In his new book, Let’s Talk About the Book of Abraham, Dr. Kerry Muhlestein addresses questions surrounding the origin of the Book of Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price and how Joseph Smith may have translated it.

One of the most frequently asked doctrinal questions since the early days of the Church concerns the history and whereabouts of the Israelites sometimes called the "lost ten tribes." Yet "Where are the lost ten tribes?" is not a Latter-day Saint question at all. It was brought into the Church by early converts from other denominations, who were already speculating concerning it. It was asked more commonly in past generations, but even today the question still arises. It is unfortunate that it should be asked at all, however, because latter-day revelation gives clear teaching on the subject—as does the Bible. The expression "lost tribes" is found in only two verses of scripture—both in the Book of Mormon (see 2 Ne. 29:13; 3 Ne. 17:4). Both passages refer to members of the house of Israel outside their ancestral homeland. Nephi indicates that the word lost shows the perspective of the Israelites in Palestine: the "lost" tribes were simply "lost from the knowledge of those who are at Jerusalem" (1 Ne. 22:4). Thus those people are Israelites who were removed from Palestine and whose history was unknown to those who remained, including to the writers of the Bible and the Book of Mormon.

As Elder Mark E. Petersen observed, “The Book of Mormon is a literary and a religious masterpiece, and is far beyond even the fondest hopes or abilities of any farm boy” (“It Was a Miracle!” Ensign, November 1977, 11). From its discovery to its translation and publication, the coming forth of the Book of Mormon was simply miraculous—and the book itself continues to be a miracle in the lives of people all over the world. Here are three reasons why the Book of Mormon is such a miraculous work.

Author's note: I feel a need to say once again that it is not my intent to show you a better or even a different way to teach these lessons. The manual is the product of inspiration, correlation, and prophets. The lessons as prepared and presented there are the expression of the Church with regard to teaching these materials. I have a quiet but continuous fear that these lessons I am writing will pull some of you away from the place you ought to be.

Editor's note: Our bi-weekly Friday column, “Found in the Footnotes,” explores some of the footnotes from remarks given by General Authorities and General Officers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Imagine a wealthy family in Old Testament times: father, mother, four sons, and three daughters. Who gets the money when Dad dies? Most would point to the firstborn son, but that’s just partly right. If Dad has four sons, his estate is divided into five equal shares. All the sons receive a portion, but the eldest, who has the birthright, receives two—a double portion. The three younger brothers leave with their portions, but the eldest doesn’t go anywhere because with his extra portion comes added responsibility. He is expected to care for his mother and provide dowries so his sisters can be properly married. Even after his mother and sisters are gone, he will stay to govern the affairs of his father’s estate. Of course he will marry and have his own family, but he will spend the rest of his life fulfilling his birthright responsibilities.

Imagine watching a sporting event in which you care deeply about the outcome. What if you knew from the outset that no matter how far behind your team was, no matter how many mistakes your favorite player made, no matter how bleak things looked, your team would win?

Halloween—that confusing mix of eeriness, morbidity, candy, trick-or-treating, and family fun. But the mixed reception of this holiday got us wondering, what has the Church officially said about Halloween?

The following has been republished with permission from faithmatters.org.

For some time I have gone by the moniker “Mormon Movie Guy” to provide Hollywood reviews from a Latter-day Saint perspective, assessing films for quality, content, and gospel parallels. In my experience, movies provide an opportunity to share eternal truths and testimony.