Lds History From Lds Sources... Which Are The Official Ones?

[canard78]

I am going to go out on a limb and say the Holy Ghost is the only official source. That way I am never wrong. WOOHOO!!!!!

So does the Holt Ghost visit you and teach you LDS history or do you have to read something first.

Here's someone who read something and then got a spiritual witness of truth:

I had the feeling of waking up, as if all my previous life I had been asleep. The printed words on the page of the book seemed like the surface of a vast and fathomless ocean of truth and wisdom. Whatever it was, I knew that it was completely true and infallible. Therefore the author must also be true and infallible. The small red book, which I still have, was The Hidden Words.

http://bahaihistoryuk.wordpress.com/2012/10/05/nigel-moody/

How is that any different to this:

"In mid-August of 1969, I humbly knelt in the shadows behind my barracks and prayed. I told God that I had read the book that Latter-day Saints say is from Him. I admitted that there were some good things in it and that I wanted to know if it was true.

I closed my prayer in the Savior’s name. No sooner had I done so than I received the most powerful witness that I have ever experienced. It was not the answer I was seeking. But I had asked, and now I knew. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the only true church on the earth! I knew it; I dared not deny it."

https://www.lds.org/ensign/1986/08/mormon-journal

Or this:

I will never forget putting Moroni's challenge to the test. At 17 I read the Book of Mormon. But not only did I read it I thought about it's beautiful teachings of the Savior. I then prayed sincerely to my Heavenly Father. I asked him for that confirmation that the Book of Mormon was true. I will never forget the sweet, humbling answer that came. I knew my Heavenly Father loved me and I knew that Yes I can live with my family forever. ...I have a Savior. Forgiveness is real, it's tangible. It' for everyone! ...My testimony is real. It's mine, I have forged it out of the fire. It makes me really happy!!"

http://mormon.org/clark

Or this:

After months of study and research I could not deny the truth anymore. I had put it off too long, but was still living the life I had before, and knew that if I became a Muslim I had to give all that up. One day while reading the Qur'an, I began to cry and fell to my knees and thanked Allah for guiding me to the truth. I found out that there was a Mosque by my house so I went one Friday to see how Muslims prayed and conducted their service... A man got up and began to call the Adthan (call for prayer). When I heard it my eyes filled up with tears because it sounded so beautiful. It was all so strange at first, but seemed so right at the same time. Islam is not just a religion but a way of life.

http://www.thepeopleofthebook.org/islam6testimony.html

All of the above experiences are useful to the individual but don't establish historical events.

[Duncan]

So does the Holt Ghost visit you and teach you LDS history or do you have to read something first.

Here's someone who read something and then got a spiritual witness of truth:

http://bahaihistoryuk.wordpress.com/2012/10/05/nigel-moody/

How is that any different to this:

https://www.lds.org/ensign/1986/08/mormon-journal

Or this:

http://mormon.org/clark

Or this:

http://www.thepeopleofthebook.org/islam6testimony.html

All of the above experiences are useful to the individual but don't establish historical events.

 

 

it's historical to those people involved

[CV75]

You might want to have another look at #14. It's written by CA Steve

Oh my, I'm so sorry! Not sure what else we really have to discuss then...

 

To me, an "official" source means it simply comes through the Corporation (in this case, those teachings that are disseminated under the protection of intellectual properties), but the Lord and those with the keys use so many other legitimate sources (including spiritual) to impart the Lord's blessings to the world as well, for I do not think the Corporation is the sole vehicle for the Church's / Lord's business. I think each member, with the Gift of the Holy Ghost, can be guided to non-official sources that are beneficial to him, but sometimes best kept between him and the Lord.

 

At any rate, "good luck with all that"!

[CA Steve]

Oh my, I'm so sorry! Not sure what else we really have to discuss then...

 

To me, an "official" source means it simply comes through the Corporation (in this case, those teachings that are disseminated under the protection of intellectual properties), but the Lord and those with the keys use so many other legitimate sources (including spiritual) to impart the Lord's blessings to the world as well, for I do not think the Corporation is the sole vehicle for the Church's / Lord's business. I think each member, with the Gift of the Holy Ghost, can be guided to non-official sources that are beneficial to him, but sometimes best kept between him and the Lord.

 

At any rate, "good luck with all that"!

Sorry for the derail. It just seemed to me that a list of "official sources which included references to material some may find critical created a dilemma about the use of those sources, especially in light of the intended audience.

[canard78]

Oh my, I'm so sorry! Not sure what else we really have to discuss then...

To me, an "official" source means it simply comes through the Corporation (in this case, those teachings that are disseminated under the protection of intellectual properties), but the Lord and those with the keys use so many other legitimate sources (including spiritual) to impart the Lord's blessings to the world as well, for I do not think the Corporation is the sole vehicle for the Church's / Lord's business. I think each member, with the Gift of the Holy Ghost, can be guided to non-official sources that are beneficial to him, but sometimes best kept between him and the Lord.

At any rate, "good luck with all that"!

Mystery solved

If people go on to carefully read other sources beyond LDS.org, more power to them. I'm not trying to achieve that, instead I'm trying to pull together a starting point on official channels.

[Tacenda]

Mystery solved

If people go on to carefully read other sources beyond LDS.org, more power to them. I'm not trying to achieve that, instead I'm trying to pull together a starting point on official channels.

josephsmithswives.com is what made me go down a road into my crisis, I guess that site isn't recommended but nor was "In Sacred Loneliness" the book, at one time. Maybe it's ok to be put back on the shelves again at Deseret Bookstores. I wonder if Todd Compton is attempting to do just that. Edited October 29, 2014 by Tacenda

[Jeanne]

josephsmithswives.com is what made me go down a road into my crisis, I guess that isn't recommended but nor was "In Sacred Loneliness" the book, at one time. Maybe it's ok to be put back on the shelves again at Deseret Bookstores. I wonder if Todd Compton is attempting to do just that.

There will be a lot of things that will have to adjust itself now.  We need a new Joseph and Emma movie!  The Smith Bunch!

[JLHPROF]

There will be a lot of things that will have to adjust itself now.  We need a new Joseph and Emma movie!  The Smith Bunch!

 

I think a movie about real polygamy or about Joseph and Emma and his other wives would be fascinating.  But I'm not sure anyone could actually film one that didn't have some bias.

[Robert F. Smith]

Like I said, I've no concerns with calling my collection of sources "approved" sources rather than "official" sources. Either is still of value for the purpose of my project. I'm looking to summarise what history has been acknowledged on an official or approved platform or publication.

FWIW, LDS.org is an "official" website of the church:

The news room is also the official place for news:

Before you say anything, I recognise that even though the websites are official church websites, not all of the content is official church views, policies and doctrines.

E.g:

mormonsandgays.org is an official church website, but:

On that basis it might be that the brethren have approved that the essays be listed even without personally agreeing with the content of some of them.

The essays are on an official platform and therefore serve the purpose of my project.

I think that you are on the right track in distinguishing what is owned and operated by the LDS Church from the various opinions which are expressed within such entities -- such as the Church magazines, Deseret News, Deseret Book, KSL Radio & TV, CES/BYU, Seminaries & Institutes, Intellectual Reserve,  Deseret Industries, Church Distribution, Bonneville International Corp., and the like.  You no doubt have noticed that some books published by Church-owned entities are expressly the opinion of the authors and do not represent the Church.  I consider that very helpful in judging the gradations of "approval" (as you put it) or supervision and editing which have been provided by Church entities -- including Correlation.

 

So your project may be very helpful to many of us.

[Gervin]

I was looking for my personal official LDS Source and didn't see it on the list:

 

• Mormon Dialogue & Discussion Board