Besides the Prophet, no one was more involved in the key events of the Restoration nor mentioned more often in the Doctrine and Covenants than Oliver Cowdery. He was influential in the highest councils of the Church as well as in the councils of his community. While many are familiar with his contributions to the Restoration, few understand his personality and his deep spirituality.

This book is a compilation of presentations selected from the annual BYU Church History Symposium hosted by BYU Religious Education and explores the life of Oliver Cowdery and the many roles he filled. This symposium was held to honor him and celebrate the two hundredth anniversary of his birth. $24.95, 978-0-8425-2742-2

The road from being an obscure child born in England to a “champion of liberty” in America began with John Taylor’s baptism into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. From that time until his death, John Taylor was an unflinching and powerful advocate of the truths that had come into his life. His motto became “The kingdom of God or nothing.”

When John Taylor became the leader of the Church, his administration was limited by exile, due to federal prosecution of polygamy. Forced to move from hideout to hideout, he was rarely in a safe enough position to meet with his counselors or to be among general Church membership.

This book is a compilation of presentations from the 2009 annual BYU Church History Symposium in 2009. The purpose of this book is to remember the great legacy of John Taylor and the contributions he made to the Church during his lifetime.
$24.95, 978-0-8425-2736-1

Launched in 2000 by former dean Robert L. Millet, the Religious Educator serves the needs and interests of those who study and teach the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. In celebration of its tenth year, the editors have selected some of the outstanding contributions. Among the authors are Elder D. Todd Christofferson, Elder Jay E. Jensen, Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Richard E. Bennett, Thomas A. Wayment, and several others. This volume is highlighted with a number of color images. $11.95, 978-0-8425-2718-7

Twenty-three thought-provoking essays exploring and explaining the great truths found in the Doctrine and Covenants have been selected from more than three decades of symposia and conferences held at Brigham Young University and from the Ensign. Written by General Authorities and religious educators, these chapters are filled with insights into the "capstone" scriptures of the Church. This book is arranged in the order that the revelations came forth and covers a wide variety of gospel topics. $8.95, 978-0-8425-2733-0

Jeffrey R. Holland, then dean of Religious Instruction at Brigham Young University (BYU), established the Religious Studies Center (RSC) in 1975 with the mission of encouraging and supporting the pursuit of truth through scholarship on gospel-related topics. This collection of essays, like all RSC endeavors, is part of Religious Education’s overall mission of building the kingdom of God by teaching and preserving the sacred doctrine and history of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Religious Educator, a publication of BYU’s RSC, is a place where Church leaders and teachers publish thoughtful essays for those who study and teach the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. The editors of this compilation selected some of the outstanding contributions from past issues to celebrate the Religious Educator’s tenth year of publication. This volume features outstanding articles by Elder Robert D. Hales, Elder Richard G. Scott, Elder Tad R. Callister, J. R. Kearl, Brent L. Top, Kathy Kipp Clayton, and others. $8.95, 978-0-8425-2717-0

Easter is a good time to recall Jesus’ mission to the least, the last, and the lost, for he said, “The Son of man is come to save that which was lost.” Not surprisingly, we discover that he sent his disciples to the “lost sheep,” and thus their mission of finding the lost is a natural extension of his mission. Some of Jesus’ most memorable teaching moments have to do with finding the lost. This volume contains the papers delivered at the 2008 and 2009 Brigham Young University Easter Conferences, which is a celebration of the life and atoning mission of Jesus Christ. We are honored to include articles from Elder Merrill J. Bateman, emeritus member of the Seventy, and Bonnie D. Parkin, former general Relief Society president. $14.95, 978-0-8425-2728-6

This is the fascinating story of the Colonia Juárez Chihuahua Mexico Temple, including the inspiration President Gordon B. Hinckley received while visiting Colonia Juárez, to build smaller-sized temples throughout the world. President Hinckley later recalled in the temple dedicatory prayer how the “revelation came of a desire and a prayer to help Thy people of these colonies who have been true and loyal during the century and more that they have lived here. They are deserving of this sacred edifice in which to labor for themselves and their forebears.”

This beautifully illustrated book (8 ¼ x 10 ½ inches) highlights the process, the progress, and the sacrifice of the wonderful Saints of the colonies who helped build this beautiful temple. $29.95, 978-0-8425-2727-9

President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “We are a biblical church. This wonderful testament of the Old World, this great and good Holy Bible is one of our standard works. We teach from it. We bear testimony of it. We read from it. It strengthens our testimony. And we add to that this great second witness, the Book of Mormon, the testament of the New World, for as the Bible says, ‘In the mouths of two or three witnesses shall all things be established.’”

This volume sheds light on many questions that students of the New Testament attempt to answer, such as: • How do we reconcile Paul’s teachings on women with the doctrines of the Restoration? • What is the relationship between grace and works? What do Latter-day Saints believe about grace? • How can we identify spiritual gifts and use them to serve others? • How can we guard ourselves against the “wisdom of men” in today’s world? $24.95, 978-0-8425-2725-5

The period 1960–65 was key to the evolution of the Church because it represented a significant adjustment in approach and direction, particularly from Church headquarters in Salt Lake City. This history focuses on the personalities and programs of the mission presidents and their wives because the changes that occurred during this period were the product of these men and women.

The 37th Annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium

Awareness of the background and development of Joseph Smith’s revelations allows us to better understand their significance. The 37^th annual Sidney B. Sperry Symposium can help readers gain that knowledge. Written by scholars trained in a variety of fields, the articles are intended to help Latter-day Saints better appreciate the setting in which Joseph received his revelations. This volume will help readers better understand and appreciate the significant roles Joseph Smith’s revelations have played, and continue to play, in the dispensation of the fulness of times.

James Henry Martineau’s journals are a rich historical resource. They present the life of a Mormon convert, a pioneer, and an individual dedicating his life in the service of his family, his country, and his church. More than the life of one man, these records reflect the everyday struggles of a people whose lives were in transition as they set the foundations of a new society. Martineau’s contributions to the settlements of northern and southern Utah, southern Idaho, southeast Arizona, and the Mormon colonies in northern Mexico are monumental. He was a civil engineer whose survey work left a lasting impression. Although not a prominent religious leader, he was a patriarch and was often in contact with or serving with those in authority. This volume offers a reflection of this common, yet uncommon, Latter-day Saint pioneer.

This travel-size companion to the larger Salt Lake City, Ensign to the Nations takes the tourist on three distinct walking tours of Salt Lake City. The first tour is of the Temple Square area. The second tour is of the Pioneer Business District, and the third tour is of the Capitol Building and Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum area. Each tour offers explanations of historical and modern significance of sites.

Tour the historic sites of Salt Lake City from the comfort of your own home. This full-color book includes a virtual tour DVD. Both the book and the DVD explain the historical and modern significance of each site. The authors guide the DVD tours with descriptions and details of historic sites. Also look for the travel-size companion book, Hallowed Ground, Sacred Journeys: Walking Tours, Salt Lake City, Ensign to the Nations.  

Take a journey through time to scenes of the pioneer era. Through video and photographs, Brigham Young University professors tell the story from the Saints’ arrival in the Salt Lake Valley to present-day restorations. In this virtual tour of Salt Lake City, some photographs even offer 360-degree views.

Also check out the associated publications, Hallowed Ground, Sacred Journeys: Salt Lake City, Ensign to the Nations and Hallowed Ground, Sacred Journeys: Salt Lake City, Ensign to the Nations, Walking Tours.

Although the term “Church history” makes most Latter-day Saints think of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, and Utah, the islands in the Pacific played a major—and early—role in the unfolding of the Restoration. William Barratt served a mission in Australia in 1840. Addison Pratt arrived in the Society Islands in 1844. In the early 1850s, the Hawaiians were being taught the gospel. This volume of Regional Studies includes topics such as the Oahu Tabernacle, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s performances in the Pacific Islands, and the destructive fire in the Apia Samoa Temple.

The gap in international Church history may arise from such misguided notions as international Church history is too recent to chronicle, the hub of Mormon studies is northern Utah, or international Church history lacks the pizzazz of early American Mormonism. Lack of foreign-language proficiency is a valid barrier as well. In the coming years, however, international history will become increasingly important to our sacred history. Scholarly observers of the Christian tradition—of which The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a part—are beginning to expand their visions of a Christian past, present, and future to embrace a truly global Christianity. We need to tell these non–North American stories with greater frequency and with better skill. This book, taken from seventeen years of conferences on the globalization of Mormonism, helps fill the gap.

Followers of Jesus Christ since the beginning have referred to their Savior as the Lamb of God. While down by the river Jordan, John the Baptist was baptizing those who desired to follow the Savior. When the Savior approached the Baptist, John declared, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). After John baptized Jesus, he bore record “that he had baptized the Lamb of God” (1 Nephi 10:10). The next day, when John and two of his disciples saw Jesus, the Baptist again proclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36). Featuring beautiful artwork, this volume celebrates the life and sacrifice of the Lamb of God.

"The Gospel: The Foundation for a Professional Career" symposium was held on Brigham Young University campus in March 2007. It was cosponsored by Religious Education and the Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering and Technology. The purpose of the symposium was to emphasize how important it is for graduates of BYU to live the highest standards of morality and integrity as they leave campus and assume residency and employment in the world community. It was an opportunity to make principles taught by the Latter-day Saint faith find practical application in the lives of graduates. This volume contains the presentations from this symposium.

Second Printing!

After the announcement of the intent to rebuild the Nauvoo Temple, there was much discussion in the town about why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would want to build such a large building in such a small place and what impact it might have on Nauvoo. Questions were raised about the vast potential increase in the number of visitors to Nauvoo, as well as whether large numbers of Church members would come to settle in Nauvoo permanently, significantly affecting the political and cultural environment. Additional interest focused on the whole history of the Mormons in Nauvoo. Those ideas, attitudes, and feelings of residents were captured in this collection of interviews. Twenty-six Nauvoo residents were interviewed and their answers recorded in this volume. (Original printing: January 2003. Second printing: October 2007.)

After the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City’s Temple Square was renovated in 2007, historian Scott C. Esplin released this in-depth review of the Tabernacle’s construction. Featuring beautiful and historic photos, much of the book consists of a newly edited version of Stewart Grow’s thesis on the building of the Tabernacle. Grow was the grandson of Henry Grow, the bridge builder who built the roof of the historic Tabernacle. The editor has provided a new introduction, placing the thesis in historical context.

This collection of essays offers tribute to Robert J. Matthews for his eightieth birthday. The wide-ranging essays are a reflection of his varied interests and academic loves. Written by Matthews' colleagues, topics range from biblical studies to the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants.

It takes courage to accept a religion that requires sacrifices of the heart. The nineteenth-century Scandinavian converts are a commendable example of this courage. They gave up worldly goods, standing in the community, and sometimes their lives for their newfound beliefs. As a family history resource, this compilation contains vital information, scrupulously researched, about each of these valiant missionaries. Other features include explanations of surnames in Scandanavian countries, a pronunciation guide, and photos.

Some of the most recognized verses in all of scripture reflect the triumph of Easter: “And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him” (Mark 16:6). This volume is a collection of essays from the 2006 BYU Easter Conference and reflects some of the ways in which we think about Easter. Topics ranged from direct studies about how Latter-day Saint celebrate and teach Easter to technical aspects of the Savior’s trial and His Jewish antagonists’ approach to His miracles.

Latter-day Saints may think Church history in Illinois began in 1839, but important events took place much earlier. Illinois became a thoroughfare when missionaries unexpectedly had to cross the state to get between Ohio and Missouri. This event happened in 1830, ten years before the better-known events that make Illinois a piece of Church history. It was one of only four states even to receive missionaries in 1830, but by 1835 the LDS Church was likely the fourth largest religious body in the state. This historical account fills in the ten-year gap of Church history in Illinois using non-LDS as well as LDS perspectives. The book details Apostle Charles C. Rich’s conversion in Illinois in the 1830s, a “Mormon War” that occurred during this time, and the march of Zion’s Camp through the state.
$14.95 ISBN-10 0-8425-2652-8, ISBN-13 978-0-8425-2652-4

Nineteenth-Century Saints at War starts where other books on the topic end, with insights on the experiences of men and women who participated in the American wars of the nineteenth century. The authors highlight the various responses of individual Latter-day Saints and the Church itself to the national conflicts that engulfed America during a turbulent century. These men and women were both citizens of the United States and also citizens of the kingdom of God.
$14.99 Sale ISBN 10-084252651X, ISBN 13-9780842526517

The Diaries of Charles Ora Card: The Utah Years, 1871–1886, tells the story of the pioneers’ attempts to make the desert blossom as a rose, including Card’s work on the Logan Temple and Tabernacle. During this era, the Church faced increasing economic and federal legislative pressures. The records accent the everyday struggles of a people; their leadership, both local and Churchwide; and Card’s own capture by U.S. marshals. $17.99 Sale ISBN 0-8425-2609-9

The essays in this book inspire Latter-day Saints to consider carefully their stewardship in caring for God’s creations. It also encourages finding common ground with those of other persuasions. The book demonstrates that our religion offers a vital perspective on environmental stewardship that encompasses the best impulses of liberal generosity and conservative restraint. $9.99 Sale! ISBN 0-8425-2618-8

Who were the first Icelanders to leave the land of fire and ice and make their way by “sail, rail, and trail” to western America? These early immigrants were converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Author Fred E. Woods points out the strong bonds of friendship that continue today as the city of Spanish Fork holds annual “Iceland Days” festivities to honor those early immigrants and to keep their heritage alive. $5.99 Sale! ISBN 0-8425-2617-X

This remarkable book tells the story of Latter-day Saint nurses who have served in the military, covering the engagements from World War I through Operation Iraqi Freedom. Each conflict is introduced by a brief historical background, followed by individual accounts that capture the struggles and sacrifices of our nurses who served so faithfully. $9.99 Sale! ISBN 0-8425-2611-0

Volume 15 in the Occasional Papers Series 

Historians will find a researcher’s treasure trove in this remarkable two-volume reference work that includes 14,400 entries to publications by or about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In fact, the goal of the compilers was to cite every publication—both the good and the bad—in the first hundred years of the Church’s existence. Called by reviewers the “most significant” and “most comprehensive” bibliography on Mormonism, this attractive, library-quality reference work was compiled by Chad J. Flake and Larry W. Draper of BYU’s Harold B. Lee Library.

Volume 15 in the Specialized Monograph Series

This volume is a facsimile edition of the twelve issues of Zion’s Trumpet that appeared in 1849. Zion’s Trumpet replaced Prophet of the Jubilee for Welsh Saints. Through its pages, the new editor, John S. Davis, defended the Church’s doctrine, reported on missionary progress throughout Wales, gave instructions to Church members, and entertained his readers with poetry, proverbs, and humor. He also published Welsh translations of the Latter-day Saint standard works, together with two hymnals and a variety of pamphlets.