The Mormon Apocrypha

Of all the latter-day saints in history, perhaps not are as hilarious as J. Golden Kimball, the swearing apostle. He was born on June 26, 1853, to Heber C. Kimball. At the age of fifteen, his father died. TO make ends meet, he became a Mule driver, where he picked up his wearing habit. In 1881, he went to what is know BYU for two years, and after that went on a two-year mission to the American South. After that mission, he married Jennie Knowlton and in 1887 moved to Logan. They had six children, three boys and three girls. In 1892, Kimball was called to be the mission president of the American South mission. During that mission he was called to the seventy. Buring his years in the seventy, J. Golden became well known for his swearing habit, causing him to be one of the favorite general authorities in the church. Kimball died on the 2nd of September 1938 in a driving accident. In April 1909, J. Golden Kimball gave a talk about the importance of Honesty, discussing how God cannot help u...

Above is a recording of the first General Conference ever filmed. This talk was given in October 1949 by George Albert Smith. Below is a transcript of the Conference Talk as well. One thing I admire about this talk is the tone of how it was delivered. The way Smith delivers the sermon is a way someone talks to a friend, with a relaxed style of speaking whether he is talking about the tabernacle building or inviting others to "Come and See."                                       President George Albert Smith The use of the radio has made it desirable to make some announcements that we did not need to make when everybody who came into the building could see and hear. Not only is this building now filled to capacity, but there are also thousands of people listening in on the outside. Many are witnessing what you are this morning by television. A Wonderful Age We live in a won...

Sharing stories is a major facet of General Conference. Repurposed here is one such example about an old woman who found the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and what she did about it.  Elder Charles E. Rowan, Jr. President of the Texas Mission My brethren and sisters, many years ago, as a young man I went out with a group of men hunting. After the first day's hunt there were many funny experiences told. One of them was this: Two of the hunters were together, two large, fine deer were jumped, and one of the men when he got through had all of his cartridges by the side of him, none having been fired. He had buck fever, it seems that when I stand in this pulpit, I become nervous — I cannot help it — and after it is all over, I wonder if my cartridges are not lying on the floor and nothing said. I bow my head with gratitude to my Heavenly Father for membership in this Church and for the opportunity I have had of coming here and partaking of the splendid spirit and listening to the word...

Joseph Smith is not the time of person one would imagine writing poetry, but when Barbara Neff, a member of the early church in Nauvoo, asked for his signature in the spring of 1844, he wrote a short poem about the importance of Charity, Truth, and Virtue, with the last line being his signature.  This poem was found by the Joseph Smith Papers project and is located in the fourteenth volume of the Document series. The truth and virtue both are good when rightly understood But Charity is better Miss That takes us home to bliss and so forthwith remember Joseph Smith

Many teachers of spiritual matters can be inspired by the work of others and their teachings. Here is a general conference talk from April 1933 from President Heber J Grant that was inspired by a book.  President Heber J. Grant I hold in my hand a book entitled, "In Search of Truth," written by the only absentee of the General Authorities of the Church, Elder John A. Widtsoe, of the Council of the Twelve. I had marked enough passages in the book to occupy fully twenty minutes of your time were I to read them, but there are not twenty minutes left unless we eliminate Brother Ballard entirely, and I am willing to divide evenly with him.  I am going to read the last chapter of this book. I think I can do it readily in ten minutes: The way to truth The way to truth? O yes, there is such a royal road, and any man may find and follow it. True, it leads straight for the goal and therefore is not attractive to those who like to meander and loiter among pretty fields of pseudo-truth. ...

          The poem below was included in the first edition of the Pearl of Great Price, published in 1851 along aside texts like the book of Abraham and Joseph Smith History. It was written by John Jaques, a convert to the church in England. He wrote it in response to Pilate's question to Jesus in John 18. While not officially canonized, it was put to music and made into a hymn titled " Oh Say, What is truth?" which is still in the hymnbook today.           The most interesting part of the poem is the last stanza, as it answers the question posed at the beginning. Truth is the sum of existence, always existing, never changing. Something as true then as it is now. Truth John Jaques Oh say, what is truth? 'Tis the fairest gem That the riches of worlds can produce, And priceless the value of truth will be when The proud monarch's costliest diadem Is counted but dross and refuse. Yes, say, what is truth? 'Tis the brightest prize...