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.

This thesis contends that the Book of Mormon can be profitably read from a rhetorical perspective. It employs Kenneth Burke's ideas concerning language, texts, and his method of dramatistic analysis, to reveal certain persuasive aspects of the Book of Mormon, and to urge action in response to the persuasion of the Book of Mormon.Chapter one discusses common ways of reading scripture, and explains some of the inadequacies of these approaches. It gives a rationale of a rhetorical approach that concerns itself with action, and recommends this approach for the Book of Mormon. Chapter two applies a rhetorical reading to the Book of Mormon as a whole, and concludes that the Book has a fundamental and unified purpose: to persuade its readers to come to Christ. Chapter three analyzes Alma 32–34 from the perspective of Burke's pentad, and urges an open, responsive reading of scripture. It concludes that the overall purpose of the Book of Mormon is revealed in these chapters as well. Chapter four explores Burke's notion of identification, and suggests ways to allow for persuasion as readers of the Book of Mormon.

Thomas B. Marsh was president of the first quorum of Twelve Apostles of this last dispensation of the Gospel.He came into the Church after having been lead west from Massachusetts, to the Prophet at Palmyra by the Spirit, having previously separated himself from all the then existing creeds as had many other early stalwarts.

The purpose of this study was to determine how effectively seminary teachers teach the concept of "living prophets" to students in non-credit released time and early morning seminary classes.The study was composed of a sample of 475 seminary students in non-credit released time and early morning seminary classes, and twenty seminary teachers. Each participant answered a questionnaire to test his concept of "living prophets." The responses were tabulated and presented in written and illustrative form.The findings showed that the teachers themselves had a clear concept of the role of "living prophets" in the church, but the concept in its fullest sense was not being implanted too effectively in the lives of the students.The students recognized a "living prophet " at the head of the church, but had difficulty in accepting the counsel pertaining directly to their personal lives. They showed a strong desire to study in seminary what the modern day prophets were saying about vital issues of the day.

Girl Scouting began in Utah in 1921 out of a desire of several wealthy women to help build the character of young girls in Ogden. Exhibiting many elements of the "social gospel" aspect of progressivism, they adopted the Girl Scout program which emphasized preparation for practical living, appreciation of nature, and development of character.Since the first troops were organized in Ogden, Girl Scouting slowly spread throughout the rest of the state, resulting in several Councils and Lone Troops. After responding to a call for consolidation from the National Girl Scout Council the Utah Scouts made a dramatic change in 1961 to a single Council: The Utah Girl Scout Council.Although growth in size has been fairly steady, the Girl Scouts have encountered the unique problem of dealing with a dominant religious community, the LDS Church, which has demonstrated ambiguous feelings about the Girl Scout program. Nevertheless, the Girl Scouts have played an important role in Utah's communities and have continued to grow and strengthen.

The significance of Lehi's life tree is that it gives life. Lehi's tree expresses the nonverbal, renews Lehi, effectually creates a culture, and keys the structure of a literary, viable, and contemporary scripture. My thesis chapters grow out of my reading of myth, tree mythology, and Lehi's dream. I see Lehi 1) traveling a polemic course toward the tree, 2) confronting the tree's death, and 3) by suffering, opening the symbol to his inner vision.Lehi's first dream images, a dark and dreary wilderness vs. a man in white, suggest the birth of mythic creation. By traveling through and reconciling opposites, Lehi eventually achieves mythic fulfillment and eats the fruit of immortal joy.Lehi's tree represents a highly visible life meaning yet conceals its death meaning. Only after Lehi overcomes a mythical death can he understand and gain the tree's life power.Lehi's death confrontation suggests that he, in isolation, suffers a limitless sphere. The requisite suffering eventually yields a complex desire that is not only filled, but also increases.

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to develop criteria for creating thematic literature units appropriate to the English language facility and to the culture of students in the LDS secondary schools in the South Pacific, and (b) to create three thematic literature units at the Form 5 (11th grade) level which would exemplify the recommended criteria.An analysis of questionnaire responses revealed that a concept-centered approach to literature should take precedence, with geographical literature—especially Polynesian—also receiving emphasis. Less attention should be given to developing skill in literary analysis, and more focus placed upon systematically reinforcing other language arts areas (e.g. composition) during literature instruction.Three individualized thematic literature units which exemplify these criteria were then created. Themes chosen, according to rating scores established through the questionnaire, were (a) "Leadership I: Leaders of the People," (b) "The Value of Work," and (c) "The Search for Dignity and Respect."

"Brigham Young's Philosophy of History" attempts to describe how Brigham Young gave order and unity to the hubbub and confusion in which man lived. The laws which gave form and pattern to the baffling, diverse phenomena of and around man receive major attention. This thesis is an expository type of writing rather than an evaluation of Brigham Young's ideas and principles or laws in reference to other philosophies of history, Latter-day Saint theology, the modern natural exact sciences, or in reference to the current views of his times. This thesis is limited to a digestion of Brigham Young's works in the Journal of Discourses rather than an attempt to add another biography to the many on Brigham Young or to attempt to trace the roots of his ideas in his environments. Neither is this work a comparison of Brigham Young's ideas concerning history with those of his contemporaries in and out of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Nor does it deal with the influence which Brigham Young may have had upon the dogma of the "Mormon" church. In literary style, the thesis is written in the first person and dramatic narrators. This style may be confusing to the reader who never experienced it before. With the exception of the introduction, the first chapter, the epilogue, and the appendicies, this particular literary style allow the thesis to read as if Brigham Young had written the work. Thus, all the ideas expressed in the main body of the thesis are those of Brigham Young.Brigham Young's mind seemed to operate upon a priori and a posterori as well as a form of ratiocination when he arrived at his conclusions. The main law governing the universe and all its modes was the law of increase with its antithesis, decrease. The numerous laws which were below the law of increase taught man how to increase and gave him power to increase. Should he refuse to obey these laws, he was acted upon by other laws until he decomposed back into his native element. Man had his existence to learn to increase, expand, and spread abroad. It was his mission. He was the apex of focus for the law of increase.Below the law of increase and its antithesis, decrease, were numerous subsidiary laws which helped to govern all events. The organization of matter to form intelligence, spirit bodies, and mortal bodies to house these spirits were all governed by these laws. The war in heaven, the creation of this earth, the transgression of Adam and Eve, the struggles of mankind against evil, and the interference by God into man's affairs were all opportunities calculated to allow the rational beings the privilege of giving their loyalty to either increase or decrease. Although there is seemingly a fluidity in man's choices, man cannot stymie increase by continual conscious or unconscious wrong choices, for increase will eventually destroy all the evil upon this earth.

This study investigated the relationship between stages of the family life cycle during the early years of marriage and marital dissatisfaction. From this basic goal the following three hypotheses were derived and tested:I. Marital dissatisfaction for both husband and wife is less in the first stage than in the third stage of the family life cycle.II. For both husband and wife the ideal spouse concept is the same in stage one as in stage three of the family life cycle.III. For both husband and wife socially undesirable perceived spouse concepts are greater while socially desirable perceived spouse concepts are less in the third stage than in the first stage of the family life cycle.A questionnaire consisting of background information, the Locke-Wallace Short Marital Adjustment Scale, and the Interpersonal Check List was given to thirty couples in the first stage (newly married) of the family life cycle and thirty couples in the third stage (oldest child of preschool age) of the family life cycle. Stree statistical methods were used to interpret the data collected: (1) chi-square, (2) t-test, and (3) Pearsonian correlation coefficient.

This thesis traces the history of the restoration and development of the Aaronic Priesthood and its offices of priest, teacher, and deacon, from 1829 to the middle 1840s in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The major areas of emphasis include the organizational structure of the Aaronic Priesthood, the responsibilities assigned to priests, teachers, and deacons, and the relationship of the functions of the Aaronic Priesthood which are first given in Section 13 of the Doctrine and Covenants, namely the ministering of angels, the preparatory gospel, and the offering of the sons of Levi. Also included is the role of the Aaronic Priesthood in the temples during the formative period of the Church.Interesting finding of the study includes 1) the functioning of priests as presidents of priests quorums instead of bishops, 2) the guardianship or watchman role of teachers and priests and the quasi-legal position therein entailed, and 3) the ordinances of the Kirtland temple participated in by priests, teachers, and deacons in the temple.