Recognizing a need to develop religious instructional material for mentally retarded seminary students of the L.D.S. Church, this study was designed to validate an instructional model set up to teach the concept of faith.Thirty-four mentally retarded seminary students were randomly assigned to six control groups and six experimental groups. Each group was given a sixteen question pre-test. Then, the next day each experimental group was given instructional treatment and the post-test, while the control groups only received the post-test. The Study was geared for a two hour period of time. Results obtained from the analysis of covariance showed a significant difference beyond the .01 level on post-test results of the experimental groups when compared to the post-test results of the control groups. Thus, the null hypothesis was rejected.

This study is a history of a group of Latter-day Saints who travelled from Kirtland, Ohio to Adam-ondi-Ahman, Caldwell County, Missouri during the late summer and early autumn, 1838. The group numbered between five and six hundred when they left Kirtland and had diminished to approximately half that many at the end of their journey.The official name, "Kirtland Camp," was adopted by the group which was originally founded and governed by seven men, i.e. the Seventies Presidency in Kirtland.The camp was organized to assist Church members who otherwise would have been unable to escape persecutions in Ohio. Camp membership consisted of those who were elderly, infirm or lacking necessary finances to flee by themselves. Although sickness, death and dissension plagued the camp members during their exodus, faith, determination and able leadership contributed to the successful completion of the trek.The formulation of Kirtland Camp and the unique nature of its Camp Constitution became the pattern for the organization of later Mormon pioneer exiles under Brigham Young.

The Malad Valley is geographically located in a unique position in the Pacific Northwest. The Bear River and its main affluent, the Malad River, are the only rivers in the Pacific Northwest that drain into the Great Basin, whereas the other streams and rivers of the states of Washington, Idaho, and Oregon empty eventually into the Pacific Ocean. It is also characterized for being the northern end of prehistoric Lake Bonneville, and eventually it was through this valley that an outlet opened to drain the lake. The soil deposits from this lake left a fertile valley, capable of producing most crops found in this region.Circumstantial evidence gives indication of many mountain men trapping and exploring in this valley. One account credits Donald McKenzie with naming the Malad River in this valley in 1819 because the flesh of its beaver, when eaten, induced illness in the party. This account, the author found, did not pertain to the Malad River, tributary of the Bear River, but to the other Malad River which is a tributary of the Snake River, over 200 miles distant. Other evidence promotes the idea that the river was named Malade because French trappers became ill from drinking the water. The two Malad Rivers were named for the same reason. Evidence supports the idea that there were two rivers which caused the same ailment when the beaver flesh was consumed. The tributary of the Snake was named by McKenzie and the fur trappers merely referred to another Sick River (Malade), the tributary of the Bear River.

This study contains the history of the Norwegian Mission from 1850 to 1920, during which time it was a part of the Scandinavian Mission. It also includes a history of the mission from 1920 to 1960, while it was an independent mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The writer attempted to focus on the development of the major areas of the mission.

This study is a review of proselyting techniques in the full-time missionary program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1830 to 1974. Official handbooks as well as Mormon mission publications were the major sources. The writer's experience as a full-time missionary gave additional perspective.Missionary techniques involved personal contacting on the streets and door to door. Group contacting came through public meetings and the mass media. Church members played a vital role in contacting and fellowshipping nonmembers. Early proselyting lesson plans written in outline form emphasized logic and reason. Later ones were in dialogue form and memorized by missionaries. This study found that with improved techniques, convert baptisms increased. Also re-emphasis in recent years on using the Book of Mormon and bearing testimony plus the urgency of baptizing converts paralleled proselyting techniques of the first decades of missionary work.

The study traced major developments in the Swedish Mission. A decided help in this undertaking was the author's own long association with the Mormons in Sweden. The government attempted to prevent Mormon proselyting in the first two decades. This ended in a tacit approval for the Mormons to carry on. The conditions between both world wars induced fairly successful "hold-the-fort" efforts. Youth conferences were especially vital in building a spirit of unity among Swedish Mormons.The period after the second world war showed several definite trends. Membership increased three-fold to more than 5000. Chapels were acquired. Organizations on the mission and district levels were developed. European temples increased the personal commitment of the members greatly. The intensified training prepared them for mission, district, and branch leadership. It was part of a planned effort to have the members stay in their homeland and build the "Kingdom" instead of joining the Saints in America.

The purpose of this study or survey is to discover facts that might show the religious, social, and economic activities or practices of the returned missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who now live in the Garland Ward of the Bear River Stake, Utah.

This thesis gives an account of the establishment and development of the LDS Church in Switzerland without attempting to record a comprehensive chronological history. Instead, emphasis has been placed on beginnings and major historical developments.In 1850, T. B. H. Stenhouse began teaching the "restored gospel" in French-Switzerland, at Geneva. Proselyting began in German-Switzerland in 1854. Despite mob violence and opposition from the clergy, press and civil authorities, some 9,846 joined the Church and 4,700 of these emigrated to "Zion." The discouragement of emigration, along with new emphasis on missionary work and improved proselyting methods, brought an unprecedented growth in Church membership in mid-twentieth century. This enabled the erection of the Swiss Temple in 1955 and the organization of the Swiss Stake in 1961. These events and the erection of other chapels along with improved press coverage have caused the previously negative image of Mormonism in Switzerland to evolve into a positive one.

Pilgrimage to sacred places of religious meaning has taken place since the early days of mankind. In the last few decades pilgrimage travel has experienced a world-wide boom due to modern means of transportation. Though pilgrimage is most commonly referred to in the context of the major world religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), there is some indication of pilgrimage-like travel among Mormons.This thesis looks at Mormon pilgrimage behavior among Mormon visitors to Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. The study undertaken has revealed considerable differences between Mormon and non-Mormon motivations, behavior and visiting patterns visitors to Temple Square. Though there is no formal doctrine for Mormons concerning pilgrimage, these differences give evidence of pilgrimage-like activity among Mormons, indicating that Mormon visitors to Temple Square are religiously-motivated travelers and a part of a pilgrimage-tourist phenomenon.

The area along the Virgin River, known as Utah's Dixie, is ideal for the culture of grapes. To utilize the natural resources, provide a cash crop for the Dixie communities, and make wine to be used in the Sacrament service; Mormon Church leaders called several expert horticulturists and vinters to Dixie. Great amounts of wine were produced in Dixie. The Church became the largest producer due to the great amounts of grapes paid as tithing. Wine was used in the Sacrament, and was a common drink in Dixie.The mines at Silver Reef were the principle market for Dixie wine. After they closed in the mid-1880's. Church leaders became aware of increasing numbers of cases of drunkenness among members and leaders. To combat this trend, the Church closed down its wine press, and preached abstinence from the pulpit. Dixie was unable to compete with cheap California wine. Moral pressure exerted by the Church and economic circumstances effectively ended the wine industry in Dixie although wine continues to be made on a personal basis to this day.