Judging to Save, Not Destroy

As future leaders of the rising generation, we must learn how to judge in Christ’s way, which is “merciful, loving, and redemptive, not condemning.” When speaking to young adults, President Russell M. Nelson has said, “you are the future leaders of the Lord’s Church!” It is thus our sacred opportunity to… Continue reading

Scripture Challenge: Over 2,200 Ways to Get to Know the Savior

Christ teaching on side of hill

An in-depth study of the Savior in the scriptures will bring us closer to him this Easter season.  Are you looking for a way to come to know the Savior a little better this Easter? President Russell M. Nelson has not only challenged young adults do that, but he has also… Continue reading

Instruments of Revelation: Translating the Book of Mormon

scriptures

The translation of the Book of Mormon was a miracle of modern revelation. When most of us hear the word translation, we think of bilingual dictionaries, conjugation charts, and Google Translate. If we need to verify that something is translated correctly, we might ask a native speaker or someone who… Continue reading

Its Truth Made Known to Me

cabin

I sometimes forget how real the faith of the early Latter-day Saints was. But as I visited Joseph and Emma Smith’s small home at the Priesthood Restoration Site, I was reminded of their sacrifices—and my testimony was strengthened. My parents wanted to go see the Priesthood Restoration Site near the… Continue reading

Hope: A Journey to Faith

Sometimes it can take seconds to gain faith in certain aspects of the gospel, but what if it takes twenty years? For twenty years, I didn’t have a testimony of Joseph Smith as a prophet. During these years, I served in numerous callings and even went on a mission. Despite… Continue reading

Joseph Smith’s Handwritten Account of the First Vision

portrait of Joseph Smith Jr.

Joseph Smith’s 1832 account of the First Vision preserves personal and intimate details that are not recorded elsewhere. The only known account in Joseph Smith’s own handwriting of his early spiritual experiences—including the First Vision—are included in his 1832 personal history. This unique history can be read on The Joseph… Continue reading

A Trial of Faith: The Beginning of Plural Marriage in Nauvoo

Nauvoo temple

Joseph Smith’s Nauvoo journals include brief references to the revelation about plural marriage that tried his faith and the faith of the Saints. How can we make sense of plural marriage or explain it to others? One place to begin is the introduction to Joseph Smith’s Nauvoo journals found on… Continue reading

The Book of Mormon: Worth More than Gold

Oliver Cowdery explains in a letter the true worth of the gold plates that were translated into the Book of Mormon. In 1827, Joseph Smith learned from an angel named Moroni that a record of ancient inhabitants of the Americans was hidden in a hill in Manchester, New York. He… Continue reading

Four Ways to Turn Weaknesses into Strengths

man in a pew praying

Building on our strengths, recognizing our limitations, relying on the Savior, and receiving his grace can help us find strength in God. God consistently chooses the young, small, weak, and humble to do his work. In a Brigham Young University devotional, Bishop Gérald Caussé, First Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric,… Continue reading

Ancient Witnesses of Joseph Smith

Drawing of the Gold Plates

Just as we are blessed with knowledge of the past, ancient prophets were blessed with knowledge of the future. Joseph F. McConkie (1941–2013) was an emeritus professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University when he researched the connection between ancient prophets and Joseph Smith. Through revelation, ancient prophets learned… Continue reading