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Joseph Smith

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith: Revised and Expanded Edition

A cropped section of the book cover of The Revised and Expanded Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, published by Greg Kofford Books.

Alonzo Gaskill and Richard Moore have created a revised and expanded edition of Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith (TPJS), first published by Joseph Fielding Smith in 1938. They intend to provide readers with the earliest-known manuscripts, make it easier to compare Joseph Smith quotes with the previous book, and further the legacy of the classic publication. The new edition published by Greg Kofford Books uses, but doesn’t exclusively rely on, scholarship produced by the Joseph Smith Papers Project. In this interview, Gaskill and Moore discuss their new book.

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Devotional

Prayer As Worship and Surrender

An AI-generated painting of an old man praying as a form of worship and surrender, rather than a selfish act, creating a feeling similar to that sparked by Terryl Givens' essay on prayer.

The vision does not terrify but soothe…here is rest indeed. The God of peace makes all things peaceful;…We see him as a king who after hearing causes in his court all day long, has dismissed his crowds of attendants, ended the labour of the day, and retired to his palace at nightfall. He entered his chamber with the few friends who share the intimacy of that retreat. …his serenity mounts as he looks calmly round upon the faces of his dearest companions. … So (in this inner chamber of contemplation) God deigns to show himself lovable, serene and peaceful, sweet and gentle, full of mercy towards all who look on him.” —Bernard of Clairvaux (352-53)

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Ancient history

Reading the Herculaneum Scrolls

An aerial of Herculaneum, the sister city of Pompeii destroyed by Mount Vesuvius

Everyone knows the story about Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius. It’s as famous as the Dead Sea Scrolls. But did you know that the city of Herculaneum (or Ercolano) met a similar fate? Join Kenneth Lapatin, curator of the J. Paul Getty Museum, for a discussion of the book, Buried by Vesuvius: The Villa dei Papiri at Herculaneum. 

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Doctrine and Covenants Latter-day Saint History

Emma Smith’s Role in Shaping the ‘Elect Lady’ Revelation (D&C 25)

A portrait of Emma Hale Smith, the recipient of D&C 25 (also known as the 'Elect Lady' revelation).

Section 25 of the Doctrine and Covenants is significant as one of the few revelations Joseph Smith received that directly addresses a woman, his wife, Emma Hale Smith. Given in 1830, the revelation designates Emma as an “elect lady” and outlines her roles in the early Church, including the compilation of a hymnbook and providing comfort to her husband. In this interview, Latter-day Saint scholar Robin Jensen explains the historical context of D&C 25 and how Emma’s personal experiences influenced the revelation’s text.

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Book excerpts Doctrine and Covenants Joseph Smith

A Brief History of the Doctrine & Covenants

A photograph of an original first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants.

There has not always been a Doctrine and Covenants. It has a history and can best be understood by those who know that history. Robert Woodford, a great scholar of the Doctrine and Covenants, described how we tend to think of it as a “tidily defined book, quietly resting with the other scriptures.” But the story of how those revelations were written, prepared for publication, and moved through various states until they reached our present edition is the story of trying to keep up with a flood of revealed knowledge.

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Latter-day Saint History

What Is the History of the Church in Mexico?

Early Latter-day Saints in Mexico faced many struggles as they accepted their new religion as members of Mormonism around the world. They persevered with faith and overcame, showing resilience and strength in the process. Yet, conflicts led to the creation of a schismatic movement called the Third Convention during the 1930s. In this interview, Fernando R. Gomez discusses the early history of the Church in Mexico, the three conventions of the 1930s, and the reunification of the Third Convention with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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Devotional

What Inspires Jorge Cocco Art?

Latter-day Saint artist Jorge Cocco standing in front of one of his religious painting in sacrocubism style.

Jorge Cocco Santangelo is a Latter-day Saint artist known internationally for sacrocubism—an art style blending sacred themes with cubist techniques. A self-taught painter, he has spent decades capturing the spiritual essence of religious events rather than creating literal depictions. Some of his most notable paintings include “The Call,” “Tree of Life,” and “First Vision,” and his work is featured on the cover of books like Latter-day Saint Art: A Critical Reader. In this interview, Jorge Cocco offers a glimpse into his artistic journey.

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Doctrine and Covenants

What Are Keys of the Ministering of Angels?

An AI-generated image of birds shaped like angels carrying keys, signifying the majesty and mystery of the keys of the ministering of angels spoken of by Joseph Smith.

The most straightforward definition of the keys of the ministering of angels might mean having a special right to behold angels. There are other possible interpretations of the phrase found in the Doctrine and Covenants as well. For example, some general authorities have suggested it means that priesthood holders serve as ministering angels or empower others to receive the ministry of angels. The phrase could also have meant a number of things in Joseph Smith’s time. In this interview, Chad Nielsen discusses how our understanding of the keys of the ministering of angels has evolved.

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Book of Mormon

Did Moroni Translate the Book of Mormon?

An AI-generated image of a resurrected angel Moroni preparing to translate the Book of Mormon in 1600s England.

A new theory suggests that Moroni may have translated the Book of Mormon as a resurrected being. The hypothesis stems from Royal Skousen’s linguistic and textual analysis, which indicates that Joseph Smith didn’t translate the book traditionally but dictated the text—including its anachronisms—verbatim from an external source. In this interview, Roger Terry explores the possibility that a postmortal Moroni was responsible for the translation.

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Latter-day Saint History

Keith Erekson Tackles Church History Myths and Rumors

The book cover of Real vs. Rumor: How to Dispel Latter-day Myths

Historian Keith Erekson’s book teaches Latter-day Saints how to separate fact from fiction regarding faith-promoting stories. For example, he gives readers the tools needed to assess the accuracy of a purported photograph of Joseph Smith—or identify the myth about Brigham Young miraculously leaving space in the Salt Lake Temple for future elevators. In this interview, he explains how Latter-day Saints can gauge the accuracy of church history stories.

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