November 2019

1 and 2 Peter: “Rejoice with Joy Unspeakable and Full of Glory”

Jacob's Dream by William Blake, 1805. Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Submitted by Stephen Smoot on November 26, 2019.

The epistles of 1 and 2 Peter may be comparatively short, but they are significant for Latter-day Saints in that they anchor some of the more unique Restoration teachings to the New Testament. For instance, President Joseph F. Smith’s vision of Jesus Christ preaching his gospel to the dead was prompted, in part, by his reading of 1 Peter 3:18–20 and 1 Peter 4:6 . 1 Peter 3:18–20 1 Peter 4:6 For...

Stephen Houston Talks about LiDAR, Maya Warfare at Inaugural John L. Sorenson Lecture

Lecture honoring John L. Sorenson, featuring Professor Stephen D. Housten.

Submitted by Neal Rappleye on November 20, 2019.

On October 28, 2019, Dr. Stephen Houston, one of the leading Maya archaeologists in the world, currently the Dupee Family Professor of Social Sciences at Brown University, gave the inaugural John L. Sorenson Lecture, sponsored by the BYU Department of Anthropology and Book of Mormon Central. Houston’s presentation, entitled, “Recovering a Lost World: The LiDAR Revolution and Ancient Maya Warfare...

James Treasured the Words of the Lord, His Brother

Apostle James the Greater by Antonio Veneziano, ca. 1384. Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Submitted by David Larsen on November 19, 2019.

As readers study the Epistle of James in the New Testament, they may be surprised to learn that James, often called the “Just” and the First Bishop of Jerusalem, references Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount no less than twelve times in his letter. 1 It may not seem so surprising when they consider the fact that this James is understood to be Jesus’s half-brother ( Matthew 13:55 ; Galatians 1:19 ) and...

How the Dead Sea Scrolls Shed Light on Similarities Between Hebrews and the Book of Mormon

Part of Dead Sea Scroll number 28a (1Q28a) from Qumran Cave 1. Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Submitted by Jonathon Riley on November 12, 2019.

For people who know and love the Book of Mormon, parts of the book of Hebrews in the New Testament may seem vaguely familiar. One such passage is found in Hebrews 11:1–34 , which gives a list of many people in the Old Testament and all that they were able to do “by faith” while affirming that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” This is similar to Ether...

Jesus Sanctifies and Redeems His Own

Agony in the Garden by Franz Schwartz, 1898, via Wikimedia Commons.

Submitted by Matt Roper on November 5, 2019.

The writer of Hebrews taught how Jesus Christ, the Son of God, by whom the Father created the worlds, and spoke to the ancient prophets, became subject to mortality in order to redeem, sanctify, and glorify those who will receive Him. He suffered, died, and was “crowned with glory and honor” in order to bring “many sons unto glory” ( Hebrews 2:10 ). He was willing to do this because we all share...

Second Knowing Why Book Now Available

Knowing Why Part One and Knowing Why Part Two. Image by Book of Mormon Central.

Submitted by Scripture Central on November 1, 2019.

Book of Mormon Central’s second book, Knowing Why: 127 MORE Evidences that the Book of Mormon Is True is now available in stores and online at Deseret Book , Seagull Book , Amazon.com , and the BYU Store . The original Knowing Why book was a compilation of our popular KnoWhys providing insights into the first half of the Book of Mormon—from 1 Nephi to Alma 29. This second...