It’s a beautiful fall afternoon: the sun is shining in an impossibly blue sky, the wind is whipping through the trees, and out on the field, six five-year-olds are chasing after a soccer ball. There’s my son, with the black “3” emblazoned on the back of his white jersey. You can tell which player he is, even without the number. He’s the one who follows the ball the full length of the (admittedly short) field, the one whose kicks always go in the direction of the right goal, the one who cares so hard about winning that he pushes himself through the whole game. His focus makes him stand-out in an age group where the players are as often seen twirling aimlessly at the wrong end of the field, stealing the ball from their own teammates, or climbing on the goal posts.

History classes for most of us were all about world events or the history of the country we lived in while church history was only learned, well, in church. But we never really put them together. When you place these two timelines side by side, you may be surprised to find out that Brigham Young sent the first transcontinental telegraph message the same year that the Civil War started, or that the first latter-day Quorum of the 12 was organized the same year famous author Mark Twain was born. Let us know your favorite set of events, or any we left out, in the comments at the end!

INTRODUCTION: A small tent, held in place by a tent peg (or stake) on each corner could be easily flattened or remodeled. But if the tent were larger and secured with 2946 stakes (as of the end of 2011), it would be almost impossible to move. This is the image Isaiah used to describe the Church and kingdom in the last days.

Editor's Note: Our 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.

Recent work by scholars on the coming forth of the Book of Mormon has led to several major shifts in the way these events are viewed by members of the Church. Recently, the Church published a Gospel Topics essay on the translation process to clarify some of the historical questions surrounding the coming forth of this sacred book. With an abundance of new scholarship in this area, there are a multitude of new insights to be gained. Here are five things you might not have known about the coming forth of the Book of Mormon:

From the number of copies to who punctuated it, the history of the first Book of Mormon printing is full of unexpected tidbits and interesting facts that have influenced the book as we know it today.

The ancient “Seal of Melchizedek” is often represented as an eight-point star composed of two squares offset 45 degrees and overlaid (or interwoven). It is such a significant symbol that President Hinckley had it added to the Salt Lake Temple, and since then it has shown up in many more temples. Differing eight-point stars can also be found throughout the Conference Center. But how, you may wonder, is it a symbol of Christ, and when did this information come to light in modern times? The answers start with the design of the beautiful San Diego Temple.

The Salt Lake Temple is an iconic building for members of the Church. Here are some fun facts you might not know about it.

13 Weeks of FHE

What is the meaning of the tree of life? The symbolism involved may furnish clues. Trees have several standard symbolic meanings. Green trees often represent the righteous, whereas dry trees can symbolize the wicked. 76 M. Catherine Thomas noted that "most often in scripture . . . the tree is an anthropomorphic symbol. A tree serves well as such a symbol because it has, after all, limbs, a circulatory system, the bearing of fruit, and so forth. Specifically, scriptural trees stand . . . for Christ and his attributes."77 Elsewhere we read, "In ancient times, sacred trees . . . were [representative of the] attributes of the gods." 78 Susan Easton Black wrote: "The tree of life is connected with the cross, the two having somewhat the same significance. Both relate to the resurrection, eternal life, the Lord, and the 'Love of God.' . . . Before the crucifixion of Christ, the tree of life symbol was used extensively. After the crucifixion the cross seems to have replaced it to a degree." 79 When Nephi wished to know the meaning of the tree that his father saw in his dream (1 Nephi 11:9–24), the angel showed him a vision of the birth of Christ. The angel then said to Nephi, "Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?" (1 Nephi 11:21). To this Nephi responded, "It is the love of God" (1 Nephi 11:22). Jesus is the "love of God" (John 3:16) and the "tree of life."