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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has released new informational pages addressing key questions about the Book of Mormon translation, Joseph Smith’s character, and the practice of plural marriage. These resources are now available in the Topics and Questions section of the Gospel Library app and on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
According to the Church, “The Book of Mormon came to us through a series of miraculous events. It is the translation of an ancient record engraven on plates that was preserved for centuries and entrusted to Joseph Smith by an angel named Moroni. The translation was accomplished not using traditional methods, but by divine revelation.” The new material addresses topics such as what Joseph Smith meant by “translation,” his use of interpreters and seer stones, and the role played by witnesses to the Book of Mormon.
A separate page discusses Joseph Smith’s character. The resource states, “God has always worked through imperfect servants to accomplish His work, raising them up and strengthening them as they do His will. This was certainly true of Joseph Smith.” The content notes that while Joseph Smith had imperfections and sought forgiveness, his contributions were significant: “The work the Lord established through the Prophet Joseph Smith far outweighs Joseph’s imperfections,” it says. “As his associates declared at the time of his death: ‘In the short space of 20 years, he has brought forth the Book of Mormon, which he translated by the gift and power of God, and has been the means of publishing it on two continents; has sent the fulness of the everlasting gospel, which it contained, to the four quarters of the earth; has brought forth the revelations and commandments [of God] and many other wise documents and instructions for the benefit of the children of men; gathered many thousands of the Latter-day Saints, founded a great city, and left a fame and a name that could not be slain.’”
On plural marriage, another page explains: “The Bible and the Book of Mormon teach that monogamy is God’s standard for marriage unless He declares otherwise.” The Church taught plural marriage from the early 1840s until about 1890 after receiving a revelation given to Joseph Smith. Questions addressed include Emma Smith’s knowledge about plural marriage, whether Latter-day Saints practice it today, and beliefs about eternal marriage arrangements. The resource adds: “[Plural marriage] required faith and sacrifice from both men and women. It was also a cause of significant opposition for many years. And yet the Saints were committed to keeping God’s commands and trusted that God would bless them for their obedience. Eventually, the Lord directed the Saints to discontinue the practice.”
These three new pages join previous additions covering topics such as race in church history, women’s leadership roles in church activities, religion versus science discussions, prophetic roles within church structure, origins surrounding specific scripture texts like The Book of Abraham, church organization importance claims by leaders or scripture accounts including multiple narratives regarding Joseph Smith's First Vision.
The Church also provides five guiding principles for those seeking answers on these or other issues: center life on Jesus Christ; be patient with oneself or others; recognize revelation as an ongoing process; consult reliable sources; work toward understanding historical context.
Church materials encourage those assisting others with questions to respond lovingly while listening humbly—trusting in spiritual guidance—and supporting each individual’s journey toward greater understanding.
