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American West Brigham Young

Who Was Chief Wakara?

Painting of Chief Wakara, the 19th-century Ute leader, by artist Solomon Nunes Carvalho

Chief Wakara (also known as “Chief Walker” or “Walkara”) was a 19th-century Ute leader who shaped the American West. He partnered—and clashed—with Brigham Young, defended Native sovereignty, and led legendary horse raids. In 1850, Wakara was baptized into the Latter-day Saint faith, treating it as one strand in his broader spiritual life, while many pioneers interpreted it as a step toward his skin becoming “white and delightsome.” Modern Utes caution against calling him “chief,” noting it’s a derisive term that misrepresents their culture’s situational leadership. In this interview, historian Max Perry Mueller explains how Wakara influenced westward expansion and why his role has largely been erased from history.

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19th Century Book excerpts Theology

Who Was the Early Mormon Jesus?

Anthony Sweat painting of the Mormon Jesus.
Anthony Sweat, "Man of Joy"

Christology—literally the “study of Christ”—was not one of the points of contention between early Mormons and their many antagonists. When Joseph Smith and his few followers founded a church in 1830, they drafted a set of Articles and Covenants that explained the church’s organization. In the tradition of creeds, they also listed a few core beliefs.

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Doctrine and Covenants Theology

Redeeming the Dead: Themes in the Doctrine and Covenants

Baptismal font used for baptism for the dead, central to the Latter-day Saint doctrine of the redemption of the dead.

Redeeming the dead is central to Joseph Smith’s vision of uniting all humanity in a heavenly kinship. In Latter-day Saint practice, this doctrine is enacted through proxy ordinances—performed in temples—through which Christ’s gift of salvation is offered to every soul by linking the living with the departed. From Malachi’s prophecy in the Old Testament to Joseph F. Smith’s 1918 vision, scripture underscores that human connection is the heart of redemption. In this interview, Dr. Amy Harris shares insights from her contribution to the Maxwell Institute’s Themes in the Doctrine and Covenants book series.

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Devotional Quotes

D. Todd Christofferson Quotes You’ll Use Again and Again

Sepia pencil sketch profile of D. Todd Christofferson with the title “D. Todd Christofferson Quotes (By Theme)” on the right.

If you’ve felt steadied by President D. Todd Christofferson’s voice, you’ll recognize the pattern: Christ at the center, covenants as the path, Zion as the aim, and family sealed by priesthood power. Now Second Counselor to Dallin H. Oaks in the First Presidency, he has offered 40+ General Conference messages over more than 30 years of service as a Seventy and Apostle. This page includes quotes from his conference talks organized by theme so you can find the right words quickly—whether you’re preparing a lesson, drafting a talk, or studying at home.

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Latter-day Saint History Polygamy

Insights From Andrew Kimball on Heber C. Kimball’s Life and Family

Portraits of Heber C. Kimball, his daughter Helen Mar Kimball, and grandson Orson F. Whitney, key figures in early Latter-day Saint history, illustrating Heber C. Kimball biography and family legacy.

Heber C. Kimball was a central figure in early Latter-day Saint history, serving as Brigham Young’s first counselor and helping shape the church’s westward migration. He led a complex family life with 43 wives and 64 children, balancing loyalty, faith, and leadership amid the challenges of polygamy and frontier life. His daughter, Helen Mar Kimball, navigated personal tragedy while leaving a rich record of her experiences, and her son, Orson F. Whitney, carried forward the Kimball legacy through poetry, preaching, and church leadership. In this interview, biographer Andrew Kimball explores the lives, struggles, and enduring influence of the multi-generational Heber C. Kimball family.

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New Testament

What Language Did Jesus Speak? Aramaic and the Historical Jesus

Aramaic Jesus depicted in Jorge Cocco’s Sermon on the Mount painting, showing Christ teaching his followers
“Sermon on the Mount” by Jorge Cocco. Used by permission.

Jesus spoke Aramaic, the common language of Galilee in the first century. The Gospels preserve traces of this in words like Abba and ṭalîta’ qûmî, even though they were written in Greek. But the real significance goes beyond vocabulary: Aramaic-speaking circles that contributed to the accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John remembered Jesus in distinct ways. For example, Peter’s circle emphasized forgiveness, that of Mary Magdalene focused on purity, and so on. Together, they form overlapping but distinct “streams of tradition” in the Gospels, revealing that no single community preserved the whole picture of Jesus. In this interview, Bruce Chilton discusses his book Aramaic Jesus and what it reveals about the language Jesus spoke, memory, and the earliest church.

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19th Century American West Latter-day Saint History

Who Was Responsible for the 1856 Handcart Tragedy?

Broken handcart with shattered wheel in the snow, symbolizing the 1856 Mormon handcart tragedy and pioneer endurance

The tragedy of the Willie and Martin handcart companies can’t be blamed on one person. It resulted from delayed departures, flawed handcart designs, and leadership decisions under pressure. For example, Brigham Young’s instructions, Levi Savage’s warnings, and Franklin D. Richards’s missteps all shaped the outcome. Beyond blame, the story also highlights the faith, resilience, and sacrifice of the emigrants and their rescuers. In this interview, Don H. Smith and Mark C. Austin provide insights that challenge myths while honoring the courage of the 1856 pioneers, drawing from their book, Bring Them to Zion: The 1856 Handcart Emigration Organization, Leadership, and Issues.

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Come Follow Me Devotional Latter-day Saint History

In the Hands of the Lord: The Life of Dallin H. Oaks

Dallin H. Oaks is an apostle who used to be a judge

Dallin H. Oaks is expected to become the 18th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints following the passing of Russell M. Nelson. Oaks taught at the University of Chicago, became president of Brigham Young University, and served on the State of Utah Supreme Court prior to being called as an Apostle. In this interview, biographer Richard E. Turley discusses the life and personality of the 93-year-old President Oaks.

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20th Century Latter-day Saint Arts Latter-day Saint History

What Happened to the Nauvoo Bell?

A historical photo of a woman viewing the bell long believed to be the Nauvoo Bell on Temple Square, later identified as the Hummer Bell.

The Nauvoo Bell’s story is more complicated than many realize. Long thought to be the bell that once rang from the Nauvoo Temple tower, the artifact displayed for decades on Salt Lake City’s Temple Square was actually the Hummer Bell, a Meneely bell with roots in an Iowa Presbyterian church and a colorful history of theft, recovery, and mistaken identity. The true Nauvoo Temple bell cracked in the 1840s and disappeared. In this interview, historian Ronald G. Watt and archivist Brian Warburton trace the bells’ intertwined histories and explain the Hummer Bell’s recent return to Iowa City.

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Categories
Book of Mormon Latter-day Saint History

What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Race?

Illustration of Nephites and Lamanites dividing in the Book of Mormon (2 Nephi 5:21), symbolizing the racial curse with light and shadow.

The Book of Mormon teaches that race is not fixed, but tied to stories of lineage, faith, and covenant. Early Latter-day Saints used these narratives to explain human differences, sometimes in ways that reinforced exclusion and other times in ways that promised transformation. Jane Manning James’s remarkable life—captured in her statement, “I am white except for the color of my skin”—shows both the possibilities and the painful contradictions of this theology. Remembering how racial origins were narrated, forgotten, and internalized sheds light on the legacy of whiteness in Mormon thought. In this interview, Max Perry Mueller discusses themes from his book, Race and the Making of the Mormon People.

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