Alma 32-35

Once considered a luxury, internet access is now considered a necessity for many—including children.

Historians have long known of the existence of the Council of Fifty and the minutes of its meetings. Until recently, though, the minutes had never been made available for historical research. Because of their inaccessibility—and because historians knew that they were made during a critical and controversial era of Mormon history—a mystique grew surrounding the records. What did they contain? Why had they been withheld? Here are five insights from these important documents that every Mormon should understand about the Council of Fifty, as adapted from the new book The Council of Fifty: What the Records Reveal about Mormon History.

Editor’s Note: This article is not intended to be a political statement but rather an introduction to Latter-day Saints who are impacted by this issue.

Jamal Willis, former NFL running back for the 49ers, was recently called to be in the presidency for the Church’s Genesis Group. In an interview with LDS Living, he shared his story of embracing diversity and staying true to himself while navigating college, football, and Mormon culture.

While the Lord’s power to miraculously heal physical infirmities is experienced by thousands, sometimes we or our loved ones are not physically healed. We have faith, we pray with real intent, we humble ourselves, we seek priesthood blessings, we place names on temple rolls, but the malady remains. We wonder: “Why didn’t the healing blessing work? Did I not have enough faith? Does God not love me as he loves others he has healed? Have I done something wrong?” I have asked myself similar questions in some of the unhealed physical problems I have personally experienced or seen loved ones endure. Why does he sometimes not heal?

It all started with a hunting trip.

Recently the Instagram account @BofM365 extended the #PhotoBofM challenge to their 95K followers. The goal for this challenge is to flood Instagram with touching testimonies of the Book of Mormon. Al Fox Carraway and hundreds of other Instagrammers have already joined in sharing their testimonies. If you'd like to join in, just follow these three simple steps:

On June 1, 1801, Brigham Young was born in Whittingham, Widdham County, Vermont. At the same time, approximately 900 miles southwest of Whittingham, four-year-old Elisha Hurd Groves was growing up on a farm in Madison, Kentucky. No one could guess at the time the succession of events that would bring these two men together as they fled their homes and journeyed halfway across the country.

Jane Elizabeth Manning was born in Connecticut in about 1820. Her mother had been enslaved, but she was emancipated by the time Jane was born. Jane’s father died when she was a young child and, perhaps in part for that reason, Jane began working as a domestic servant for a wealthy white family in the next town over. As a young woman, she was baptized and joined the local Congregational Church, but not long afterward she heard a missionary from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints preach and she was convinced by his message. She was baptized a short time later, and she appears to have persuaded her family to join the Church as well. In 1843, the Mannings joined an interracial group of converts for the journey to Nauvoo. Although they left the Northeast together, the group was separated at some point during the journey. The white members continued to Nauvoo on public transportation; the black members walked. When Jane and her family reached Nauvoo, they were welcomed by Emma and Joseph Smith and stayed in the mansion house for a short time while they found jobs and housing. Jane remained in the mansion house, working for the Smiths as a domestic servant.