Truman Madsen is perhaps best known for his Joseph Smith lectures. The BYU professor thought of the Prophet as a window through which he could see Jesus Christ. But his contributions extend far beyond lectures given at Brigham Young University. Those who knew him best, like his wife, Ann Madsen, say there was much more to Truman G. Madsen than meets the eye.
Some years ago on my return from the East, just after finishing my PhD, I had a phone call. A voice I hadn’t heard before said, “Is your name Truman Madsen?”
We don’t know if the angel Moroni dedicated the Manti temple site during his mortal ministry. However, based on the current historical record, there isn’t enough evidence to justify the claim. Warren S. Snow asserted that Brigham Young shared the story in a private meeting, but the prophet didn’t trust Snow, and the fourth hand claim never appears in any other contemporary source. In this interview, Latter-day Saint folklorist Christopher Blythe explains what we do and don’t know about the popular myth.
The angel Moroni is a Book of Mormon prophet who appeared to Joseph Smith as a resurrected being. His influence goes far beyond the Hill Cumorah in New York. For example, pioneers spoke about Moroni more often than the First Vision. And today, there are dozens of angel Moroni statues atop Latter-day Saint temples throughout the world.
Wilford Woodruff used symbols in his journal to make it easier to review his prolific writings each year. His journal uniquely combines ecclesiastical and personal issues, and his detailed system of symbols made it easier to comb through nearly 7,000 pages of documentation. The methodical approach not only preserves historical events related to Church history, but also emphasizes his personal reflections and broader interests. As a result, his journal is an invaluable resource for understanding the early Church. In this interview, Joshua Matson discusses the symbols used in Wilford Woodruff’s journals.
The Book of Abraham is a volume of holy scripture translated by Joseph Smith. The text is unique because we possess some of the Egyptian papyri the Prophet may have used during his translation. However, the text on extant fragments doesn’t align with what’s found in the book—and that’s led to many debates. Ultimately, the Church says that the book’s power lies in study, prayer, and personal revelation. This article walks you through some of the latest research findings, including exclusive From the Desk interviews.
The Latter-Day Saint endowment ceremony is a temple ritual that symbolically takes participants on an upward journey that concludes in a celestial room. Participation in the ceremony brings individuals into a closer covenant relationship with God, and includes temple garments and covenants or laws such as the Law of the Gospel and Law of Consecration. In this interview, Anthony Sweat explains more about the history and purpose of the temple endowment.
Two distinct classes of demonic entities exist in the Book of Mormon: “unclean spirits” and “devils.” While some of the book’s teachings mirror demonology from the Hebrew Bible and New Testament, others introduce new concepts. For instance, the prophet Jacob describes Satan as the leader of disembodied devils, Lehi1 characterizes the adversary as “miserable,” and Jesus refers to the devil as the “father of contention.” Theologian Daniel Becerra explores these unique perspectives on Book of Mormon demonology in this interview.
Dale Morgan was a historian whose work underpinned “New Mormon History,” bringing academic methodology to the study of Latter-day Saints. He championed evidence-based research and mentored figures like Juanita Brooks and Fawn Brodie. Many of his own Latter-day Saint history projects went unfinished, but Morgan completed notable works such as a study on the fur trade and the mapping of the Trans Mississippi West. In this interview, Richard Saunders discusses the life and legacy of Dale L. Morgan.
Latter-day Saints think of Joseph Smith as a visionary, and rightly so. During his life, he received heavenly manifestations, including visions from God, Jesus Christ, and angels. He introduced translated records of humanity’s past and received visions of the afterlife. If improperly interpreted, however, these experiences can turn Joseph into a caricature of himself, a man who was constantly tuned into heaven. Although Joseph received striking visions and visitations, he was a lonely soul who struggled to understand how to fulfill God’s will. But this loneliness—his experience of the absence of God’s presence or directions—was formative.