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19th Century Latter-day Saint History

Who Was Vienna Jaques?

A black and white photograph of Vienna Jaques in pioneer Utah.

Vienna Jaques was an early Latter-day Saint convert who consecrated her wealth to build Zion. Although largely anonymous today, Jaques witnessed the first baptism for the dead, donated money to purchase the Kirtland Temple site, and received a personal letter from Joseph Smith. She is one of only two women mentioned by name in the Doctrine and Covenants, alongside Emma Smith. Biographer Brent Rogers shares her story in this interview and explains how Jaques received the peace promised her in D&C 90.

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Come Follow Me Devotional Quotes

President Nelson Quotes From Every General Conference

Latter-day Saint president Russell M. Nelson in his office

President Nelson quotes have the special ability to make your burdens feel lighter. Since giving his first address in 1984, Russell M. Nelson’s talks have covered topics like love, repentance, and faith in Jesus Christ. His most recent talk in the April 2025 General Conference was called “Confidence in the Presence of God.” Similar to our Dallin H. Oaks Quotes page, this article shares President Nelson quotes from all of his general conference addresses, including “Think Celestial!,” “Overcome the World and Find Rest,” and “The Power of Spiritual Momentum.”

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20th Century International Latter-day Saint History

Did the Nazis Spy on the Church?

A Latter-day Saint family prays by candlelight in a modest German home, unaware of a Nazi officer watching through a frosted window.

The government of Adolf Hitler spied on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during World War II. Recently uncovered documents offer an unprecedented glimpse into how the Third Reich monitored the Church and subjected its membership to systematic surveillance, censorship, and intimidation. A 1937 report even details notes made about President Heber J. Grant during a series of sermons. This interview with Stephen O. Smoot explores key insights into Church-state tensions, missionary activity, and the persecution of individual members, including resistance figures like Helmuth Hübener as part of the story of Mormonism around the world in the time leading up to World War II.

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Doctrine and Covenants Polygamy

D&C 132: What Is the Plural Marriage Revelation?

Doctrine and Covenants 132 is the revelation on plural marriage dictated by Joseph Smith in 1843. Shared in secret during his lifetime and later canonized in 1879, it became one of the most consequential and controversial texts in Latter-day Saint history. The revelation introduced the sealing of marriages for eternity, provided the theological foundation for polygamy, and continues to influence Church teachings about family and exaltation today. In this interview, scholar William V. Smith explores D&C 132’s origins and lasting impact.

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Hymns International Latter-day Saint History

Who Was Eduardo Balderas?

Black and white portrait of Eduardo Balderas, featured on the cover of “Eduardo Balderas: Father of Church Translation.”

Eduardo Balderas, the Church’s first official full-time Spanish translator, was so influential among Spanish-speaking Latter-day Saints that many called him the “thirteenth apostle.” He played a pivotal role in making the gospel accessible in Spanish by translating scripture, temple ordinances, and other Church literature. Trusted by Church leaders and admired across cultures, Balderas helped bridge linguistic and cultural divides for Mormonism Around the World. In this interview, biographer Ignacio Garcia explores how this quiet pioneer helped make the gospel truly global.

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Doctrine and Covenants Theology

Themes in the Doctrine and Covenants: A Maxwell Institute Book Series

All seven volumes of "Themes in the Doctrine and Covenants" presented on a table at the Maxwell Institute at BYU.

The Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship has released a seven-volume series exploring themes in the Doctrine and Covenants. Each book tackles a specific topic from Latter-day Saint scripture, with contributors like Terryl Givens (Agency), Janiece Johnson (Revelation), and Justin Collings (Justice). Over the coming year, we’ll update this series introduction with exclusive author interviews, offering behind-the-scenes insights into their work.

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Doctrine and Covenants Theology

Time: Themes in the Doctrine and Covenants

Cubist-style painting of a serene Latter-day Saint woman before a Roman numeral clock and stylized temple, evoking the Doctrine and Covenants’ sacred theology of time.

The concept of time is one of many themes in the Doctrine and Covenants—and all of scripture. A new book from the Maxwell Institute calls it the “0th principle” of the gospel, a foundational value underlying every other principle we live by. Seeing time in this way can change how we worship, how we remember the past, and how we act in the present. In this interview, scholar Philip Barlow discusses Time: Themes in the Doctrine and Covenants, exploring how becoming “time literate” can transform relationships, expand agency, and deepen joy.

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Doctrine and Covenants Joseph Smith

What Was Joseph Smith’s Civil War Prophecy?

Split painting showing Joseph Smith’s 1832 prophecy on the left, with a parchment and quill on a desk, and a Civil War battlefield with cannon smoke and divided flags on the right, symbolizing Doctrine and Covenants 87.

In 1832, Joseph Smith received a revelation now known as the Civil War Prophecy. Early Latter-day Saints saw it as evidence of his prophetic calling, while contemporary newspapers responded skeptically. Initial interpretations emphasized conflict between the Northern and Southern States. Over time, the prophecy was also applied to later wars, including World War I and the Cold War. Today, it’s call to “stand ye in holy places” is the most commonly cited application in General Conference. In this interview, historian Scott C. Esplin discusses the origin and evolving interpretations of Joseph Smith’s Civil War Prophecy.

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Categories
Latter-day Saint History

How Was the St. George Temple Built?

A photograph of the St. George Temple.

The St. George Temple was built in 1877 in Utah Territory during President Brigham Young’s administration. Precedents were set there for clothing, performing ordinances in behalf of those outside of family, endowments for the dead, and record keeping. In addition, the endowment ceremony was put in writing for the first time in association with the temple’s construction. It was also in the St. George Temple that Wilford Woodruff saw the Founding Fathers in vision. This post discusses the history and significance of the St. George, Utah Temple.

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American West Latter-day Saint History

William Clark’s Firsthand Account of the Utah War

Soldiers marching through a snowstorm during the Utah War, illustrating harsh winter conditions on the trail.

The Utah War is a pivotal episode in the history of the American West. For those crossing the overland trails in 1857, it meant cold camps, political suspicion, and constant fear of attack. One of the most vivid firsthand accounts comes from a civilian teamster named William Clark, whose memoir captures the uncertainty and danger as Johnston’s Army advanced toward Salt Lake City under mounting tension and disrupted supply lines. In this interview, historians William P. MacKinnon and Kenneth L. Alford explore Clark’s remarkable journey—and what it reveals about the Utah War.

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