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I get the daily Church History Gems as an email. I used to like them more than I do now. 
Quote:Let us look at the Prophet Joseph Smith. The Lord needed a strong, vigorous young man who would be teachable. He needed someone he could mold into the leader who could bring forth the restoration of the gospel. . . . Few prophets have come from more humble beginnings than those of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He was the fifth child in a family of 11 children. The rugged, rocky soil of New England had not been good to his family. During Joseph Smith’s earliest years, the family moved frequently, trying to find fertile soil or a suitable livelihood, in Vermont, New Hampshire, Vermont again, then Palmyra, Ontario County, New York. Again we see the hand of the Lord guiding them to the proper destination. It was in this place where the family settled that the miraculous events of the Restoration occurred. Out of this hard, difficult, early beginning, Joseph Smith developed a great reliance on the Lord, trusting in him and gaining exceptional spiritual strength so he could use the gifts the Lord would give to him to organize the Church.”In order to organize the work to begin this dispensation, the Lord needed a pure spirit, unlearned in the things of the world, one who could be taught by the ministration of angels, for there was no earthly teacher equipped to do this training. This mortal pupil had to be truly sensitive to the Spirit and to be a quick learner. As I read Truman Madsen’s book Joseph Smith the Prophet, I was impressed with the special spiritual gifts the Prophet had acquired to enable him to lead in the Restoration. He was a young man of exceeding great faith.
L. Tom Perry, “By the Hands of His Prophets,” Ensign, Aug. 1998, 50–51
I’m
notinterested in the contents of what E Perry is saying or discussing whether or not it’s accurate. But notice the last sentence. This struck me as interesting. It would seem that the Brethren do read information put out by academic scholars. On the one hand this seems like a no-brainer. OTOH, I don’t recall an instance of having actually heard an apostle claim to have received information from a specific source in this way. I had these same thoughts when Neal Maxwell was always quoting CS Lewis, and President Hinckley would talk of the Nicene Creed and how much he studied it carefully. Clearly the brethren are teachers, and scholars of religion. I think they consult many sources they believe are “good books”. I think some people worry that if you consult some books, “you can’t handle the truth” – when actually, truth is truth, wherever you find it.
Truman Madsen would be a very safe source. I have never actually read his book but have listened to a set of CDs (6 or 8 I think) which is one long lecture on Joseph Smith and it is quite a good listen heading down the highway but very faithful and never even straying close to what Bushman covers in Rough Stone Rolling. Eu, yes as I recall David O. McKay used to quote literature in his GC talks. Occasionally we do hear a reference to a “classic” of some sort – a non-LDS work. I always enjoy that, a quiet endorsement of “all good books” demonstrates that it is expected that we study more than scriptures and LDS books. Elder Oaks gave what I thought was a strong endorsement for Kathleen Flake’s book on the seating of Reed Smoot in his PBS interview – which I thought was veryinteresting the first time I ran across it. I am not sure I can approve of them using sources outside the lesson manual. 
I got reprimanded for using outside soursces other than the standard works and Ensign. I told my leaders that if general authorities can quote Billy Graham and Mother Teresa and we believe in the 13th article of faith then why can’t I? They just said that GA”S have a special gift to know which quotes or soursces support the gospel and I don’t. Well, that is the day I resigned my calling. I had a “5th week of the month” lesson I gave to the 12 year old SS class about 12 years ago. I had free reign (or so I thought) on the subject, and I was reading the autobiography of Ghandi at the time, so I incorporated much about his life into the lesson. I was released from my calling next week by the very iron rod bishop…no notice or explanation. I talked to my friend in the bishopric later who told me the bishop said “he shouldn’t be teaching about other religions’ leaders!”
I never get along with iron rodders much anyway….
😆 Well I appreciate the discussion this generated. It would appear that I have simply not been listening closely enough to notice all the times that GAs have quoted outside sources. I do recall some references to C.S. Lewis quite often, and Thoreau, and Longfellow from time to time. I am also saddened by some of the experiences that many of you have had with regard to bringing in outside sources. That’s too bad, especially for a religion that professes to incorporate all truth. For some, it would seem that “all truth” already exists in Mormonism. Oh well!
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