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Willford Woodruff

Willford Woodruff
2006 Study Manual

Recently, I received a call from a Member who wanted to know where in the manual it talks about Willford Woodruff's wife as it usually appears in the front of the book. After searching I found it some where else further within the book. I did notice that there is no mention of his first wife and divorce. Do you think that these manuals should give the full biography or is it largely irrelevant? What about if a non-member approached you and asked about Willford Woodruff's first marriage and you did not know anything about it?

Woodruff Willford

I think these manuals should give full biography without a doubt. Every manual we read from past Church Presidents make the impression that they were monogamous when most of them were living Plural Marriage. If they do not want to talk about their marriages, then they should not include any of their wives. It's misleading.

Willford Woodruff Studies Doctrine Mormon

I agree,
The manuals do tend to not be completely forthcoming. In fact this is a complaint that I have heard about the manuals for some time. They material in them is not very accurate, in that they combine 2 or more quotes into one quote very regularly. Do not adress certain issues as you have mentioned. This is would not be so bad if they were forthcoming and let the reader know that parts of quotes have been deleted, combined or added too. This to me is kind of dishonest. If I was writing to an audience, this would be very dishonest as a writer. The manuals are very podge poged and put together with no way of knowing what was really said by that prophet.