The Development of Temple Doctrine by Jennifer Ann Mackley

This amazing book was a real eye-opener. I usually have to fight to stay with a history book, but this one was fascinating to read. I don't think it would hold much interest for a non-LDS person, but perhaps it would. Most of it focuses on temple worship and the context for how that developed in the early days of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

The author exhaustively researched and documented her sources. Most of it comes from Wilford Woodruff's journals. He was a thorough journaler, and his early work in the St. George Temple is recorded in detail. There are other sources as well, and the notes section of the book gives even more background.

This book was recommended to me by Lolly Osguthorpe, who is a good friend and served as a Temple Matron. I trust her judgment, and her recommendations. It helped me understand that our temple work and ordinances have developed and changed over time, and will continue to. President Woodruff was pretty clear that this would be an on-going development. He was able to focus on gathering his own family history and doing his family's work while serving in the St. George temple for 13 (?) years. When he became president of the church, he had all of this experience to inform his leadership. A VERY worthwhile read!