“I speak of the problem of racism. You will recall President Russell M. Nelson’s great teachings in general conference on this subject and perhaps my own plea that Latter-day Saints unite to “root out racism.” To do that, we must have clear thinking about how current events should be analyzed and acted upon in view of this nation’s shameful history of Black slavery.”
Dedicatory prayer of the Church’s monuments to free and enslaved, member and non-member Black pioneers: “...We’re honored to be able to dedicate this memorial and these wonderful features that have now been added to declare to all who visit how precious and important every child of God is unto Thee... We are grateful for the Black pioneers and our dear friends of the Black community and in the Church and all that they do to bless the lives of others. Protect these wonderful representations [that] remind us of who we are and what blessings we enjoy because of those pioneers,”
“...Within weeks of entering the valley, the Saints encountered Indian tribes who had captured children from other bands. Some Saints bought Indian children from these slave traders, in some instances after seeing the traders kill or torture those the Latter-day Saints did not purchase. Pioneer families adopted and attempted to integrate these children into Latter-day Saint communities, despite cultural differences and racial prejudice. Some exploited and mistreated these Indian children.” “In March 1852 the legislature in Utah Territory passed “An Act for the Relief of Indian Slaves and Prisoners,” a law that regulated the acquisition and care of Indian children. The children could be indentured as household servants for up to 20 years, but those who acquired servants were required to process an indenture agreement with county officials, clothe the…
“Latter-day Saint militiamen planned and carried out a massacre. They lured the emigrants from their circled wagons with a false flag of truce and, aided by Paiute Indians they had recruited, slaughtered them. Between the first attack and the final slaughter, 120 were killed. ...In the early 2000s, the Church made diligent efforts to learn everything possible about the massacre. Historians in the Church History Department scoured archives throughout the United States for historical records; every Church record on the massacre was also opened to scrutiny. A resulting book published by Oxford University Press in 2008 by authors Ronald W. Walker, Richard E. Turley Jr., and Glen M. Leonard concluded that while intemperate preaching about outsiders by Brigham Young, George A. Smith, and other leaders contributed to a climate of…
“The predecessors of many Americans of different backgrounds made great sacrifices to establish this nation. Whatever those sacrifices—of freedom, property, or even life—let us now honor them for what they have done for us...”
The Steps of Repentance 1. Sorrow for sin 2. Abandonment of sin 3. Confession of sin 4. Restitution for sin 5. Obedience to all the commandments 6. Recognition of the Savior
