On Zion's Mount: Mormons, Indians, and the American Landscape


Jared Farmer - 2008
    Timpanogos beckons the urban populace of utah. And yet no 'Indian' legend graced the mount until Mormon settlers conjured it - once they had displaced the native Indians from their actual landmark, Utah lake. This study looks at this curious shift.

The Plan of Salvation: Doctrinal Notes and Commentary


Matthew B. Brown - 2002
    This time Brown takes a "readable" takes an in-depth look at such topics as: How did the plan of slvation originate? Where did the premortal Grand Council take place? What was the premortal status of Lucifer? What actually happened to Adam's and Eve's bodies when they partook of the forbidden fruit? Why didn't the Lord create a fallen world to begin with? Why did we need to get physical bodies? Why do children need to be sealed to their parents? What gifts or abilities will we have in the Spirit World? What are the prerequisites for exaltation? Can a person progress between degrees of glory after resurrection has take place? What will happen to the sons of perdition once they are cast into outer darkness? And much more. AN opened minded and courageous study of [God] and His divine plan with respect to our salvation will be the most interesting and permanently rewarding of all ventures. Hugh Brown How much do we really know about the plan of salvation? What have ancient and modern prophets revealed about the great plan of deliverance? Matthew Brown discusses the doctrines associated with the creation, the fall, and the atonement. A thought-provoking, in-depth, and thoroughly readable book on the plan of salvation

Religion of a Different Color: Race and the Mormon Struggle for Whiteness


W. Paul Reeve - 2014
    Being white equalled access to political, social, and economic power, all aspects of citizenship in which outsiders sought to limit or prevent Mormon participation. At least a part of those efforts came through persistent attacks on the collective Mormon body, ways in which outsiders suggested that Mormons were physically different, racially more similar to marginalized groups than they were white. Medical doctors went so far as to suggest that Mormon polygamy was spawning a new race. Mormons responded with aspirations toward whiteness. It was a back and forth struggle between what outsiders imagined and what Mormons believed. Mormons ultimately emerged triumphant, but not unscathed. At least a portion of the cost of their struggle came at the expense of their own black converts. Mormon leaders moved away from universalistic ideals toward segregated priesthood and temples, policies firmly in place by the early twentieth century. So successful were they at claiming whiteness for themselves, that by the time Mormon Mitt Romney sought the White House in 2012, he was labelled "the whitest white man to run for office in recent memory." Mormons once again found themselves on the wrong side of white.

Investigating the Book of Mormon Witnesses


Richard Lloyd Anderson - 1981
    Richard Lloyd Anderson, wherein he presents evidence from original sources on each of the eleven witnesses of the metal plates from which the Prophet Joseph Smith translated the ancient scriptural account known as the Book of Mormon.

The Story of Mormonism


James E. Talmage
    This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

The Mormon Hierarchy: Extensions of Power


D. Michael Quinn - 1997
    This dynastic hierarchy meets in private; neither its minutes nor the church’s finances are available for public review. Members are reassured by public relations spokesmen that all is well and that harmony prevails among these brethren.But by interviewing former church aides, examining hundreds of diaries, and drawing from his own past experience as an insider within the Latter-day Saint historical department, D. Michael Quinn presents a fuller view. His extensive research documents how the governing apostles, seventies, and presiding bishops are likely to be at loggerheads, as much as united. These strong-willed, independent men–like directors of a large corporation or supreme court justices–lobby among their colleagues, forge alliances, out-maneuver opponents, and broker compromises.There is more: clandestine political activities, investigative and punitive actions by church security forces, personal “loans” from church coffers (later written off as bad debts), and other privileged power-vested activities. Quinn considers the changing role and attitude of the leadership toward visionary experiences, the momentous events which have shaped quorum protocol and doctrine, and day-to-day bureaucratic intrigue from the time of Brigham Young to the dawn of the twenty-first century.The hierarchy seems at root well-intentioned and even at times aggressive in fulfilling its stated responsibility, which is to expedite the Second Coming. Where they have become convinced that God has spoken, they have set aside personal differences, offered unqualified support, and spoken with a unified voice. This potential for change, when coupled with the tempering effect of competing viewpoints, is something Quinn finds encouraging about Mormonism. But one should not assume that these men are infallible or work in anything approaching uninterrupted unanimity.

A Marvelous Work and a Wonder


LeGrand Richards - 1950
    Richards, a Presiding Bishop and Ordained One of the Twelve Apostles, offers an outline prepared to assist missionaries in their study and presentation of the gospel in a systematic and logical manner. Contents: The Position of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; The Visit of the Father and the Son; Personality of the Father and the Son; False Doctrines and Universal Apostasy; A Marvelous Work and a Wonder to Come Forth; The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon; The Book of Mormon Fulfills Bible Prophecies; Evidences of the Divinity of the Book of Mormon; Restoration of Priesthood Authority; The Ordinance of Baptism; The Mission of the Holy Ghost; Setting up the Kingdom of God Upon the Earth; The Mission of Elijah; Marriage for Time and for All Eternity; The Gathering of Israel; Israel in the Latter Days; The Coming of Elias; The True Church, A Missionary Church; Fundamental Differences Between Salvation and Exaltation; Whence Cometh Man?; Why Is Man Here?; Where Is Man Going?; The Sabbath Day; Predestination and Foreordination; The Word of Wisdom; The Law of Tithing; and By Their Fruits Ye Shall Know Them.

One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church


Richard Abanes - 2002
    it has become synonymous with the establishment. In reevaluating its preoccupation with issues of church and state, Abanes uncovers the political agenda at Mormonism's core: the transformation of the world into a theocratic kingdom under Mormon authority. This illustrated edition has been revised and offers a new postscript by the author.

In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith


Todd M. Compton - 1997
    These were passionate relationships which also had some longevity, except in cases such as that of two young sisters, one of whom was discovered by Joseph’s first wife, Emma, in a locked bedroom with the prophet. Emma remained a steadfast opponent of polygamy throughout her life. The majority of Smith’s wives were younger than he, and one-third were between fourteen and twenty years of age. Another third were already married, and some of the husbands served as witnesses at their own wife’s polyandrous wedding. In addition, some of the wives hinted that they bore Smith children—most notably Sylvia Sessions’s daughter Josephine—although the children carried their stepfather’s surname. For all of Smith’s wives, the experience of being secretly married was socially isolating, emotionally draining, and sexually frustrating. Despite the spiritual and temporal benefits, which they acknowledged, they found their faith tested to the limit of its endurance. After Smith’s death in 1844, their lives became even more “lonely and desolate.” One even joined a convent. The majority were appropriated by Smith’s successors, based on the Old Testament law of the Levirate, and had children by them, though they considered these guardianships unsatisfying. Others stayed in the Midwest and remarried, while one moved to California. But all considered their lives unhappy, except for the joy they found in their children and grandchildren.

A House Full of Females: Plural Marriage and Women's Rights in Early Mormonism, 1835-1870


Laurel Thatcher Ulrich - 2017
    Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, writing of this small group of Mormon women who've previously been seen as mere names and dates, has reconstructed these textured, complex lives to give us a portrait of who these women were and of their "sex radicalism"--the idea that a woman should choose when and with whom to bear children.

Teachings of the Book of Mormon: Part 1


Hugh Nibley - 2004
    Transcripts of lectures present to an Honors Book of Morman class at BYU,1988-1990Has the smallest print I have every seen!!

Making Sense of the Doctrine & Covenants: A Guided Tour Through Modern Revelations


Steven C. Harper - 2008
    After all, it is the only one of the standard works that does not tell its own story.Making Sense of the Doctrine and Covenants addresses this challenge in a creative new way. Rather than giving a verse-by-verse commentary, author Steven C. Harper takes readers on a guided tour through the revelations. Drawing on the earliest manuscripts of those revelations, he provides historically grounded insights into why each revelation was given, what it means, and why it matters.Chapters on every section of the Doctrine and Covenants begin by delving into the historical record to recreate the question or problem each revelation was given to resolve and end by showing readers the outcomes for individuals and the Church.Families and scholars alike will relish the depth and accessibility of Making Sense of the Doctrine and Covenants. It is an invaluable addition to any gospel library and a fascinating resource for anyone who wishes to become more closely acquainted with this marvelous book of scripture.

Defender of the Faith: The B. H. Roberts Story


Truman G. Madsen - 1980
    Roberts, a man well recognized in the church and the author of many beloved books, was one that could fill countless pages. The son of a “ne’er-do-well,” his life in England reads as if it were straight from a Charles Dickens novel. His family was torn apart when his mother joined the Church and emigrated to America. Left to struggle alone in England with his sister, his life was one of severe trials. Finally, they were able to emigrate and join the other saints gathering in Utah.His tremendous impact in the church comes through his voluminous writings on Church subjects. Interestingly, he was eleven years old before he learned to read, and the discovery of what lies within printed words opened a deep love for knowledge. This passion eventually led to him becoming one of the foremost scholars, writers and religious leaders in the Church.For both the general reader as well as the specialist, this biography of B.H. Roberts will fill a long-standing gap as they come to better know this outstanding man.

The Mountain Meadows Massacre


Juanita Brooks - 1967
    The men on the ground after the bloody deed took an oath that they would never mention the event again, either in public or in private. The leaders of the Mormon church also counseled silence. The first report, soon after the massacre, described it as an Indian onslaught at which a few white men were present, only one of whom, John D. Lee, was actually named.With admirable scholarship, Mrs. Brooks has traced the background of conflict, analyzed the emotional climate at the time, pointed up the social and military organization in Utah, and revealed the forces which culminated in the great tragedy at Mountain Meadows. The result is a near-classic treatment which neither smears nor clears the participants as individuals. It portrays an atmosphere of war hysteria, whipped up by recitals of past persecutions and the vision of an approaching "army" coming to drive the Mormons from their homes.

In the Strength of the Lord: The Life and Teachings of James E. Faust


James P. Bell - 1999
    Unlike most of our conversations, which deal with family updates and the like, he began this call with a rather firm declaration. "I know what your next book should be," he said. I had recently completed a book with two dear friends, the late Rex E. Lee and his wife, Janet-and I responded that I did not have plans to write another book. He continued, undeterred, "No, you need to write a biography of  James E. Faust." Though still half asleep, I knew immediately that he was right, but I asked him anyway why he would make this suggestion. His answer was simple: "Because he's a good man, and the members of the Church don't know enough about him." Not knowing President Faust, but feeling a need to act on my father's suggestion, I passed the idea along to Sheri Dew, who is the vice-president of publishing at Deseret Book and a long-time friend. She, in turn, discussed it with Ron Millett, president of Deseret Book, and the two of them arranged to meet with President Faust and discuss the idea with him. He listened politely and said he would consider their proposal and then let them know of his decision. Having read, some months later, his journal entry for that day, I know that his initial reaction was a preference that such a book not be done. But after several weeks of discussion with his wife, family members, and a few close associates, he informed Ron and Sheri that he would agree to have a book done-but with two conditions: First, that the biography be brief; and, second,  that a selection of his teachings be included in the same volume.