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SALT LAKE CITY — The final volume of 'Saints,' an official history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was released on Tuesday. Those involved with the project said it is not just a historical book but a page-turner.
Elder Hugo Martinez of the Seventy, who serves as assistant executive director of the Church History Department, said the publication of this series is a significant event for church members. He spoke at a press conference announcing the final volume and showcasing some artifacts related to the stories in the final volume, subtitled "Sounded in Every Ear."
Elder Martinez invited members to study the book and find stories of those who follow Christ. "We will find our Savior, Jesus Christ, in the pages and the devotion and the lives that are there, and it's so captivating," he said.
'This is not the end of "Saints"'
Elder Martinez said this fourth volume covers his lifetime, sharing stories of people who have served with him. He said it covers a period of tremendous growth as the church moved from its members being primarily located in the United States and Canada to having over 50% of its membership living in other countries around the world.
"This is not the end of 'Saints'; we continue writing the story," he said.
Matthew Grow, managing director of the Church History Department, said his team is excited the four-volume series is completed — it is the culmination of years of record keeping within the church.
"From our very beginning we have been a people who keeps records and looks to history for guidance," he said.
He said the first president of the church, Joseph Smith, took record keeping seriously and there were two historical series published by the church before 'Saints,' which the church started working on in 2010.
Grow said they had three criteria for the historical series:
- The history had to be impeccable and meticulously researched.
- It had to be "a page-turner" driven by Latter-day Saint stories.
- It had to meet the needs of all Latter-day Saints, regardless of age or location.
Grow said the series "tells the history of the Lord's work in the latter-days through the eyes of the Latter-day Saints who lived it."
Every member can see themselves
"Saints" is available now in 14 different languages, which Grow said makes it accessible to the vast majority of church members. Each book ends with the dedication of a temple, Grow said, but the fourth book ends with multiple temples around the world showcasing a church that is increasingly global.
At the time period when the book begins, the church had nine temples around the world. When it ends in 2020 there are 168 temples and more being built.
Grow said he hopes members can see themselves in the story, as part of the church's history. He said they worked to show stories of characters in different circumstances, ages and positions in the church.
Jed Woodworth, general editor and managing historian for "Saints," said many members want to see their country represented, but they chose instead to focus on regions.
"Helping every saint see himself or herself in the book, wherever they happen to be, was a huge challenge when you're in 150 nations," he said.
Woodworth said the primary audience for the series is the "rising generation," or teenagers and young adults. However, he said the book can be enjoyed by others, including new members or nonmembers. He said he knows several people who joined the church after reading "Saints" helped them work through questions they had.
While working on the final book, he said when he wanted more details for some of the stories, he could just text the character and ask about his or her feelings. Those texts then became part of the church's historical record.
'We saw a lot of miracles'
Woodworth said the stories they picked had to be interesting, sacred and tell a story about the church as a whole.
Lisa Tait, an editor and historical advisor, said members may see fewer first convert or first missionary stories than they expect, but the goal was to capture the entire church history rather than individual areas. She said they plan to create some regional histories to share stories of other members.
Tait said there can be challenges when writing about the recent past because there is a lack of perspective. She said the book could have missed stories that can become more important in hindsight.
She also said that translating this latest book became a more significant hurdle because many of the stories in the book required translating sources and interviews. "That was a challenge, but it was also a great joy and a great blessing, and we saw a lot of miracles in the way — that the sources came together for us in this project," Tait said.
Scott Hales, one of the editors for "Saints," said he plays the audiobook as he is traveling with his children and encourages other parents to let their children know it is a resource. He said the historians tried to feature stories of youth and young adults. "We need to share these stories," he said.
Hales said the latest book opens in Hong Kong, and near the beginning it has President Spencer W. Kimball, one of the previous church leaders, realizing missionaries should step back and allow local members to lead the church around the world.
"For me that scene … functions as kind of a catalyst for greater church growth," he said.
