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Latter-day Saint History

Let’s Talk About Church History Books

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

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

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

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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Book of Mormon Theology

Atonement in the Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon provides several interesting teachings about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It’s in this scripture of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ that you first see reference to an “infinite atonement.” The Book of Mormon is also one of the only places in scripture that emphasizes the role of Gethsemane. In this interview, Nick Frederick discusses the Atonement of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Book of Mormon.

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Joseph Smith Latter-day Saint History

What Is the White Horse Prophecy?

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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Quotes

Thomas S. Monson Quotes

Thomas S. Monson quotes include inspiring wisdom like, “The past is behind, learn from it. The future is ahead, prepare for it. The present is here, live for it.” The Latter-day Saint prophet was known for witty quotes stemming from his personal stories of obedience and sacrifice. Similar to our Joseph Smith Quotes, this page contains quotations from the 16th president of the Church about topics like temples, happiness, service, the Holy Ghost, and more.

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20th Century Latter-day Saint History

The Story of Bruce R. McConkie’s Final Testimony

“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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American West Latter-day Saint History

Who Are the Navajo Latter-day Saints?

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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Bible

A King James Vocabulary Lesson

In 2011, the Christian world celebrated the four-hundredth anniversary of the publication of the King James translation of the English Bible. The King James Version (KJV) has survived well and continues to stand as one of the more literal English translations. But as with all translations, any modern rendition of biblical language is accurate and fully dependable only “as far as it is translated correctly” (A of F 1:8).