Archaeological digs have uncovered mosaics and prayers suggesting Samson as an important messianic prototype in ancient Galilee. Samson of the Old Testament is revered for his strength and wit in his endeavors to deliver Israel from the Philistines. But his affair with Delilah made the biblical judge a controversial character,… Continue reading
While parables can simplify confusing doctrine, the parables themselves have complex layers that require the reader’s full attention in order to grasp the full doctrine. Jesus’s parables are practically magic; through them, we can see ourselves in almost every character, apply them to current situations, and understand complex doctrine. The Savior’s parables are an almost… Continue reading
Modern science continues to affirm the blessings of following the Word of Wisdom. In his Ensign article, “A Principle with Promises,” G. Craig Kiser discusses the counsel given in Doctrine and Covenants 89 with an insightful approach to the Word of Wisdom. Not surprisingly, there is scientific evidence to support the… Continue reading
Joseph Smith didn’t write much about how he protected the gold plates, but some people close to him left records of what really happened. Many people are familiar with the account of the appearance of the angel Moroni in Joseph Smith’s bedroom on the evening of September 21, 1823. It… Continue reading
Though translating with a seer stone may seem odd, what matters most is that the Book of Mormon was translated by the power of God. Never-before-seen pictures of Joseph Smith’s first seer stone are found in “Joseph the Seer” in the October 2015 Ensign and Liahona. Assistant Church Historian Richard… Continue reading
Discover which book in the Pearl of Great Price was translated from ancient papyri found in Thebes, Egypt. Discovering Mummies In the late eighteenth century, Napoleon Bonaparte’s escapades sparked new interest in the exploration of Egyptian antiquities. Italian explorer Antonio Lebolo uncovered a large cache of mummies and papyri near Thebes,… Continue reading
Are your ancestors mentioned in the pages of Church history during Joseph Smith’s day? Find out through a quick and easy—and free—search. One day, after venturing onto the Joseph Smith Papers website, I discovered the search engine designed specifically for finding individuals’ names in the site’s collection of documents. The… Continue reading
Flip through an original copy of an 1835 version of the Doctrine and Covenants online and find amazing history in its pages. Looking for a new way to study the Doctrine and Covenants? The Joseph Smith Papers Project has made available a free online version of the 1835 Doctrine and… Continue reading
When everything seems to go wrong, has God left us to face our trials alone? On December 1, 1838, six men, including the Prophet Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum, were wrongfully imprisoned in the dungeon of Liberty Jail in Clay County, Missouri. One of the other innocent captives charged with… Continue reading
Want to see copies of original characters from the gold plates up close? Thanks to The Joseph Smith Papers, you can. From the moment Joseph Smith received the gold plates in 1827, he constantly had to protect them. The angel Moroni gave him specific instructions to keep them safe—not only from… Continue reading
