"The nearer a person approaches the Lord, a greater power will be manifested by the adversary to prevent the accomplishment of His purposes." —Joseph Smith

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.

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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?

Among all the glorious gospel verities given of God to his people there is scarcely a doctrine so sweet, so soul-satisfying, and so soul sanctifying, as the one which proclaims—

In working as a religious educator for almost four decades, I have been delighted to witness a significant rise in what might be called scriptural literacy or gospel scholarship among the young people of the Church. This is a tribute to devoted mothers and fathers, advisers and teachers, seminary and institute instructors. Our members are simply more capable and adept at utilizing the standard works in finding answers to their questions, seeking divine guidance, and explaining or defending the teachings of the restored gospel to those not of our faith.

The perceived distance between innocence and knowledge has everything to do with lack of experience, and life in the garden epitomized this

First and Second Nephi, the first two books of the Book of Mormon, record the history of one of Latter-day Saints' most well-known families: the Nephites and the Lamanites.

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.

Editor’s Note: Tammy Uzelac Hall is the host of LDS Living’s newest podcast, “Sunday on Monday,” a weekly podcast focused on Come, Follow Me that dives into the hidden treasures of the gospel. Here are three questions readers might have in their studies of the Book of Mormon this week, accompanied by Hall's insights that add new meaning to the beloved verses.