Doctrine and Covenants

Week 7: Emma Hale Smith; the sacrament; authority in the Church

Notes and slides will be posted after the class has been held.

Download PowerPoint slides with animation

Digital photographs of Emma Smith’s 1835 hymnbook, available online at the Joseph Smith Papers website.
In early 1879, Emma was interviewed by her son, Joseph Smith III, who asked her questions about the Prophet Joseph, the translation of the Book of Mormon, and other events in the restoration of the gospel. Her responses were published as “Last Testimony of Sister Emma,” The Saints’ Herald 26, no. 19 (1 October 1879): 289–90. Although Emma denied that the Prophet Joseph ever practiced plural marriage (which he, in fact, did), her eyewitness testimony is otherwise invaluable and inspiring.
Background on Emma’s second husband, Lewis Bidamon, may be found in Valeen Tippetts Avery and Linda King Newell, “Lewis C. Bidamon, Stepchild of Mormondom,” BYU Studies 19, no. 3 (Spring 1979): 375–88.
A biography of Julia Murdock Smith, adopted daughter of Joseph and Emma, including images from a photo album Julie kept.