Despite hard trials and difficult separations from her husband, Emma Smith remained faithful to the Lord. It is well known that Emma Smith was the wife of Joseph Smith, the first president of the Relief Society, and the compiler of the first LDS hymnbook. Yet we don’t often hear her words directly. In… Continue reading
When studying Islam in a world religions class, I couldn’t deny the gospel light I found in Muhammad’s teachings—but how was I to reconcile the truth in Islam with my own faith? Continue reading
Like many of us, Joseph Smith struggled to keep a consistent journal. But what he wrote in his 1832–1834 journal can tell us much about him. Church leaders often counsel us to keep a faithful record of our lives. President Spencer W. Kimball instructed the youth to keep a journal,… Continue reading
The Joseph Smith Papers project is one of the most significant ongoing projects the Church has ever taken on to preserve its history. Find out how historians are making it happen. Have you ever tried reading old family records? These records can be nearly impossible to read. The ink is… Continue reading
Before Joseph Smith ran for US president, he established an organization in Nauvoo to govern the temporal concerns of the Saints. He called the group “the Council of Fifty.” I remember the first time I learned about Joseph Smith’s seer stones, polygamous relationships, and other uncomfortable tidbits of Mormon history. I… Continue reading
Want the whole story? Differing accounts of Joseph Smith’s First Vision are now available in 10 languages. Contrary to popular belief, the First Vision account included in the scriptures is not the only version available. At least four accounts were written by Joseph Smith or recorded at his request. Five more… Continue reading
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
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
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
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
