Ordained as an apostle in 1906, David O. McKay served as president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1951 until his death in 1970. Under his leadership, the church experienced unparalleled growth—nearly tripling in total membership—and becoming a significant presence throughout the world.The first book to draw upon the David O. McKay Papers at the J. Willard Marriott Library at the University of Utah, in addition to some two hundred interviews conducted by the...

This manual is a resource to help seminary teachers prepare lessons from the Doctrines and Covenants and Church history. It provides 160 lessons that contain teaching suggestions, doctrines and principles, and scripture mastery helps for daily seminary classes. It also contains 32 lessons for weekly home-study classes that correspond to the Doctrine and Covenants and Church History Study Guide for Home-Study Seminary Students.

Our earliest scripture tells the story of those who thought they could build a structure high enough to get to heaven, and of the consequences of that mistaken belief. In contrast, the prophet Jacob dreamed of a ladder sent down from heaven by God, with rungs—steps—that we could ascend to return to Him. In The Way Back to Heaven: The Parable of the Crystal Stairs, award-winning author S. Michael Wilcox helps us discern the “stairs of man” from the “stairs of God.” Using the metaphor...

Has the real meaning of Christmas become lost? How do you bring the true meaning of the holiday back to the season?In an era when Christmas has become little more than a frenzy of exhausting and expensive consumerism, many Christians are searching for a way to reclaim the deeper meaning of the celebration for their children and family. New York Times best-selling author W. Cleon Skousen’s The Real Story of Christmas reconnects the reader with what Christmas is supposed to be: peace...

This portrait of Bruce R. McConkie is painted on the canvas of faith in colors as bold as the sermons he preached. In the pages of this biography, written by Elder McConkie's son Joseph, the reader is invited to become acquainted with the man as he was known to his family and closest friends. The book captures something of his humor, the depth of his faith, his love of life and of his dear Amelia, his devotion to the gospel, his discipline, the extent of his suffering, and his endless efforts...

President Monson recounts his feelings, experiences, conversations, and meetings, presenting his journal entries that highlight Germany and its people in entries dating from July 12, 1968, to August 27, 1995. President Monson describes everything from early obstacles that were overcome through faith to blessings such as the dedication of the Freiberg Temple in East Germany in June 1985.

We all know that actions speak louder than words. We may say "I love you," but do our actions back up that claim? Elder Lynn G. Robbins teaches us that love is more than a feeling—it is a commitment, a promise to be responsible, respectful, and responsive to the needs and experiences of other. And like any other action we undertake, perfecting the act of love requires a lifetime of practice and good choices.As Elder Robbins teaches, the daily choices we make in our marriages and fa...

Anciently, the prophet Daniel prophesied that in the latter days the gospel would roll forth like a stone and would become a great mountain, filling the whole earth. Today, that prophecy is being fulfilled as missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are taking the gospel to the islands and nations of the world. One of the most significant signs of this great international effort is the calling of General Authorities from many nations from Europe, Asia, Australia,...

In this issue of BYU Studies, you'll find a variety of articles, essays, poetry, and reviews related to Latter-day Saint history and culture.First, Edward L. Kimball presents a marvelous account of the 1978 revelation granting the priesthood to worthy men of all races. Beginning with a brief history of the priesthood ban, the article then traces President Spencer W. Kimball's personal support of the Church's longtime position until, at the death of President Harold B. Lee, it sudde...

The Journal of Discourses is a compilation of sermons and other materials from the early years of the Church, which were transcribed and then published. It included some doctrinal instruction but also practical teaching, some of which is speculative in nature and some of which is only of historical interest.

Few books in recent years have enjoyed the popularity of Dan Brown's novel, The Da Vinci Code. Set amid the museums and cathedrals of Europe, the book purports to identify the Holy Grail and describes mysterious rituals and secret religious beliefs that have been kept hidden from the world by an ancient conspiracy. The most sensational claim made in the book is that Jesus was married and that his bloodline has been perpetuated in a princely line of unidentified descendents. That premise ha...

Too often readers approach the Book of Mormon simply as a collection of quotations, an inspired anthology to be scanned quickly and routinely recited. In Beholding the Tree of Life Bradley J. Kramer encourages his readers to slow down, to step back, and to contemplate the literary qualities of the Book of Mormon using interpretive techniques developed by Talmudic and post-Talmudic rabbis. Specifically, Kramer shows how to read the Book of Mormon closely, in levels, paying attentio...