Book of Mormon Arts & Letters Foundation

The October 22-23, 2025 in-person conference was held at Brigham Young University, co-sponsored with the BYU Department of History. We invited scholars, thinkers, and other creators to ask and answer this question from within their own disciplines: 

How do you read The Book of Mormon and how does your unique perspective shape what you see, think, and feel as you read it? How do you see the people of the Book of Mormon and how does your background influence what you connect to in their lives?

We began Wednesday evening, October 22nd, with a session at the BYU Museum of Art recognizing acclaimed artist, Gary E. Smith, where we heard from his lifelong experience exploring the people of the Book of Mormon. He exhibited previously unseen works from Smith’s more than 50-year journey as a noted LDS artist. On Thursday, October 23rd, we opened the day-long event at BYU’s Conference Center with a keynote by Dr. Jared Halverson from the Department of Ancient Scripture, host of the “Unshaken” podcast, followed by morning panel and discussion sessions. Our lunch session was hosted at the BYU Hinckley Center and featured Dean Brigitte C. Madrian of the BYU Marriott School of Business and Elder Kim B. Clark, former Church Commissioner of Education and Dean, Harvard Business School discussing Principles of Leadership from The Book of Mormon. Our afternoon sessions and concluding keynote session were presented at the Conference Center and concluded with esteemed historian Richard L. Bushman, who presented remarks entitled, “Nephi’s Three Futures: The Book of Mormon and the Course of Events.” Attendees then transitioned back to the Hinckley Center for a recognition dinner that honored Dr. Bushman for his lifetime achievement in Book of Mormon Letters.

Thank you

We express our sincere gratitude to all who joined us at our inaugural event, where we had meaningful opportunities to hear from and interact with our distinguished speakers, scholars, artists, and fellow guests. We hope you experienced intellectual enrichment, deepened your personal understanding of the Book of Mormon, and connected with others who share your passion for its transformative cultural power. Follow the links above to our FAQs and archives to learn more about our plans for 2026 and to access our archive videos as they become available over the remainder of 2025.

About the Book of Mormon Arts & Letters Foundation

The Book of Mormon Arts & Letters Foundation (BoMAL Foundation) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational foundation dedicated to the study of the peoples described in the Book of Mormon. Its principles include: academic grounding, devotional commitment, and creative expression. The organization is committed to providing a multidisciplinary academic grounding to studying the cultures, arts, and letters of the people described in the Book of Mormon. This is done in a spirit of devotional commitment to celebrate and advance the purposes of the Book of Mormon as recorded by its authors. All to encourage modern readers of the ancient text to creatively express their understanding of and love for the Book, its peoples, and its teachings.