D&C 109 The Dedicatory Prayer of the Kirtland Temple – March 27, 1836 Historical Background The following background information provided by Ostler and McConkie is valuable: In preparation for the dedication of the Kirtland Temple, the Prophet Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, and Oliver Cowdery, as well as Warren A. CowderyContinue Reading

Historical Background – Martin Harris By 1827, Martin Harris had built a comfortable life for himself in Palmyra, New York. He married his cousin Lucy in 1808, fought in the war of 1812, and by 1827 Martin had had acquired 320 acres of farmland, made them profitable through his industry andContinue Reading

Joseph Describes Spiritual Sight How could Joseph have had this vision of Moroni as he was in a room with his siblings at the time? Perhaps we are looking at this from a Western mindset and need to ask a different question. What kind of vision was this? What doContinue Reading

Who or what was Lilith – לִילִית lîylîyth? Listen to the audio as I go through the text of Isaiah 30-39 here. Lilith is the most popular demon in Jewish tradition. In some sources, she is conceived of as the original woman, created even before Eve, and she is oftenContinue Reading

In 2 Nephi 31 Nephi teaches what we should do after we are baptized. We are to “feast upon the words of Christ,” and “endure to the end.” (2 Nephi 31:20) In chapter 32 he illustrates what it means to feast upon the words of Christ. He writes:  And now,Continue Reading

Keys for the Gathering of Israel Restored The gathering of Israel commenced in the following manner. In May of 1829, Peter, James and John restored the Melchizedek Priesthood to Joseph Smith including the keys of the kingdom. Joseph Smith restored the Church on April 6, 1830. Then according to D&CContinue Reading

The following account comes from the book “Henry Ballard, the story of a courageous pioneer 1832-1908” p. 133-137 by Douglas Crookston. This book was published in 2010 by Deseret Book. Henry’s Miracle In a way, Henry’s life was one of miracles. He survived in his mother’s womb despite her attemptsContinue Reading

Legion are the stories of those who were there and who suffered almost unto death and who carried all of their lives the scars of that dreadful experience. It was a tragedy without parallel in the western migration of our people. When all is said and done, no one canContinue Reading

This post contains links to a few books that have helped me understand the context and content of the scriptures. As an Amazon Affiliate, I do earn a small commission from qualifying purchases (at no extra cost to you). Click here to see all of my favorite books on Amazon. That SameContinue Reading