Mormon Studies Commons^™

Stiff-Necked, Darlene Young

BYU Studies

Caught in the drainpipe

of this tin-can quick-charge one-use world,

I’ve had enough.

Blast me, Lord; tear the roof right off.

Crack me open

like a bookspine puckered new; splay me.

Dog-ear me.

Slavery In Zion: A Documentary And Genealogical History Of Black Lives And Black Servitude In Utah Territory, 1847– 1862 By Amy Tanner Thiriot, Matthew B. Christensen

BYU Studies

Slavery in Zion: A Documentary and Genealogical History of Black Lives and Black Servitude in Utah Territory, 1847–1862 is an important and carefully researched book by Amy Tanner Thiriot. Delving deep into an often-overlooked and lesser-known aspect of Utah’s history, Thiriot explores the intricate dynamics of slavery and servitude in the region during the period spanning from the Saints’ arrival in the mountain west to 1862. Thiriot is an independent historian and adjunct instructor in the BYU– Idaho Family History Research program.

The Last Leaf, Ben De Hoyos

BYU Studies

Shadows strained eastward as the yielding sun,

In solemn salute, frosted Nebo’s peaks

In glowing hues of squash and melon and

The last leaf dropped. Like fine pink sugar spun

Temples Of The Imagination, Jeffrey Thayne, Nathan Richardson

Interpreter Foundation Books

To the left, you see a temple that resembles those built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints. However, this temple is not one that has ever been built by the Church—it is an imaginary temple. But what is so interesting about that? We can all close our eyes and imagine in our mind’s eye temples that do not currently exist. Talented artists could then put that to canvas and create a depiction. What is special is that this image

Steadfast In Defense Of Faith, Shirley S. Ricks, Stephen D. Ricks, Louis C. Midgley

Interpreter Foundation Books

The title of this volume of essays in honor of Daniel C. Peterson, Steadfast in Defense of Faith, was not idly chosen. It reflects his most widely known public role as an apologist. Over the years, Dan has had not only to defend the faith but also frequently has been required to define and justify the legitimacy of apologetics as a scholarly endeavor. On one such occasion he wrote: The Greek word from which our English term apologetics derives means “defense.” The notion of saying that one is “sorry” is a much later linguistic development. (In Plato’s Apology, his hero …

To Make The Attempt, Isaac James Richards

BYU Studies

Fall, not spring.

Idaho, not New York.

Dusk, not dawn.

Still, a prayer

Reclaiming The “Primary Question”: A New Beginning For Joseph Smith’S First Vision, William G. Perez

BYU Studies

In October 2019, Russell M. Nelson, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, reminded Church members that “in the springtime of the year 2020, it will be exactly 200 years since Joseph Smith experienced the theophany that we now know as the First Vision. God the Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph, a 14-year- old youth. That event marked the onset of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in its fulness, precisely as foretold in the Holy Bible.” President Nelson then designated 2020 as a bicentennial year and invited listeners to …

Delivering The Family Proclamation Insights From Former Relief Society President Elaine L. Jack, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Olivia Osguthorpe

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

On September 23, 1995, President Gordon B. Hinckley presented “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” at the general Relief Society meeting of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Regarding this document, Sheri Dew, biographer for both President Gordon B. Hinckley and President Russell M. Nelson, writes, “Seership and the proclamation on the family are inextricably connected.”[1] Due to the impact and increasingly controversial nature of the family proclamation, as well as other narratives that have surfaced in various forms (such as books, social media posts, YouTube videos, and interviews), clarity regarding its inception and presentation is critical.

Front Matter

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

No abstract provided.

How Do I Teach The Fall? Distinction And Harmonization, Mark T. Lewis

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

At least every other year, if not more frequently, Sunday School teachers throughout The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints share core doctrines drawn from the Fall of Adam and Eve with their students. The sacred story of what transpired in Eden is recorded in multiple scripture passages (Genesis 3, Moses 4, and 2 Nephi 2) and is represented in Latter-day Saint temples. While essential doctrines related to the Fall’s necessary and beneficial impact on human progress towards exaltation are clear,[1] some conflicting narrative details can be difficult to sort out—especially for younger students. One interpretive strategy that teachers …

What To Do When "I Don't Know" Is The Only Answer, Brent D. Fillmore, Joan W. Fillmore

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

About seven months into our service as mission leaders, we attended a district conference on one of the islands in our mission. We flew in on Friday and intended to spend some time with the missionaries after the conference ended. At about ten thirty on Monday morning, one of our assistants called from the mainland. He was very emotional. He told us that while four elders had been playing soccer at the church, suddenly and for no apparent reason, one of them had collapsed. We got a few more details, and we asked him to call an ambulance, get over …

"I Say Unto You, My Brethren" Helping Female Students See Themselves In The Book Of Mormon, Cassidy Nichole Pyper

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

In 1 Nephi 14, an angel prophesied to Nephi that if the Gentiles heeded the words of the Savior, he would “manifest himself unto them in word, and also in power, and in very deed, unto the taking away of their stumbling blocks” (verse 1). The Book of Mormon uses the expression “stumbling blocks” multiple times throughout its text to describe obstacles that could cause someone to “stumble” or “err”[1] on their path to Christ and salvation. Like all of us, the youth and young adults of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints encounter stumbling blocks on their …

"That Evil May Be Done Away" Wickedness And Christ's Power To Save, Eric Wing

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

The Book of Mormon has a clearly stated purpose: “to the convincing of Jew and Gentile that JESUS IS THE CHRIST.”[1] Yet among its rich, Christ-centered content in the form of sermons, stories, themes, and illustrations, the book also frequently focuses on sin and its devastating results.[2] In fact, the text of the Book of Mormon contains over a thousand statements—almost two per page—that directly link some form of wickedness to a stated consequence. The book’s abundant use of this textual patterning—linking sin to its results— provides a wealth of data to further understand the valuable message of the Book …

Reflections On Sin, Sinfulness, And Homecoming On The Day Of The Atonement, John S. Tanner

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

Two years ago I was privileged to spend Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, in Israel. I flew to Israel via New York seated by an orthodox Jew. He was making an annual pilgrimage to his spiritual home for this most sacred High Holy Day, which began at sundown the day we arrived. I spent the flight and much of the next day thinking about how atonement and homecoming were connected for me, as well as about sin and sinfulness. As a Latter-day Saint, I believe that Christ’s Atonement makes possible our spiritual homecoming by cleansing us from sin through …

How Reconversion Narratives Can Help Us Teach Our Students, Eric D'Evegnée, Sarah D'Evegnée

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

As two English professors, we regard stories as our daily bread. Our love of the complexity of stories and storytellers led us to explore the pattern in the book Faith Is Not Blind[1] and apply it to the everyday lives of people who used it. This pattern of finding “simplicity beyond complexity”[2] takes a metacognitive approach to understanding the development and the nurturing of lifelong faith. In our work at faithisnotblind.org, we’ve interviewed over one hundred people about how their faith has been challenged and how they have responded in ways that preserved their faith. The stories are diverse, thoughtful, …

“How Beautiful Are The Feet” The Use Of Footnotes In General Conference Reports, Scott L. Howell, Jesse Vincent, Lauryn Wilde

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

The usage of footnotes[1] in general conference addresses has surged since 1990, and this trend appears to have started with Elder Russell M. Nelson, then a newly called Apostle. At the time of this writing, he has amassed 1,966 footnotes over ninety-one conference addresses, more than double the footnotes of any other speaker. In recent conferences, all the Apostles (and nearly all other speakers) have used footnotes. We submit that footnotes (particularly the footnotes given by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve) merit increasing attention by religious educators and all who read these reports. Consider an excerpt from …

Commonalities In The Savior's Postmortal Visits To The Spirit World, The Holy Land, And The New World, Garrett Mcguire

Religious Educator: Perspectives on the Restored Gospel

Repetition is a vehicle through which the Holy Ghost can enlighten our minds, influence our hearts, and enlarge our understanding." - Elder David A. Bednar. Christ in the Land Bountiful, Simon Dewey. Courtesy of Intellectual Reserve, Inc.“Repetition is a vehicle through which the Holy Ghost can enlighten our minds, influence our hearts, and enlarge our understanding,” explained Elder David A. Bednar.[1] Jesus Christ demonstrated significant repetitions in his teaching and other actions throughout his ministry in the Holy Land. Consider the repetitious themes in his parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and prodigal son (Luke 15); the similar actions …

Review: Virginia Kerns. Sally In Three Worlds: An Indian Captive In The House Of Brigham Young. Salt Lake City: University Of Utah Press, 2021., Erika M. Bsumek

Mormon Studies Review

In Sally in Three Worlds, anthropologist Virginia Kerns has written a detailed and engaging account of the life of a young Pahvant Ute woman who was kidnapped by Indigenous captors (possibly the Ute leader Wakara and his brother) and sold to Latter-day Saint settlers when she was in her late teens. Sally, as the Latter-day Saint community came to call the captive, then lived most of her life as a domestic laborer, working for members of Brigham Young’s extended family. She eventually became the cook at the Lion House for Young and his large plural family. In total, she …

End Matter

Mormon Studies Review

No abstract provided.

No Poor Among Them: Poverty And Mormonism’S Trek Toward Secularism, Cristina Rosetti

Mormon Studies Review

Shortly after Warren Jeffs’s arrest and subsequent prosecution, American media bombarded audiences with countless stories of Fundamentalist crime. Screens and papers carried stories about trafficking, violence, and, of course, polygamy. The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) became a spectacle of impropriety and abuse. As this happened, people became familiar with accounts of nonviolent crime within the community. Food stamp fraud emerged as a concerning offense associated with the religion, and the mugshot of Lyle Jeffs, brother to prophet Warren, appeared alongside headlines that carefully outlined his involvement in criminal deception. Of the fraud and subsequent arrest, …

After Anger, Daniel Teichert

BYU Studies

Where are the angels? In the kitchen’s brittle light hard words are fallen and the angels have retreated, but not far.

The Dance, Michelle Forstrom

BYU Studies

Growing up, I was the singer and my sister was the dancer. I would practice my art songs, arias, and Broadway ballads, and Danielle would drill away at her ballroom dance routines with her partner. While I would memorize lyrics, get into character, and be cast in local musicals, Danielle would compete in Dancesport at the Brigham Young University Marriott Center. She would cheer me on at my plays, and I would be at all her dance competitions with water bottles and a towel. I would spray on her tans, sew on her rhinestones, and glue on her fake eyelashes. …

Let’S Talk About Series, Matthew B. Christensen

BYU Studies

A couple of years ago, Deseret Book began publishing the Let’s Talk About series, books designed to help readers learn about interesting—and potentially difficult—topics. The books are relatively short, ranging from 130 to 168 pages. Each book measures 4¼ × 7 inches, making them the perfect size to fit into a pocket or purse. The tone of each book is conversational and engaging. The authors are as varied as the subjects, recognized authorities in their respective fields and believing Latter-day Saints. The series began in 2021, and nine volumes have been published as of summer 2023.

Recorded In Heaven, Scott Hales

BYU Studies

Len and Mary Hope were African American Latter-day Saints who joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Alabama (Len in 1919, Mary in 1925) and later raised their children in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Hopes’ story was recently featured in Saints, Volume 3: Boldly, Nobly, and Independent, introducing the couple’s experiences as Black Latter-day Saints in the early twentieth century to Church members around the world.

Salad Days, Alixa Brobbey

BYU Studies

There used to be smoke standing on every corner and hovering just behind each shoulder, sitting politely at round tables ordering food from teenaged waiters.

Joseph Smtih And The Mormons By Noah Van Sciver, Scott Hales

BYU Studies

Readers have been anticipating Noah Van Sciver’s graphic novel Joseph Smith and the Mormons since 2011, when the cartoonist first published a story about Joseph Smith and Latter-day Saint origins in his indie comics anthology Blammo. In the story, Van Sciver offset a rather straightforward account of the First Vision and translation of the Book of Mormon with his signature visual style, an arresting combination of the primitive and the grotesque. The result was an artistically intriguing retelling of early Church history, and readers wanted more. When Van Sciver subsequently published graphic novels about Abraham Lincoln (The Hypo: …

Every Needful Thing: Essays On The Life Of The Mind And The Heart, Edited By Melissa Wei-Tsing Inouye And Kate Holbrook, Susan Elizabeth Howe

BYU Studies

This important collection of essays is the result of the inspiration and insight of two generous and faithful scholars, Melissa Wei-Tsing Inouye and Kate Holbrook. Melissa has an appointment as a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland and is a historian for the Church History Department. Kate, who passed away in 2022, was also a historian, who worked on such important books as The First Fifty Years of Relief Society: Key Documents in Latter-day Saint Women’s History and At the Pulpit: 185 Years of Discourses by Latter-day Saint Women. Together, Melissa and Kate have sought out essays “on …

Front Matter

BYU Studies

No abstract provided.

A Prophet’S Journey: The Journals Of Spencer W. Kimball, Jeffery L. Anderson, Brandon J. Metcalf

BYU Studies

The Church History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently released the journals of President Spencer W. Kimball online. President Kimball is well known for his advocacy of keeping personal journals and histories. He passionately preached about their worth and importance. “We renew our appeal for the keeping of individual histories and accounts of sacred experiences in our lives—answered prayers, inspiration from the Lord, administrations in our behalf, a record of the special times and events of our lives,” he taught. “Stories of inspiration from our own lives . . . are powerful teaching tools. I …

The Place—Or The Tribe—Called Nahom? Nhm As Both A Tribal And Geographic Name In Modern And Ancient Yemen, Neal Rappleye

BYU Studies

For decades, Latter-day Saint scholars have argued that “the place . . . called Nahom” in the Book of Mormon (1 Ne. 16:34) is the Nihm region in Yemen, located northeast of Sanaʿa, west of Maʾrib, and south of the Wadi Jawf. The location fits well both with the directions provided for getting to and from Nahom in the Book of Mormon (1 Ne. 16:13–14, 33; 17:1) and with inscriptions dated to Lehi’s time referring to a person called a nhmyn, translated as “Nihmite,” confirming that the name goes back to the right time period. Publications by Princeton, Oxford, …