Author to Speak about LDS First Presidency

Author to Speak about LDS First Presidency Statements

Salt Lake City—The compiler of a book of quotes from the top
leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will
speak at Benchmark Books, Thursday, March 22, at 5:00 p.m. The store
is located at 3269 South Main Street in Salt Lake City. The public is
invited to join in this discussion.

The book, "Statements of the LDS First Presidency: A Topical
Compedium," was compiled over the course of several years by Gary
James Bergera, director of the Smith-Pettit Foundation in Salt Lake
City. Dale C. LeCheminant, a former professor with the Church's
Institutes of Religion, wrote the foreword. The book contains excerpts
from official statements, sorted alphabetically by topic.

Members of the Church are taught that the authority to speak for God
rests solely with the First Presidency, whose communications are
considered authoritative whether touching on doctrine, theology,
Church administration, or matters of individual responsibility. The
First Presidency also maintains the exclusive prerogative to interpret
scripture for the Church.

As Mormons find themselves at the center of national discussions, the
positions their Church has taken on moral and other issues are of
increasing interest to outsiders. The publisher, Signature Books,
envisions that this volume will provide journalists and scholars with
a valuable resource for understanding official Mormon concepts in
areas of theology and Church structure.