In 1823 Joseph Smith was told from an angel about, “two stones in silver bows…fastened to a breastplate…the possession and use of [which] constituted “seers’ in ancient or former times” (JS-H 1:35). Joseph used these stones for several different purposes including to help translate the Book of Mormon and to receive revelations. Historical sources suggest Full Article…
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Magic
According the ancient definition, “magic” implies something akin to sorcery. A more modern definition still retains some of that sense, but has also gained many other meanings gathering definitions from many different cultures. A general agreement is found thinking that “magic” suggests something of the supernatural. Pretending to use the supernatural in so-called magic tricks, Full Article…
Hagoth
Hagoth was a shipbuilder and explorer in the Book of Mormon. He is mentioned in the book of Alma as departing to the sea, and never being heard from again. It is speculated that he came across various Polynesian islands, and his seed continued to multiply across the various islands. As noted below, both Brigham Full Article…
World Conferences on Records
Throughout Church history, Two World Conferences on Records have been sponsored by the Church. Both were held in Salt Lake City, UT. On August 5-8, 1969, the first conference was held in celebration of the Diamond Jubilee of the Family History Library, and in order to exhibit the newly constructed granite mountain record vault. The Full Article…
Visitors Centers
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints maintains and staffs several visitor centers and historical sites. The main function of these centers is to introduce visitors to the history and doctrines of the Church. In these centers, the staff help those interested to understand the blessings of the restored gospel, and to strengthen the Full Article…
Millennial Star
The official publication of the Church in the British isles from 1840-1970 was titled The Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. This publication became a literary landmark in the Church and was fill with information regarding the history, doctrine, and organization of the Church. General Authorities would also contribute to the magazine in the form of editorials. An Full Article…
The Beehive
During the nineteenth-century, Church leaders often created symbols to represent their communities. The beehive was the most persistent of these pioneer symbols. Its origin may relate to the statement in the Book of Mormon found in Ether 2:3 which reads, “And they did also carry with them Deseret, which, by interpretation, is a honey bee; Full Article…
Spirit Prison
“Spirit prison”, according to Latter-day Saint doctrine, is not only a place within the postearthly spirit world, but also a condition. When a person, through unbelief or through willful disobedience of God, they “imprison” themselves. As a consequence of such actions, the opportunities in the afterlife that would be available to them become limited. In Full Article…
Sports
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was a pioneer among many religious faiths in promoting activity, sports, and recreational activities for their members. Early prophets of the church, such as Joseph Smith excelled in many physical activities such as running, wrestling, jumping, and also playing ball. President Brigham Young often taught that recreational Full Article…
Stereotyping of Latter-Day Saints
Since the time of Joseph Smith’s visions, and the public knowledge of them, many different stereotypes and impressions have shaped the public image of the Church and its members. In most cases stereotypes are conceived through word of mouth or through popular media. In most cases these stereotypes exaggerate or distort selected characteristics. During the Full Article…