Trevor Holyoak

Book Review: The Joseph Smith Papers: Documents Volume 4, April 1834 – September 1835

July 3, 2016 by Trevor Holyoak

Available from the FairMormon bookstore at 20% off

This is the fourth in a projected twelve volumes in the Documents series of the Joseph Smith Papers. The Documents series is the core of the JSP project, containing documents that Joseph Smith was personally involved in producing in chronological order. The documents in the book are also available online, but the annotations and introductions – which are very valuable in understanding the documents – are not put online until 18 months after each volume is published.

The main events covered in this volume are Zion’s Camp; the publication of the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants; financial difficulties (particularly those related to publishing and the building of the Kirtland Temple); the formation and operation of the Kirtland high council; the call of Joseph Smith, Sr., to patriarch, and the calling of 12 apostles; and the beginning of the writing of the early history of the church.

The main body of the book consists of documents directly involving Joseph Smith, and then there are a series of appendices with documents for which Joseph Smith’s involvement is questionable. Such documents include the first Lecture on Faith, “Letter to the Saints Scattered Abroad”, “Statement on Marriage”, “Declaration on Government and Law”, and patriarchal blessings given to Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith, Hyrum Smith, Samuel Smith, and William Smith. [Read more…] about Book Review: The Joseph Smith Papers: Documents Volume 4, April 1834 – September 1835

Book Review: Approaching Antiquity: Joseph Smith and the Ancient World

May 22, 2016 by Trevor Holyoak

Available from the FairMormon Bookstore at 15% off

This book is from the 2013 BYU Church History Symposium, held March 7–8, 2013. The Church History Symposium is a nearly annual (there apparently wasn’t one held in 2015) event that draws speakers from places such as Brigham Young University, other universities, the LDS Church History Department, and often LDS general authorities as well. The book contains many of the papers that were presented, but unfortunately there are a few missing, such as Steven C. Harper’s presentation on masonry. However, that and most of the other papers that were given (including all but one that is in the book) are available to view here, although the video presentations are generally abbreviated versions of what is in the book.

The conference spanned two days. The first day was held at BYU and the second was at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. I was only able to attend the first day, which is one of the reasons I was interested in this book. The keynote address was given by Richard L. Bushman, and it was very crowded, which left many of us without seats until after he was done (apparently there were many students that had come just to hear Bushman).

The preface of the book states that the theme for the conference came out of a professional development training trip taken by new faculty from the BYU departments of Ancient Scripture and Church History and Doctrine to church history sites in Palmyra, Kirtland, and Nauvoo. As they visited these sites, they “were impressed as the extraordinary range of Joseph’s encounters with antiquity became increasingly apparent” (page xiii) and “deeper reflection upon these issues convinced us that there was an important, dynamic, and under-explored relationship between Joseph Smith’s personal interactions with ancient material and many of his unfolding revelations” (page xiv). [Read more…] about Book Review: Approaching Antiquity: Joseph Smith and the Ancient World

Book Review: The First Fifty Years of Relief Society: Key Documents in Latter-day Saint Women’s History

May 18, 2016 by Trevor Holyoak

This is the first publication from The Church Historian’s Press other than the Joseph Smith Papers. It is a collection of documents brought together for the first time that cover the first fifty years of the Relief Society, starting in Nauvoo, restarting in Utah, and then spreading throughout LDS settlements as far away as Canada. The book format and production procedures (transcription, verification, etc.) are very similar to how the Joseph Smith Papers are being done, and at least some of the staff (including editor Matthew J. Grow) are involved in both. And as with the JSP project, much of the book is available for free online. It is accessible at https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/the-first-fifty-years-of-relief-society

The book contains a general table of contents, then a Detailed Contents listing each document, followed by a list of illustrations, a general introduction, and a description of the editorial method. The main section is split into four parts, covering the time periods of 1830 and 1942 to 1845, then 1854 to 1866, 1867 to 1879, and finally 1880 to 1892. The end matter contains reference material including lists of the different Relief Society, Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement Association, and Primary Association presidencies from 1842 to 1892, a biographical directory, works cited, acknowledgments, and then a pretty thorough index spanning 50 pages.

The main feature of this book is the Nauvoo Relief Society Minute Book, which was kept by Eliza R. Snow and then brought to Utah by her, where it was used in getting the Relief Society going again. This is the first time it has appeared in print, although it was included in the Selected Collections DVD set published in 2002, and more recently has been included in the online documents for the JSP project. Among other things, it has the only sermons given by Joseph Smith to the women of the church.

In one of these sermons, on April 28, 1842, Joseph Smith addressed speaking in tongues and administering to the sick: [Read more…] about Book Review: The First Fifty Years of Relief Society: Key Documents in Latter-day Saint Women’s History

Additional Witnesses of the Coming Forth and Content of the Book of Mormon

April 15, 2016 by Trevor Holyoak

[Cross posted from Truth Will Prevail.]

By Dennis B. Horne

As Joseph Smith was dictating the translation of the Book of Mormon to Oliver Cowdery, they learned that the gold plates were to “be hid from the eyes of the world” in general. plates Nevertheless “three witnesses” would be enabled to view the book or plates “by the power of God” in addition to Joseph—“him to whom the book shall be delivered.” These three witnesses would then “testify to the truth of the book and the things therein” (2 Nephi 27:12; see also Ether 5:2-4 and D&C 5:11, 15).

It is well known that Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris were granted the privilege of becoming these three designated special witnesses (see D&C 17, including section intoduction). Their signed statement of solemn testimony has been printed with each edition of the Book of Mormon.

Further, the prophecies of the Book of Mormon indicated that “none other[s]” would be able to view it, “save it be a few according to the will of God,” and that the purpose of these others would be “to bear testimony of his word unto the children of men”—the world. This would allow the prophets and saints of the Book of Mormon to “speak as if it were from the dead” (2 Nephi 27:23).

These “few” others are generally thought of as the “eight witnesses,” and include members of the Whitmer and Smith families that helped Joseph by providing board and room and financial assistance.[1] The testimony of these eight, who saw, hefted, and closely examined the gold plates, is also printed in the Book of Mormon: “[Joseph Smith] has shown unto us the plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated we did handle with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work.” And, “we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken.”
[Read more…] about Additional Witnesses of the Coming Forth and Content of the Book of Mormon

Book Review: “The Joseph Smith Papers: Journals: Volume 3: May 1843 – June 1844”

January 24, 2016 by Trevor Holyoak

In 1992, the second volume of Dean C. Jesse’s “The Papers of Joseph Smith” was published, containing the journal entries of 1832-1842. Many of us waited for years for the third volume, which would cover the remainder of Joseph’s life, before finally finding out that Jesse’s work was being expanded into the Joseph Smith Papers Project. Finally, with the recent release of volume 3 of the Journals series, the journals have all been published.

The volume begins with a timeline of Joseph Smith’s life, maps, an introduction that outlines the events of the last year of a very busy life, and the usual explanation of the editorial method being used for the Joseph Smith Papers Project. It then contains the text of the journals followed by three appendixes which are relevant excerpts from journals kept by Willard Richards and William Clayton detailing Joseph Smith’s activities during this time period. There is also a section of reference materials containing things like a chronology, pedigree chart, glossary, and organizational charts of the church and Nauvoo. There is a full index of all three volumes in the Journals series. (Previous volumes didn’t contain an index due to this planned combined index, but individual indexes can be found online and were provided in print on request.) There are also photos scattered throughout of things like the actual journals, the Kinderhook plates, the first issue of the Nuavoo Neighbor, a list of marriages and sealings that was added at the end of one of the journals later, and the guns in the possession of Joseph and Hyrum Smith at Carthage Jail.

Book Review: “The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon: A Marvelous Work and a Wonder”

January 19, 2016 by Trevor Holyoak

This book contains the papers from the 44th Annual Brigham Young University Sidney B. Sperry Symposium, held in October, 2015. The Sperry Symposium is held annually, and draws most of its speakers from the Church Educational System. Each year’s theme is usually based on the book of scripture that will be studied by LDS adults in the coming year, and this volume fits right in with this year’s Gospel Doctrine study of the Book of Mormon.

The first paper in the book is by Elder Merrill J. Bateman. He gave the keynote speech on “The Coming Forth of Plain and Precious Truths.” He describes many aspects of the gospel that may be only vaguely mentioned in the Bible, but for which we learn much more from the Book of Mormon. Some examples are the plan of salvation, the premortal life, the fall of Adam, the atonement and resurrection, and specific doctrines taught by Christ.

FairMormon TV now available for Android TV and Roku

January 21, 2015 by Trevor Holyoak

FairMormon TV is now available on Google Play for Android TV. Watch videos produced by FairMormon and listen to the FairMormon Radio audio stream. (The views expressed are not necessarily those of FairMormon or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)

If you have a Roku box, we are waiting for approval to have it added to the channel store, but it is still available as a private channel.

And if you have an Amazon Fire TV, the app is nearly finished for that as well. Click here to sign up to be a beta tester.

Book Review: A Refuge from the Storm: The Priesthood, the Family, the Church

October 28, 2014 by Trevor Holyoak

Title: A Refuge from the Storm: The Priesthood, the Family, the Church
Author: Boyd K. Packer
Publisher: Deseret Book Company
Genre: Nonfiction
Year Published: 2014
Number of Pages: 224
Binding: Hardcover and Deseret Bookshelf eBook
ISBN13: 978-1609079833
Price: $25.99

Reviewed by Trevor Holyoak

Boyd K. Packer is, of course, the president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As a general authority in the church for over 50 years, he has given many talks on the priesthood, the family, and the Church. This book is a collection of 24 of them. Many of the talks are from General Conference, but there are also some from other meetings, such as Worldwide Leadership Training, firesides, BYU Women’s Conference, and a seminar for new mission presidents. While most of the talks are available online, there are a few that are not readily available outside this book.

I was initially a little disappointed to find that this was a collection of talks and not something newly written (other than perhaps the introduction) like many other books by general authorities. But as I began to look through it, I realized that the talks (even those given decades ago) apply more to the situation the world is in today than they did when they were given. They were prophetic.

The book begins by explaining its purpose: “The gospel of Jesus Christ enables individuals to become exalted by being part of eternal families. The gospel contains the purpose, the doctrine, and the plan. The priesthood is the power and the authority. The Church has the means and the organization. The exalted, eternal family is the end of the gospel plan. In this book, we will discuss those three interconnected elements of the gospel: the priesthood, the family, and the Church” (pages ix-x). The remainder of the book is divided into three parts along those elements, with the repeating underlying message that “The ultimate end of all activity in the Church is that a man and his wife and their children might be happy at home, protected by the principles and laws of the gospel, sealed safely in the covenants of the everlasting priesthood” (page 25).

I will give an example from each section, and let the book speak for itself. In 1992, he gave some instruction that is particularly relevant today regarding the priesthood: “There are some things about the priesthood that every elder should know if he is to understand how the Church is governed to have things right before the Lord. There are principles and precepts and rules which are often overlooked and seldom taught. Some of these principles are found in the scriptures, others in the handbooks. Some of them are not found in either. They are found in the Church. You might call them traditions, but they are more than that. They are revelations which came when the Brethren of the past assembled themselves, agreed upon His word, and offered their prayers of faith. The Lord then showed them what to do. They received by revelation…These are things we do to have things right before the Lord” (pages 3-4).

He said this about The Proclamation on the Family in a Worldwide Leadership Training Broadcast in 2008: “A proclamation in the Church is a significant, major announcement. Very few of them have been issued from the beginning of the Church. They are significant; they are revelatory…It is scripturelike in its power. When you wonder why we are the way we are and why we do the things we do and why we will not do some of the things that we will not do, you can find the authority for that in this proclamation on the family. There are times when we are accused of being intolerant because we won’t accept and do the things that are supposed to be the norm in society. Well, the things we won’t do, we won’t do. And the things we won’t do, we can’t do, because the standard we follow is given of Him. As we examine this proclamation more closely, see if you don’t see in it the issues that are foremost in society, in politics, in government, in religion now that are causing the most concern and difficulty. You’ll find answers there – and they are the answers of the Church” (page 87).

In General Conference, October, 2006, he explained part of the role of the Church: “The principles of the gospel life we follow are based on doctrine, and the standards accord with the principles. We are bound to the standards by covenant, as administered through the ordinances of the gospel by those who have received priesthood and the keys of authority. Those faithful Brethren were not free, and we are not free, to alter the standards or to ignore them. We must live by them…If we are doing the best we can, we should not become discouraged. When we fall short, as we do, or stumble, which we might, there is always the remedy of repentance and forgiveness…Some suppose that our high standards will repel growth. It is just the opposite. High standards are a magnet. We are all children of God, drawn to the truth and to good…Those who come out of the world into the Church, keep the commandments, honor the priesthood, and enter into activity have found the refuge” (pages 150-153).

As I read this book, my testimony of Boyd K. Packer as a prophet, seer, and revelator has grown, as has my conviction that this is God’s church, and my understanding of the things I need to improve on as a priesthood holder, husband, and father. I highly recommend it to anyone that seeks a better understanding of their place within God’s plan and wishes to find their “refuge from the storm.”

“This is a Woman’s Church”

August 9, 2014 by Trevor Holyoak

Sharon Eubank’s presentation, given on August 8 at the 2014 FairMormon Conference, received the rare honor of a standing ovation. The transcript can be viewed here.

You can purchase access to the rest of the conference videos at the FairMormon Bookstore.

Sharon Eubank was born in Redding, California, to Mark and Jean Eubank. She received a bachelor’s degree in English from Brigham Young University and served as a full-time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Finland Helsinki mission. Her career includes working as a legislative aide in the U.S. Senate for 4 years and owning a retail education store in Provo, Utah, for 7 years.

Since 1998, she has been employed by the Church in the Welfare Department. She helped to establish 17 international LDS employment offices Africa and Europe. For five years she directed the humanitarian wheelchair program expanding its scope to 50,000 individual donations each year and implementing World Health Organization training standards.

In 2008 Sharon became regional director of the LDS Charities for the Middle East Africa North area where she oversaw humanitarian work with active country offices in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Jordan, and Morocco. She also served on the Relief Society general board during Sister Julie B. Beck’s administration until April 2012.

Currently, Sharon is the director of LDS Charities, the humanitarian organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Book Review: Mormon’s Codex: An Ancient American Book

April 6, 2014 by Trevor Holyoak

Title: Mormon’s Codex: An Ancient American Book
Author: John L. Sorenson
Publisher: Deseret Book
Genre: Nonfiction
Year Published: 2013
Number of Pages: 826 pages
Binding: Hardcover
ISBN13: 978-1609073992
List Price: $59.99 (currently available from FairMormon bookstore for $50.99)

Reviewed by Trevor Holyoak

John L. Sorenson has been studying the relationship of the Book of Mormon to Mesoamerica for over 60 years. He received an MA in archaeology from BYU and a PhD in anthropology from UCLA. His best known book prior to this was “An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon,” published in 1985.

“Mormon’s Codex” is the culmination of his studies. It begins with a Foreword by Terryl Givens and then has three main sections followed by an appendix. At the center of the book are colorful maps and photographs of places and artifacts. There are also black and white photos interspersed throughout the text.

Part 1 is called “Orientation.” It introduces the Book of Mormon and its orgins and tells us about problems with archaeology. One way archaeologists have been able to base the Bible in reality is through finding convergences where the text agrees with archaeological findings. This book investigates the same type of convergences between the Book of Mormon and Mesoamerica. This is not easy, because “only a fraction of the material that was left behind by ancient peoples has been preserved and is waiting to be found” (page 11). There is also the problem that only a fraction of what has been discovered has been excavated, and only a fraction of the items found have been studied and published. In spite of this, there is a tendency among archaeologists to “speak as if their data were complete and their inferences were facts” (page 12).

Sorenson lists key places from the Book of Mormon text and then places them on the map. He has found that a limited Mesoamerican geography is the best fit, specifically around Guatemala. He has gone as far as to identify plausible locations for many places, such as the narrow neck of land, the east and west seas, the river Sidon, the city of Nephi, and the final Nephite and Jaredite battleground (this is the only Jaredite place that he is very certain about). He concludes that the text of the Book of Mormon fits this area so well that it only could have been produced by people living in that place and time.

The histories of the Jaredites and Nephites are laid out, followed by a parallel history of Mesoamerica. It is also pointed out that there is a limited amount of history to go on from the Book of Mormon (three centuries are covered in a mere four pages, for instance).

Part 2 covers “Correspondences by Topic.” It first lays out geographical correspondences, such as distances and characteristics of the land. This is where a possible site for Jerusalem is first mentioned, a submerged city called Samabaj that was discovered recently in Lake Atitlan.

Evidence for transoceanic voyages is laid out, with a list of some of the plants that have been found in both hemispheres. This is followed by a similar list of diseases, as well as a discussion of languages, records, and writing systems. Also covered are human biology, political economy, society, population and distribution, material culture, government and political processes, warfare, knowledge systems, and ideology and religion.

Part 3 has “Correspondences from Archaeology and History.” I found this part to be the most interesting. It is split up into four time periods: before 600 BC, between 600 and 1 BC, between AD 1 and 200, and between AD 200 and 400. One of the things discussed is the apparent absence of fortifications, since they are a common part of the war chapters. There have actually been more found than is commonly recognized. Sorenson has tabulated 75 named sites that date before AD 400. (It hasn’t been published because the project kept expanding.) He tells how it took generations of work at Tikal before they realized an embankment was actually a wall. It took over 30 years to trace the miles of wall found, and it may not yet be fully revealed.

A possible location for Bountiful has been identified, based on geography, but it has not yet been studied, so Sorenson still considers such correspondence to be premature. However, Santa Rosa is a good candidate for Zarahemla, all the way down to evidence of destruction from the right time period preceding Christ’s visit in 3rd Nephi. In fact, corresponding evidence such as volcanic ash has been found in the same time period in many places in the area. This also includes the city of Jerusalem being covered with water as mentioned previously. In addition, there is evidence of significant cultural and religious
upheaval at that time which corresponds with the Book of Mormon text.

Sorenson explains how the codex (the plates) may have been transported to New York from Mesoamerica by relating the story of English sailors who trekked 3,000 miles from Mexico to Nova Scotia in 1589 over a period of nine months. And near the end of the 20th century, an adventurer named David Ingram walked 4,000 miles from Maine to Tampico in 11 months.

In the appendix, Sorenson explains how he has modified his views of the Jaredites since the publication of “An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon.” He now sets them in Veracruz, with the three main lands in Jalapa, Cordoba, and Tuxtepec. And he has changed his mind to an Atlantic Ocean crossing instead of the North Pacific. However, he notes that all this still remains tentative.

I would have preferred if the book were laid out a bit differently – he tends to explain Book of Mormon history and Mesoamerican history separately and then gives a summary conclusion. He explains that “to recapitulate detailed parallels would be tedious; an alert reader can identify further general and specific correspondences” (page 665). While this may be the case, I believe it would better suit the purpose of the book to combine the parallel information, pointing out correspondences in more detail as it goes. On the other hand, I appreciate that in places where the evidence is weak or still lacking, he is quick to point it out.

This book is a treasure trove of information about New World archaeology and how it may relate to the Book of Mormon. It probably won’t convince critics (although it will be harder for them to say there is no evidence), but as a believer in the Book of Mormon as scripture and as real history, it helped me better visualize the events and people it contains. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in physical evidence for the Book of Mormon and placing it on the map.