Revelations recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants, in the summarizing words of the 1981 Church-authorized edition, include “the nature of the Godhead, the origin of man, the reality of Satan, the purpose of mortality, the necessity of obedience, the need for repentance, the workings of the Holy Spirit, the ordinances and performances that pertain to salvation, the destiny of the earth, the future condition of man after the resurrection and the judgment, the eternity of the marriage relationship, and the eternal nature of the family”.
Doctrine and Covenant Gems carefully identifies and polishes each scriptural gem in facilitating a reader’s ready grasp of the truths therein. It follows the same system used in the 1981 church-authorized publication in, identifying the individual subjects addressed in each section.
The book in no way proposes to replace the value of a person’s reading and enjoying the Doctrine and Covenants in its full text. Apology is rendered for any errors or valued scriptural oversights. What makes Doctrine and Covenant Gems particularly valuable in a person’s reading about the restoration of the Gospel is the clarity it offers in focusing on just the pertinent scriptural truths found in the Doctrine and Covenants without having to read as well the sometimes more voluminous circumstantial history and extraneous writing experienced in various sections of the original scriptural document itself.
Sterling H. Redd, Sr
Sterling has had an identified interest in writing since one of his grandmothers pointed the talent out to him during his teens. Following a year of active military during the Berlin Crisis, he finished his BS degree in Sociology and English at Brigham Young University. Upon graduation, he taught high school English for several years in the Salt Lake area. Then, after receiving an MSW degree at the University of Utah, he served for over thirty years as a clinical social worker and writer/editor for the Utah State Department of Health.
He has served as a missionary in New Zealand, as a member of the Bonneville Stake mission presidency, and has served in subsequent years on several stake missions among diverse cultures. Among his service experience, he has been a Gospel Doctrine teacher, a High Priest Group instructor, and a High Priest Group leader. Since his retirement, he has completed a service mission call at the LDS Employment Resource Center, assisting a widely diverse patronage in personal resume writing. He then served a local service mission in the LDS Addiction Recovery Program, and is currently Serving as a temple ordinance worker.
His love of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is deep, as well as a love of people, nature, classical music, literature, and writing. He is the father of five grown children, and is currently residing in Salt Lake City with his wife and pet cats.
The published works of Sterling include editor of the latest edition of A Story to Tell, Joseph Speaks, Jesus Christ’s Life: You Gotta Read This!, Jesus Christ Lives: So Great was the Astonishment of the People, Poetry: A Delightful Journey Through Life, Holy Bible Gems, Book of Mormon Gems, Exaltation the Goal: Exploring the Path, Bicycling: A 1958 Solo Northwest Adventure, and A Thoughtful Calendar, Holy Bible Prophets Speak: An Alphabetic/Topical Approach and Prophets Ancient and Modern Speak: An Alphabetic/Topical Approach.