Trusting the Lord’s Health Code

muddy shoes

Ever have doubts about the Word of Wisdom? The original document of this 1833 revelation gives another reason to trust its divinity. Stories of famous stars using drugs show up on Buzzfeed and HuffPost. Peer pressure to drink and smoke blows up your newsfeed. People taunt, “Why can’t you drink… Continue reading

A New Look at an Old Text: Viewing the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants Online

three young men on a tablet, smiling and looking at things

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

“O God, Where Art Thou?”: The Trials of Liberty Jail

icicles on a wooden beam

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

What Did Reformed Egyptian Characters in the Book of Mormon Look Like?

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

Four Qualities Perfectionists Need to Develop

gu on shoe

Learn what the Doctrine and Covenants can teach us about replacing harmful perfectionism with faith in the Savior. A rejection in the mail from your dream school. A big red letter “F” on the paper you stayed up all night to write. A failed relationship. When we fall short of… Continue reading

7 Tips for Making Righteous Judgments

Man on tablet

We are sometimes required to pass judgment on other people and on important decisions in our lives. These seven principles outline how we can make righteous judgments. In Matthew 7:1, Christ commands us not to judge. Through the Joseph Smith Translation, however, we see that not all judgment is bad.… Continue reading

Forgotten Symbols in the Parable of the Good Samaritan

Symbols that Christ incorporated into his parable of the good Samaritan have been lost over time. Learn how this parable can teach us about the plan of salvation. Jesus Christ taught with parables to convey deeper meanings to his followers. John W. Welch, a professor of law at Brigham Young… Continue reading

A Pearl, a Penny, and Christ’s Infinite Grace

pearl in oyster

A medieval poem sheds light on the New Testament parable of laborers in the vineyard, showing us that the Savior’s grace can satisfy all who seek it. In the parable of the laborers in the vineyard in Matthew, chapter 20, laborers and readers are left unsatisfied. The lord of the… Continue reading

War, Politics, and Power of the Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon includes details and principles of war that would have been impossible for young Joseph Smith to make up. Although the Book of Mormon was published by Joseph Smith, a young man with little education and no war experience, it is remarkably accurate in its portrayal of… Continue reading

The Creation Account and the Seed in Alma’s Sermon

yellow flowers in a valley

If you don’t think of Genesis 1–2 when you read Alma 32, you’re missing powerful Creation imagery that emphasizes fundamental Christian teachings. The sermon on faith in Alma 32 is among the most iconic passages found in the Book of Mormon. In it we read that God’s word is a seed… Continue reading