Mormon Interpreter Foundation

Part of our book chapter reprint series, this article originally appeared in The Temple: Plates, Patterns, & Patriarchs, edited by Stephen D. Ricks and Jeffrey M. Bradshaw. For more information, go to https://interpreterfoundation.org/books/the-temple-plates-patterns-patriarchs/. For video and audio recording of this conference talk, go to https://interpreterfoundation.org/conferences/2022-temple-on-mount-zion-conference/videos/zinner/. “As Alexandra Grund documents, the typical ancient Near Eastern creation […]

Part 1  ⎜ Part 2  ⎜ Part 3  ⎜ Part 4  ⎜ Part 5  ⎜ Part 6  ⎜ Part 7  ⎜ Part 8  ⎜ Part 9  ⎜ Part 10  ⎜ Part 11  ⎜ Part 12  ⎜ Part 13 As part of the Gospel Topics essay in Book of Mormon geography, it is declared: The Book of Mormon includes a history of an ancient people who migrated from the Near East to the Americas. This history contains information about the places they lived, including descriptions of landforms, natural features, and the distances and cardinal […]

During 1978, 1979, and 1980, Hugh Nibley taught a Doctrine and Covenants Sunday School class. Cassette recordings were made of these classes and some have survived and were digitized by Steve Whitlock and recently enhanced by Nick Galieti. Most of the tapes were in pretty bad condition. The original recordings usually don’t stop or start […]

  In the April 6th Come, Follow Me segment of the Interpreter Radio Show, our hosts Bruce Webster, Brent Schmidt, and Hales Swift discuss the Come, Follow Me Doctrine & Covenants lesson for April 28 to May 4, covering D&C 41-44. You can listen to or download the Doctrine & Covenants in Context segment of […]

D&C 41 Preparation to Live “the Law” In obedience to the call to gather in Ohio (see D&C 37) Joseph Smith and his family have now moved to Kirtland, along with other members of the Church. Section 41 is the first of forty-six sections that Joseph received in Ohio. In verses 3-5 the Lord again […]

  In the April 13, 2025 episode of The Interpreter Radio Show, our hosts are Terry Hutchinson, Mark Johnson, and Kevin Christensen, with special guest Ignacio Garcia during the second hour. They discuss the Come, Follow Me Doctrine & Covenants lesson for May 5-11 covering D&C 45, the book by Ignacio Garcia about Eduardo Balderas, […]

Abstract: Using the context of Easter, this personal essay explores perceptions of God’s presence and absence during human suffering. There is a theological thread that ties Christ’s suffering for our griefs and sorrows during his Atonement directly to his ability to succor us as we enter into despair due to our own trauma. Our suffering […]

Part of our book chapter reprint series, this article originally appeared in The Temple: Plates, Patterns, & Patriarchs, edited by Stephen D. Ricks and Jeffrey M. Bradshaw. For more information, go to https://interpreterfoundation.org/books/the-temple-plates-patterns-patriarchs/. For video and audio recording of this conference talk, go to https://interpreterfoundation.org/conferences/2022-temple-on-mount-zion-conference/videos/smoot/. “The hermeneutical tradition of members of The Church of Jesus […]

Part 1  ⎜ Part 2  ⎜ Part 3  ⎜ Part 4  ⎜ Part 5  ⎜ Part 6  ⎜ Part 7  ⎜ Part 8  ⎜ Part 9  ⎜ Part 10  ⎜ Part 11  ⎜ Part 12  ⎜ Part 13 This post begins a series of blog posts in which I will compare two proposed locations for the Book of Mormon. An important caveat is that I have published on the Mesoamerican model and prefer it. Having stated that I do begin with bias, I will nevertheless attempt to deal with evidence more than […]

Wilford Woodruff wrote in his journal this small note for 22 July 1866. I…attended meeting at the Tabernacle Bowery…[in the] Afternoon Elder Hollings in English + German told how he was Brought into the Church He was a Episcopalien Minister + was commanded of the Lord to go to Brigham Young to know what to […]

D&C 37-38 To Gather and to Receive His Law In a footnote to his October 2020 general conference talk, “Let God Prevail,” President Russell M. Nelson revealed that in the more than 800 talks he has given since being ordained an apostle in April 1984, he has spoken of “Israel” in at least 378 of […]

  In the April 6, 2025 episode of The Interpreter Radio Show, our hosts are Bruce Webster, Brent Schmidt, and Hales Swift. They discuss the Come, Follow Me Doctrine & Covenants lesson for April 28 to May 4, covering D&C 41-44, General Conference, and AI. You can listen to or download the April 6th broadcast […]

This post is a summary of the article “Spiritual Implications of the Timing of the Death of Jesus Christ” by C. Thomas Black in Volume 64 of Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship. All of the Interpreting Interpreter articles may be seen at https://interpreterfoundation.org/category/summaries/. An introduction to the Interpreting Interpreter series is […]

Abstract: Centuries-long speculation continues regarding the circumstances surrounding the death of the Savior. Whether he died sooner than would have been expected, as some scholars believe, or lived longer than expected, statements from the scriptures and modern-day prophets indicate that the Lord died at the exact moment of his choice. According to the Gospels and […]

Part of our book chapter reprint series, this article originally appeared in The Temple: Plates, Patterns, & Patriarchs, edited by Stephen D. Ricks and Jeffrey M. Bradshaw. For more information, go to https://interpreterfoundation.org/books/the-temple-plates-patterns-patriarchs/. For video and audio recording of this conference talk, go to https://interpreterfoundation.org/conferences/2022-temple-on-mount-zion-conference/videos/plant/. “Genesis 24:65 and 38:14 include the recorded actions of Rebekah […]

D&C 29:5; 38:7; 76:14, 20, 23; 110:2-4 He Lives Through all eternity, two of the greatest announcements ever made are “It is finished” and “He is Risen” (John 19:30; Matthew 28:6). In those few words it is declared that Jesus Christ had fully completed the Atonement for all mankind, and that He had come back from death […]