Latter-day Saint FAIR-Cast

The office of high priest; the United Firm (D&C sections 78, 80–83, 85, 92, 104) by Mike Parker (Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the  Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class . The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, so they will be shared here where...

Be of Good Cheer by Autumn Dickson The Doctrine and Covenants are interesting as a book of scripture. They are different from other books of scripture. So many of the scriptures that we read are stories from which we can draw lessons or sermons given by the people in those stories. The Doctrine and Covenants is simply the voice of the Lord as He directs His restored gospel. He reveals things a bit...

The Vision of the three degrees of glory (D&C section 76) by Mike Parker (Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the  Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class . The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, so they will be shared here where they fit best.) Class N...

“Authentic Ancient Names and Words in the Book of Abraham and Related Kirtland Egyptian Papers” by John Tvedtnes at the 2005 FAIR Conference Over the last century a number of scholars have looked at names and other transliterated words in the Book of Abraham and in the Kirtland Egyptian Papers in an attempt to determine their authenticity. In some cases it can be demonstrated that the...

Equal in Earthly Things by Autumn Dickson In Doctrine and Covenants 78, the Lord is establishing a practical system to help the Saints live the Law of Consecration. Here is some of what the Lord said regarding the Law of Consecration. Doctrine and Covenants 78:4-6 4 For a permanent and everlasting establishment and order unto my church, to advance the cause, which ye have espoused, to the salvatio...

Hear Him by Autumn Dickson In Section 76, we receive an immense amount of information that had been lost over time. If you grew up with the Plan of Salvation, it may not feel that way but this was all very new. Though it was hard for some Saints to accept it at the time, we rejoice in this doctrine that the Lord restored. I am so grateful to know it. And though we received this immense amount of i...

A Glorious God by Autumn Dickson For those of us who grew up with the concept of the Plan of Salvation and its many kingdoms, the vision recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 76 is nothing new. Because of our familiarity with it, I think it can be easy to miss the majesty and goodness that is God. One of the things I love about the doctrine we received in this section is that it upholds the idea that...

Purpose Drives Revelation by Autumn Dickson Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon paused work on the translation of the bible and were called to go and preach the gospel in order to dispel some of the hatred and persecution being heaped up against the church. After a conference held with the elders, Joseph and Sidney were called once again to work on the translation of the bible. Doctrine and Covenants 7...

Joseph Smith’s “new translation” of the Bible (D&C sections 71, 73–75, 77, 86, 91, 113) by Mike Parker (Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the  Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class . The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, so they will be shared here...

Bishops and Consecration by Autumn Dickson Hello friends! Just a quick PSA. My normal format up to this point has been to post one message a week. The Lord has pointed me in a different direction, and I will now be sharing two shorter messages posted throughout the week. Thanks for sticking with me as I work to figure out my new posting schedule! In Section 72, the Lord is calling a bishop (Newel...

“The God of Abraham, Isaac and Joseph Smith: Defending the Faith” by David L. Paulsen at the 2004 FAIR Conference Scott asked me if I would share with you some of my work defending our LDS understanding of God and to that end I have prepared a bibliography. There’s two sets of materials being passed out, one is a packet. There is a copy of the bibliography in that packet and then there...

A Testimony of the Revelations by Autumn Dickson Joseph Smith and various elders gathered this week to decide whether they would publish the revelations that Joseph had thus far received. Many of the elders were prepared to write their testimonies to be published right alongside the revelations, but others were hesitant. Joseph was not always eloquent, and he was not incredibly educated. Several o...

by Mandy Davis at the 2024 FAIR Conference Nine years ago, I had the opportunity to start attending meetings at the United Nations. After the very first time going, I knew that it was going to be a hinge point in my life; and that I would never be able to unsee just how calculated the efforts were to undermine and fight against God’s plan in many areas of society. I knew that I would have to get t...

The Greater Sin by Autumn Dickson The Lord talks a little bit about forgiveness this week. Section 64 was given at a time when tempers were running hot and Zion felt far away. What did the Lord have to say about forgiveness? Doctrine and Covenants 64:9 Wherefore, I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one another; for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the...

“DNA and The Book of Mormon” by Ryan Parr at the 2005 FAIR Conference I would like to thank the organizers of the conference for being invited to talk about two really great subjects and that is the Book of Mormon and DNA which, when you look at its structure and its design, is no less of a divine inspired molecule! We live in a very exciting age. Now, by the time you finish watching CNN you may n...

The Church in Ohio, August–November 1831 (D&C sections 63–69) by Mike Parker (Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the  Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class . The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, so they will be shared here where they fit best.) Cla...

by Brent Andrewsen at the 2024 FAIR Conference How do we help our young people avoid deception, or keep them from “stumb[ling] exceedingly”? We keep the “plain and precious” parts of the gospel front and center in their lives.   Brent Andrewsen practices at a regional law firm with offices throughout the Intermountain West. He is the chairman of Sutherland Institute Board of Directors, an ind...

Faith and Signs by Autumn Dickson Ezra Booth was a Methodist preacher who joined the church after witnessing Joseph Smith heal Alice Johnson’s arm. He later left the church and published material that was particularly antagonistic. Despite witnessing a miracle, Ezra didn’t hold on to his faith. We see this time and time and time again throughout the scriptures. Signs are insufficient conversion to...

“The Fallacy of Fundamentalist Assumptions” by Blake T. Ostler at the 2005 FAIR Conference I’d like to begin my presentation (there should have been an outline that was handed out that you have in front of you). But I want to begin a bit off outline. I was amused- I was reading this morning that we have (and Chris Buttars is a good friend of mine) and he’s wondering whether he should i...

Align With Him by Autumn Dickson Trials. There is always something more to say about trials, and that’s what I want to talk about this week. I specifically want to talk about one aspect of trials and how we can sometimes make things harder on ourselves. Some of the Saints have made it to Missouri this week, and they are disappointed about what they arrived to find. They were looking for Zion and w...

Zachary Wright interviews Dr. Carl J. Cranney about his paper “The Deliberate Use of Hebrew Parallelisms in the Book of Mormon” available at https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jbms/vol23/iss1/8/ There has been much said about chiasmus in the Book of Mormon. However, there are 27 other types of Hebrew poetry, which make a much stronger argument for it’s ancient authenticity. These po...

“‘Believest thou…?’: Faith, Cognitive Dissonance, and the Psychology of Religious Experience” by Wendy Ulrich at the 2005 FAIR Conference It’s an old and frequent spiritual question, and it shows up in many forms. It is the question Jesus asks the disciples who hear his troubling and offending discourse on being someone whose flesh must be eaten and whose blood drunk by tho...

Joseph Smith’s first visit to Missouri; Zion & the temple (D&C sections 57–62) by Mike Parker (Mike Parker is a long-time FAIR member who has graciously allowed us to use materials he originally prepared for the  Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class . The scripture passages covered in his lessons don’t conform exactly to the Come, Follow Me reading schedule, so they will be shared here wher...

It’s About You by Autumn Dickson I have found an interesting parenting dilemma lately. And though this is a personal situation, I believe it teaches an important principle that we find in the scriptures for this week. Evelyn and Warner (my two oldest children) could not be more different. Evelyn has literally described herself as an “inside girl” on more than one occasion, and I’m pretty sure I di...

Avoiding Confusion by Autumn Dickson Leman Copely was a convert to the church who wanted the gospel preached to his former congregants – the Shakers. The Shakers held some beliefs that were different from our’s. Here is some of what the Lord said regarding that: Doctrine and Covenants 49:1-4 1 Hearken unto my word, my servants Sidney, and Parley, and Leman; for behold, verily I say unto you, that...