Category: Latter-day Saint History

Learn more about the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including historical findings about Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and more.

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Book of Abraham Latter-day Saint History Theology

What Is the Dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham?

A painting of the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham typified by families gathered in front of a temple.

The restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in this final dispensation included the restoration of the Abrahamic Covenant, the renewal of God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their almost limitless posterity. Those promises are set forth in the Old Testament (Genesis 13:14-16; 15:1-6; 17:1-8; 26:1-5; 28:1-4). In many ways, however, the promises are stated with greater clarity in the Book of Abraham, as contained in the Pearl of Great Price. Here Abraham is promised that if he and his posterity remain faithful to God, they will be given the gospel, the priesthood, an endless and eternal posterity, eternal life, the continuation of the family into eternity (exaltation), and a land inheritance (Abraham 2:8-11, 19). These are “the promises made to the fathers,” to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (see Joseph Smith-History 1:38-39 and D&C 2; compare D&C 27:10).

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Latter-day Saint History

Who Was Willard Richards?

A photo of the Latter-day Saint Apostle Willard Richards.

Willard Richards was an important early Latter-day Saint leader. He kept the journal of Joseph Smith—and may have fulfilled a prophecy by escaping harm in Carthage Jail. The Apostle also practiced polygamy, served in Brigham Young’s First Presidency, and remained faithful his entire life. Some think that his name has less cache than prominent pioneers like Eliza R. Snow, Heber C. Kimball, and George Q. Cannon. However, historian Alex Smith says in this interview that Richards’s critical contributions are widely appreciated by scholars.

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Book excerpts Latter-day Saint History

Did Hugh Nibley Fake His Notes?

Hugh Nibley holding a book with many footnotes.

Those of us who have spent hours tracking down Hugh Nibley sources have become firmly convinced that nothing was made up or fabricated. Even if we were ultimately unable to find a quotation, we always knew it existed somewhere.

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20th Century Book excerpts Latter-day Saint History

The Final Letters Between Eugene England and Neal A. Maxwell

Portraits of Eugene England and Neal A. Maxwell superimposed over handwritten letters.

Except for a few sporadic entries, Eugene England’s diary comes to an end in these months. His personal papers, however, reveal a spiritual torment that occludes all other concerns in his life.

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Latter-day Saint History

Let’s Talk About Church History Books

A woman in her 20s holding a book looking at a pioneer wagon train in the distance, conveying the emotion of learning about challenging church history issues as found in Deseret Book's "Let's Talk About" series.

Deseret Book’s “Let’s Talk About” series provides candid introductions to weighty issues, including several about the Prophet Joseph Smith. It was launched in 2021 and comprises nine books, including Let’s Talk About Race and Priesthood, Let’s Talk About the Law of Consecration, and Let’s Talk About Faith and Intellect. Authors are drawn from each field’s most knowledgeable scholars, and include well-known names such as W. Paul Reeves, Terryl Givens, and Steven C. Harper. This article provides book summaries, access to our exclusive author interviews and links to buy the books.

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Book excerpts Theology

The Latter-day Saint View of Human Nature

A young boy sitting in the cosmos looking at the expanse of the universe, suggesting the role of human nature in Latter-day Saint thought as taught by Truman G. Madsen.

The religion of the Latter-day Saints may be characterized as a confluence of normative Judaism and first-century Christianity. At its core is insight into human nature that Jesus both taught and exemplified.

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Latter-day Saint History

Bruce R. McConkie 101

A headshot of Bruce R. McConkie in his 20s or 30s.
Bruce R. McConkie. Credit: Utah Historical Society.

Bruce R. McConkie left a lasting legacy as an Apostle in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. People still talk about his mastery of the scriptures, the impact of Mormon Doctrine, and his correspondence with Eugene England. Elder McConkie’s final testimony also remains profoundly influential, having marked a shift in the way Latter-day Saints talk about Jesus Christ. We’ll cover all of these things and more in our introduction to the life of Bruce Redd McConkie.

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Latter-day Saint History

You Can Now See the Journals of Two Early Sister Missionaries

An old photograph of two early Latter-day Saint sister missionaries, Eliza Chapman and Josephine Booth.

The Church Historian’s Press announced the digital publication of the journals of two early sister missionaries at an event in Salt Lake City today. The journals of Eliza Chipman and Josephine Booth represent two of the earliest women to serve as missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints anywhere in the world. Similar to the publication of the Eliza R. Snow discourses, these new volumes make substantial contributions to our understanding of the lives of early Latter-day Saint women.

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Joseph Smith Latter-day Saint History

What Is the White Horse Prophecy?

An illustration of the White Horse Prophecy, featuring a heroic figure holding the constitution on a white horse with Washington DC in the background.

The White Horse Prophecy is a statement attributed to the Prophet Joseph Smith by Edwin Rushton. What it says depends on how you look at it. Historically, the White Horse Prophecy is problematic. Not only do scholars question its reliability, but the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has denounced it. From a popular culture standpoint, the prophecy is often warped to refer to a Latter-day Saint politician who will save the Constitution prior to the Second Coming. You typically see this second viewpoint in media stories discussing individuals like Mitt Romney, Glenn Beck, or Ammon Bundy.

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20th Century Latter-day Saint History

The Story of Bruce R. McConkie’s Final Testimony

A headshot of Bruce R. McConkie next to text identifying the title of his final testimony, "The Purifying Power of Gethsemane."

“The Purifying Power of Gethsemane” is the general conference talk often referred to as Bruce R. McConkie’s final testimony. Elder McConkie gave the talk when sick with cancer, less than two weeks before his death. His testimony of Jesus Christ was so influential that Joseph Fielding McConkie called it “one of the most powerful talks ever given in the Tabernacle.” It has also been noted by historian John Turner in Mormon Jesus as a pivotal event that marked a change in how Latter-day Saints talk about the Savior.

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