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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
Native Americans such as the Navajo (or Diné) have sometimes been thought of as descendants of the Book of Mormon Lamanites. This has created a complex legacy of interactions between Church members and Native Americans as one example of cultural interchange in Mormonism around the world, including among those members who are Native Americans. This interview with Dr. Farina King discusses Diné Latter-day Saints.
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Who Was John A. Widtsoe?
John A. Widtsoe was an apostle, a scientist, and an administrator in the early twentieth century. In those roles, he revolutionized dry-climate farming, served as president of two universities, and became a notable theologian in Latter-day Saint history. He was also the grandson-in-law of Brigham Young. This interview with Thomas G. Alexander discusses John A. Widtsoe.
The first volume of the Brigham Young Journals begins with the prophet’s baptism and ends with his marathon efforts to endow the Nauvoo saints before their westward exodus. As the first installment in a four-part series, the book offers readers an intimate portrayal of Brigham Young, featuring elements such as his phonetic spelling, missionary labors, and devotion to his family. In this interview, Ronald K. Esplin explains what he and historian Brent M. Rogers find most fascinating about the journals.
Ken Cannon’s biography of George Q. Cannon is the latest in scholarly publishing about the early Latter-day Saint apostle. The work focuses on Cannon’s role as “politician, publisher, and apostle of polygamy.” It includes his role as a confidante to Brigham Young, counselor in four First Presidencies, and father to nearly forty children.