Teachings of Presidents of the Church

Teachings of Presidents of the Church is a series of books published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Each book of the series briefly compiles the teachings and sermons of one of the men who has served as president of the LDS Church. The series is not complete, with 15 books having been released by August 2016. (There have been 17 presidents of the LDS Church.) The text of each book is not limited to sermons preached while the person was President of the Church, but generally contain teachings given during their time as an ordained apostle.[1]

The ninth book in the series, featuring the teachings of church founder Joseph Smith.

The series began in 1997, with the release of the Brigham Young edition. The books are not being issued in the same order in which presidents served. The books are not intended to be a comprehensive collection of the words, sermons, or writings of their subjects. Church members have been encouraged to save the books and make a collection in their homes. Four and a half million copies of the 2008 adult study course, Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, were printed.[2]

The books served as a basis for many of the lessons presented in weekly church Relief Society and adult priesthood meetings. Each book was used as class curriculum for one or two calendar years, depending on the length of the book. In 2010 and 2011, the church temporarily ceased using this series for communal study at Sunday meetings and instead used a newly revised Gospel Principles manual. Sunday study of the Teachings of Presidents of the Church series resumed in 2012, but concluded at the end of 2017.

Beginning in 2018, adult church members use a new approach to the Sunday curriculum entitled Come Follow Me: For Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society. This places greater emphasis on members counseling together regarding local needs, increased study of general conference talks, and studying other topics selected by the general church leadership.[3]

The copyright in the books is held by Intellectual Reserve, but they are available in electronic format for free on the LDS Church's website.

Books in the series
No. Publication date President of the Church
& years in tenure		 Years used as curriculum
1 1997 Brigham Young (1847–77) 1998–99
2 1998 Joseph F. Smith (1901–18) 2000–01
3 2000 Harold B. Lee (1972–73) 2002
4 2001 John Taylor (1880–87) 2003
5 2002 Heber J. Grant (1918–45) 2004
6 2003 David O. McKay (1951–70) 2005
7 2004 Wilford Woodruff (1889–98) 2006
8 2006 Spencer W. Kimball (1973–85) 2007
9 2007 Joseph Smith (1830–44) 2008–09
10 2011 George Albert Smith (1945–51) 2012[4]
11 2012 Lorenzo Snow (1898–1901) 2013[5]
12 2013 Joseph Fielding Smith (1970–72) 2014[6]
13 2014 Ezra Taft Benson (1985–94) 2015[7]
14 2015 Howard W. Hunter (1994–95) 2016[8]
15 2016 Gordon B. Hinckley (1995–2008) 2017[9]

As of 2020, no edition has been published for Thomas S. Monson or Russell M. Nelson, the sixteenth and seventeenth church presidents, respectively.

References
  1. Stack, Peggy Fletcher. "A new -- or is it old? -- manual for Mormons", The Salt Lake Tribune, 31 December 2009. Retrieved on 22 March 2020.
  2. "'In their own language' - translating in the LDS Church", Deseret News, 30 August 2008. Retrieved on 22 March 2020.
  3. Instructions for Curriculum 2018, churchofjesuschrist.org. 8 September 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  4. Instructions for Curriculum 2012, churchofjesuschrist.org
  5. Instructions for Curriculum 2013, churchofjesuschrist.org.
  6. Instructions for Curriculum 2014, churchofjesuschrist.org.
  7. Instructions for Curriculum 2015, churchofjesuschrist.org.
  8. Instructions for Curriculum 2016, churchofjesuschrist.org.
  9. Instructions for Curriculum 2017, churchofjesuschrist.org.


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