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A Mormon in Yemen — People Matter Most of All
A Latter-day Saint goes behind the scenes in Yemen and learns that human beings are the most important resource.
By Warren Aston
Sixth Annual Book of Mormon Lands Conference
The sixth annual "Book of Mormon Lands Conference" of the Book of Mormon Archaeological Forum (BMAF) will convene Saturday October 18 at the Red Lion Hotel on 600 South in Salt Lake City.
The Spirit and the Body
The Book of Mormon teaches a number of things about the spirit and body of human beings that are not known from elsewhere in the scriptures. These ideas are, however, known from Judaism, and are reflected in various ancient and medieval texts.
By John A. Tvedtnes
Curious Hagoth
Just what does “curious” mean when we see it in scriptures?
By John A. Tvedtnes
Large in Stature
The admiration of physically powerful men was probably brought to the New World by both the Jaredites and later Book of Mormon peoples from their Near Eastern homeland.
By John A. Tvedtnes
Non-LDS Scholars and the Book of Mormon
Although Latter-day Saints are used to seeing the Book of Mormon used by outsiders as an object of derision, there are many credible scholars outside the Church who cite the Book of Mormon as an actual historical record.
By John A. Tvedtnes
Weighing, Measuring, and Judgment
The monetary opening of Alma 11 is a key to the judgment scene at the end of the chapter that all men will encounter — it is the measuring and weighing of good works, or the lack thereof, of each individual.
By Diane E. Wirth
In the Strength of the Lord
The Book of Mormon teaches the great lesson that we will be delivered from our enemies as long as we trust in the Lord. Conversely, if we turn our backs on him we can lose our strength.
By John A. Tvedtnes
The Mulekite Connection
Are Mulekites the "king-men" who caused so much warfare in the Book of Mormon?
Excerpts from Step by Step Through the Book of Mormon by Alan C. Miner (Unpublished)
Horses and Chariots
Two major questions have been raised by anti-LDS critics of the Book of Mormon concerning the statement that there were "horses and chariots" on the American continents before the time of Christ.
Excerpts from Step by Step Through the Book of Mormon by Alan C. Miner (Unpublished)
Alma Nigh Unto Death
Modern research shows that Alma the Younger's near death experience shares traits in common with near death experiences that are being reported today.
By Kevin Christensen
Baptism at the Waters of Mormon
A group of Nephites who fled from religious persecution at the city of Nephi entered into covenant with the Lord and were baptized by Alma in the waters of Mormon. So far as the known record goes, this momentous event gave birth to the first church of Jesus Christ to be organized in the Americas, more than a century before the coming of Christ.
By Garth Norman, with excerpts from Step by Step Through the Book of Mormon by Alan C. Miner (Unpublished)
Book of Mormon Population Statistics
Exactly how numerous were the Nephites and Lamanites who populated the Book of Mormon? Is there any way to tell?
By John A. Tvedtnes
The Order of Nehor
The salient points of Nehor's doctrine taken from Alma Chapter 1 have many striking comparisons with some of the popular philosophies of today.
Excerpts from Step by Step Through the Book of Mormon by Alan C. Miner (Unpublished)
What King Benjamin may have Learned from Abinadi
There are many things both Benjamin and Abinadi taught that are basically the same. Here are 25 things that King Benjamin most likely learned from the martyred hero.
Excerpts from Step by Step Through the Book of Mormon by Alan C. Miner (Unpublished)
King Benjamin’s Discourse: Context, Complexity and Fruitfulness
A seeming inconsistency in the reaction to King Benjamin's address is actually one of the most convincing proofs of the authenticity of the Book of Mormon.
By Kevin Christensen
A Seer
Observing the cycles of history help a seer foretell the future.
Excerpts from Step by Step Through the Book of Mormon by Alan C. Miner (Unpublished)
The Book of Mormon Title Page — “For a Wise Purpose”
According to Monte Nyman, the Allegory of the Olive Tree goes on to span the history of the House of Israel until the end of the earth.
Excerpts from Step by Step Through the Book of Mormon by Alan C. Miner (Unpublished)
The
Allegory of the Olive Tree
According to Monte Nyman, the Allegory
of the Olive Tree goes on to span the history of the House of Israel
until the end of the earth.
Excerpts from Step by Step Through the Book of Mormon by Alan
C. Miner (Unpublished)
The
Seven Primordial Tribes of Mesoamerica
Early traditions, passed orally from one generation to the next,
spoke of seven primordial tribes who were the ancestors of some
Mesoamerican cultures. These legends were recorded on murals, stelae,
monuments, and codices, and, fortuitously, were recited to Spanish
clergy who made a written record of the various accounts.
By Diane E. Wirth
The
Title Prophet
A Meridian reader wants to know if Jacob was a prophet in the traditional sense. Here is her answer (with help from Brigham Young).
By John A. Tvedtnes
Overcoming the Natural Man
Latter-day Saints sometimes think that we do not believe in the concept of “original sin” found in Christianity. Actually, the Book of Mormon clearly teaches this idea. Where we differ from some other Christians is that we do not believe that the sin of our first parents was sexual in nature or that infants are born in sin.
By John A. Tvedtnes
How Nephi Became the Birthright Son
Some people who read the Book of Mormon question how Nephi could have killed Laban, even at the Lord's command. But a study of the man Laban and Nephi's relationship to him could put these questions to rest.
By Janet Lisonbee
Leafing
through the Isaiah Chapters
Chapter by chapter, here
is an easy-to-understand guide through the Isaiah chapters
of the Book of Mormon.
By John Bytheway
Nephi’s
Keys to Understanding the Isaiah Chapters
If
we're going to get in the bus and drive through Isaiah
National forest, we're going to need the keys. You'll
find them in 2 Nephi 25.
By John Bytheway
Misunderstanding
the Book of Mormon
Misconceptions abound concerning
the text of the Book of Mormon, among both Latter-day
Saints and others.
By John A. Tvedtnes
Why
Mesoamerica?
There are many reasons
why no other place in North or South America except
Mesoamerica meets the geographical criteria as described
in the Book of Mormon, when we understand it correctly.
This overview may convince you, if you haven't made
up your mind already.
By V. Garth Norman, Alan C. Miner and editors of
AAF
Don’t Just “Get Through” 2 Nephi: Get Something
From It!
If the words of Isaiah seem like a dense forest,
you don't have to beat your way through it. Instead you can learn
to savor the words, leaf by glorious leaf.
By John Bytheway
Coming
Forth of the Book of Mormon
The Lord put numerous factors into play, including
the invention of the printing press and a volcano in Indonesia,
to put things in place for the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.
By John A. Tvedtnes
Finding
Nephi's “Bountiful” in the Real World
When the final history of this dispensation
is written, how the Book of Mormon began to emerge from obscurity
will be one of its most fascinating stories.
By
Warren P. Aston
Where
Did Nephi Build the Ship?
Exciting new evidence points to a forested
refuge in the corner of Arabia.
Text and Photography by
Maurine and Scot Proctor
The
Testimony of Three Witnesses
Critics of the Book of Mormon do their
best to undermine the testimonies of the witnesses who put their
signature to the written testimony included with the Book of Mormon.
Here are those witnesses' final testimonies.
By Alan C.Miner
The
Birthdate of Quetzalcoatl (Christ)
Calendar evidence as well as a visual
inspection of the El Castillo temple at Chichen Itza indicate that
the birthdate of Christ is indeed April 6, as recorded in the Doctrine
and Covenants.
By Bruce W. Warren Research with Extract Notes from Step by
Step Through the Book of Mormon by Alan C. Miner (unpublished)
Was
the Liahona, in Part, a Magnetic Compass?
(Part 3-B)
There are legends that supply cultural and
chronological support for saying that magnetism might have reached
Arabia by 600 B.C. — and thus perhaps played a part in the workings
of the Liahona.
By Alan C. Miner
Was
the Liahona in Part a Magnetic Compass? (Part 3-A)
Could
Nephi and Lehi have been in the right place geographically and at
the right time chronologically to become acquainted with a magnetic
compass?
By Alan C. Miner
Hurricanes
in the Book of Mormon
The hurricane season is in the news
again. A Book of Mormon record dating to the second century B.C.
may contain the earliest recorded reference to hurricanes, which
speaks of the historic record's environmental geography.
By Garth Norman
Was
the Liahona in Part a Magnetic Compass? (Part 2-B)
Even conceding the idea that the principle
of magnetic navigation was known anciently in China, did that knowledge
ever reach the Near East by 600 B.C.?
By Alan C. Miner
Was
the Liahona in Part a Magnetic Compass? (Part 2-A)
Early critics of the Church
said the Book of Mormon could not be true because a magnetic compass
had only been in use for a few hundred years. But research shows
the compass had been in use for thousands of years, and may even
have been in the hands of Noah before the Great Flood.
By Alan C. Miner
Was
the Liahona, in Part, a Magnetic Compass?
(Part 1-C)
This installment
of the series exploring the nature of the Liahona delves into the
process of using the Liahona, and questions what were the markings
on the ball.
By
Alan C. Miner
Was
the Liahona, in part, a Magnetic Compass? (Part 1-B)
Today’s
installment explores the question of who made the ball and how it
came to be placed by the tent door.
By Alan C. Miner
Can
the Book of Mormon Support the Idea that the Liahona Contained a
Magnetic Needle? Part (1-A)
Anyone who has read the Book of Mormon has
doubtless wondered about the nature of the Liahona. In this series,
Book of Mormon scholar Alan C. Miner asks questions about this mysterious
"round ball" and proposes several possible answers.
By Alan C. Miner
Was
the Liahona, in Part, a Magnetic Compass? Introduction
Why is an ancient Chinese
admiral of myriad accomplishments unknown to us today? And what
does this say about the Liahona, which is a decidedly non-Chinese
component of history?
By Alan C. Miner
The
Challenge
If anyone ever doubts the source of the Book
of Mormon in your presence, you may want to issue this simple challenge.
By Alan C. Miner
Journey
of Faith
Deserves a View
A landmark DVD
and its companion book that detail Lehi's
travels offer a faith-strengthening sense
of the concrete reality —
the dirt and the rocks, the cliffs and the
steep ravines, the heat and the loneliness
—
of that small but epochal exodus undertaken
twenty-six centuries ago.
By Daniel C. Peterson Exploring
Bountiful in Arabia: Recent Travels
Why should we assume the
Lehi colony had to live in isolation and build and sail
their ship with no help, as some suppose, just because
the Book of Mormon does not mention other people —
even though there were ship builders not far up the coast,
who would have been sailing by seeing their project?
By Garth Norman
Chiastic
Structures in the Book of Mormon
How is it possible that the Book of Mormon is full of an ancient
Hebrew literary structure that was unknown in Joseph Smith's day
if he wrote it as critics have claimed?
By H. Clay Gorton
Golden
Plates on Display in Bulgaria
The world's oldest
multiple-page book —
in the lost Etruscan language —
has gone on display in Bulgaria's National History Museum in Sofia.
And something about that book has particular interest for Latter-day
Saints.
Nephi
a Ruler on Stela 5, Izapa
As early as 1958, Wells Jakeman identified
the figure he considered to be Nephi on a stela in Izapa, Mexico,
as wearing a symbol of grain (attached to the front of his headdress
atop a small head) that Jakeman believed verified the name of Nephi.
By Diane E. Wirth
The
Birthdate of Quetzalcoatl (Christ)
Research into the Olmec-Maya Long Count calendar
of Mesoamerica confirms that the birthdate of Christ was indeed
on April 6, as Latter-day Saints have long understood.
By Bruce W. Warren
Does
The Book of Mormon Solve A Christmas Mystery?
Mystery surrounds the story of the wise men
from the Christmas story. Could they have received their knowledge
from the Prophet Lehi, when Lehi and his family were on their way
to the Americas?
By George Potter
Nephite-Lamanite
Population Expansion
How could the population of the warrior Lamanites
exceed the population of the Nephites, who had more food because
they tilled the land?
By Alan C. Miner
Are
there Book of Mormon Links to Peru?
Like the people of Central America, the people
of Peru have a tradition of their ancestors' being visited by a
tall and bearded white god with long, flowing robes.
By
Ross Christensen
Is
the Book of Mormon a Mesoamerican Chronicle?
Like the the Popol Vuh, sacred book
of the Quiche Maya of Guatemala, the Book of Mormon could be recognized
as an authentic pre-Columbian record of the Mesoamerican peoples.
By V. Garth Norman
The
Learning of the Jews and the Language of the Egyptians
Scholars have long speculated what Nephi
meant when he said he was writing in "the language of the Egyptians."
Here are some theories.
By Alan C. Miner
Using
the Word “and” to Validate the Book of Mormon
Who would guess that such a little word as
"and" could be yet another proof that the Book of Mormon
came from Hebraic roots, and not from the mind of Joseph Smith.
By Alan C. Miner
Compass,
Coins, and other Miscellaneous
Book of Mormon Anachronisms Part 6
Critics have often scoffed at the Book of
Mormon because it contains alleged "anachronisms" that
suggest the book is a work of fiction. Today, members of the LDS
Church are having the last laugh.
By Michael R. Ash
A
Mesoamerican Place Name for Bountiful?
Could the state of Tabasco in Mexico be the
location of the city Bountiful in the Book of Mormon?
By V. Garth Norman
Fine Workmanship
in the Book of Mormon
A few instance
of true arches and isolated remnants of iron hint that Jarom's claims
of "fine workmanship" practiced by the Nephites were rooted in truth.
By Alan C. Miner
Christianity
in the Pre-Christian Book of Mormon
Book of Mormon Anachronisms Part 5
Most of the Book
of Mormon takes place prior to the coming of Christ, yet the Nephite
scripture includes what many believe are uniquely Christian doctrines
and terminology. Research shows several ways to resolve this seeming
discrepancy.
By Michael R. Ash
The
Book of Mormon; Book of the Restored Covenant
Does
our sacred scripture get its name from the prophet who compiled
it? Perhaps there is more to the name than we have heretofore supposed.
By Alan C. Miner
Book
of Mormon “Anachronisms” Part 4: Metals and Metallurgy
Critics used to claim that no records "were
ever engraved upon golden plates, or any other plates, in the early
ages.” Today we have hundreds of examples of ancient writings on
metal plates. The oldest example of Hebrew writing on metal is a
small engraved gold plate dating to approximately 1000 B.C.
By Michael R. Ash
Book
of Mormon “Anachronisms” Part 3: Warfare
In
addition to horses, elephants, wheat and silk, some critics have
claimed that Book of Mormon weaponry, warfare, and chariots are
anachronistic as well. Here is evidence showing that early New World
peoples were well acquainted with warfare.
By Michael R. Ash
Finding
Wheat, Barley, Linen and Silk in the Book of Mormon
Book of
Mormon “Anachronisms” Part 2: Flora and Textiles
Far from disproving the Book
of Mormon, recent research indicates that the mention of barley
in the book may do the opposite. In fact, barley may have originated
in the New World.
By Michael R. Ash
Hunting
for Elephants in the Book of Mormon
Book of
Mormon “Anachronisms” Part 1: Fauna, Animals
Book of Mormon critics say our sacred scripture
is riddled with anachronisms. But is it? In this article, Michael
Ash explains how elephants could have indeed roamed the American
continents in Book of Mormon times.
By Michael R. Ash
Cement
in Ancient America
The knowledge of this use of cement in Mesoamerica
has not been around for many decades. This story from President
Heber J. Grant illustrates just how preposterous the notion of cement
in Book of Mormon times used to be.
By Alan C. Miner
Finding
Nephi’s “Bountiful” in the Real World
When
the final history of this dispensation is written, how the Book
of Mormon began
to emerge from obscurity will be one of its most fascinating stories.
By Warren P. Aston
The
Book of Mormon, A Latter-day Corrective — #14
So
Many Treasures!
How often do we go to the Book of
Mormon to be taught new ways of thinking? Do we use the Book of
Mormon to make our points or to make His? Are we willing to be re-educated
by God?
By H. Wallace Goddard
The
Book of Mormon, A Latter-day Corrective — #13
His
Image in Our Countenances
The true test of discipleship
is not that we help our friends; It is offering compassion, encouragement,
and practical help to those who are damaged and undeserving. Compassion
gets purified when called upon to bless the disagreeable and unappreciative.
By H. Wallace Goddard
The Book
of Mormon, A Latter-day Corrective — #12
Portrait
of Evil
The Book of Mormon contains some of the greatest
insights into the Lord Jesus Christ and His atonement found anywhere
in sacred literature. It also teaches us about evil and its author.
It seems that God wants us to be readily able to discern between
good and evil.
By H. Wallace Goddard
The
Book of Mormon, A Latter-day Corrective
#11
Two Views of Conversion
Conversion might look quite different
from the outside from what it feels like on the inside. The Book
of Mormon blesses us with an extraordinary opportunity to study
both an inside and outside view of the same conversion.
By H. Wallace Goddard
The
Book of Mormon, A Latter-day Corrective
― #10:
Our
Records Are Vital for Our Well-Being
The Book of Mormon seems to send a
clear message: Failure to keep a record is a form of ingratitude.
It damages us and it puts our posterity at risk.
By H. Wallace Goddard
The
Book of Mormon, A Latter-day Corrective — #9:
Learning and Unlearning Hatred
Teaching hatred has always been the work
of the wicked. Notice the irony shown in the Book of Mormon: No
matter how wicked the enemy is, the righteous do not teach hatred.
By H. Wallace Goddard
The
Book of Mormon, A Latter-day Corrective — #8: Sizing
Up the Enemy
The best way to deal with Satan is
to be filled with God, but the Book of Mormon clearly wants us to
understand our enemy.
By H. Wallace Goddard
Horses
in the Book of Mormon
Evidence contends that there were horses in
the Americas in Book of Mormon times, just as the Book of Mormon
says there were.
By Alan C. Miner
The
Book of Mormon, A Latter-day Corrective — #7: The
Easiness of the Way
Do we work hard, suffer terribly,
and, in the end, fail to get to our hoped-for destination? That
is not the Book of Mormon attitude toward life.
By H. Wallace Goddard
The Book of Mormon, A
Latter-day Corrective — #6: Different Kinds of Self-Esteem
Having been taught from the beginning
that we must love ourselves before we can love anyone else, it may
seem to be eternal truth. This is one of Satan's greatest triumphs.
By H. Wallace Goddard
The Book of Mormon, A
Latter-day Corrective — #5: Are We Not All Beggars?
King Benjamin may be the prophet who
has most clearly related care for the poor to the atonement of Jesus
Christ. Our attitude toward the poor is a measure of our understanding
of the atonement.
By H. Wallace Goddard
The Book of Mormon, A
Latter-day Corrective — #4: The One R of Repentance
Repentance is often portrayed as morose
business. It is to be dreaded and avoided at all costs. It causes
embarrassment and hopelessness. This is a lie from Satan.
By H. Wallace Goddard
The
Book of Mormon, A Latter-day Corrective — #3: Laws of Survival
As we serve on church councils and auxiliaries
and on other types of teams, are we truly listening to
voice —
even
even those who have very different viewpoints and approaches from
ours?
By Barbara Keil, Guest
Author
Discovering
Nephi’s Harbor at Bountiful
Part
One: Khor Rori, a New Maritime Paradigm
There is a growing body of evidence that suggests
that the ancient frankincense port of Khor Rori possessed the unique
maritime resources needed by Nephi, as well as all the other attributes
mentioned in his record.
By George Potter & Richard Wellington
The Book of Mormon, A Latter-day Corrective — #2: Mighty Changes
I think that God intends
that we choose goodness and holiness thousands of times in a lifetime
and feel that sweet change thousands of times before we are finally
blessed with the final change.
By
H. Wallace Goddard
The Book of Mormon, a Latter-day Corrective
How often do we go to the Book of
Mormon to be taught new ways of thinking? Do we use the Book of
Mormon to make our points or to make His? Are we willing to be re-educated
by God?
By
H. Wallace Goddard
Review
of The Book Of Mormon: A Reader’s Edition
A word of warning: reading the Book
of Mormon all the way through in this edition may well spoil you
from reading it any other way.
Reviewed by Kevin L. Barney | 
