Craig K. Manscill was an associate professor of Church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University when this was written. He has been a religious educator for over twenty-five years with either the Church Educational System or the Department of Church History and Doctrine at BYU. He received his undergraduate degree at Weber State College and his master's and doctorate from BYU.

Manscill's formative years were spent in the small farming community of Farr West on the outskirts of Ogden, Utah. He served in the Ohio West Virginia Mission and is married to Jana Hancey. They are the parents of eight children. Brother Manscill enjoys gardening, the great outdoors, travel, and is an ultradistance runner. His hobbies include beekeeping, reading, and photography.