Resources

Reliable resources I use frequently

• True to the Faith. An alphabetical guide published by the Church about doctrines and principles of the gospel.

• Encyclopedia of Mormonism. A 4-volume encyclopedia of Church history, scripture, doctrine, and procedure, published in 1990 by Macmillan.

• Gospel Topics Essays. Articles prepared by Church scholars on complex and difficult historical and doctrinal issues.

• Revelations in Context. Prepared by Church historians, these essays provide background and context to the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants.

• The Joseph Smith Papers. This comprehensive collection of documents written by or for the Prophet Joseph Smith has replaced older historical sources, including the popular (but no longer accurate) Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the seven-volume History of the Church.

• Doctrine and Covenants sources. This page on the Joseph Smith Papers website contains links to manuscripts and early published sources for the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants.

• The Journal of Discourses. A 26-volume collection of sermons given by leaders of the Church during the early Utah period (1851–1886). (A transcribed version of the JoD text is available on the FAIR website.)

• The Improvement Era. As “the Voice of the Church” the Era was the Church’s official magazine from 1897 until 1970, after which it was superseded by the Ensign and, in 2021, the Liahona. Many important doctrinal and historical items were published in its pages.

• Webster’s 1828 English Dictionary. Noah Webster’s dictionary is invaluable for helping us understand the meaning of words used in the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith’s revelations.

• Gospel Topics, Essays, and Other Resources. Sources recommended by the Church’s Seminaries & Institutes Department to enhance gospel learning and help provide answers to doctrinal, historical, and social questions.