This book tells the story of yet another assembly of saints whose history, I believe, is in many respects analogous to the history of those early Christians who thought at first that they had found the only proper way to be Jews. Mormonism started to grow away from traditional Christianity almost immediately upon coming into existence. It began as a movement that understood itself as Christian, but. . . these nineteenth-century Latter-day Saints (as they came to be called) embarked on a path that led to developments that now distinguish their tradition from the Christian tradition as surely as early Christianity was distinguished from its Hebraic context."--From the preface

    This book is a biographical reconstruction of Emma Smith's life from documents and evidence other than the few letters and one page of blessings she left behind.

    In this unique collection, some of the most important and inspirational writings about prayer from Church leaders, gospel scholars, and other beloved writers have been assembled. Each chapter increases our understanding with insights on the purposes of prayer, how and for what we pray, how to recognize answers to prayers, personal and family prayers, fasting and prayer, and the power of prayer. Many illustrations are drawn from the lives of the writers, from the scriptures, and from the experiences of others. Designed to share with family and friends, the pages of this book are filled with hope, reassurance, and peace. Prayer will encourage readers as they seek to develop a personal relationship with God and invoke the power of prayer in their lives. Contributing authors include: Ezra Taft Benson Mary Ellen Edmunds Vaughn J. Featherstone David B. Haight Marion D. Hanks Patricia Holland Howard W. Hunter Ardeth Greene Kapp Spencer W. Kimball Ann N. Madsen Truman G. Madsen Neal A. Maxwell Bruce R. McConkie Robert L. Millet H. Burke Peterson Carolyn J. Rasmus Marion G. Romney N. Eldon Tanner Wendy L. Watson S. Michael Wilcox

    Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion, it does not specify what counts as a religion. From its founding in the 1830s, Mormonism, a homegrown American faith, drew thousands of converts but far more critics. In A Peculiar People, J. Spencer Fluhman offers a comprehensive history of anti-Mormon thought and the associated passionate debates about religious authenticity in nineteenth-century America. He argues that understanding anti-Mormonism provides critical insight into the American psyche because Mormonism became a potent symbol around which ideas about religion and the state took shape.

    Did principles of religious freedom and local self-government protect Mormons' claim to a distinct, religiously based legal order? Or was polygamy, as its opponents claimed, a new form of slavery--this time for white women in Utah? And did constitutional principles dictate that democracy and true liberty were founded on separation of church and state? As Sarah Barringer Gordon shows, the answers to these questions finally yielded an apparent victory for antipolygamists in the late nineteenth century, but only after decades of argument, litigation, and open conflict. Victory came at a price; as attention and national resources poured into Utah in the late 1870s and 1880s, antipolygamists turned more and more to coercion and punishment in the name of freedom. They also left a legacy in constitutional law and political theory that still governs our treatment of religious life: Americans are free to believe, but they may well not be free to act on their beliefs.

    

    The latest LDS 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, produced by believing scholars, 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.

    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.

    The Pearl of great Price chapters include the Book of Moses, the Book of Abraham, Joseph Smith on Matthew and History and the Articles of Faith. This book is a must read for those of the mormon faith, or those studying mormon or religious history.

    Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

    Russell Ballard. He shows that the pattern for government by councils is divinely inspired and points out the wisdom and strength available in properly conducted councils. He teaches:

    Starting in 1957, Deseret Book Company began publishing many of these questions and answers in a five-volume series entitled Answers to Gospel Questions.Now Deseret Book is reprinting this classic collection in one volume. The new edition has a timeless design and includes the complete, unabridged text. It also offers an updated, combined index and a new appendix, making it easier to find the information and answers you need. It should be noted that because ours is a church of continuing revelation, a few responses to questions are now dated. This work should be read in the context of the time in which it was written.Answers to Gospel Questions provides definitive answers to some of the most important and interesting questions asked by students of the gospel. In this volume, you will find information on topics ranging from sin to sacrament, from forgiveness to Fall, from marriage to miracles. You will also find answers to many intriguing gospel questions, including: Why did God create a world where suffering exists? What is the nature of miracles? How do we know we have a Mother in Heaven? Why do little children partake of the sacrament? Does the devil have power to tempt departed spirits? What is the doctrine of plural gods?It is hoped that in providing this new edition of the well-loved classic, Deseret Book Company can help members of the Church as well as nonmembers find the answers they need to better understand the gospel of Jesus Christ.

    In the mid- to late nineteenth century, however--the heyday of Mormon polygamy--as many as three out of every ten Mormon women became polygamous wives. Paula Kelly Harline delves deep into the diaries and autobiographies of twenty-nine such women, providing a rare window into the lives they led and revealing their views and experiences of polygamy, including their well-founded belief that their domestic contributions would help to build a foundation for generations of future Mormons. Polygamous wives were participants in a controversial and very public religious practice that violated most nineteenth-century social and religious rules of a monogamous America. Harline considers the questions: Were these women content with their sacrifice? Did the benefits of polygamous marriage for the Mormons outweigh the human toll it required and the embarrassment it continues to bring? Polygamous wives faced daunting challenges not only imposed by the wider society but within the home, yet those whose writings Harline explores give voice to far more than unhappiness and discontent. The personal writings of these women, all married to different husbands, are the heart of this remarkable book--they paint a vivid and sometimes disturbing picture of an all but vanished and still controversial way of life.

    Clayton Christensen admits that he and his wife, Christine, felt that way in the past too. But they also recognized the tremendous blessings associated with the work, and they wanted to learn how to share the gospel in ways that would be natural and rewarding. Clayton's expertise as an innovator kicked in, and he set out with friends and family members to find a more effective approach to member missionary work. Their refreshing perspectives are presented in this book, which includes inspiring, unusual stories that demonstrate the effectiveness of the ideas. Chances are, you'll discover you're already doing a lot of the things mentioned, and with just a little tweak here and there, you'll be sharing the gospel naturally as part of your everyday interactions. Along the way, you'll feel the deep joy that comes from helping others discover the most precious blessing in the world: the gospel of Jesus Christ.

    Put a tired-looking mom behind the wheel of a minivan and she becomes invisible…and the perfect spy.But Kate secretly fears she’s lost her instinct—that guiding voice that’s kept her safe in the world of espionage.To run U-Tap, she must work with John, a handsome, experienced officer with a reputation that sends her self-doubts into overdrive.And when Kate discovers John has secrets of his own, she must trust her instincts or lose everything.