Each August, Brigham Young University hosts the Annual Church Educational System (CES) Religious Educators Conference. Now, for the first time, we join as partners with CES to publish some of the finest presentations. We express gratitude to David T. Giles and Adrienne Jacobs of the CES Central Office for evaluating a pool of submissions for our final selection and publication. They also assisted in editing and checking sources, for which we are grateful. This year’s conference centered on the Doctrine and Covenants and Church history. The presentations ranged from insightful coverage of Church history events to detailed discussions of sections of the Doctrine and Covenants. Rounding out the mix were inspirational biographies of Joseph Smith, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, and other Church leaders. To help readers, we have arranged articles in roughly the same order as events in Church history, saving a few for the end that have no strict chronological order. Following is a sample of the topics. Elder Neal A. Maxwell’s keynote address, “Our Creator’s Cosmos,” offers a view of the awe-inspiring scope of the Creation. Fortunately, as Elder Maxwell notes, “the vastness of the Lord’s creations is matched by the personalness of His purposes!” In “The Loving Friend and Protector of Children,” seminary teacher J. B. Haws shares ways in which the Savior and the Prophet Joseph Smith demonstrated their love for children. He offers firsthand historical accounts of those who knew and loved the Prophet. Blair G. Van Dyke, an institute instructor, reminds us that consecration is a matter of conquering our hearts. He shares four manifestations of the law of consecration in the Doctrine and Covenants, discussing serious challenges to its implementation. The Prophet’s incarceration in Liberty Jail has inspired many members to serious contemplation. In two very different viewpoints on this event, institute teachers Todd A. Knowles and Jack L. Rushton share lessons they have learned from the Prophet’s trials and experiences there. Enough said. We hope we whetted your appetite. Bon appetit!

Richard Neitzel Holzapfel, Editor-in-Chief

Ted D. Stoddard, Associate Editor

R. Devan Jensen, Executive Editor