Joseph F. Smith is known for many things. He was the son of Hyrum Smith and nephew of the Prophet Joseph. He served a legendary mission to Hawaii. And he received the vision of the redemption of the dead (D&C 138). The prophet’s life was also filled with lesser-known complexities that make him an especially fascinating figure. In this interview, Stephen C. Taysom elaborates on his new biography of Joseph F. Smith.
B. H. Roberts was a prolific and influential writer and speaker in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the turn of the 20th century. He’s been called the Church’s most eminent intellectual,[1] its best officially accepted theologian,[2] one of our most important historians,[3] and possibly the most prolific and most effective defender of the Church.[4] He wrote at a furious pace throughout his adult life, publishing 35 books, over 300 articles, and scores of manuals, pamphlets, tracts, and sermons, becoming, in the words of biographer Truman G. Madsen, “the most prolific interpreter of Mormonism’s first century.”[5] Similar to our Dallin H. Oaks quotes collection, this article provides Elder Roberts quotes about topics such as scriptures, salvation, and the Church’s history.
Witnesses recorded seeing more Joseph Smith Papyri than we currently have—and a sizeable portion perished in the Great Chicago Fire. Nonetheless, we know a great deal about the surviving records—including their potential impact on the translation of the Book of Abraham and the origins of Latter-day Saint temple rites. In this interview, Kerry Muhlestein explains what we know and don’t know about the Prophet’s Egyptian Papyri.
The Book of Mormon is a foundational text for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The earliest related research produced reference works, and there have been decades of investigation into its historicity, leading to today’s “golden age” of scholarship. In this interview, Joe Spencer and Nick Frederick discuss the future of Book of Mormon studies, such as emerging emphases on reception history and theology.
The Salamander Letter (also called the “White Salamander Letter”) was a Mark Hofmann forgery that led to chaos and murder in 1980s Utah. Purportedly written by Martin Harris, it detailed Joseph Smith receiving the gold plates in New York from a white salamander rather than the Angel Moroni. Many historians believed in the document’s authenticity and tried to place it in the context of its times. The Salamander Letter was purchased by Steven Christensen (later killed by a Hofmann bomb), who ultimately donated it to the Church.
Joseph Smith taught many truths about Jesus Christ that stemmed from his First Vision and other revelatory experiences. For example, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland has said that Joseph’s depiction of a weeping Jesus in the Book of Moses reveals more about the true nature of Christ than any theological treatise. In this interview, historian Keith Erekson draws on the Joseph Smith Papers to explain what the Prophet taught about the Savior.
It’s been nearly 20 years since Elder Neal A. Maxwell gave his final general conference talk, and yet his addresses still remain popular. You can find topics such as adversity, the last days, gratitude, suffering, and the character of Christ in Neal A. Maxwell talks given in general conference, BYU devotionals, and more.
Latter-day Saints have a unique scriptural canon because it includes accounts of Abraham in the Old Testament—and the Book of Abraham. But there are also many other extrabiblical traditions. For example, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity all have unique legends about the Old Testament patriarch. In this interview, BYU’s John Gee explains that the Book of Abraham could be the genesis for later stories found outside the Bible.
Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon by the “gift and power of God.” However, it’s unclear precisely what that means. In this interview, Michael Hubbard MacKay breaks down what we know from the historical record, including Joseph’s work with seer stones, his insistence on using the term translation, and the peculiar purposes of the gold plates during the translation process.
Bruce R. McConkie quotes have greatly influenced Latter-day Saints. For example, sociologist Armaud Mauss said that McConkie’s teachings “took on almost a scriptural stature,” and Robert Millet suggested that “we as a people will never be the same” because of McConkie’s final testimony. This article provides Elder McConkie quotes about topics such as faith, marriage, priesthood, and scripture study.