Some of our readers may not realize that the Religious Educator, a scholarly religious education publication sponsored by Brigham Young University, includes one issue each year that is sponsored by Seminaries and Institutes. Issue 3 of the journal is a joint effort. That sponsorship includes encouragement for seminary and institute teachers to submit articles for publication as part of the issue. By working together, I believe we can capture the unique insights of those who teach the gospel day in and day out. Our editorial team is grateful for this collaboration and looks forward to continuing to work together to provide high-quality gospel scholarship that we hope blesses our readers’ lives, and by extension, the thousands that you all teach.

Our lead article for this issue comes from Elder Quentin L. Cook. He delivered an extraordinary address at the University Conference this year entitled “Preparing Students for Eternity” that is powerfully applicable to all who teach the gospel. Elder Cook highlights that our commitment to teach the gospel flows from our doctrine and that we have the responsibility to join God in his work of salvation and exaltation.

This issue contains helpful articles that focus on how we can effectively teach gospel doctrines with a focus on the usage of those doctrines in the Book of Mormon. One article spans the canon, looking at how can we most effectively teach the Fall of Adam and Even as found in the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Pearl of Great Price. The next article analyzes teachings from the Book of Mormon pertaining to the cost of wickedness and Christ’s ability to save us while a different article focuses on the promises contained in the Book of Mormon regarding prosperity. One piece examines the names and titles of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon and what we can learn from them. Another focuses on what we can learn from Nephi that helps us learn how to increase our capacity to receive revelation. And a helpful piece looks at the important issue of helping our female students see themselves in the pages of the Book of Mormon. Two final articles examine how we can help our students when working through complex questions of faith, spcifically when the answers to the questions we seek are not readily available or perhaps even known at this time.

Each of these articles is authored by our wonderful seminary and institute colleagues. And, as can be seen, these articles provide a wonderful resource for all of us who teach the gospel as we seek to assist our students to “prepare for eternity.”

Michael A. Goodman

Editor in Chief