Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Health Science. / Electronic thesis. Bibliography: leaves 32-33. Also available in print ed.

Thesis (M.A.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Communications. / Electronic thesis. Also available in print ed.

Thesis (M.A.)--B.Y.U. Dept. of Communications. / Electronic thesis. Also available in print ed.

Thesis (M.A.)--Dept. of Church History and Doctrine. / Electronic thesis. Also available in print ed.

Thesis (M.R.E.)--B.Y.U. Dept. of Church History and Doctrine. / Electronic thesis. Also available in print ed.

Thesis (M.A.)--B.Y.U. Dept. of Church History and Doctrine. / Electronic thesis. Also available in print ed.

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 purpose of this study was to ascertain the effect conveyed by color in the murals of four Latter-day Saint Temples: St. George, Logan, Manti, Salt Lake, compared to the desired effect relative to the spiritual function of each room in which they are found.

"The Instructor" magazine of The Deseret Sunday School Union of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1966. In a message of congratulations to the publication, the First Presidency of the Church pointed to the unique role "The Instructor" performs today in promulgating effective religious teaching. The message stated, "The articles contained therein, the editorials, and the Sunday School supplemental lesson material, have contributed much to the gospel training in the Church. It is a very superior magazine, being unsurpassed by any in its field." Because of this 100th anniversary and the unique role "The Instructor" plays to both the Sunday School organization and the Church as a whole, this study was undertaken.

As methods by which texts are to be understood, positivism and historicism have a long tradition and continue to exert wide influence in all academic disciplines. Other approaches to textual concerns have recently emerged to challenge the dominance of these two approaches. Foremost among these new approaches are hermeneutics and deconstruction. Both of the latter approaches recognize that interpretation is inescapable. The latter challenges even the possibility of determinate meaning. A theoretical discussion of historicism and positivism uncovers questionable and troublesome difficulties. Hermeneutics in its conservative or radical variations overcomes the difficulties of interpretation that positivism and historicism can't explain. As an example of the problems of positivism and historicism, several narratives from the Book of Mormon illustrate how readings by revisionist Mormon readers—those who believe it is a modern work of fiction rather than an authentic ancient document—find exactly the evidence sought, largely without consulting the text they attempt to explain. Using biblical criticism with the assumption that it will illuminate the Book of Mormon text, especially of the literary rather than the historical variety, the narratives are complex and sophisticated works. Four narratives (the stealing of the daughters of the Lamanites, the broken bow, the Nahom incident, and the building of the ship narrative) illustrate the texture of the Book of Mormon as a set of complicated narratives that draw strongly from biblical archetypes of the exodus and patriarchal narratives.