The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother


Lucy Mack Smith - 1844
    Amidst confusion over several versions of this mother's account of her son, Mormon prophet Joseph Smith, his 5th great grandson for the family foundation reaffirms this version developed in 1996 by Scot & Maurine Proctor, "who restored Lucy's language and feeling through verification with the original notebook."

Of Pigs, Pearls, and Prodigals: A Fresh Look At the Parables of Jesus


John Bytheway - 2010
    I can see families doing a different parable each week for Family Home Evening, for example." -The Association for Mormon LettersListen to an interview with John Bytheway from The Cricket and Seagull Fireside Chat.MormonTimes.com article about Of Pigs, Pearls, and Prodigals by Trent Toone (Click Here)Enlighten your study of the New Testament!Bestselling author John Bytheway's fascination with the parables of Jesus Christ grew deeper after his first visit to the Holy Land, where he "beheld in high definition the backdrop for the life and teachings of the Savior." In this insightful volume, he discusses what he has learned about more than thirty parables, sharing cultural background and other information about them and offering ideas for how we can apply them today. Throughout, visual images clarify and enrich the discussion.Beginners and seasoned students alike will enjoy this lively and practical treatment of the Savior's parables.ContentsIntroductionThe Parable of the House Built upon a RockMatthew 7:24-27The Parable of the Sower (of Four Kinds of Soil)Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23The Parable of the Wheat and the TaresMatthew 12:24-30, 36-43The Parable of the Mustard SeedMatthew 13:31-32The Parable of the LeavenMatthew 13:33The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great PriceMatthew 13:44-46The Parable of the Gospel NetMatthew 13:47-40The Parable of the HouseholderMatthew 13:51-52The Parable of the Unmerciful ServantMatthew 18:23-35The Parable of the Laborers in the VineyardMatthew 20:1-16The Parable of the Two SonsMatthew 21:28-31The Parable of the Wicked HusbandmenMatthew 21:33-46The Parable of the Royal Marriage FeastMatthew 22:1-14The Parable of the Ten VirginsMatthew 25:1-13The Parable of the TalentsMatthew 25:14-30The Parable of the Sheep and the GoatsMatthew 25:31-46The Parable of the Seed Growing SecretlyMark 4:26-29The Parable of the Two DebtorsLuke 7:36-50The Parable of the Good SamaritanLuke 10:25-37The Parable of the Foolish Rich ManLuke 12:16-21The Parable of the Barren Fig TreeLuke 13:6-9The Parable of the Chief SeatsLuke 14:7-11The Parable of the Great SupperLuke 14:16-24The Parables of the uncompleted Tower and the King's WarfareLuke 14:28-33The Parable of the Lost SheepLuke 15:3-7The Parable of the Lost CoinLuke 15:8-10The Parable of the Lost (Prodigal) SonLuke 15:11-32The Parable of the Unjust StewardLuke 16:1-8The Parable of the Rich Man and LazarusLuke 16:19-31The Parable of the Unjust Judge (or Importunate Widow)Luke 18:1-8The Parable of the Pharisee and the PublicanLuke 18:9-14The Parable of the PoundsLuke 19:12-27ConclusionSources CitedIndex

Mary, Martha, And Me: Seeking the One Thing That Is Needful


Camille Fronk Olson - 2006
    We understand that Marthas are certainly useful and necessary, but it's usually Mary that gets the halo. Author Camille Fronk Olson brings unique insights and perspectives to the biblical story of two sisters, Mary and Martha, who serve Jesus in different ways. Exploring the mixed messages in daily life, she discusses the motives and focus that determine our choices and the problem of comparing our gifts and contributions to others. In her warm, engaging style, the author brings to light the lessons Mary and Martha learn from each other and the "one thing [that] is needful" for both.

The Second Comforter: : Conversing with the Lord Through the Veil


Denver Carlos Snuffer Jr. - 2006
    It is an Odyssey through the greatest principles, ordinances and meanings of the Latter-day Saint faith in a comprehensive narrative. It will change the way you think of yourself, and of your life.

Jesus > Religion: Why He Is So Much Better Than Trying Harder, Doing More, and Being Good Enough


Jefferson Bethke - 2013
    The message blew up on social-media, triggering an avalanche of responses running the gamut from encouraged to enraged.In Jesus > Religion, Bethke unpacks similar contrasts that he drew in the poem—highlighting the difference between teeth gritting and grace, law and love, performance and peace, despair and hope. With refreshing candor he delves into the motivation behind his message, beginning with the unvarnished tale of his own plunge from the pinnacle of a works-based, fake-smile existence that sapped his strength and led him down a path of destructive behavior.Bethke is quick to acknowledge that he’s not a pastor or theologian, but simply a regular, twenty-something who cried out for a life greater than the one for which he had settled. Along his journey, Bethke discovered the real Jesus, who beckoned him beyond the props of false religion.

The Priesthood Power of Women: In the Temple, Church, and Family


Barbara Morgan Gardner - 2019
    Nelson recently voiced a concern that “too many of our brothers and sisters do not fully understand the concept of priesthood power and authority. I fear that too many of our brothers and sisters do not grasp the privileges that could be theirs.”Some are surprised to learn that priesthood authority, privileges, and power apply to women as well as men. On the other hand, many women feel undervalued, voiceless, and marginalized regarding the priesthood. Our limited understanding and frustration often stems from the priesthood being taught too narrowly.The Priesthood Power of Women relies on the standard works and teachings of the living prophets to help all members, especially women, more fully understand God's power and take full advantage of the powers, blessings, and privileges available to them in this mortal journey by clarifying truth regarding the priesthood, for both men and women. further expanding our knowledge of the priesthood, and strengthening and empowering us as we seek to better fulfill our priesthood responsibilities and make full use of priesthood privileges.

Grace Where You Are


Emily Belle Freeman - 2020
    Instead, the Savior offers divine grace to heal wounds and elevate souls.Grace Where You Are is filled with inspired scripture, gentle moments of reflection and meditation, and opportunities for personal application. Spending some time in its pages will help you to recognize that no matter where you are in your life's journey, Christ will come to you when you feel you fall short, extending His divine grace and providing so much more than what you lack.

The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears


Mark Batterson - 2011
    Sharing inspiring stories from his own experiences as a prayer circle maker, Batterson will help readers uncover their heart's deepest desires and God-given dreams and unleash them through the kind of audacious prayer that God delights to answer.

The Christ Who Heals: How God Restored the Truth That Saves Us


Fiona Givens - 2017
    And for Latter-day Saints, the Jesus Christ revealed through the Prophet Joseph Smith is, in some very significant ways, a different kind of Christ than the Jesus of modern Christianity. The Christ of the restored gospel collaborated with Heavenly Parents for our salvation even before the foundation of the world, "does not anything" save it be for our benefit (2 Nephi 26:24), and is determined to patiently guide and nurture every one of God's children into an eternal heavenly family. Most significantly, this Christ does not rescue us from a condition of original sin or depravity. Rather, He is primarily a healer of the wounds incident to a long-planned sojourn, one intended to immerse us in the trials, pains, and soul-stretching of this mortal schoolroom. He is not only the most remarkable being in the history of religious thought; He is, in fact, The Christ Who Heals.

At the Pulpit: 185 Years of Discourses by Latter-day Saint Women


Jennifer Reeder - 2017
    The discourses, given by women both well known and obscure, represent just some of the many contributions of women to Latter-day Saint thought. In addition to being a scholarly history, At the Pulpit is intended as a resource for contemporary Latter-day Saints as they study, speak, teach, and lead. These discourses allow readers to hear the historical and contemporary voices of Latter-day Saint women--voices that resound with experience, wisdom, and authority.

Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely


Lysa TerKeurst - 2016
    . . left out, lonely, and less than.In Uninvited, Lysa shares her own deeply personal experiences of rejection—from the perceived judgment of the perfectly toned woman one elliptical over to the incredibly painful childhood abandonment by her father. She leans in to honestly examine the roots of rejection, as well as rejection's ability to poison relationships from the inside out, including our relationship with God.With biblical depth, gut-honest vulnerability, and refreshing wit, Lysa will help you:• Stop feeling left out by believing that even when you are overlooked by others you are handpicked by God.• Change your tendency to either fall apart or control the actions of others by embracing God-honoring ways to process your hurt.• Know exactly what to pray for the next ten days to steady your soul and restore your confidence in the midst of rejection.• Overcome the two core fears that feed your insecurities by understanding the secret of belonging.Uninvited reminds us we are destined for a love that can never be diminished, tarnished, shaken, or taken—a love that does not reject or uninvite.

Simply Jesus: A New Vision of Who He Was, What He Did, and Why He Matters


N.T. Wright - 2011
    Wright summarizes 200 years of modern Biblical scholarship and models how Christians can best retell the story of Jesus today. In a style similar to C.S. Lewis’s popular works, Wright breaks down the barriers that prevent Christians from fully engaging with the story of Jesus. For believers confronting the challenge of connecting with their faith today, and for readers of Timothy Keller’s The Reason for God, Wright’s Simply Jesus offers a provocative new picture of how to understand who Jesus was and how Christians should relate to him today.

Introverts in the Church: Finding Our Place in an Extroverted Culture


Adam S. McHugh - 2009
    But many churches tend to be extroverted places where introverts are marginalized. Some Christians end up feeling like it's not as faithful to be an introvert. Adam McHugh shows how introverts can live and minister in ways consistent with their personalities. He explains how introverts and extroverts process information and approach relationships differently and how introverts can practice Christian spirituality in ways that fit who they are. With practical illustrations from church and parachurch contexts, McHugh offers ways for introverts to serve, lead, worship and even evangelize effectively. Introverts in the Church is essential reading for any introvert who has ever felt out of place, as well as for church leaders who want to make their churches more welcoming to introverts. Discover God's call and empowering to thrive as an introvert, for the sake of the church and kingdom.

Jesus Is: Find a New Way to Be Human


Judah Smith - 2013
    How would you finish that sentence?The subject is there, and so is the verb, but what comes next? Your answer could shed light on the path to becoming who you were made to be. In these pages, Judah Smith fills out that sentence again and again, each time further revealing the character of Jesus. He writes as if to a friend, revealing the Jesus that somber paintings and hymns fail to capture. With passion, humor, and conviction, he shows that Jesus is life. Jesus is grace. Jesus is your friend. Jesus is a new and better way to be human.

Sun Stand Still: What Happens When You Dare to Ask God for the Impossible


Steven Furtick - 2010
    The words on these pages will not go down like Ambien. I’m not writing to calm or coddle you. With God’s help, I intend to incite a riot in your mind. Trip your breakers and turn out the lights in your favorite hiding places of insecurity and fear. Then flip the switch back on so that God’s truth can illuminate the divine destiny that may have been lying dormant inside you for years. In short, I’m out to activate your audacious faith. To inspire you to ask God for the impossible. And in the process, to reconnect you with your God-sized purpose and potential.—STEVEN FURTICK, from Sun Stand Still“Steven Furtick challenges all of us—from the missionary in the third world to the family in the suburbs—to believe God for the impossible and begin living a life of faith beyond the ordinary.” —ANDY STANLEY, senior pastor, North Point Community Church “I don’t know anyone better positioned to challenge you to rise above mundane living and embrace faith-filled audacity than Steven Furtick.”—CRAIG GROESCHEL, senior pastor, LifeChurch.tv“For too long Christians have embraced a miniscule vision of faith.… Steven Furtick reminds us that the God who accomplished the impossible through the great heroes of faith still desires to do the same through us today.” —JENTEZEN FRANKLIN, senior pastor, Free Chapel “This book will show you that your hopes and expectations are truly just the beginning of what God can do.” —ED YOUNG, senior pastor, Fellowship ChurchFrom the Trade Paperback edition.