Summer 1838, Orson returned from serving as a missionary in England to Far West, Missouri just as trouble began. Orson was very ill and exhausted. Unable to get out, friends called on him and filled his ears with news of the escalating conflict between the Latter-day Saints and angry locals.Continue Reading

  Mary Fielding Smith (1801-1852) was a woman of remarkable faith and testimony. She is one of my heroes. She was the wife of Hyrum Smith and her oldest son, Joseph Fielding, and her grandson of the same name, both became presidents of the Church. Young Joseph Fielding later reported thisContinue Reading

Many of us have had experiences with the sweet power of prayer. One of mine was shared with a stake patriarch from southern Utah. I first met him in my medical office more than 40 years ago, during the early pioneering days of surgery of the heart. This saintly soulContinue Reading

This is a great story that could go with Alma 12:28-32. In these verses we read that commandments were given to man after the great Plan of Redemption was made known. I have always found it useful to teach commandments in their proper context. This avoids so much confusion! AContinue Reading

I was out tracting in that city one day and I had been to a particular house several times when the lady of the house said, “Mr. Richards, what are you trying to do, anyway, are you trying to make Mormons out of all of us?” “Well,” I said, “IContinue Reading

Lydia Goldthwaite was born on June 9, 1812, in Sutton, Massachusetts. Lydia was the third of twelve children born to the Goldthwaites during their time in Massachusetts and later New York. In the fall of 1828 Lydia married Calvin Bailey, with whom she would have two children, Roseanna, and Edwin.Continue Reading

Joseph was elated when others were chosen by the Lord to be witnesses of the Book of Mormon. The following account tells of his relief: The following account from Lucy Mack Smith, Joseph Smith’s mother, describes how Joseph felt after the Three Witnesses had seen the plates: “When they returnedContinue Reading

  The following account comes to us from chapter 6 of the book entitled, The Prophet Joseph: Essays on the Life and Mission of Joseph Smith, by Larry Porter and Susan Easton Black: The power that rested upon Joseph Smith in his prophetic calling manifested itself in many other waysContinue Reading