My Book of Mormon

I took a road trip to Nauvoo. My brain melted from both the heat and the experience. Love to you all - Marie

It's the end! Oliver tells the thrilling tale of when Joseph finds the box and pulls out the Golden Plates.   Read along here The Glass Looker, Treasure Digs

A narrative! Joseph Smith, Jr, prophet of god, puts down his work and goes on a walk to a hill.  Read along with me Hill Cumorah Quotes

It's a recap episode! Strap in for some bracing Old Testament info.  Read along with me here The Brother of Jared Quarto Vocabulary

Oliver Cowdery continues to spin pretty words of little substance. Angels, latter days, Israel, it's a good time for all! Read along with me here Compare D&C How are Oliver Cowdery's Letters etc. Angels have six wings and are covered in eyes Deutoronomy!!  The Q12 is formed

It's a narrative!!! Praise be to Heavenly Father, we're treated to a messenger from god.  Read along with me here Height of male identifying people 100 years ago How are these letters to be read and understood John of Patmos

It's a cliffhanger of an anticlimax. Read along with me here  

In one heck of a misdirect, we learn the "history" according to the bible, not the history of Mormonism.    Read along here Jared Carter Gyan Books Compare D&C Tertullian The Nutritional Value of Locusts Book of Mormon Central essay

Sometimes, insomnia hits. How to deal? Read some entirely non-canon letters penned by Marie's historical boyfriend back in 1834.  All the Links Read along here Oliver Cowdery as Book of Mormon Scribe WW Phelps Commentary by the Church How are Oliver Cowdery's Letters to be Used and Understood? The Cowdery Conundrum

It's the end! We've run out of canon. Time to wrap it up. Thank you for listening for all these years!!!   -Marie and Bryce

Pres. Veazey presented his words of counsel in 2013, it became canon in 2016. This is the most recent and therefore final revelation of the Community of Christ. Read along with us here Watch Pres. Veazey here The president's address in 2016 about evangelist blessing World Conference Resolutions as of 2019

It's touted as the Gay Rights Revelation, but is it really??  Read along with us here Gay Rights Revelation Added to the Community of Christ D&C, by John Hamer

Stephen Veazey begins his tenure as president of a prophetic people. It's easy! Love your neighbor, take your church callings seriously, be humble, and know that the Book of Mormon isn't a historical document that should ever be worshiped as as divine. Read along with us here War in Afghanistan Climate Change 2007  

Pres. McMurray shifts the church from a people with a prophet to that of a prophetic people. Then he quits.  Read along with us here Boston Archdiocese Letter of Resignation Sunstone Magazine commentary

This new thing called "the web" is a perfect place to invest, the stock market is definitely only going to go up. Pres. Grant McMurray expands the Community of Christ accordingly. They officially define themselves by who they are instead of who they are not. Read along with us The Dot Com Bubble  

In a break from tradition, the next prophet-president isn't a direct descendant of Joseph Smith, Jr. Welcome to the show, W. Grant McMurray!   Walking Into the Heart of the Questions: An Interview With Grant McMurray Read along with us here Support the show here

Hirings and firings continue, but what really matters is how different Utah LDS is from Missouri RLDS. Finances. Gender. Transparency. Focus. Use of resources. Take everything you knew a true from Utah LDS, flip it and reverse it into an alternate universe, and that's Missouri RLDS.  Read along with us here The Father and the Family Utah LDS Audit Committee Report, 1994 Danny Belrose Dale Luffman Utah LDS Women of the Church

The last big breakaway wraps up, and its officially a new era for the church. Women rise to power all over, members with AIDS are officially accepted as worthy humans (while the world rejects them), communion is open to everyone, and further research is ordered to help the church better serve those suffering from addiction or domestic violence.    Read along with us here Support the show here File the paperwork to own your churches!!! Historical Amnesia: Corporate Identity and Collective Memory Grant McMurray David Brock Larry Tyree Larry Norris Dennis Piepergardes  

Wally Tony blocks the remaining fundamentalists from removing revelation 156 by introducing a resolution that petitions for revelation must come from the Prophet-President, not the people. Say thanks to the domineering personality of Fred M back in 1925! Is this a good change? Eh...    Read along with us here Support the show here Richard Price is Excommunicated Lloyd Hurshman Roy Schaefer Norman Swails

It's 1984 and women are now officially allowed to hold the priesthood! Almost. They have to go through all the same training as the men do, and THEN they can hold the priesthood.  Read along with us here Support the show here Geoffrey Spencer The Last Smith Presidents  

The forces of a changing society continue to push on all sides.  Read along with us here Support the show here Reed Homes Empowering Homosexuals in the Church: A History of GALA

The first international apostle is called as the fundamentalist movement strengthens. Restoration Festivals, Inc is formed and subsequently silenced by the Q12.  Read along with us here Support the show here Read Steve Veazey's blog about his Asia tour Everett Graffeo Kenneth Robinson Steve Veazey's appeal for more tithing dollars 1970s energy crisis  

It's time for some context to the 1980 proto-schism in RLDS. The Epitome of Faith and Doctrine is exactly the same as the Articles of Faith, just rebranded.  Read along with us here Apostle's Creed

W. Wallace Smith officially retires, Wallace B. Smith takes over. It goes smoothly, except for the 15%-25% of the congregation who Does Not Believe. Or more it's that they believe in the fundamentals and their new progressive leader.  Read along with us here  Read about the presidency of Wallace B Smith here Listen to the patron-exclusive bonus episode here  

In a shocking turn of events, W. Wallace Smith decides to retire rather than remain prophet-president until death. He nominates his son, Wallace Bunnell Anthony Smith, as successor.  Read along with us here GCR 564 Graceland College Book of Knowledge    

Sweeping changes have been made in core beliefs and how the church teaches theology to the children. Naturally, this revelation mentions literally none of that. Read along with us here Support the show here Roy Cheville Pax Mondial Temple School Paul Booth

God wants the Saints to build a temple, which is problematic since RLDS doesn't own the land where temple should be built. Can they resurrect and old agreement that would allow them to slide right into that plot of land?  Read along with us here Support the show here Journal of Mormon History Cuyahoga River  

God is so great that his words require clarification in not only a supplemental revelation, but also for months and months in the official church newspaper. Read along with us here

Oh snap, it's a revelation so groundbreaking that god had to make this a two-parter! What's a surplus? Are the bishops the bad guys? Will the temple be used for... anything? No idea!  Read along with us here Differing Visions: Dissenters in Mormon History Ruby Irene Jones, total badass  

The Statement on Objections rocks the church to its core, so naturally the revelation regarding personnel changes is what's in the D&C.    Read along with us here Support the show here F. Henry Edwards Duane Couey Aleah Koury  

The church shifts its focus from cultural anecdata from the past to hard truths for the future. Cracks in the church foundation begin to appear. Read along with us here Support the show here Cecil B Ettinger The Conference of Restored Elders Duane Couey Arthur Oakman Russell Ralston William Timms  

Pres. W. Wallace Smith flexes his prophetic muscles by doing a ton of staffing changes. On the surface, nothing is changing. In reality, he's setting up the church to do things like include non-white members in their leadership.    All the Links Read along with us here Maurice Draper Roy Cheville Charles Neff Outreach International The splinter group that broke off circa 2005 Comments on Clifford Cole  

It's the end of an era as President Israel "Dutch" Smith passes away in a car crash. President W. Wallace Smith is named successor, which makes sense since he's essentially been acting president for a solid six years.  Read along with us here Historical Amnesia: Corporate Identity and Collective Memory Nauvoo in the 1960s  

Prophet-President Israel "Dutch" Smith starts making tours of the Pacific and Europe to meet the members of his church. Or, from another perspective, he uses the church as an excuse to travel, get fancy gadgets installed on his car, and watch baseball. It's all a matter of perspective.   Read along with us here Support the show here John Garver Gentle Monarch, by Norma Derry Hiles

Israel "Dutch" Smith spends his first years of his presidency at his wife's bedside, with breaks to write correspondence and delegate decisions to F. Henry Edwards, his nephew-in-law.  All the Links Support the show here Read along with us here Roscoe Davey Maurice L Draper Reed Holmes A Gentle Monarch

The post-WWII era ushers in an era of economic growth for the church, and a grumpy Fred M., a prophet who failed to write down his succession plan. Israel "Dutch" Smith becomes prophet-president, soon thereafter giving his first revelation.  All the Links John Garver Frank Henry Edwards Fred M.'s funeral bulletin

The revelation is just another staffing change from Fred M. The reality is that nobody likes him and his closest confidantes are quitting. Somehow, despite a lifetime of being treated as Lesser, little brother Israel A. Smith steps in to start the process in becoming the next prophet-president. All the Links Read along with us here L.F.P. Curry Gentle Monarch: The Presidency of Israel A. Smith Bonus Episode - Russell M. Nelson tells us the November policy was motivated by love. He's wrong.

Fred. M's vision of a literal, physical Zion slips even further from his grasp. Church membership is falling, money is tighter than tight, and WWII is just around the corner.  All the Links Read along with us here Support the show here 1933 Saints Herald 1937 Saints Herald C. George Mesley Arthur Oakman Charles Hield Mr. Hield looks pretty fly      

Fred M. has gained complete control of the Church, for both good and bad. Great strides are made in the quest for a physical Zion on earth! And he completely misses how overspent the coffers are, and then a Great Depression wipes out what little resources were left.  All The Links Read along with us here Supreme Directional Control F. Henry Edwards The Graceland College Book of Knowledge, by David Goehner

Brother McGuire stages a coup, sort of, with the help of immense amounts of bureaucracy. Fred M. is temporarily ousted from The Saints Herald, only to regain power at the expense of his younger brother, Israel.    Read along with us here Historical Amnesia: Corporate Identity and Collective Memory General Conference Resolutions  

There's so much controversy that we just don't have anything harmonious, except a tiny little background clause in membership transfer that we'll care about in 1925. Right now it's 1922-1924, and Fred M's leadership is tanking the church. Membership? Money? Happiness? It's bad news bears. Let's yell about it at general conference!!   Read along with us here Historical Amnesia: Corporate Identity and Collective Memory Support the show on Patreon  

Fred M becomes the prophet, and immediately things go awry. He micromanages, he gives his wife biological specimens, he throws down during general conference. It's the first of six controversies!!!!   All the Links Patron Bonus - Sunstone 2019 Read along with us here NPR article about surgery on a boat Historical Amnesia : Corporate Identity and Collective Memory, the doctoral dissertation by Dr. Kenneth Mulliken Rubber suits during baptism  

An era comes to a close as the son of the prophet passes away of old age. Let's recap his life and read his final revelation. Suspicious that his final words from God sound a lot like everything Fred M. wants, eh?   Read along with us here Lyman Wight's recollection of Joseph Smith Jr passing the torch to his son Support the show on Patreon  

Prophet Emeritus Joseph Smith III suddenly sounds an awful lot like his son, Fred M. It's shocking how much the divine will of god aligns with the mortal will of Fred M. This does not bode well.   All the Links Read along with us here Isaac White J.W. Wight Joseph R Lambert Wiliam M Aylor "The Apostolic Office", by Paul Hanson  

R. C. Evans is ousted from the presidency and he is NOT happy about it. He's replaced with "just another Smith".   All The Links Section 129 Pretender to the Throne: R.  C. Evans and the Problem of Presidential Succession Bertha Madison Smith Roger Launius, NASA historian Elbert A. Smith (a grandson) J.F. Curtis

Fred M.'s influence grows ever stronger. The church is (slowly and thoughtfully) on the move from rural everywhere to Independence, MO. Saints are advised to migrate only after they've secured a job and housing, and to integrate kindly with their neighbors.    All The Links Read along with us here Mormon Extermination Order The Stone Church (historical) The Stone Church (today)

The church is in transition from the founders to the next generation. Fred M is named the successor to JS 3.0, money isn't enough for all the things, and are children or old people more important? Discuss.   All the links Read along with us here Health Ministries in the RLDS Church Independence Sanatorium Ennovation Center Mite to Bishop Emma Burton is a Queen (her husband's biography)

Joseph Smith III has a vision. Happily, it streamlines responsibilities within the church and nominates people to leadership positions. It's official canon... but not everyone believed so at the time.   All the Links Read along with us here Support the show on Patreon List of the Presiding Patriarchs Richard P Howard James Caffall Edmund C Briggs R.C. Evans Francis Sheehy Cornelius Butterworth John Rushton  

It's 1901, and the differences between RLDS and LDS are big enough to warrant a full-on comparison. What does the two factions believe? How does the afterlife work? Which is the One True Church?   All the Links Support the show at Patreon Community of Christ (formerly RLDS) vs LDS

The church is at a turning point. Should their money go to the newly-begun Graceland College? What about strengthening their existing membership? Missionary work?  Joseph 3.0 solves it all by taking a turn from Common Consent to Divine Revelation, but in a nice way, not an authoritarian dictator sort of way.   All the Links Read along with us here Gomer T Griffiths History of Graceland Patron Bonus Ep

The Q12 is being fully filled, not just on paper, but in reality. Sure, we could focus on the formality and the procedure. Nope! There's human drama all over the place. Much for fun to focus on that.   All the Links Read along with us here. Presiding Patriarchs E. L. Kelley William W. Blair William H Kelley Isaac White J. W. Wight R. C. Evans