Category: Gospel of Jesus Christ
Was the Sacrifice of the Messiah Really Needed? How the Book of Moses + Book of Mormon May Help Remove a Stumbling Block
I received a thoughtful question from a former member of the Church who struggles with our belief that a sacrifice of the Messiah was really necessary to save mankind. Based…
What Did Oliver Look at When He Began to Translate? Or, What Doctrine and Covenants 9 Really Tells Us About the Translation of the Book of Mormon
Quick overview: Doctrine and Covenants 9 refers to a time when Oliver Cowdery had permission to attempt to translate the Book of Mormon. He “began to translate” (Doctrine and Covenants…
Secret Combinations in the Book of Mormon, Part 4: Modern Scholarship and First-hand Sources on the Workings of Secret Combinations
“And it [the Book of Mormon] shall come in a day when the blood of saints shall cry unto the Lord, because of secret combinations and the works of…
I’ve Stepped Down from My Executive Editor Role with Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, but Remain a Fan
I hope to write more frequently here, now that I’ve made a big change in my life. Over four years ago, shortly after returning to the United States from my…
Speaking at the Independence, Missouri Stake Center on Thursday Afternoon, the Fourth of July
On Thursday, the Fourth of July, I’ll be attending a luncheon at the Independence, Missouri Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints offered by the Hill…
The Blessing of Blackberries: Side Effects of a Joyous Baptism
In May I had one of the most joyous days of my life as two friends of ours, a courageous and very talented mother from Africa and her intelligent, faithful…
Thoughts from a Sunday School Lesson on Enos and the Words of Mormon
During our recent Sunday school lesson on Enos and the Words of Mormon, I had the chance to point out a couple of apparent problems in the text that…
Help for My Mother’s Funeral From the Best Priesthood Lesson Ever, Courtesy of Latter-day Saint Poet Elaine W. Christensen
My mother, Mary Lyon Miles Lindsay, passed away a few days ago at the age of 91 years. Many blessings, even small miracles, made it possible for my wife and…
Further Thoughts on Nephi’s Three-Day Journey: Going the Distance with Google Earth
My recent post on Nephi’s three-day journey, the leg of Lehi’s Trail that reaches the River Laman in the Valley of Lemuel, discussed the significance of Exodus themes in Nephi’s…
The Glue of Forgiveness and the Anti-Nephi-Lehies (the People of Ammon)
As I ponder the many messages of Christmas, one in particular comes from a dramatic story in the Book of Mormon about a large group of Lamanites, the “Anti-Nephi-Lehies” or…
