This thesis examines the feelings of generational anxiety in the Mormon community from 1869 to 1890 and how those feelings intersected with ideas about reading. During this time, older members of the Mormon community in Utah Territory feared how changes in and threats to Mormon society might negatively affect young people's beliefs, abilities, knowledge, and adherence to their parents' religion. Older Mormons recognized a potential ally and enemy in books, newspapers, and other reading materials, which they believed could dramatically shape young people for good or for ill depending on the quality of the material. This thesis argues these older Mormons borrowed many elements from other US literary cultures and repurposed them for distinctly Mormon ends, including achieving theosis (chapter 1), navigating changing dynamics in Mormon families (chapter 2), and building their utopic society, Zion (chapter 3). This research adds to the work of those scholars who have combined the history of Mormonism with book history. It incorporates the voices of everyday Mormons to bring into focus the entire ecosystem of reading for young Mormons by focusing not only on fiction but also on biography, scripture, "Church works," history, and other genres. It examines not only discourse but also institutionalized programs and actions, such as the 1888 MIA Course of Reading (chapter 4), that shaped Mormons' world of reading. Such an examination begins to sharpen our understanding of the relationship of print and religion in America and what reading meant to Mormons. / Master of Arts / The years from 1869 to 1890 constituted a time of change and worry for the Mormon community in Utah Territory. The completion of the transcontinental railroad and the federal government's increasingly vehement attacks on Mormon polygamy, among other factors, led to worries among older Mormons about the future of their community. They particularly worried about the commitment of the upcoming generation of Mormons, who had not converted to the faith but had just been born into it. This thesis examines how those feelings of worry intersected with ideas about reading. Older Mormons recognized a potential ally in reading materials that could help young people become believing, productive members who would help ensure the future of their community. This thesis argues these older Mormons borrowed many elements from other US literary cultures and repurposed them for distinctly Mormon ends, including achieving theosis (chapter 1), navigating changing dynamics in Mormon families (chapter 2), and building their utopic society, Zion (chapter 3). It examines not only the rhetoric surrounding "good" or "bad" reading but also the institutionalized programs and actions, such as the 1888 MIA Course of Reading (chapter 4), that shaped Mormons' world of reading. Such an examination begins to sharpen our understanding of the relationship of print and religion in America and what reading meant to Mormons.

There are few women in the highest levels of leadership in most industries, including higher education. This intrinsic case study provides insight into the leadership journeys of 15 female leaders at Brigham Young University, which is sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Four prevalent themes emerged about their leadership journeys. First, a leadership role was not part of the participant's life plan. The remaining three themes related to acceptance of a leadership role. Participants reported feeling nudged to consider a leadership role, feeling a sense of relational responsibility in accepting a leadership role, and receiving a spiritual confirmation that they should accept a leadership role. Many Latter-day Saint women are not actively thinking about or seeking leadership opportunities. Leaders at Brigham Young University can encourage women to consider and accept leadership roles by intentionally nudging women to recognize their potential, understanding how relational responsibility motivates women, and encouraging them to seek for spiritual confirmation.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) has established educational programs throughout the world. The aim of these programs is to help students in gaining and understanding and personal witness of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ while they pursue secular studies. This project is an online resource, a handbook of instruction, designed for LDS religious educators across the globe to access and interact with, so as to facilitate teaching in the LDS classroom. Produced in Net Objects Fusion 3.0 this multimedia handbook makes use of text, graphics, and other information to teach and provide quality material and perspective for the LDS volunteer seminary teacher. This project is best viewed using Netscape Communicator 4.0 on a minimum 17 inch monitor. The online resource for teachers is offered with the following purposes in mind: (i) to inspire teachers to more effective and powerful teaching in the LDS classroom (ii) to help teachers understand the principles around quality religious instruction (iii) to guide teachers in the application of these principles so that quality religious instruction is assured (iv) to help teachers develop quality teaching skills for religious instruction / 1 computer optical disc ; 4 3/4 in + abstract.

Julia Hills Johnson, the 48-year-old wife of Ezekiel Johnson and mother of sixteen children, found spiritual fulfillment in the doctrines of a new religion called Mormonism. Her baptism in 1831 was a simple act that ultimately led her halfway across the American continent, and strained her marital relationship, yet filled her with a sense of spiritual contentment. Julia's commitment to her faith, her tenacity, self-determination and willingness to take risks to participate in this new religious movement sets her apart from other nineteenth-century farm women in New England and New York. Julia's religiosity was self-determined and tenacious. She chose to break with the religious and social conventions of her time to embrace ideas that were outside the social and religious norms of her society because she found spiritual fulfillment in a religious movement with doctrines and an organizational structure that to her was logical, intellectually appealing and consistent with her pre-existing concept of true Christianity. As a dominant influence in her children's lives she was determined to adhere to and inculcate her children in the Church's doctrines and organization. Throughout her twenty-two-year sojourn in Mormonism she remained dedicated to the success of what for her was the restoration of God's kingdom on earth. Her participation in that movement at times placed her and her family at personal and financial risk to adhere to the doctrines of their faith and remain in company with other converts. Julia experienced Mormonism from its earliest days to their exodus west. Because she was among the first to join her life affords us an opportunity to examine the role of women in the early church and to test historical theories intended to explain women's conversion, and women's doctrinal attitudes. From Julia's conversion and post conversion experiences, historians of nineteenth-century America, religion, women's, and Mormon history will gain greater insight into the role women played in the early history of the Church. Julia shaped the religiosity of her children, influenced the religiosity of others, and thereby influenced the development of the Church.

This thesis explores how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) has used media technology as part of its missionary communication strategy. Particular attention is paid to the Internet as a space for religious practice and how the LDS Church has sought to extend its media practices and missionary efforts online. By utilizing new media technology to find individuals interested in hearing its message, the LDS Church faces new challenges to its traditional face-to-face missionary program, its centralized hierarchy of control and its ongoing struggle for identity within American Christian culture. Throughout its history, the LDS Church's missionary communication strategy has used several different methods for finding people to teach but has consistently focused on ensuring that such methods ultimately lead to face-to-face lessons with missionaries, viewed as the most transformative communication exchange for both the missionary and the potential convert. / by Gavin Feller. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

abstract: Among the hundreds of hymnals published in the United States during the Second Great Awakening (1790–1850), the first official hymnal of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a rare example of a hymnal compiled by a woman. The Latter-day Saints wanted a hymnal adapted to their unique beliefs and emerging identity, and Emma Smith—the wife of founding prophet Joseph Smith—was given sole charge of selecting the hymns. The hymnal is also significant because Emma Smith selected and arranged hymns from 1830–1835, years of an emerging rhetoric for the early women’s rights movement. Nevertheless, few studies attend to Smith’s agency and priorities as a compiler, being preoccupied with the contributions of W. W. Phelps, the editor, printer, and most represented poet of the hymnal. Drawing on Karlyn Kohrs Campbell’s theories of agency and of feminine style as well as Kenneth Burke’s theory of form, this thesis uses close textual analysis and coding to examine the rhetorical strategies Smith employed in the hymnal’s preface and in the organization of the Sacred Hymns section. The analysis reveals the hymnal’s recurring themes as well as the ideas it circulates about sex, gender, agency, and community inclusion/exclusion. It also uncovers tension between Smith’s and Phelps’ priorities for the hymnal, particularly in how Smith and Phelps characterize those who should and should not be included with equal authority in Zion, the ideal community the Latter-day Saints sought to build. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis English 2019

Minerva Teichert (1888-1976) was a twentieth-century American artist, who spent most of her life residing in remote towns in the West, earnestly balancing the demands of family and ranching, and painting scenes of her beloved Western frontier. Her steady and significant production of art is remarkable for any artist, and particularly compelling when one considers her time constraints, inaccessibility of art supplies, distance from other artists and art centers, and lack of public attention. The success of women artists during the first half of the twentieth-century was dependent not only upon their artistic aptitude, but also upon external forces, such as family, friends, and mentors. As an artist during this era, Teichert benefitted especially from the circles of women who surrounded her, offering sympathy, encouragement, assistance, a ready network of support, and who enabled her to pursue her passion, which she succinctly described, “I must paint.” This thesis employs a methodological framework informed by feminist, collective conscience, and social network theories in order to elucidate an artist's vision that transcends feminist viewpoints and western heroic individualism. The reality of female networks in Teichert's life translates not only to the certainty of women within a Western mythology dominated by men but also to a powerful counter-narrative where collaboration and community are essential to the success of settlements in the American West. Here Teichert introduces an altogether different vision and story. In her pioneer paintings, composed during the 1930s and 1940s, one sees a reflection of her own life, and that of her pioneer ancestors, which emphasizes the feminine, the importance of collaboration, and the centrality of community.

An organization’s leadership theory acts as a collection of primary guiding characteristics which influence its identity and direction. Developing leaders has always been important for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Historically, the Church has promoted leadership ideals for all its members through various aspects of its doctrine and organization. This study provides an analysis of multiple leadership texts produced by the ecclesiastical and educational wings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The study helps to reveal how Latter-day Saint leadership theory has developed over time. This study considers the unfolding of Latter-day Saint leadership theory from 1900 to 2017. The analysis provides greater understanding of how ecclesiastic leadership theory relates to leadership theory provided for the Church’s religious educators. Additionally, this study considers how themes in Latter-day leadership theory developed in relationship to other contemporary historical and theoretical trends. Data derived from this analysis are used to answer the following three questions: (1) How has the idea of leadership changed over time in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and in its educational system? (2) What are the enduring themes and distinctive concepts of Latter-day Saint leadership theory? (3) What differences exist between the leadership constructs provided for ecclesiastical leaders in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and those of its educational system?

Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Physics and Astronomy, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 133-162).

Thesis (M.R.E.)--B.Y.U. Dept. of Graduate Studies in Religious Instruction.