of the church, when Joseph Smith, the church’s founding prophet, announced the divine decree, “Behold, there shall be a record kept among you” (D&C 21:1). Leaders of the church have strived to obey that command. Contemporaneous records were kept of revelations received by the prophet, the calling and interaction of early leaders, missionary assignments, the building of temples, and much more. The Latter-day Saints continue to be a record-keeping people. In fact, there may be no other people on earth of comparable size who have a richer record-keeping tradition than the people nicknamed Mormons. It is a part of the church’s administrative system, reaching from small committees to the church’s general conferences and from new members to the most senior leaders. Because of this tradition, scholars can readily evaluate Latter-day Saint history from a wealth of primary documents. ISBN 978-0-8425-2777-4

Volume 8 i​n the Regional Studies Series When most Latter-day Saints conjure up images of Church history, their minds are filled with pictures of the sacred sites and peoples of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, and Utah. But years before Brigham Young declared the Salt Lake Valley to be the site of future gathering in 1847, Church members had already pushed even further west into the Pacific Basin frontier. William Barratt made his way to Australia on a mission in 1840. Addison Pratt and his evangelizing companions arrived in the Society Islands in 1844, the year Joseph Smith was martyred in Illinois. And during the early 1850s, when Saints in the Utah Territory were clawing for their physical survival in American’s Great Basin, missionaries enjoyed proselyting success among the native Sandwich Islanders in today’s Hawaii. Clearly, the Pacific Isles have played a major—and early—role in the unfolding of the Restoration. In preparation for the 2008 BYU Church History and Doctrine Department’s regional studies tour to the Pacific Isles, faculty members were invited to research and write on the peoples and places of Polynesia, Micronesia, Melanesia, and Australasia. Topics include the introduction of the gospel to Tubuai, the influence of Jonathan Napela in Hawaii, the receptivity of Tongans to the gospel, the Oahu Tabernacle, the contributions of educational missionaries to Kiribati, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s performances in the Pacific Islands, and the destruction fire in the Apia Samoa Temple, among others. Contributors are Reid L. Neilson, Arnold K. Garr, Fred E. Woods, Michael A. Goodman, Matthew O. Richardson, R. Devan Jensen, Dennis A. Wright, Megan E. Warner, Cynthia Doxey, Lloyd D. Newell, Richard O. Cowan, Scott C. Esplin, and Kip Sperry. ISBN 978-0-6152-0037-8

Newel Knight (1800–1847) was one of the very earliest Latter-day Saint converts and maintained a lifelong friendship and close association with Joseph Smith Jr. The journals of Newel Knight are part of a handful of essential manuscript sources that every historian of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints relies on to understand its early history. He was one of a few early converts to provide an eyewitness account of the founding events in Church history, including the rise and fall of the Church in Missouri, miraculous healings, legal battles, the construction and dedication of the Kirtland Temple, the first marriage performed by Joseph Smith Jr., the martyrdom, and the cold, difficult exodus from Illinois to Winter Quarters. Knight’s history has always been a difficult source to use because it was never published in one volume until now. This book brings together his various accounts into one place to tell the story of the rise of the Latter-day Saints. ISBN 978-1-9443-9483-7

What did the Prophet Joseph Smith look like? Questions about Joseph Smith’s appearance have circulated ever since his martyrdom. This book is a comprehensive study into what the Prophet looked like based on many years of research. Work was started in 1975 when the author obtained a Joseph Smith portrait and after further inquiry learned that there was substantial disagreement regarding the Prophet’s appearance. The author’s desire for an accurate understanding of Joseph Smith’s image has resulted in this book, which includes the knowledge and resources of many individuals. Nearly 150 images are found in this volume, with fascinating commentary on the Prophet and the significance of each illustration. This book is an attempt to sort those that are accurate representations from those that are not. ISBN 1-5700-8394-0

General Authorities and religious educators provide thoughtful answers to intriguing gospel questions as they share their testimonies of the Savior. This collection of papers presented at a Brigham Young University symposium on the Savior invites us to learn more about the Being we worship. It sounds a clarion call of testimony—offered with clarity, vigor, and gratitude—in witness of the divine calling of our Lord and Redeemer, Jesus of Nazareth. ISBN 1-57008-856-X

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

The 46th Annual Brigham Young University Sidney B. Sperry Symposium This book explains Old Testament prophecies in their original linguistic, historical, and theological contexts, helping us more fully understand the Old Testament and its relevance. Prophetic books such as Amos, Micah, Jonah, Daniel, Jeremiah, and Obadiah are contextualized. Topics include rhetorical questions and prophetic voice, imagery of salvation, and symbolic naming. The volume additionally concentrates on topics such as Daniel’s apocalyptic visions, social domains and dimensions of foreign soil, sacred land and divine communication, gathering outcasts and remnant theology, the everlasting covenant and redemption, and the period of the exile. A section of the volume is also devoted to situating the Old Testament within other books of scripture. Chapters include topics such as Isaiah 7 and the fulfillment of prophecy in Matthew 1–2, the use of the Old Testament in the New Testament and Doctrine and Covenants, as well as the influence Old Testament prophets and prophecies had on the development of the Restoration. ISBN 978-1-9443-9422-6

The BYU 2012 Church History Symposium This book is a compilation of presentations from a BYU Church History Symposium. It features more than twenty messages about the life of Joseph F. Smith, including chapters by Elder M. Russell Ballard and Joseph Fielding McConkie. Elder Ballard, great-grandson of Joseph F. Smith, describes how the Lord prepared President Smith to lead the Church. Several scholars, historians, educators, and researchers highlight aspects of President Smith’s life, including his boyhood and adolescence, his family and personal relationships, his doctrinal contributions, Church government, and initiatives taken during his presidency in education, building construction, building the Laie Temple, creating the seminary program, and public outreach. ISBN 978-0-8425-2747-4

The 2013 BYU Church History Symposium This volume is a collection of essays by prominent LDS scholars–including keynote speakers Richard Bushman and David Holland–that discuss the interest in the ancient world shared by Joseph Smith and the early Latter-day Saints. Topics include Joseph Smith’s fascination with the ancient Americas, his interaction with the Bible, his study of Hebrew and Greek, his reading of Jewish and Christian apocryphal writings, and his work with the Book of Abraham in the context of nineteenth-century Egyptology. Together, these essays demonstrate that Joseph Smith’s interests in antiquity played an important role in his prophetic development as he sought to recover ancient scripture, restore the ancient Church, and bring the Latter-day Saints into fellowship with the sacred past. ISBN 978‐0‐8425‐2966‐2

The 44th Annual Brigham Young University Sidney B. Sperry Symposium The 2015 Brigham Young University Sidney B. Sperry Symposium explored the modern miracle of the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon. Featuring a keynote address by Elder Merrill J. Bateman discussing the Book of Mormon’s restoration of plain and precious truths, this volume describes the development of the teenage seer Joseph Smith Jr. and includes marvelous accounts of the many witnesses to the plates. It tells the story of the Book of Mormon, from Joseph Smith’s translation of the sacred record to the process of financing and printing the first edition, and concludes with its message rolling forth to many nations—to “every kindred, tongue, and people.” ISBN 987-1-62972-114-9

The 37th Annual Brigham Young University Sidney B. Sperry Symposium Awareness of the background and development of Joseph Smith’s revelations allows us to better understand their significance. The 37th annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium can help readers gain that knowledge. Written by scholars trained in a variety of fields, the articles are intended to help Latter-day Saints better appreciate the setting in which Joseph received his revelations. This volume will help readers better understand and appreciate the significant roles Joseph Smith’s revelations have played, and continue to play, in the dispensation of the fulness of times. ISBN 978-1-60641-015-8

The 33rd Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium Before Joseph Smith was born, religious scholars such as William Tyndale and Martin Luther put their lives in jeopardy to spread the word of God to their followers, blazing doctrinal trails so that a restoration of the gospel could occur. This volume highlights these influential men and other important Reformers who helped pave the way for the Restoration. ISBN 1-5903-8329-X

The leather-bound record book was a perfect place for Lorenzo Snow to preserve his outgoing correspondence while incarcerated in the territorial penitentiary. The record book’s significance lies in three areas. First, the record book sheds much-needed light into the thoughts, personality, and personal life of Lorenzo Snow. The deftness with which he puts his thoughts into verse, his vocabulary, as well as his humor and compassion all reveal facets of Snow’s intellect and character unfamiliar to many Church members today. Second, the record book is significant for its doctrinal content. Finally, it is an important primary source for students of the antipolygamy crusade. His poems and letters are invaluable for understanding how the Saints viewed their persecutions, justified their resistance to the laws, and found the nerve and the will to carry on despite increasingly difficult circumstances. ISBN 978-0-8425-2762-0

The 44th Annual Brigham Young University Sidney B. Sperry Symposium The 2015 Brigham Young University Sidney B. Sperry Symposium explored the modern miracle of the translation and publication of the Book of Mormon. Featuring a keynote address by Elder Merrill J. Bateman discussing the Book of Mormon’s restoration of plain and precious truths, this volume describes the development of the teenage seer Joseph Smith Jr. and includes marvelous accounts of the many witnesses to the plates. It tells the story of the Book of Mormon, from Joseph Smith’s translation of the sacred record to the process of financing and printing the first edition, and concludes with its message rolling forth to many nations—to “every kindred, tongue, and people.” ISBN 987-1-62972-114-9

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.

This volume of collected essays is intended to assist disciples of Jesus Christ in coming to a deeper understanding of the Savior and his ministry through their personal study of the New Testament. Because the period and culture of the New Testament can be daunting to modern readers, the editors gathered the work of Latter-day Saint scholars who have devoted time and research to gaining a greater understanding of the New Testament. The editors included essays written from a variety of perspectives to highlight the different lenses that can productively be brought to bear on the New Testament. Some of these essays are overtly devotional, while others are more explicitly academic, but all are written with the intent to help each of us accomplish one goal: to learn of him. ISBN 978-1-9503-0433-2

Thirteen-year-old Mary Goble and her family were part of the pioneer overland journey to Utah Territory in the John A. Hunt wagon company in 1856. They traveled close to the Edward Martin handcart company and suffered with them through the cold of Wyoming. The core of the book is a transcription of Mary’s handwritten memoir with annotations that corroborate, correct, and provide context. This annotated transcription is bookended by an introduction and epilogue that place Mary’s story of her journey in the context of her life before and after her emigration. ISBN 978-1-9503-0405-9

As a Latter-day Saint woman during the early days of the Church, Helen Mar Kimball Whitney (1828–96) lived in an extraordinary time. She experienced firsthand the difficult period of persecution in Missouri, the introduction of plural marriage, the aftereffects of the Prophet Joseph Smith’s martyrdom, the exodus from Nauvoo and trek across the plains, and the Saints’ arrival in Utah. This volume presents in their entirety Helen Mar Whitney’s reminiscences as they appeared in the Woman’s Exponent between 1880 and 1887. The author’s eyewitness insights into Latter-day Saint life during the formative years of the Church, as well as her expressions of faith in the gospel, will provide a nontraditional source of study and appreciation as they present a woman’s view of early Church history. ISBN 1-5700-8357-6

The 2007 BYU Easter Conference Followers of Jesus Christ since the beginning have referred to their Savior as the Lamb of God. While down by the River Jordan, John the Baptist was baptizing those who desired to follow the Savior. When the Savior approached the Baptist, John declared, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). After John baptized Jesus, he bore record “that he had baptized the Lamb of God” (1 Nephi 10:10). The next day, when John and two of his disciples saw Jesus, the Baptist again proclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36). Three years later the Savior brought his Twelve Apostles to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. As Jews from all over the Roman Empire made pilgrimage to Herod’s Temple, firstborn male lambs without blemish were offered up as sacrifice, commemorating that God had physically delivered his people from their bondage to Pharaoh. During that same Passover, Jesus, the firstborn spirit son of God and the only mortal to live a perfect life, prepared himself to be offered up as a sacrifice in order to spiritually deliver God’s children from their bondage to Satan. This volume celebrates the life and sacrifice of the Lamb of God. ISBN 978-0-8425-2693-7

The focus of this project is to bring together all the known paintings and photographic images of Brigham from his lifetime. Additionally, a representative sample of the numerous graphic images of Brigham appearing in newspapers, magazines, and books from the same period are reproduced. Illustrations of the Mormon leader in these publications sometimes closely reflect the photographic record because they are based on original photographs or because they were made from personal observations by a trained artist. In many cases, artists met Brigham face-to-face and then worked from photographic images to finish their work. Other illustrations, however, range from the ridiculously funny to the blatantly vicious, like many political cartoons of the day. ISBN 1-5700-8625-7

Iniciada en al año 2000 por el decano de educación religiosa Robert L. Millet, El Educador de Religión es una publicación dirigida a satisfacer las necesidades e intereses de quienes estudian y enseñan el evangelio restaurado de Jesucristo. Para celebrar diez años de su publicación, los editores han seleccionado algunos de sus artículos sobresalientes. Entre los autores están: Élder Richard G. Scott, Élder Robert D. Hales, Élder David A. Bednar, Élder D. Todd Christofferson, Élder Jay E. Jensen, Élder Tad R. Callister, y Élder Neal A. Maxwell. ISBN 978-0-8425-2768-2

Iniciada em 2000 pelo decano de Educação Religiosa Robert L. Millet, O Educador Religioso é uma publicação dirigida para satisfazer as necessidades e os interesses daqueles que estudam e ensinam o evangelho restaurado de Jesus Cristo. Para comemorar dez anos da sua publicação, os editores tem selecionado algums dos seus artigos prominentes. Entre os autores estão: Élder Richard G. Scott, Élder Robert D. Hales, Élder David A. Bednar, Élder D. Todd Christofferson, Élder Jay E. Jensen, Élder Tad R. Callister, e Élder Neal A. Maxwell. ISBN 978-0-8425-2775-0

By Study and by Faith is a collection of articles and essays from past issues of the Religious Educator, which provides informative and inspirational peer-reviewed articles, focused on the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Since the first issue, hundreds of thoughtful, well-researched articles and essays have been published by dedicated scholars, teachers, and Church leaders, creating a remarkable library of historical, doctrinal, pedagogical, and devotional resources to inspire readers as they strive to understand and teach the things that matter most. Some of the articles included in By Study and By Faith have all been well received and might be considered some of the very best we have published—the ones that we go back to again and again because of their timeless message or the significant insights they provided when they were first published. Some of the notable authors include Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Elder Jay E. Jensen, Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Richard E. Bennett, Thomas A. Wayment, and several others. (Reprinted in 2012) ISBN 978-0-8425-2718-7

Volume 3 in the Occasional Papers Series In 1907, when photography was still considered magical, George Edward Anderson set forth on a momentous journey across the United States. En route to a proselytizing mission in England, Anderson—arguably the most important photographer of Latter-day Saint historical sites to date—spent a year capturing vivid images of the sites of such transcendent events as the First Vision, the restoration of the priesthood, the publication of the Book of Mormon, and the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. This volume assembles these photographs with Anderson’s 1907 diary, which allows reader to appreciate the photographs in their historical, cultural, and religious setting. ISBN 0-8849-4998-2

The Book of Mormon and modern revelation reveal the true nature of messianic Old Testament passages

The future of scholarship concerning the Prophet and Seer Joseph Smith has never appeared brighter. Amid the publication of the Joseph Smith Papers, this book adds poignant context to his writings and revelations. Drawing from a lecture series held at Brigham Young University entitled “Joseph Smith’s Prophetic Ministry,” the leading scholars and educators on Joseph Smith shared their wealth of knowledge on his life and history. Dividing the years of his prolific life into chapters, the authors create a compelling chronological view of the Prophet’s ministry and teachings, as well as the historical perspective necessary to capture the depth of his influence. Emerging from this material is a clearer picture of Joseph’s remarkable, complex, and passionate personality, shedding light on his divine mission to restore the Lord’s kingdom on the earth. Recent research has not diminished him in the least but shows him standing taller than ever as the prophet of the Restoration, the great seer who set in place the Lord’s kingdom for the latter days. British author Charles Mackay published a small work in 1851, claiming that it was the first public history of “this new religion” founded in America by Joseph Smith, “one of the most remarkable persons who has appeared on the stage of the world in modern times.” Although Mackay was not the first to write a history of the Latter-day Saints, he was right in asserting that Joseph Smith was a most remarkable person. Like those New Testament Apostles who left their personal lives and ambitions to follow Jesus, Joseph Smith was a true disciple of Jesus Christ. Since the beginning of the Restoration, many individuals have collected the Prophet’s teachings and attempted to tell his story. Yet the task of reconstructing the life of Joseph Smith is fraught with difficulties, as it is with telling the story of anyone who lived in the past. This book includes presentations from the foremost educators and scholars on Joseph Smith and his life. These messages provide current and faithful perspectives and will give helpful context for the study of Joseph Smith’s teachings. Each presenter is either on the Religious Education faculty at BYU or is part of the team preparing the landmark Joseph Smith Papers series. These scholars look at Joseph Smith with fresh eyes, mining both old evidence and new discoveries to show who the Prophet was, what he accomplished, and why his life matters. As a result of these efforts, in some ways we may know more about the Prophet than did those who lived during his lifetime, given the intimate look we have into his personal diaries and letters. Two introductory chapters focus on his early life, 1805-19, and the early years of the Restoration, 1820-29. Each chapter thereafter focuses on a specific year of his ministry from 1830-1844, providing an overview of the major events in Church history and discussing a major doctrinal or historical topic related to that period. This exciting and thorough treatment will lift people’s understanding of the Prophet Joseph and the gospel to new heights. Contributors in this book include Richard Neitzel Holzapfel, Richard E. Bennett, Kent P. Jackson, Robert J. Woodford, Grant Underwood, Alexander L. Baugh, J. Spencer Fluhman, Steven C. Harper, Ronald K. Esplin, William G. Hartley, Ronald O. Barney, Andrew H. Hedges, and Robert L. Millet. ISBN 978-0-8425-2753-8