Ebook readers: Support your independent publishers March 31 2025

It may come as no surprise that Amazon’s Kindle ebooks completely dominate the market, making upwards of over 90% of our ebook sales. Well aware of their virtual monopoly, Amazon takes advantage of this by offering only half of the royalties to authors and publishers compared to other distributors like Apple and Google.

While readers with Kindle ebook devices are limited to titles purchased through Amazon, we at Greg Kofford Books recommend using Google Play Books for your ebook reading for these four reasons:

• They can be read on virtually any phone, tablet, or computer regardless of operating system using the Google Play Books app (iOS, Android) or any browser.

• For most titles, readers get access to both the standard ebook with flowing resizable text AND the digital print version (similar to a pdf) with the text as it appears on the printed page. The latter is great for books with tables and other complex formatting that do not work well with standard ebooks, as well as for scholars who prefer to cite a printed page rather than a complicated Kindle location. Importantly, readers are able to seamlessly switch between the two, and any highlight or notation made on one is automatically made on the other (and across devices as well).

(Right: standard ebook with flowable text and highlighted passage; left: digital print version with same passage automatically highlighted)

• On phones and tablets, the Google Play Books app has an exceptional “Read aloud” tool that can turn your ebook to an audiobook, even while your device screen is off. It still sounds a little robotic and cannot properly pronounce “Nauvoo” or “Nephi,” but it’s great for continuing your reading while driving, relaxing, or going on a walk, and it also seamlessly resumes from wherever you were at on the ebook.

• Finally, as mentioned above, Google (as well as the other ebook distributors we sell through, Apple and Kobo) gives authors and publishers twice the royalties offered by Amazon. For small and independent authors and publishers pinching every penny in a niche market, the importance of this can hardly be overstated.

To provide you with an example of what Google Play Books has to offer, for one week (ending April 8th) we are making the first volume of Brant Gardner’s Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon available for free on the Google Play Books store, which you can acquire here.

For those of you who prefer the feel and smell of a printed book in your hand, you can further support your independent publishers by purchasing through them directly. We are working to improve the gregkofford.com experience and currently offer free shipping for orders over $40. And, of course, we encourage you to also purchase books through independent bricks and mortar stores, like our friends at Benchmark Books who sell our entire library–including some hard-to-find quality hardcover editions.

Q&A with Zachary McLeod Hutchins, author of Shall I Have Pleasure? An Answer for Sarah March 03 2025

Greg Kofford Books recently asked Zach Hutchins, author of Shall I Have Pleasure? An Answer for Sarah, about his experience in writing the book.

Q: What inspired you to explore the concept of pleasure in the context of faith and spirituality?

A: Because I was born in Massachusetts, to very religious parents who regularly reminded me that I was descended from the state’s seventeenth-century founders, I sometimes jokingly claim to be the world’s last Puritan. I’m naturally skeptical of fun, inclined to ask whether time and money devoted to leisure, aesthetics, or taste is appropriately allocated. In other words, this book probably emerged from an effort to wrestle with my own neuroses and a pre-disposition to self-denial that borders on unhealthy—especially given the temptation to impose my own values on others, who have a much richer appreciation of the value of pleasure in strengthening our relationship to the Creator and to one another.

Q: You discuss the Christian tradition's historical unease with sensory enjoyment. How do you believe this perspective has shaped modern attitudes among believers?

A: A decision to forego certain pleasures might be an appropriate expression of our agency and discipleship, but I have observed that many Christians—both those who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and those who belong to other denominations—seem to feel constrained by their faith. In other words, it seems to me that many Christians experience Christianity as an involuntary barrier to pleasure, rather than a conscious elevation of other priorities. The effect of this orientation is to render every new encounter with pleasure a form of temptation, even where pleasure might be enjoyed innocently.

Q: What role does Sarah’s question, “Shall I have pleasure?” play in framing your exploration of divine intent for human pleasure?

A: What I love so much about Sarah’s question is that it gets at the question of divine intent. When God informs Sarah that she’s about to conceive a son, the question of whether or not that experience will be pleasurable might seem irrelevant. God could fulfill the promise that Sarah would give birth and that Abraham’s posterity would be as numerous as the stars without making any sort of provision for Sarah’s enjoyment of the experience. But what Sarah is really asking is not, “Can you do the impossible?” but “Why would God do the impossible?” She wants to know whether God cares about the means (how something happens) as well as the ends (what ultimately happens). And the good news that this book celebrates is that God does care about our experience in mortality. God wants us to enjoy the embodied experience of His Creation.

Q: You argue that pleasure is often viewed with suspicion among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. How do you think this perception can evolve while staying aligned with doctrinal principles?

A: I think that the prophets and apostles are already—by virtue of their teachings and their examples—doing much to re-orient our relationship with pleasure. During President Nelson’s tenure as the Lord’s living mouthpiece, he released a picture of himself swinging on his back porch that clearly communicated a sense of pleasure and fun. The good-natured banter between Elder Holland and Elder Kearon at the pulpit of General Conference communicated a light-heartedness that is conducive to play and pleasure. As members of the Church follow the example of our leaders and more fully embrace our roles as agents, assuming more individual responsibility in choosing activities that express gratitude for the Creation, we will stop thinking about prohibited pleasures and start thinking more about how pleasure can bring us into closer relationship with our Heavenly Parents and with our brothers and sisters around the globe.

Q: In your analysis, you connect the biblical concept of joy with embodied experiences. Why is this connection significant in understanding divine intent?

A: Joy has often been framed in opposition to pleasure, as a more spiritual and ethereal experience. But the doctrine of the Restoration insists that a fulness of joy is contingent upon a union between flesh and spirit. When we recognize that a fulness of joy literally incorporates physical sensations like touch and taste and smell and sight, we cannot escape the conclusion that our Heavenly Parents mean for us to find joy in and through the pleasures of this world—and not simply to endure its hardships with gritted teeth, until the morning of the first resurrection arrives. Discipleship may not be a series of uninterrupted pleasures, but traveling along the covenant path shouldn’t feel like walking on broken glass, either. I think the Lord would be pleased if, as we traveled along the strait and narrow, we paused to smell a flower, or paid attention to the birdsong, or reveled in the feeling of someone else’s fingers intertwined with our own.

Q: How do you interpret the role of pleasure in the lives of Adam and Eve, especially in light of their experiences before and after the Fall?

A: The scriptural record seems fairly clear about the fact that living in Eden was a pleasurable experience. The trouble is that the Fall involved pleasure as well: the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil looked delicious and very desirable. I think that for most Christians, the fact that God sentenced Adam to a lifetime of toil amidst thistles and thorns seems like an implicit condemnation of pleasure. The implication is that Adam and Eve didn’t do a very good job of weighing pleasure against obedience, so God removed them from the distractions of pleasure. But Latter-day Saints celebrate the Fall as a moment of progress (2 Nephi 2:25), which suggests that our paranoia about pleasure in this important story is an inherited tradition, not true doctrine.

Q: You mention prophetic warnings against prioritizing pleasure. How can believers balance these warnings with the acknowledgment of pleasure as a divine gift?

A: I have a firm testimony that we will be blessed as we follow the prophet, and I take apostolic warnings against the prioritization of pleasure seriously. But I also know—from studying the life and teachings of Jesus Christ; the lives and teachings of living prophets; and personal experience—that pleasure is an important element of the embodied experience our Heavenly Parents want us to have. As we prioritize pleasures that draw into closer relationship with God and with loved ones, that balance will seem more and more intuitive, a natural outcome of living after the manner of happiness.

Q: What message do you hope readers will take away about the role of pleasure in the plan of happiness, both in this life and the next?

A: I love Elder Kearon’s declaration that we worship in the Church of joy. That joy is enhanced by a perfectly cooked roast at the ward Christmas party; by the beautiful artwork produced by President Yee; by the sound of well-tuned voices in sacrament meetings; and by the embrace of a spouse with whom we are striving to be perfectly united in all things. Elder Talmage wrote that worship is an outgrowth of our understanding of another’s worth, and as we more fully appreciate the role of pleasure in God’s plan for us, we will better be able to understand both the beneficence of our Creator and the worth of His Creation. Better appreciating the gifts with which we are surrounded, we will be better prepared to enter into God’s presence with hearts full of gratitude for the plan of happiness that brought us so much pleasure here on earth.

Shall I Have Pleasure? An Answer for Sarah is available in both paperback and ebook.

Q&A with Alonzo L. Gaskill and Richard G. Moore, compilers of The Revised and Expanded Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith: Compared with the Earliest Known Manuscripts February 13 2025

We recently spoke with Alonzo L. Gaskill and Richard G. Moore, compilers of The Revised and Expanded Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith: Compared with the Earliest Known Manuscripts, about their new book.

Greg Kofford Books: What inspired you to create this revised edition of The Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith?

Richard Moore: The project was Alonzo’s idea. He came to me after his student researchers were having a difficult time finding some of the original or earliest sources. I initially came on board as a researcher. Later, as we became aware of how large this project was becoming, he invited me to be a co-compiler. I was excited to be part of this. As strange as it might sound to most people, I actually enjoy research.

Alonzo Gaskill: I’ve loved TPJS and have memorized so many of the quotes attributed to the Prophet Joseph. However, with the Joseph Smith Papers Project, that volume largely found itself “on the outs” and not trusted as it once was. I wanted the Prophet’s teachings to still be accessible—but as correctly as possible. Hence the ten-year project to create a new version of this once very popular text.

GKB: How did the collaboration between you and the Joseph Smith Papers Project influence the book?

Alonzo: I initially assumed that they would take on this project, but when I discussed this with affiliates of the JSP—and discovered that they would not be doing this—I jumped on the decade long project. We chatted with various affiliates during the project, but the book is not affiliated with the JSP and doesn’t solely rely on their work.

Rich: The Joseph Smith Papers were invaluable—an awesome work. I originally thought that I would be using the Joseph Smith Papers almost exclusively, but I soon discovered that there were many other sources that were not available in the JSP. There were the journal entries or diaries of others, newspapers, letters, and documents in the Church History Library not found in the JSP.

GKB: What challenges did you face while comparing the original manuscripts to earlier editions?

Rich: The painstaking process of comparing our document with the originals. Hours and hours of me reading the text (including every punctuation and capital letter) while Alonzo followed along with what we had in our manuscript. It was not just a cut and paste thing.

Alonzo: We had to read and reread, making sure we had gotten things correct. We had a few occasions—though not many—where our reading of an original document did not agree with other interpreters (including those at the JSP). So, we methodically went through these books and documents, reading and rereading, trying very hard to get things “right.” That was challenging, time consuming, and painful—though necessary.

GKB: Why was it important to retain the original pagination from the 1938 edition?

Alonzo: Because that’s the same pagination used in all subsequent versions, we wanted to stick with that so that users of the volume could quickly locate any quote they were trying to look up.

Rich: I was surprised to discover that the same pagination from the 1938 first edition of TPJS was used throughout its publication history. That was actually a bonus for us. We didn’t have to note different editions.

GKB: How does this new edition address previous historical inaccuracies or misconceptions?

Alonzo: We’ve corrected those, identifying quotes “attributed” to Joseph that turned out to be the words of another person, and we’ve provided the original words that, in some cases, Joseph Fielding Smith expanded into a quote (drawing on only a few words). So, our version of TPJS makes clear what was actually recorded of Joseph’s teachings and what (in the original TPJS) is not actually Joseph, but instead the words of someone else.

Rich: We discovered that some of the statements found in TPJS were edited and expanded by early Church historians after they arrived in Utah. Perhaps they were there when Joseph Smith spoke and remembered some of what he said—even though the handwritten notes from that occasion were sparse. Or maybe they felt like they knew Joseph well enough to expand the notes into sentences they believed he would have said. Truth is, there are no recordings of Joseph speaking, only notes taken by scribes and other observers. In many cases, we do not know exactly what he said. We tried to find the earliest or original sources and put them in unedited.

GKB: What criteria did you use to select the content included in the revised edition?

Rich: Earliest and most valid sources we could find.

Alonzo: We sought to use the earliest sources. Often there were early (but not the earliest) sources that had been fleshed out after the Prophet’s martyrdom. However, we tried to use the earliest source, so that additions or changes were not included in the volume.

GKB: Can you explain the significance of Joseph Smith's sermons being reconstructed from notes rather than verbatim records?

Alonzo: Joseph was largely an extemporaneous speaker, so “verbatim” texts of his sermons don’t exist. Likewise, Joseph often authorized others to write and publish things under his name. Thus, it became important to explain the source and nature of the various quotes that have been attributed to Joseph for well over 100 years. In his early sermons, there was often only one notetaker. In his later sermons (like during the Nauvoo era) you would usually have several people taking notes—which made those discourses easier to flesh out.

Rich: I recently read where someone claimed they had the actual, verbatim words of the King Follett Discourse. The published sermon we have came from four different sources. There is no exact version. In fact, a person can read the King Follett Discourse in about 15 or 20 minutes. Yet, Joseph is reported to have spoken for more than two hours. The people who made an amalgamated version did a great job, but we simply have to recognize that it is incomplete and probably not necessarily Joseph’s exact words.

GKB: How do you hope this edition will impact the study of Latter-day Saint history and doctrine?

Alonzo: The JSP project was of incalculable value to historians, authorities, speakers, teachers, and members. However, the volumes are expensive and not readily accessible in hardcopy. Additionally, as valuable as the website is, it can be very challenging to find specific quotes on the site. (Indeed, sometimes the transcripts posted on the website are not 100% accurate, which poses its own challenges.) Thus, we have made available in a single volume the “best of” Joseph’s teachings—many of which (though not all) are in the JSP volumes. So, this will help those who want to quote him accurately but who do not have ready access to all of the volumes.

Rich: There has been some criticism that we were simply redoing what the Joseph Smith Papers project was doing, only on a much smaller scale. There is no possible way we could match what the JSP people have done, nor were we trying to do that. Our goal was simply to focus on the book Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith because it was such an important volume for many years. So many of us are very familiar with the statements from that book. We wanted to have it continue to be useful for those people who grew up with it, and add to it where they could find the original sources, whether in JSP, Wilford Woodruff’s Journals, Times and Seasons, Church History Library, etc. We were trying to make things easier to find for the average person.

GKB: What new insights did you gain while compiling this edition that surprised you the most?

Alonzo: Largely just that many quotes traditionally attributed to Joseph Smith were either summarizations of what he taught (by Joseph Fielding Smith, or others) or were statements of other people, but changed to appear to be the words of the Prophet himself.

Rich: I gained a greater appreciation for the efforts of Joseph Fielding Smith who in the 1930s, without the use of modern technology, compiled TPJS. I also became aware of the fact that, in many cases, we do not have the exact wording of the Prophet Joseph, and in some cases, we are not sure that these are his words at all. Case in point, for a time he was the editor of the Times and Seasons. There were editorials in the Times and Seasons that were included in TPJS. Joseph was the editor. These were editorials. But did he write them? Maybe he did. Perhaps the editorials were written by others and approved by Joseph. We just don’t know for sure. I’ve come to the point when I am quoting the Prophet from a source that I am unsure of, I will simply use the phrase “a statement attributed to Joseph Smith.”

GKB: How does the book balance historical accuracy with maintaining its devotional and instructional purpose?

Alonzo: The fact that we have just gone back to the earliest sources assures that “historical accuracy.” The reality that we have left the structure of the original TPJS has enabled us to retain the “devotional and instructional” value of the words.

Rich: I remember a religion professor when I was a university student saying that Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith was the fifth standard work. I recall being disappointed when it was taken out of print and it was suggested that people writing books and articles not cite it anymore. After going through it for the past ten years, I do understand the hesitancy of quoting it when we now have better sources. However, the teachings of Joseph Smith, as accurate as we can get them, have not lost their importance and value to me.

The Revised and Expanded Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith: Compared with the Earliest Known Manuscripts is available in both paperback and as a PDF ebook.

Preview Every Man a Prophet February 12 2025

Every Man a Prophet

A novel by Stephen C. LeSueur 

Every Man a Prophet is a powerful exploration of faith, love, and self-discovery set within the framework of missionary life in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Eddie Pedersen and Orrin Tanner, two missionaries serving in Norway, each grapple with the weight of expectation, personal desires, and the search for their true selves. Eddie struggles to reconcile his faith with feelings he has been taught to suppress, while Orrin’s relentless pursuit of perfection masks a deep fear of failure. Together, they navigate a land of cold landscapes and colder hearts, striving to find meaning and connection in their spiritual calling.

Through Eddie and Orrin’s intertwined journeys, LeSueur crafts a deeply human story of vulnerability and resilience. The novel delves into the complexities of identity, faith, and the universal longing to belong. As the two men confront the rigid doctrines of their religion and the unyielding truths of their own hearts, readers are drawn into an unforgettable narrative of courage and redemption. Every Man a Prophet is a profound tale of the sacrifices we make for faith and the truths we uncover about ourselves along the way.

Preview Shall I Have Pleasure? An Answer for Sarah January 23 2025

Shall I Have Pleasure An Answer for Sarah

Shall I Have Pleasure? An Answer for Sarah explores the complex relationship between faith, desire, and the pursuit of joy through a spiritual and philosophical lens. Drawing from religious narratives, scriptural analysis, and theological insights, the book delves into how pleasure is perceived within Christian traditions, particularly among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Through reflective anecdotes, historical context, and doctrinal interpretations, the author challenges the tension between spiritual duty and sensory enjoyment, encouraging readers to reconcile divine purpose with the pursuit of happiness.

Rooted in scripture and enriched by personal storytelling, this thought-provoking work invites readers to reconsider long-held beliefs about pleasure and self-denial. By examining biblical stories like Sarah's incredulous laughter at the promise of joy in old age, as well as Christ's compassionate acceptance of human love and generosity, the book offers a fresh perspective on living a life of spiritual fulfillment that embraces joy as an essential part of divine intent. Through this lens, Shall I Have Pleasure? becomes a call to rediscover pleasure as a God-given gift intertwined with human purpose and eternal potential.

Preview The Revised and Expanded Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith November 11 2024

 

The Revised and Expanded Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith: Compared with the Earliest Known Manuscripts

• “Thanks to careful and exhaustive scholarship of Gaskill and Moore, Teachings has been resuscitated. . . . We now have a trustworthy source of Joseph Smith’s thought to match the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants.” — Richard L. Bushman

For nearly a century, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, first published in 1938, was the standard source for studying the profound teachings and revelations of the founding prophet of the Restoration. Drawing on a rich collection of sermons, letters, and journal entries, Teachings provided Latter-day Saints with an accessible compilation of Joseph Smith’s revelatory doctrines that highlighted his unique ability to make heavenly concepts accessible to everyday people.

The Revised and Expanded Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith: Compared with the Earliest Known Manuscripts offers readers not only a preservation of Joseph Fielding Smith’s original compilation but also a side-by-side comparison with the primary sources that it was based on. With modern scholarship shedding new light on these sources, the updated volume allows readers to explore both the Prophet Joseph Smith’s revelatory insights and the historical context in which his teachings were first shared. This balanced approach honors the enduring legacy of the original Teachings while encouraging deeper exploration and understanding of their origins.

Q&A with Author Claudia L. Bushman October 14 2024

We recently spoke with Claudia L. Bushman, author of I, Claudia: The Life of Claudia L. Bushman in Her Own Words, and asked her a few questions about her new book.

 Q. You grew up in a Latter-day Saint home in San Francisco. In what way(s) did this experience shape you, that growing up in Utah, or perhaps anywhere else, likely wouldn’t have?

A. Well, of course, San Francisco is a sophisticated, gay friendly, highly cultured place. My sisters and I felt very privileged to have access to so much significant art and activity. I think that we took good advantage of what was available to us and had many rich experiences. Our mother encouraged us in many directions and we all benefited a lot from it. I don’t know how it would have been to grow up in Utah or anywhere else.

Q. Your courtship with Richard L. Bushman while you were a student at Wellesley may surprise readers for a number of reasons, but could be summarized with the phrase “opposites attract.” In what way did this prove to be a positive?

A. I am surprised to hear you suggest that Richard and I are opposites. Actually we are very much alike. Very, very much.  

 Q. The women’s issue of Dialogue in 1971 and the founding of Exponent II are considered pivotal moments in modern Mormon feminism, and the response to both endeavors was favorable as well as critical. You even sacrificed your official involvement to keep the peace. Looking back, are you still happy with the timing of both publications, believing that any backlash would have been inevitable no matter when they came out? Or, would there have been a benefit to waiting?

A. I very much dislike waiting. When I am ready or getting ready to do something, I just do it. That’s dancing to the music of our times. I don’t do things when considering their timeliness. Backlash is not my concern.  

Q. Your work as a historian has allowed you to write about women and men, you’ve conducted oral histories, and you have edited and annotated other women’s journals. Each of these genres have their own challenges and rewards. Do you find any one of them more satisfying to undertake than the other? If so, why?

A. All these can be very satisfying. Or not. I just do what seems possible when the occasion arises. I’m not always in a position to undertake anything. Everything I have done has challenges and rewards of its own, for which I am grateful.

Q. After having written about many others, you have now published your own candid memoir. Was your autobiography project more, or less challenging than writing about someone else? What did you learn about yourself in the process?

A. Actually, writing I, Claudia, was somewhat accidental. I don’t remember writing it. I don’t remember why I decided to write it. It just sort of happened. I’m glad it did. Someone asked if I had considered an autobiography and I saw it on my computer and sent it off. Suddenly, it was published. I actually do live in some sort of fog. I don’t think that it was more difficult than anything else. I don’t try to be anything I’m not.

   I, Claudia is available in both paperback and as an ebook.  

Element is back! September 23 2024

 

Element: A Journal of Mormon Philosophy and Theology

Preview I, Claudia: The Life of Claudia Lauper Bushman in Her Own Words August 26 2024

 

I, Claudia: The Life of Claudia Lauper Bushman in Her Own Words

• “With admirable honesty and keen self-reflection, this triumphant memoir expounds on her life as an intelligent, talented woman driven to find her own place in patriarchal religious and secular worlds.” — Lori LeVar Pierce
• “This lively and remarkably generous book holds nothing back.” — Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
• “I, Claudia reveals the inner workings of a woman who fully inhabited yet transcended her own times.” — Maxine Hanks

I, Claudia: The Life of Claudia Lauper Bushman in Her Own Words is a captivating autobiography of a remarkable woman, Latter-day Saint, and scholar. Through a series of vivid anecdotes and reflective essays, Claudia shares her journey from her childhood in California, through her family life, and to her academic pursuits and professional achievements. Her narrative, infused with humor, warmth, and a deep commitment to her community, provides a window into the daily life and challenges of a Mormon woman in the twentieth century outside the Mormon corridor of the Rocky Mountains.

Claudia’s autobiography is, however, more than a personal memoir; it is a testament to the power of storytelling and exemplifies her work with the Claremont Mormon Women’s Oral History Project, which she established to capture the diverse and rich lives of Latter-day Saint women. I, Claudia thus stands as both an inspiring personal journey and a powerful call to action for the preservation of women’s histories.

Q&A with Cheryl L. Bruno and John S. Dinger, authors of Come Up Hither T Zion: William Marks and the Mormon Concept of Gathering July 29 2024

We recently spoke with Cheryl L. Bruno and John S. Dinger, the authors of Come Up Hither to Zion: William Marks and the Mormon Concept of Gathering about their new book. 

William Marks's spiritual journey and vision for the Latter Day Saint community were profoundly shaped by his experiences with gathering to Zion and his conflicts with church leadership. As the stake president in Nauvoo, he played a crucial role in organizing the community and establishing a justice system. This included excommunicating those who were out of harmony with church teachings. Despite never being formally excommunicated, Marks was harassed and shunned by the church leadership after Joseph Smith’s death, which led him to leave Nauvoo. These experiences gave him a deep empathy for those marginalized within the church and fueled his advocacy for reform. This ultimately influenced his significant role in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, where he emphasized moral integrity, inclusivity, and a return to the original teachings of the Book of Mormon.

6. The early Mormons faced significant opposition and violence, especially in places like Jackson County, Missouri. How did these conflicts impact the gathering efforts, and what strategies did the church employ to overcome the challenges?

Preview Nathan B. Oman's Law and the Restoration July 26 2024

 

Law and the Restoration: Law and Latter-day Saint History

and

Law and the Restoration: Law and Latter-day Saint Thought and Scripture

Download a preview here or view below.

Law and the Restoration: Law and Latter-day Saint History is a profound exploration of the intricate legal history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In this first of two volumes, Nathan B. Oman delves into the unique intersection of law and religion, uncovering how legal frameworks have shaped and been shaped by the experiences of Latter-day Saints. Through a series of meticulously researched essays, Oman reveals the profound impact of legal conflicts and developments on the growth and identity of the Church. From the early struggles for legal recognition and the battles over polygamy to the establishment of corporate entities and the role of religious courts, this book offers a comprehensive and enlightening narrative of the Church's legal journey.

Law and the Restoration: Law and Latter-day Saint Thought and Scripture is a comprehensive exploration of the intricate relationship between legal principles and the doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Author Nathan B. Oman delves into the profound ways in which Mormon theology intersects with legal concepts, offering readers a detailed analysis of church doctrines, their authority, and their implications for members' daily lives. In doing so, Oman addresses foundational questions about the nature of church authority, the role of personal judgment, and the dynamic interplay between divine law and secular legal systems. The book is not just an academic treatise but a thoughtful discourse aimed at elucidating how Mormons navigate complex moral and legal landscapes in their quest to reconcile faith with modern societal norms.

Book of Mormon Flash Sale 40% - 70% off Print & eBooks! July 18 2024

Preview Come Up Hither to Zion: William Marks and the Mormon Concept of Gathering May 17 2024

Come Up Hither to Zion:
William Marks and the Mormon Concept of Gathering

Download a preview here or view below.

Come Up Hither to Zion: William Marks and the Mormon Concept of Gathering delves deep into the life of William Marks, a devoted follower of Joseph Smith and a key figure in the early history of the Latter Day Saint movement. Marks's journey from a descendant of Puritan settlers to a fervent convert to Mormonism is a fascinating exploration of faith, community, and the quest for spiritual truth. As Marks navigates the tumultuous landscape of early Mormonism, readers are taken on a gripping journey through pivotal moments such as the banking crisis in Kirtland, the expulsion of Saints from Missouri, and the clandestine practice of plural marriage. However, Marks's story goes beyond mere historical events; it is a testament to the enduring struggle to define one's place within a religious tradition while attempting to balance devotion to the faith, interpersonal relationships, and personal integrity.

After the death of Joseph Smith, Marks found himself at the center of a power struggle among various groups claiming succession. His interactions with Brigham Young, James Strang, and others illuminate the diverse interpretations of Mormon doctrine and the differing visions of what Zion should be. From his involvement in defining moments in Mormonism to his break with Young and eventual ordination to the First Presidency of the Reorganized Church, Marks's life encapsulates the challenges and complexities of early Latter Day Saint history. Through meticulous research and insightful analysis, Come Up Hither to Zion sheds light on the intricate tapestry of beliefs and practices that shaped Marks's spiritual journey and offers a compelling exploration of the Mormon concept of gathering as both a physical and philosophical endeavor.

Q&A with David B. Ostler, author of Healing Our Divides May 07 2024

We recently spoke with David B. Ostler about his newest title Healing Our Divides: Answering the Savior's Call to Be Peacemakers.

 Q: What inspired you to delve into the topic of peacemaking and healing divides, particularly within the context of religious and political polarization?

A: Bridges taught me that we have real limitations on understanding why people believe differently and how we relate to them. Although Bridges was about people who no longer believe in traditional LDS beliefs, I saw that this applies to other beliefs, particular about politics. I’ve seen how people are affected by the division and contention coming from different beliefs. I see families, congregations, and communities divided by different. I worry that our alienation is increasing causing us to separate into different groups unable, or unwilling, to engage with others.

Q: Could you elaborate on the challenges you faced while researching and writing the book, especially in terms of navigating differing perspectives and potential biases?

A: One challenge was seeing how natural it is to be caught up in difference and my own natural tendency to bias and contention. I don’t think I will ever get over it, maybe none of us will, but I found that I have a lot of work to do. I worry that people that know me well, will dismiss this message because they know I am still a work in progress.

As I studied Latter-day Saint teachings about contention, I struggled to know what I should do overcome contention in my own life. I questioned whether it was just better to retreat from these issues. But, I realize that the very issues that are most contentious are the ones that are the most important. It was hard for me to decide that part of being a peacemaker is to be engaged in the messiness of these different beliefs.

As I studied and wrote, I realized that I had very few tools to help me when I choose to engage. What did I need to do so that I could stay in the room with difference? Could I find ways to better understand why someone could believe something completely different than me? Could I respect someone who is my ideological opposite? I realized that I needed tools and I didn’t have them. I found some resources that had practical tools, but I realized that just understanding them academically wasn’t enough, I needed to engage with others and that would take me to settings with conflicting ideas. Often, I found that despite my best efforts, I couldn’t step back and remember tools. But, over time, I found that I could better remember and use those tools. I’m still trying, which is something we all need to do.

Q: Your book emphasizes the importance of understanding and respecting differing beliefs while fostering meaningful discussions. How do you suggest individuals approach conversations about contentious issues without furthering division?

A: Healing Our Divides gives some simple tools that all of us can use. I’m sure that there are others, but these ones worked for me. I think readers can find and learn a couple of tools that will work for them. I even give readers exercises where they can work with another, perhaps a friend or family member, to practice and try out these skills. If we can try, we will get better. Yes, we will make some mistakes and need to apologize and reset, but in the process, we will learn and provide examples to others that we can have positive discussions.

Q: In your research, what concrete approaches or skills did you find most effective in reducing contention and building bridges between individuals with differing viewpoints?

A: In-group bias is someone all of us feel. When we think of someone as in our group, we generally think of them more charitably. When we think of them as not in our group, we think of them more skeptically. If I am interacting with someone who beliefs or supports policies I don’t agree with, this bias means that I am naturally alienated from. In some situations, this can be defining. We might even label them in our mind with a negative political or religious label. This is reductive and alienates us. If we express it to another, it hurts them. But there are ways to eliminate this in-group bias. We simply keep a common identity in our mind. Instead of thinking about them in context of our difference, we can label them in our minds, as a brother, or mother, or a friend, or a child of God. With this commonality, we lose defensiveness and skepticism and find charity and connection. Likewise, we can refuse to use or think about another with any negative labeling, including words like brain washed, apostate, right wing nut job or America hating liberal. If we can see the divinity of another and the commonality we should all feel as children of God, we will see others in that light. It’s hard to be contentious with another how we dignify through their divine parentage.

Q: As a member of the Latter-day Saint community, how do you see the teachings and principles of the Church contributing to the efforts of peacemaking and healing divides, both within and outside the faith?

A: I was surprised at how many of our general Latter-day Saint leaders have condemned contention and today’s polarization and alienation. They clearly see how these forces are affecting not only Latter-day Saints, but our communities.

In April 2023, President Nelson taught that discipleship includes peacemaker. In his talk, Peacemakers Wanted, he said, “Brothers and sisters, we can literally change the world—one person and one interaction at a time. How? By modeling how to manage honest differences of opinion with mutual respect and dignified dialogue.” He believes that peacemaking can change the world. I think he is very aware of the fractures that existing in families, congregations and societies as a whole because of today’s curse of polarization and contention.

Q: Your book emphasizes the communal nature of healing divides and becoming
peacemakers. How do you envision individuals and communities actively engaging with the concepts presented in your book to create positive change in their spheres of influence?

A: Most peacemakers are going to influence just a few, likely with family members and a few friends. That can create a multiplier effect where those they touch end up touching others. I’m optimistic that this translates into a rejection and weakening of the forces that want to divide us further. There will be some that can organize in their communities or join and support peacemaking organizations. Perhaps there will be an issue that divides their community, and they can be peacemakers and help find effective ways to discussion these issues and find solutions that consider others and their concerns and needs. President Nelson said, “peacemaking is a choice.” When any of decides to be a peacemaker, we make a better world. It might be just in our families, or in how we help our children live in a contentious world, but it might also be in our communities. If enough of us decide to be peacemakers, we can prevail against what at times seems like unstoppable division and contention.

Q&A with the editors of The Life and Adventures of Eli Wiggill April 17 2024

We recently spoke with Fred E. Woods, Jay H. Buckley, and Hunter T. Hallows, the editors of our latest title The Life and Adventures of Eli Wiggill: South African 1820 Settler, Wesleyan Missionary, and Latter-day Saint.

Q: What were the driving factors behind Eli Wiggill and his family’s decision to leave England and settle in South Africa, and again to later migrate to Salt Lake City, Utah Territory?

A: Parliament recruited British emigrants to establish a South African colonyto ease unemployment and social unrest while strengthening Britain’s foothold in South Africa’s Cape Province. Isaac and Elizabeth Grimes Wiggill and their eight children, from Painswick, Gloucestershire, England, were one of the fortunate five percent of families chosen to participate. On January 10, 1820, the Wiggills embarked from Bristol, joining the Samuel Bradshaw Company of 64 emigrants aboard the Kennersley Castle, arriving in Cape Town, South Africa, on March 5, 1820, after a four -month voyage from England. Eli and Susannah Wiggill joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1858. They moved to Port Elizabeth, where Wiggill served as LDS conference president. His friend Henry Talbot served as president of the branch, which consisted of thirty to forty members. Church officials directed Saints around the world to gather to Zion as soon as possible. In February 1861 the congregation boarded the Race Horse and sailed to Boston, arriving on April 19,1861. They traveled to New York, joined with other LDS emigrants, journeyed by rail to Chicago, and thence to the wagon outfitting station at Florence, Nebraska. The Homer Duncan Company departed June 25, arriving in Salt Lake City on September 13, 1861.

Q: How did Eli Wiggill's experiences as a Wesleyan Methodist assistant minister contribute to his eventual conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

A: Eli Wiggill accompanied Reverend John Edwards as a minister to the “Bechuana” country beyond the Orange River. Although Wiggill had not formal ministerial training, he had a good understanding of the Bible. Wiggill labored in the Wesleyan Methodist Church ministry at the Thaba Nchu Wesleyan mission station. After his release on May 1, 1842, he traveled with his wife and two children to Winterberg and built a farm and went into business making wagons before moving to Queenstown. Wiggill remained active in his Wesleyan faith and occasionally preached at the Kat River mission station as well as at Fort Beaufort. Wiggill heard that Latter-day Saint missionaries had arrived at Fort Beaufort. The missionary trio of Jesse Haven, William Walker, and Leonard Smith initially arrived in South Africa on April 19, 1853, and preached and published tracts in Cape Town in both English and Dutch. They met with great opposition throughout their labors and were mobbed, having bricks and stones and rotten eggs thrown at them. Elder William Walker converted Eli’s brother George. Eli wrote, “When I heard Walker explain things in the manner he did I could not help [but] believe the truth of it.” In February 1858, Wiggill traveled to Winterberg to see George. Together they traveled to the Kat River settlement, where LDS Elder John Green, a former Wesleyan, baptized Eli, Susannah, and daughters Sarah Ann and Margaret on March 1, 1858. That same day, Wiggill was ordained a priest, which authorized him to perform baptisms as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Q: What challenges did Eli and Susannah Wiggill face as early converts to Mormonism in South Africa, and how did they overcome them?

A: Wiggill’s study of the Gospel of Jesus Christ filled his mind with light and knowledge. This awoke the missionary spirit in him so much so that he “had a great many arguments with religious people with whom I was surrounded and especially with my Wesleyan Brethren.” Unfortunately, his zeal towards a peculiar and foreign religion brought harsh criticism, censure, and opprobrium from their acquaintances. Susannah asked him to stop investigating further. Eli complied with Susannah’s wishes for a time and stopped investigating the Church. Local preachers told their congregations to shun and spurn the missionaries. Angry mobs harassed LDS missionaries and dispersed LDS gatherings. The backlash against the Latter-day Saints kept the Church from gaining converts very quickly and sparked fear of reprisal for the few who did join. Missionaries did not find willing converts for months due to the intense persecution. Although not yet a member, Wiggill overcame his social fear of conversion and became somewhat of a missionary. He related how his own preaching changed because of the additional light and knowledge he found in the Latter-day Saint religious tradition, as well as a greater outpouring of the holy spirit. After about a year of unofficial dedication to the church, Elder John Green baptized the Wiggills on March 1, 1858.

Q: Can you elaborate on the process of gathering the South African Saints to Zion in the mid-nineteenth century, as documented in Eli Wiggill's autobiography?

A: Eli Wiggill's autobiography describes how early missionaries spread the message of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and how early converts lived their new faith in fledgling branches and left their homes and homelands to gather to Zion. During the nineteenth century, Church leaders instructed LDS members to gather to a central place in the United States.First it was Ohio, then Missouri, then Illinois. After the Latter-day Saints were driven from Nauvoo, Illinois, they trekked west to the valley of the Great Salt Lake in 1847. For the next fifty years, converts from all over the world were instructed to gather to Zion. Between 1855 and 1865, at least 270 Saints emigrated to the United States from the Port Elizabeth seaport, the most populous city in the Eastern Cape Province. Most of these early converts were of British descent and many came from the 1820 British Settler groups since the early missionaries did not speak Afrikaans, Dutch, Xhosa, or Zulu. The first South African Saints sailed from Port Elizabeth in 1855. In the 1890s, Church leaders no longer asked Saints to cross oceans or continents to gather to Zion but to build up The Church of Jesus Christ in their local stakes of Zion.

Q: What role did Eli Wiggill play in the establishment and leadership of Latter-day Saint congregations both in South Africa and in Utah Territory?

A: Eli and Susannah Bentley Wiggill joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1858 and became stalwart members following their conversion. Their faithful dedication affected the lives of dozens of South African Saints. Following their conversion to the restored gospel, their missionary labors, their leadership role in congregation formation, and their efforts to gather to Zion whilst building up and strengthening communities of South African Saints reverberated during the 1850s, 1860s, and 1870s. Their great faith and missionary efforts after their conversion provide insights into early church organization and the formation of branches. Finally, Wiggill’s autobiography documents how Eli and Susannah’s experiences represent one of the most well-documented accounts of South African Saints answering the call to immigrate to Zion.

Q: How did Eli Wiggill's missionary efforts in South Africa contribute to the growth and development of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in that region?

A: One of the downsides of having converts continually gathering to Zion was that the Church struggled for continuity in countries around the world during the nineteenth century. The same is true for South Africa. Opened as mission in 1852, the South African Mission closed on April 12, 1865. The South African Mission was reopened until July 25, 1903. The historical setting surrounding Eli and Susannah Bentley Wiggill and their nine children reveals a story of faith, courage, and devotion as one of the first South African families to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Wiggill’s autobiography is worthy of a careful read to appreciate and comprehend his astonishing transnational adventures in Africa and Utah. The Life and Adventures of Eli Wigg ill is more than a little-known Latter-day Saint conversion narrative, more than a missionary memoir, and more than an account of emigration and pioneer settlement (though it is all the above). It offers readers insight into a variety of subjects, including British colonialism in South Africa, religious rivalry in the Atlantic world, slavery and emancipation in the British empire, and family life in the nineteenth century.

Preview Healing Our Divides: Answering the Savior’s Call to Be Peacemakers April 10 2024

Healing Our Divides:
Answering the Savior’s Call to Be Peacemakers

"No book has focused so clearly on how to face religious and ideological rivalry between people who earnestly believe they have the truth while the other does not."
— C. Randall Paul, President, Foundation for Religious Diplomacy

"Healing Our Divides is the perfect book for our current moment. . . . Ostler teaches correct principles and then offers concrete tools and examples that will empower readers not just to believe in peace but to embody and practice it as well."
— Patrick Mason, co-author of Proclaim Peace: The Restoration’s Answer to an Age of Conflict

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Healing Our Divides: Answering the Savior’s Call to Be Peacemakers is a timely and essential guide for navigating the increasingly polarized and contentious landscape of modern society. Drawing inspiration from powerful and prophetic messages from Latter-day Saint leaders on unity and peace, author David B. Ostler explores the skills and approaches necessary to eliminate contention and become peacemakers. Through extensive research and personal reflection, Ostler offers concrete and practical strategies for reducing contention, understanding others, and fostering meaningful conversations amid differences in beliefs and ideologies.

Rooted in principles of religious discipleship and moral integrity, Healing Our Divides addresses the urgent need to confront societal division and hostility with love and understanding. Ostler delves into four major themes, including understanding today's divisions, learning practical approaches to reduce contention, recognizing peacemaking as a vital aspect of religious discipleship, and mastering the art of deep and meaningful discussion. With insightful thought boxes prompting self-reflection and engagement, as well as questions for group study, he invites readers to join in the communal effort of healing divides and fostering unity. This book serves as a poignant reminder of our collective responsibility to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and work towards creating a more peaceful and harmonious world, one interaction at a time.

Q&A with authors of Unique But Not Different: Latter-day Saints in Japan April 03 2024

We recently spoke with Shinji Takagi, Conan Grames, and Meagan Rainock to discuss their recently released title Unique But Not Different: Latter-day Saints in Japan.

Q: What inspired you to undertake a comprehensive study on the practices of Japanese Latter-day Saints, particularly within the context of a minority religion in Japan?

A: This book grew out of the work we prepared for a volume of essays edited by Melissa
Inouye and Laurie Maffly-Kipp, who had asked us to write a chapter on how Japanese Latter-day Saints practice their religion. In order to conduct an objective, data-driven analysis, we decided to administer an anonymous survey to practicing Latter-day Saints. As we were preparing the survey, it became obvious that doing justice to the data would require not a chapter but a book. We also recognized that, realistically, we had only one chance to administer a survey, given its time- and labor-intensive nature. Hence our decision to make the survey much more comprehensive than was necessary to complete our assigned task, even though this carried a risk of deterring potential survey takers. This book is an outcome of that decision. Melissa’s and Laurie’s book has not yet been released. We hope it will be soon.

Q: Could you elaborate on the challenges and opportunities faced by Japanese Latter-day Saints within a society undergoing profound demographic and cultural changes?

A: Our thesis is that, while Latter-day Saints in Japan, as practitioners of a minority religion, face situations of identity conflict, societal changes, predominantly triggered by the adverse demographic trend, are increasing Japanese society’s tolerance for diversity. This obviously presents opportunities for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints if some accommodation is made for institutional acculturation (e.g., if a source of pervasive conflict, such as green tea drinking, is properly addressed).

Q: The survey data you collected offer insights into the experiences and perspectives of active Latter-day Saints in Japan. What were some of the most surprising or significant findings that emerged from your analysis?

A: We were most surprised to learn how representative the Latter-day Saint population is of the larger Japanese society—in terms of social and political views. Indeed, they may be unique in their beliefs but certainly not different from the rest of Japanese society.

Q: The book mentions that despite being a minority religion in Japan, Latter-day Saints have found a niche for their particular lifestyle by establishing long-term relationships and making conflict-avoiding career choices. Can you delve deeper into the specific strategies or practices employed by Japanese Latter-day Saints to integrate their religious identity into their daily lives, especially in contexts where it may diverge from mainstream cultural norms?

A: The most important aspect of individual acculturation is that Japanese Latter-day Saints choose professions that allow them to attend church on Sundays. Sabbath-day worship is a cultural practice uncharacteristic of Japanese customs. This prioritization of their lives is made easier because Latter-day Saints typically join the Church in their teens or twenties before they are established in their careers. Another major adjustment that Latter-day Saints in Japan must make is in the observance of the Word of Wisdom as they refrain from tea, coffee, sake, etc., which are so universally accepted cultural customs. The survey revealed that this has been less of a problem than one might expect, as LDS members feel generally accepted by peers at work and in the culture generally even as they decline to participate in these customs.

Q: What are the key takeaways from your book for various stakeholders, including scholars, missionaries, Latter-day Saint leaders, Japanese members, and the general public?

A: We have provided key takeaways for scholars, for members, and for other stakeholders in the final chapter of the book. We hope that these targeted summaries provide useful insights into the experiences of Japanese Latter-day Saints.

Unique But Not Different: Latter-day Saints in Japan is now available in paperback and ebook.

Preview The Life and Adventures of Eli Wiggill March 21 2024

The Life and Adventures of Eli Wiggill:
South African 1820 Settler, Wesleyan Missionary, and Latter-day Saint

"Provides a fascinating view into British, African, and American history and demonstrates how the Latter-day Saint experience brings them all together."
— Jeffrey G. Cannon, Laura F. Willes Research Associate at the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

"Offers readers insight into a variety of subjects, including British colonialism in South Africa, religious rivalry in the Atlantic world, slavery and emancipation in the British empire, and family life in the nineteenth century."
— Christopher Cannon Jones, co-editor of Missionary Interests: Protestant and Mormon Missions in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries

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The autobiography of Eli Wiggill offers a captivating narrative of one family’s journey from Gloucester, England, to South Africa, and eventually to Salt Lake City during the mid-nineteenth century. Eli and Susannah Wiggill’s conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in South Africa serves as a focal point in their remarkable story. Eli’s retelling vividly portrays their steadfast faith, missionary efforts, and the challenges they faced as pioneers in establishing communities of South African Saints. From their immigration to South Africa to their eventual migration to Zion, the Wiggills' experiences offer valuable insights into the early history of the Church and the global gathering of its members.

With meticulous attention to detail, The Life and Adventures of Eli Wiggill: South African 1820 Settler, Wesleyan Missionary, and Latter-day Saint presents Wiggill’s original manuscript, enriched with extensive footnotes providing context and clarity. This publication aims to rectify previous shortcomings by preserving the integrity of Wiggill’s narrative while enhancing accessibility for contemporary readers. It not only chronicles a remarkable transnational journey but also sheds light on themes of faith, perseverance, and the pioneering spirit, making it a compelling read for historians, scholars, and anyone interested in the early history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the global migration of its members.

Preview Unique But Not Different: Latter-day Saints in Japan March 07 2024

Unique But Not Different: Latter-day Saints in Japan

"Unique But Not Different is a must read for all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who love the Japanese people, have served a mission in Japan, spent time in Japan, or just want to understand the Japanese people and culture better."
—W. Steve Albrecht, president of the Japan Tokyo Mission (2009–12)

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New Years Book of Mormon Ebook Flash Sale December 27 2023

As we welcome 2024 and this years Come Follow Me Book of Mormon study, we are pleased to offer discounted prices on all of our Book of Mormon titles available on ebook. This sale runs from January 1st through the 5th and is available for Kindle, Apple, Google, and Kobo ebooks.

Sale ends Friday, January 5.​

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Q&A with Brant A. Gardner, author of Engraven Upon Plates, Printed Upon Paper and The Plates of Mormon November 29 2023

We recently spoke with Brant Gardner to discuss his two recent titles, Engraven Upon Plates, Printed Upon Paper and The Plates of Mormon.

Q: With The Plates of Mormon and Engraven Upon Plates, Printed Upon Paper you have now published ten volumes on the Book of Mormon. What started you on your own path in Book of Mormon studies, and is there a particular approach to the text that you like to focus on?

A: The most definable beginning point was when I was asked to do a weekly online article on the Book of Mormon. I decided to do an in-depth commentary that used Mesoamerica (my academic emphasis) as a plausible background. That project became Second Witness some twelve years later.

I take the Book of Mormon’s claims about itself seriously. For me, that means I can ask why a particular author wrote what he did in the order he did and apply human logic and understanding to the process. Too often believers in the text assume that we have the text because God wanted it that way. That isn’t the way the Bible was created, and that isn’t the process described in the Book of Mormon. That doesn’t preclude inspiration—but that inspiration always came to and through human hands.

Q: What is the relationship between Plates and Engraven? Did you begin one before the other, or were they conceived and worked on simultaneously?

A: That is a hard and complicated question. I worked on many of the ideas that resulted in the way Plates is formatted prior to beginning that project. However, after it's first iteration, the manuscript sat on my hard drive for at least a year. Engraven was started after that, but I worked on a revision of my original work on Plates about the same time.

Q: How does The Plates of Mormon differ from other study editions of the Book of Mormon?

A: Most study editions begin with either the most recent version under Church copyright or the public domain 1920 edition, and they are generally focused on devotional study with interpretive commentary for that purpose. Royal Skousen’s The Earliest Text is the closest to what I am doing with Plates, but there are still differences. Skousen’s book attempts to get back to the dictation and presents the text as “sense-lines” void of punctuation and formatting.

This edition differs from all others in that it has sought to present the text as its primary author and editor, Mormon, conceived of his book. As many are aware, when the Printer's Manuscript was handed over to Grandin Print Shop for publication, it was a flowing text that lacked not only punctuation and uniform capitalization but also any clear distinction between book titles, headers, and paragraphs. Those were all added by Grandin's compositor John Gilbert and have largely remained as they were since that first 1830 edition. Plates seeks to revise Gilbert's work by taking the raw text of the Book of Mormon and modifying both its sentence construction and presentation based on literary and textual structures within the text. For example, there are also some textual markers that I believe were inherited from the original Nephite text that were remnants of a culture in transition from an oral to a literature culture. “And it came to pass” has come to have a much more important meaning for me, and I wish we would restore those few times that the phrase has been removed. In general, I find I like the manuscript version of the Book of Mormon better than the modern edition which has made a few slight changes.

Furthermore, it seems rather clear that Mormon was not anticipating Martin Harris's unfortunate loss of the so-called lost 116 pages and the subsequent use of the small plates of Nephi to replace the missing text. Thus, this edition has moved the small plates' text to the back as Mormon himself intended (similar to appendices in modern books), with his Words to introduce the "great things written upon them." I believe reading the small plates in this context highlights the unique and different role Nephi and others had for their writings that we might otherwise miss by reading them as an intentional beginning to the Book of Mormon.

Q: Is there anything in particular about the Book of Mormon that stuck out to you while you were working on these books that you hadn’t fully recognized before?

A: Almost every time I approach the Book of Mormon, I am learning things I hadn’t seen before. I had previously understood the narrative function of “and it came to pass,” but working on Plates brought out the companion phrase “and now” which works in conjunction with “and it came to pass” to move the action of the text through time, or to show events happening during the same time.

Engraven is pretty much all things I have learned about the text, though some of the ideas have been cooking for a long time and some have seen light in different ways.

Q: What was the biggest challenge you faced while punctuating and formatting the Printer’s Manuscript for The Plates of Mormon?

A: Staying awake? What a generally boring task! It was fascinating to learn that after however many times I have read the Book of Mormon and how many times I have tried to read it closely—there were new things that I had never seen before. Sometimes it was incomplete sentences. In one case, it was an unfortunate punctuation that created the strange statement that Christ had never shown himself on earth. That one is still in the current text! I note it in the Introduction to Plates, so maybe we can get people to read at least the introduction to find out which verse.

Q: In Engraven Upon Plates, Printed Upon Paper you lean in heavily on Mormon, Nephi, and others being very real persons working very real records. Are there any implications of this approach that previous scholars of the Book of Mormon haven’t fully considered?

A: I think the question pertains more to a believing audience than an academic one. The non-believing academics can read as though there were real writers, but it is a convenient fiction. For believers, I think the difference is that many accept that there were real people, but have them sacralized almost to the point where they are sacred symbols more than human writers. By accepting Mormon, Nephi, and others as real writers, we can look at how they accomplished their work without assuming that that they were merely puppets controlled by the divine hand.

Q: What from these books do you hope that those who do not believe in the ancient historicity of the Book of Mormon can nevertheless find valuable and insightful to their understanding of that book of scripture?

A: Plates of Mormon allows the easier answer. That book can be used as a tool to understand the text of the Book of Mormon as it was presented in 1829.

Because Engraven divides the text into creative layers. The modern translation layer is where most nonbelieving academics spend their time. However, the whole text is essentially descriptive without declaring that those descriptions prove historicity. I assume it in the way I categorize the elements examined, but those elements can be examined and understood quite apart from the boxes in which I have placed them.

Both Engraven Upon Plates, Printed Upon Paper and The Plates of Mormon are now available in paperback and ebook.

Black Friday 2023 Sales: 40% - 60% off Select Book of Mormon Resources! November 17 2023

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Preview The Plates of Mormon October 24 2023

The Plates of Mormon:
A Book of Mormon Study Edition Based on Textual and Narrative Structures in the English Translation

"Readers will engage anew with the text of the Book of Mormon in this logically and creatively reformatted presentation, supported by highly insightful footnotes. There is much to be gained from this innovative contribution to Book of Mormon studies."
— Kerry Hull, co-editor, A Hundredth Part: Exploring the History and Teachings of the Book of Mormon

Download a preview here or view below.

Preview Engraven Upon Plates, Printed Upon Paper October 23 2023

Engraven Upon Plates, Printed Upon Paper:
Textual and Narrative Structures of the Book of Mormon

"This expansive study immediately rises to top of must-read resources relative to the Book of Mormon."
— Kerry Hull, co-editor, A Hundredth Part: Exploring the History and Teachings of the Book of Mormon

"No one person has made a more thorough attempt to account for all the historical dimensions of the Book of Mormon."
— Joseph M. Spencer, author, The Anatomy of Book of Mormon Theology

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