Book of Mormon Archives | FAIR

Seeing Through Anguish of Spirit by Autumn Dickson In our last post, we talked about how Moses turned to the Lord in despair. He had done what the Lord asked and The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Exodus 1–6 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

On Behalf of Ten by Autumn Dickson The Old Testament is chock full of stories. One of the stories this week is about Sodom and Gomorrah. They were an incredibly wicked city, and the Lord destroyed them. Before the Lord does so, He talks to Abraham about it. Abraham has a whole conversation with the […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Genesis 18–23 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Was the Flood an Act of Mercy? by Autumn Dickson Noah’s ark is one of the most classic bible stories. Even when you’re not Christian, many people are aware of the story and what it means. I read these verses in the last post for this week, and I’m going to read them again with […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Genesis 6–11; Moses 8 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Not Meant to Be Alone by Autumn Dickson The world is so confused. The more I learn about the gospel and the more I observe the world, the more I’m amazed at how lost the world is. The world is constantly seeking happiness, but it still seems so elusive. I testify that there is joy […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Genesis 1–2; Moses 2–3; Abraham 4–5 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

When Things Feel Unfair, Remember This About Christ’s Atonement by Autumn Dickson In the past, I have shied away from talking about the Official Declarations, not because I don’t believe what’s in them, but because I feel that there are an immense number of people who can speak on those subjects with more knowledge, wisdom, […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – The Articles of Faith and Official Declarations 1 and 2 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Joseph Smith’s Vision of the Celestial Kingdom; Joseph F. Smith’s Vision of the Spirit World (D&C 137–138) by Mike Parker (Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 137–138 – Mike Parker appeared first on FAIR.

Leaving Babylon, Building Zion by Autumn Dickson At one point in time, the call to gather Zion was a physical one. The Lord commanded those who were getting baptized to come and gather with the rest of the Saints. That commandment changed to a spiritual one as the needs of the Saints likewise changed. It […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 133–134 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Eternal marriage & plural marriage (D&C 132; Official Declaration 1) by Mike Parker (Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, so […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 132 – Mike Parker appeared first on FAIR.

Choosing Faith Through Failure: God’s Timetable for Zion by Autumn Dickson Because of an extermination order, the Saints were driven out of Missouri and into Nauvoo. In Doctrine and Covenants 124, the Lord excuses His people from building the temple in Missouri after they had been driven out. Doctrine and Covenants 124:49 Verily, verily, I […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 124 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

“Controversies in Joseph Smith’s Polygamy: New Evidences and New Observations Indicate Fawn Brodie Should Have Done More Research” by Brian C. Hales at the 2010 FAIR Conference Why did Joseph Smith practice plural marriage? There are three different places we could go for answers. We can go to the naturalists—like Fawn Brodie—and the cynics, which are […] The post Classic FAIR – Why Did Joseph Smith Practice Polygamy? – Brian Hales, 2010 appeared first on FAIR.

The “Mormon War” of 1838; Joseph Smith’s letter from Liberty Jail by Mike Parker (Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 121–123 – Mike Parker appeared first on FAIR.

When You Covet What You Have by Autumn Dickson The Saints began to flee Kirtland in January 1838 because of religious persecution and mounting debts. A majority of them went to Far West, Missouri. When July came around, Newel K. Whitney and William Marks were still in Kirtland. They had originally been left behind to […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 115–120 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Prevail Against Mine Enemies by Autumn Dickson The Saints were driven from their homes and living as refugees in Clay County, Missouri. Joseph Smith and other church leaders received letters with news regarding what had happened. Besides the letters, Joseph also received a revelation from the Lord with this declaration: Doctrine and Covenants 103:6 Behold […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 102-105 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

The Lord’s people & secular governments by Mike Parker (Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, so they will be shared […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 98–99, 102, 106, 108, 134 – Mike Parker appeared first on FAIR.

In Peace and Trouble by Autumn Dickson The Saints in Missouri were experiencing tremendous persecution at this time. The leaders of the mob wanted the Saints to promise that they would leave Missouri by spring, and they wanted the Saints to promise it within 15 minutes of demanding that they do so. The situation was […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 98-101 – Part 1 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

“DNA and The Book of Mormon” by Ryan Parr at the 2005 FAIR Conference I would like to thank the organizers of the conference for being invited to talk about two really great subjects and that is the Book of Mormon and DNA which, when you look at its structure and its design, is no […] The post Classic FAIR – DNA and The Book of Mormon – Ryan Parr, 2005 appeared first on FAIR.

Zachary Wright interviews Dr. Carl J. Cranney about his paper “The Deliberate Use of Hebrew Parallelisms in the Book of Mormon” available at https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms/vol23/iss1/8/ There has been much said about chiasmus in the Book of Mormon. However, there are 27 other types of Hebrew poetry, which make a much stronger argument for it’s ancient authenticity. […] The post Hebrew Poetry and the Book of Mormon appeared first on FAIR.

Left to Inquire by Autumn Dickson David Whitmer, one of the three witnesses of The Book of Mormon, is chastened in one of the sections that we read for this week. He had listened to Hiram Page who had been receiving false revelations, and the Lord spoke with him regarding this. His response can be […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 30-36 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

The doctrine of agency; the Lamanite Mission (D&C sections 29–34) by Mike Parker (Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, so […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 29-34 – Mike Parker appeared first on FAIR.

Emma Hale Smith; the sacrament; authority in the Church (D&C sections 25, 27–28) by Mike Parker (Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 25, 27–28 – Mike Parker appeared first on FAIR.

Require Not Miracles by Autumn Dickson The Doctrine and Covenants differs from other books of scripture in the sense that the Lord is often responding to individual people. This can lead to some of the sections seeming disjointed as the Lord covers multiple feelings and circumstances that any given individual may be experiencing. In other […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 23–26 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Nuances of Baptism by Autumn Dickson Let’s talk about historical context again quickly so that we can have a reference for what we read this week. Chronologically, Section 21 came before Section 20. Section 21 came on the day the church was organized, and it talks a lot about how Joseph was called as a […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 20–22 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Christ Will Lead You by Autumn Dickson As we prepare for this week, understanding the context for what we’re reading can help us understand what the Lord is saying and why He is saying it. It becomes a conversation with God rather than commandments and doctrines loosely tied together without much rhyme or reason. It […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 18 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Joseph Smith’s early revelations to family & friends; restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood (D&C sections 4, 11–12, 14–16, 18–19) by Mike Parker (Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 4, 11–12, 14–16, 18–19 – Mike Parker appeared first on FAIR.

In this episode, Ryan welcomes Jeffrey Thayne for an insightful discussion on worldviews and their profound influence on discipleship and beliefs. They explore the role of psychology in both conversion and deconversion, the powerful impact of media on our perspectives and psychological intuitions, and the fascinating dynamics of fast vs. slow thinking. Tune in for […] The post The Cause for Christ Episode 3: Faith, Psychology, and the Power of Worldviews with Jeffrey Thayne appeared first on FAIR.

Translation of the Book of Mormon; the Three Witnesses (D&C sections 3, 5, 10, 17) by Mike Parker (Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 3, 5, 10, 17 – Mike Parker appeared first on FAIR.

Joseph’s Repentance by Autumn Dickson This week we find Joseph in an early difficult lesson. Martin Harris had faced mounting pressure from his family to abandon Joseph, and Martin wanted to show the early manuscript to his family to gain support. Joseph asked the Lord multiple times despite receiving no’s, and the Lord finally told […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 3–5 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

What is Required of Us by Autumn Dickson Like last week, I’d like to dive into Joseph’s story and find parallels to our own stories. We were not given the responsibility to restore the church in the last days, but we do have responsibilities given to us by the Lord. Every single one of us will hold callings, […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Doctrine and Covenants 2; Joseph Smith—History 1:27–65 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Joseph Smith’s childhood; the First Vision; Moroni, & the gold plates (Joseph Smith—History) by Mike Parker (Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Joseph Smith—History – Mike Parker appeared first on FAIR.

As He Is by Autumn Dickson The message I want to share about Christ today is a message I have taught indirectly through other topics for some time. It is a message that has changed my relationship with Him, and therefore, it is a message that has changed my life into a joyful and hopeful […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Christmas – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Belief to Knowledge by Autumn Dickson This week, we are left with the final testimony given in The Book of Mormon. Moroni testifies of The Book of Mormon, spiritual gifts, and Christ’s ability to perfect us. Moroni also speaks about revelation. He talks about how to know whether The Book of Mormon is true (as […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Moroni 10 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Additional teachings of Mormon; Moroni’s final witness (Moroni 7–10) by Mike Parker (Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, so they […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Moroni 7–10 – Mike Parker appeared first on FAIR.

May Christ Lift Thee by Autumn Dickson I had an experience right before I went on my mission. An article had come out about Texas making abortion more legal and accessible. I want to be very clear here in the beginning that this post is not about abortion itself. This is the story I’m choosing to […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Moroni 7–9 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Moroni and Loneliness by Autumn Dickson Moroni understood the concept of loneliness. Even before all of his people were wiped out, Moroni practiced his beliefs on his own except for his father. He likely found himself surrounded by his peers, unable to connect with them because of gaping differences in beliefs, desires, and values. People […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Moroni 1–6 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Valuable Weakness by Autumn Dickson For the chapters this week, we go back and forth a bit between Moroni speaking directly and his abridgment of the Jaredite record. Whenever Moroni is directly speaking (and this is true of the chapters that we read in Mormon as well), we find that Moroni is really concerned about […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Ether 12–15 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

A Tiny Hinge by Autumn Dickson In the chapters of Ether this week, we watch kingdoms rise and fall with few details. There were plenty of general patterns of righteousness and wickedness, and we likely missed a great many details in the abridged version. On the flip side, there were certain stories that Moroni chose […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Ether 6–11 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

The rise & fall of the Jaredites (Ether 1–3, 6–11, 13–15) by Mike Parker (Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Ether 1–3, 6–11, 13–15 – Mike Parker appeared first on FAIR.

Faith-Building Experiences by Autumn Dickson We have now moved into the book of Ether. Though the people described in the book of Ether occurred before the rest of The Book of Mormon, this record was inserted towards the end of The Book of Mormon. Moroni was the one who worked to add these plates to […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Ether 1–5 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Moroni’s commentary on the Jaredites & the Nephites (Mormon 8–9, Ether 4–5 & 12, Moroni 1–6) by Mike Parker (Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class. The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the […] The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Mormon 8–9, Ether 4–5 & 12, Moroni 1–6 – Mike Parker appeared first on FAIR.