Podcasts about Kirtland

In this episode, we continue our deep dive into Ezra Booth's anti-Mormon letters from October 1831, examining how this early apostate mounted his attack against our fledgling church. What fascinates us most is that Booth personally witnessed miracles, including Elsa Johnson's arm being healed, yet later dismissed such spiritual experiences as delusion or deliberate fraud.  We highlight striking logical contradictions in his arguments: he claims only Joseph saw angels, then attacks witness testimonies about seeing them. His scattershot approach, depicting believers as liars, crazy, or stupid, mirrors modern anti-Mormon rhetoric perfectly. Ironically, Booth himself confirms early church members used "Melchizedek priesthood" language and testified of spiritual experiences, undermining later revisionist claims these were later developments. If you are interested in joining us in 2027 in Palmyra and Kirtland, August 1st through August 7th, click on the link below and reserve your spot: https://pci.jotform.com/form/261567888174171 Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠⁠ (https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/) If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

In this engaging temple Q&A session, host Rick Bennett fields questions from a Community of Christ group following a presentation on restoration temples inside and outside the LDS Church. The discussion spans a wide range of captivating topics in Mormon history, theology, and architecture: https://youtu.be/vn7odpxo7Kc Don't miss our other conversations on temples: https://gospeltangents.com/mormon_history/lds-temples/ Copyright © 2026 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved What you will discover in this presentation: Temple Q&A: Mormon Pentecostalism & Speaking in Tongues The group discusses how early Latter-day Saints in Kirtland rolled on the ground like “holy rollers” and how Mormon Pentecostalism actually predates modern Pentecostalism by about 70 years. They examine how the Book of Mormon’s unique doctrinal connection between the baptism of fire and “speaking in the tongues of angels” laid this early groundwork. LDS Fundamentalism & Temple Practices: The discussion explores why fundamentalist Mormon offshoots (like the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or the Neielson Naylor group) are often seen as having preserved original Nauvoo temple components more closely than the mainstream LDS Church has. Stonehenge as a Jaredite Temple?: In a fascinating segment on international restoration branches, Bennett shares the beliefs of Philip Gill’s group in England, which claims Stonehenge was actually built by Jaredites who traveled through Russia. The group also discusses temple traditions in Mexican and Brazilian restoration offshoots. Nemenha Records & Heavenly Mother: The Q&A highlights a highly obscure set of records from Manti, Utah, known as the “Mantino archives” or “Nemenha record” translated by Philip Landis. The records contain an entire temple endowment ceremony that is almost identical to the LDS ceremony, with one major twist: it refers to a Heavenly Mother. Where Does God Dwell?: Members debate whether physical structures or individual human bodies are the true temples. Drawing from the Book of Mormon’s teaching that the Lord “dwelleth not in unholy temples” but in the hearts of the righteous, they discuss the personal spiritual temple versus the physical buildings that eventually “get torn down”. Future of Kirtland & Salt Lake Temples: Bennett answers questions regarding the LDS Church’s purchase of the Kirtland Temple and the 15-year agreement to keep it as-is. He also expresses deep heartbreak over the seismic upgrades of the Salt Lake Temple, where historic pioneer murals were gutted so the structure could be placed on ball bearings and reinforced with steel rods. Chapters 0:00 Introduction/Welcome 0:41 Community of Christ Temple Clarification (1984-1994 timeline) 2:08 Glossolalia & Speaking in Tongues in Kirtland 5:09 Fundamentalist Mormons & Nauvoo Temple Understanding 6:05 Remnant Church of Jesus Christ Discussion 9:02 International Mormonism & Temple Traditions 17:52 Nemenha Group / Manti Archives 19:58 RLDS Auditorium Temple Question 23:17 Emma Smith & Baptism for Health 23:56 Hagoth & Polynesian Temples 25:04 Kirtland Temple Future & LDS Church Plans 29:26 Structural Issues of Historic Temples (Ogden, Provo) 32:47 Kirtland Temple Restoration Discussion 35:57 Manti Temple & Recent Renovations 37:30 Cardston Temple Don't miss our other conversations on temples: https://gospeltangents.com/mormon_history/lds-temples/ Copyright © 2026 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved What you will discover in this presentation:  

We open with incredible news from Sweetwater Rescue: a second Kyulu Stake group reached the Nairobi Kenya Temple and set a record for the most endowments performed in an African temple in a single day. Gerrit answers a litner's question on whether or not Brigham Young secretly altered Joseph Smith's journals to invent polygamy, a claim popular among denialists. Gerrit's dander meter climbs as he unpacks what "revised history" actually meant, why the sources hold up, and the irony of the charge coming from the Bickertonite tradition, which rejects nearly everything Joseph taught after the Book of Mormon. If you are interested in joining us in 2027 in Palmyra and Kirtland, August 1st through August 7th, click on the link below and reserve your spot: https://pci.jotform.com/form/261567888174171 Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠⁠ (https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/) If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

This episode of the Standard of Truth continues discussing the apostasy of Ezra Booth, a former Methodist minister who joined the early Church after witnessing Joseph Smith heal Elsa Johnson's arm.  Gerrit traces Booth's journey to Missouri in 1831, his disillusionment upon finding the future site of Zion to be a rough frontier town, and his subsequent public renunciation of the faith through nine letters published in the Ohio Star.  We examine how Booth reframed Mormonism as a deliberate deception rather than sincere belief, and how anti-Mormon arguments shifted from “converts are biblically ignorant” to “converts are insane” once educated ministers joined. Link to the Norm McDonald's Better Than Ezra joke: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Zyaf1Vg4S7I If you are interested in joining us in 2027 in Palmyra and Kirtland, August 1st through August 7th, click on the link below and reserve your spot: https://pci.jotform.com/form/261567888174171 Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠⁠ (https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/) If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

Latter-day Saints revere Joseph Smith as a prophet of God. His role is absolutely central to the claims of Mormonism. LDS Church President Joseph Fielding Smith highlighted this important role:“Mormonism, as it is called, must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. He was either a prophet of God, divinely called, properly appointed and commissioned, or he was one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen. There is no middle ground.” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation 1:188. Italics in original)In light of this, it makes sense to examine the story of Joseph Smith to evaluate what we should think of him. Consider five elements of his story that bear upon this question.Occult Treasure Hunting Money digging was a fairly common practice in frontier America in the late 1700s and early 1800s. It involved certain rituals or ceremonies performed to obtain buried treasure. The treasure was thought to be guarded by evil spirits. Joseph Smith as a young man offered his services for hire as a money digger. Smith's entire family practiced various folk-magic practices, including visions, dreams and occult rituals.Joseph's method in finding lost treasure involved the use of a seer stone, which he discovered in 1822 while digging a well for a neighbor. He would place this small rock in his hat and pull his hat up over his face to block out the light. He claimed that he could see supernaturally through the stone to help locate the place where the treasure was buried.The Vagrant Act, a New York law at the time, defined a disorderly person to include one who pretended to have skill in palm reading, telling fortunes, or discovering where lost goods could be found. In 1826 - during the period while Joseph was supposedly being prepared by God to receive the gold plates containing the Book of Mormon - he was arrested, brought before a judge, and charged with being a “glass-looker” and a disorderly person. The judge determined that Joseph was guilty, though no penalty was administered.Shortly after this, Joseph stopped money digging but kept the seer stone. It was with this stone that he claimed to find the gold plates and to later produce the Book of Mormon. Historians have documented many points of connection between Joseph's early occult practices and the origins of the Book of Mormon.The First Vision Joseph Smith's “First Vision” is a key part of the LDS story and establishes several unique LDS beliefs. The official account of this vision describes how the 14-year-old Smith, eager to learn the truth about which of the competing Christian churches was true, went to a secluded grove to ask God. There God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him and told him not to join any of them, for all of them were apostate. That event launched the prophetic mission of Joseph Smith to restore Jesus' original church to the earth. The official account, now included in LDS scriptures, was written by Joseph Smith in 1838, 18 years after the events it recounts. Yet historical research in recent years has uncovered eight other accounts of the First Vision. Some were written by Smith himself, or were recorded by others who heard Smith tell about it. Most of these accounts are earlier than the official version. It appears that over time, the story changed and grew into its final form. In some versions, two personages appear to Smith. In another, only “the Lord” appears. In others, the glorious personage is an angel. In the official version, the personages tell Smith that all churches are corrupt. In another version, this message comes from an angel. In other versions, this message is missing. In some versions, In one version, Smith reports that he was told, “Your sins are forgiven.” But this is absent in other versions. The official account says that Joseph was 14 when he had the vision. Another version, in Smith's own handwriting, says that he was 15. Others give his age as 17. The LDS Church's Gospel Topics Essay: First Vision AccountsThe Kirtland Banking ScandalThe LDS Church was officially founded in 1830 in New York, near Joseph Smith's home town. By the early 1830s Smith and his followers moved to Kirtland Ohio, where a number of converts had joined the church. New converts from other areas converged on Kirtland to be part of the LDS community. But the church's presence in Ohio didn't last long.There was friction with the locals on a number of points, which led to persecution. But one significant issue emerged when Joseph Smith and other LDS leaders organized an illegal bank in 1836, called the Kirtland Safety Society. Smith not only broke the law to form the bank; he had no expertise in financial matters and hid behind his prophetic mantle to convince others to fund the bank, claiming that the audible voice of God instructed him to establish it. He prophesied that the bank would grow and flourish, surviving when others failed. Yet this bank failed in 1837, releasing a hornet's nest of creditors who demanded payment, leading to numerous lawsuits and threats of violence. Many in the LDS church at that time lost faith in Smith's prophetic leadership. Others were convinced that Smith intended to defraud investors from the beginning. Joseph left Kirtland in January 1838 under cover of darkness, never to return again. FreemasonryFreemasonry was prevalent in the areas where Joseph Smith grew up. In fact, Joseph's brother Hyrum became a Mason while the family was still living in Palmyra, New York. Some years later, in Nauvoo, Illinois, when the LDS church was at its height, many prominent Latter-day Saints were Masons. Joseph became a Mason in March 1842. Less than two months later, he introduced the core ritual of the LDS temple, the endowment ceremony. Numerous scholars have pointed out the many parallels between the Masonic ritual and the LDS temple ritual, such as: the language of the ritual; the handshakes and other physical signs; the oaths and promises made; the vows of secrecy; the clothing involved in the ceremonies; the presentation of the ritual through drama, and more. Masonic themes and symbols are also reflected in the architecture of the Nauvoo temple, such as the beehive; the sun, moon and stars; the square; and the all-seeing eye. The LDS temple ritual, said by Mormons to have been given by divine revelation, is actually based on Masonic rituals.PolygamyPlural marriage in Mormonism began with Joseph Smith. He was toying with the principle of polygamy as early as 1831, and began introducing the doctrine shortly thereafter, but the revelation outlining the practice was not written down until 1843. Around 1834, Smith had a sexual relationship with Fanny Alger, a teenager living in his home. Faithful LDS scholars view this as the first of his plural marriages, but early LDS leader Oliver Cowdery described it as a “dirty, nasty, filthy affair.” By 1842, Joseph had married 10 women. That summer, he married six additional women, along with 17 others in 1843. Two of these were only 14 years old. While Mormons have denied it for years, the LDS Church has acknowledged that many of these marriages were physically consummated.The revelation authorizing plural marriage is found in Doctrine and Covenants 132. There, Joseph's wife Emma is threatened with destruction if she does not go along with Joseph's polygamy. (Today, most people would view that as spiritual abuse.) Section 132 also requires plural wives to be virgins. Yet Joseph married a number of women who were already married to other men. The revelation required a man taking plural wives to obtain the permission of his first wife. Yet Joseph married many women without Emma's knowledge. The LDS Church's Gospel Topics Essay: Plural Marriage in Kirtland and NauvooAgain, Latter-day Saint leaders have challenged us to consider Joseph Smith's story, to discern whether he was a prophet of God. These five elements of Joseph's history give evidence that he was not.--The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday. Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.Donate Now--Notes

What happened to the Latter Day Saint movement after it fractured? We discuss the fascination history on RLDS & Bickertonite views about temples. While Brigham Young led his followers West to build physical temples in Utah, multiple restoration branches took a completely different path—formally rejecting Nauvoo theology, secret endowments, and polygamy https://youtu.be/-tjIZUJcOqo Don't miss our other conversations on temples: https://gospeltangents.com/mormon_history/lds-temples/ Copyright © 2026 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved We dive into the fascinating, competitive, and highly diverse world of non-LDS temples. Discover how the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (now Community of Christ) built the massive Auditorium in Independence, Missouri—which historian John Hamer argues was secretly designed as a Kirtland-style temple—before dedicating their famous spiral temple in 1984 under Wallace B. Smith. We also explore: RLDS & Bickertonite Views About Temples The Battle for the Temple Lot: How Granville Hedrick’s followers returned to Jackson County in 1867 and purchased the original plot where 24 temples were once planned. The Great Depression’s Forgotten Temple: Why Otto Fetting's attempt to construct a Greek-style temple on the Temple Lot in the 1930s left a massive excavation hole—and why former President Harry Truman asked to have it filled in. The Bickertonite Chasm: Why William Bickerton abandoned Brigham Young’s church after polygamy was announced in 1852, choosing to reject physical temples entirely while embracing radical inclusivity—including ordaining deaconesses in the 1860s and calling an African-American apostle. Tongues and the “Smith Corpus”: A fascinating discussion on why groups that rejected Joseph Smith's later revelations (like the Doctrine and Covenants) successfully preserved early Kirtland Pentecostal gifts like speaking in tongues, while the mainstream LDS Church largely phased them out. Tune in for an incredible journey through the fractured history and competing temple visions of the Restoration! Support the show at patreon.com/gospeltangents to hear the entire uncut conversation! Copyright © 2026 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved

In this episode we dive deeper into Ezra Booth, ranked #8 in the "Great Apostate Hall of Shame." Once a prominent Methodist minister leading anti-Masonry campaigns in Ohio, Booth's conversion to Mormonism shocked his community and sparked heated newspaper responses.    We examine his miraculous experiences witnessing the instant healing of Eliza Johnson and attending the historic June 1831 ordination of high priesthood in Kirtland, where Satan allegedly manifested to disrupt proceedings. Yet despite these profound spiritual experiences, Booth would soon apostatize, becoming one of the Church's most vocal and cruel enemies. The episode explores how even those who witness divine power can fall away, emphasizing the importance of daily spiritual practice.   If you are interested in joining us in 2027 in Palmyra and Kirtland, August 1st through August 7th, click on the link below and reserve your spot: https://pci.jotform.com/form/261567888174171   Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠⁠ (https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/)   If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

In this episode, Gerrit pays a heartfelt tribute to Eric Smith, a beloved Joseph Smith Papers colleague and devoted listener who recently passed after a long battle with cancer, complete with the legendary tales of stolen break-room milk and a service missionary's knuckle-deep Oreo heist.  The mailbag delivers a live-show love story, a a testimony-strengthening note from Kimberly, and a listener's run-in with anti-Mormon radio. That sparks a robust discussion on how critics caricature Latter-day Saint belief without ever reading Doctrine and Covenants 76. Poor Ezra Booth gets bumped yet again. Gina and Eric's Cancer Relief Fund https://www.gofundme.com/f/eric-and-ginas-cancer-relief-fund?attribution_id=sl:87024ae3-cbef-4e34-98d5-176e68d9ec63&ts=1784776752&utm_campaign=natman_sharesheet_dash&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link&video_sharing=enabled If you are interested in joining us in 2027 in Palmyra and Kirtland, August 1st through August 7th, click on the link below and reserve your spot: https://pci.jotform.com/form/261567888174171 Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠⁠ (https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/) If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

Richard braves self-diagnosed tuberculosis as he and Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat dig into the mailbag: identical twins listening from two different Zions, an ambitious MTC zone leader, and a great question from Joni. Did a prophet really call Del Parson's red-robe painting the most accurate likeness of Christ? Gerrit explains why that's folklore, and why the anti-Catholic climate of the Second Great Awakening made images of Jesus and even crosses on churches, unthinkable for early American Protestants.  Then the Great Apostates Hall of Shame lands at #8: Ezra Booth, the Methodist minister converted by a miraculous healing in the Hiram, Ohio home, who reportedly walked away once he realized the Restored Church offered no paid clergy. If you are interested in joining us in 2027 in Palmyra and Kirtland, August 1st through August 7th, click on the link below and reserve your spot: https://pci.jotform.com/form/261567888174171 Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠⁠ (https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/) If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

In this episode, we continue our discussion of the Lyceum (debates/discussions) in Nauvoo. From the most popular chewing tobacco (it is Copenhagen byt the way) to manners and the Trinity, we  just about cover everything #SmallWonder If you are interested in joining us in 2027 in Palmyra and Kirtland, August 1st through August 7th, click on the link below and reserve your spot: https://pci.jotform.com/form/261567888174171 Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠⁠ (https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/) If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

Cuyahoga County voters are likely to decide new property taxes on the November ballot to help fund the social safety net and services for people with developmental disabilities. The county will seek a renewal, with an increase, for Health and Human Services. County Council gave that plan a first reading this week. The same day, Council gave final approval for a separate levy to fund the Board of Developmental Disabilities. The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority will wait until the spring ballot, May 2027, to ask voters for a sales tax increase. Cleveland City Council's safety committee changed its tune, voting 5-2 this week to approve a contract extension for Flock surveillance cameras. A while back the same committee voted no. Next week, the full council will vote. Vocal opposition to the license plate-reading cameras contends they can be used to violate rights, while police say they're vital crime-fighting tools. The architect of Senate Bill 1, which sought to remove what Republican lawmakers called liberal bias on college campuses, now wants to make it mandatory for students to take a course through the intellectual diversity center the bill created. Republican Sen. Jerry Cirino of Kirtland has introduced Senate Bill 461 which requires the 3-credit-hour American civic literacy course. Gov. Mike DeWine signed off on 14 bills this week, from hardening Medicaid fraud protections to making failure to identify yourself during a traffic stop a crime. He also signed off on a requirement that high schools teach a conservative-backed curriculum known as the Success Sequence — graduate, get a job, get married, then have children. Lakewood officials are asking state regulators to investigate FirstEnergy again after another round of prolonged power outages left thousands of customers without electricity during last week's extreme heat. We will discuss these stories and more news of the week on the “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable.” Guests:- Andrew Meyer, Deputy Editor of News, Ideastream Public Media- Glenn Forbes, Deputy Editor of News, Ideastream Public Media- Karen Kasler, Bureau Chief, Ideastream Statehouse News Bureau

Was Francis Scott Key a bitter recluse who denounced America and wrote the anthem from a boat offshore? No, no he was not.   Elder Gurr writes in with an investigator's list of questions, and we tackle the big ones. Who holds the authority to decide which parts of the Bible are "translated correctly"? Who decided the canon, and why did Protestants pull the Apocrypha after 1,400 years? On grace versus works, why "saved by grace alone" quietly assumes a premise a billion Catholics reject, and why Calvinists and Arminians don't even worship the same Jesus.   The upshot: the disagreement itself is the case for a Restoration.   If you are interested in joining us in 2027 in Palmyra and Kirtland, August 1st through August 7th, click on the link below and reserve your spot: https://pci.jotform.com/form/261567888174171   Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠⁠ (https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/)   If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

The podcast begins with the US-Bosnia World Cup match (SEC championships as the definitive metric), then open the Phoebe Draper Palmer Brown mailbag. Jerry from North Dakota earns a heartfelt thank-you and an unnecessary swipe at the Bismarck capitol building, plus a Roosevelt-in-the-Badlands tangent and BYU's windowless MARB building. Elder Ballard (the Nauvoo Mississippi River mission one) requests a new segment: ranking the top apostates.   Enter the debut of the "The Great Apostate Hall of Shame." First up, outside-looking-in: Joseph Wakefield, a powerhouse early missionary who baptized George A. Smith, then apostatized, joined Kirtland's anti-Mormon committee, and helped hire Philastus Hurlbut.   Reason for Apostasy: He couldn't accept D&C 76's expansive vision of heaven. The Takeaway: Don't let any belief become the one that separates you from the prophet.   If you are interested in joining us in 2027 in Palmyra and Kirtland, August 1st through August 7th, click on the link below and reserve your spot: https://pci.jotform.com/form/261567888174171   Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠⁠   If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

Why was Joseph Smith killed? Did early Mormons try to start their own independent country? And did you know 19th-century Mormon bishops literally served as civil judges? In this episode of Gospel Tangents, host Rick Bennett sits down with Nathan Oman, law professor and author of Law and the Restoration, to uncover some of the most explosive and fascinating legal history of the Latter-day Saints. We dive deep into the unique world of 19th-century Mormon church courts, where bishops bypassed the traditional secular systems to build a harmonious Zion. Discover how these bishops handled financial disputes, strictly enforcing contracts for those who could pay, while actually helping poor and vulnerable members pay off their debts based on a highly “moralized vision” of equality. We also look into Joseph Smith and Brigham Young’s efforts to repay creditors following the Kirtland banking failure. The episode also cracks open the secrets of the Council of 50. Learn about their aborted attempt to write an inspired constitution for the Kingdom of God—drafted by John Taylor, Parley P. Pratt, and Willard Richards—which was ultimately abandoned because it lacked the necessary legal detail to function. Oman explains the Council’s radical political maneuvers to move the Saints beyond U.S. borders into the Far West to carve out an independent nation, much like what had just happened in Texas. Finally, we explore the explosive “witch’s brew” of 1844 Illinois that ultimately led to Joseph Smith’s murder. Why was Joseph Smith killed? Why did the Nauvoo Expositor paint him as a “tyrant in waiting”? Learn how critics used centuries-old Protestant tropes, which naturally linked claiming to be a prophet with Anabaptist history, polygamy, and sexual licentiousness, to create a recognizable villain out of Joseph Smith. In this video, we cover: Mormon Bishops acting as literal civil judges in monetary disputes. How church courts forgave debts and handled secular bankruptcies. The aftermath of the Kirtland Safety Society failure. The Council of 50’s secret, unfinished Constitution. Mormon plans to build an independent country outside U.S. borders. The Nauvoo Expositor, polygamy, and the political fears that got Joseph Smith killed.

We are recording in front of a live studio audience in Nauvoo, Illinois.  In this week's episode, we begin with a movie review of the 1980s classic Prodigal Son and Cipher in the Snow, and then make the obvious transition to Nauvoo Lyceum. Gerrit regales the audience with several topics discussed in this adult education program, and we cover the Chestnut Hill College Lacrosse Team's dominance from 2021 to 2024 If you are interested in joining us in 2027 in Palmyra and Kirtland, August 1st through August 7th, click on the link below and reserve your spot: https://pci.jotform.com/form/261567888174171 Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠⁠ If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

In this episode, we answer a litter's questions who wrote while in "DEEP" labor asking about the lesser-known Pratt brothers and an audio submission from Filer, Idaho about the legend that Joseph of Arimathea brought the teenage Jesus to Cornwall. Gerrit traces the idea to William of Malmesbury's 12th-century history of Glastonbury and its tangle of Arthurian folklore.   We close with part three of our King Follett sermon series, where Gerrit warns against apologists who lean on the Thomas Bullock account's apparent mistranscription to claim Joseph taught God was God from all eternity, arguing that you can't play historian with one discrepant source against five consistent ones, and that watering down what Joseph actually taught to appease traditional Christian critics is selling your birthright for a mess of pottage that won't even fill you up.   If you are interested in joining us in 2027 in Palmyra and Kirtland, August 1st through August 7th, click on the link below and reserve your spot: https://pci.jotform.com/form/261567888174171   Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠⁠   If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

 In this episode, I share our nine‑day trip that became far more than a vacation—it became a reset button for our marriage and a living lesson in what firm commitment really looks like.The journey begins in Maryland, serving alongside our sons and a group of young adults in a community project called “Shop the Block.” , “There's a different kind of closeness that comes from serving together,” a line that captures the spirit of the trip's beginning.From there, we wander through Amish country, where the simplicity and intentionality of the Amish way of life sparks reflection on how easily modern life pulls us away from what matters most. Their route continues through early church history sites in Palmyra and Kirtland, where the sacrifices and steadfastness of early Saints deepen our appreciation for conviction and devotion.The trip also brings moments of awe—like braving the icy winds on the Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls—and moments of tenderness, like watching Dave stand proudly in front of the Progressive Insurance headquarters where he spent 37 years building a career and supporting their family. “He was committed. Deeply. Quietly. Consistently.”These experiences lead me into a heartfelt exploration of the difference between being committed and being firmly committed—especially in marriage. I reflect on the cultural shift toward self‑focused relationships, the challenges we have faced (including the grief of losing Jessica), and the daily choice to turn toward each other rather than away.I also share insights gathered from couples we've  worked with:Holding an eternal, long‑term perspectiveLetting nothing stand in the way of prioritizing the marriageOffering grace through life's phasesKeeping excitement alive through intentional datingDedicatedBeing “all in”Communicating honestly, even when it's uncomfortableUltimately,  firm commitment isn't flashy—it's steady, daily, and sacred. It anchors us. It shapes how we love. And it carries us through.I invite you, my listeners,  to reflect on their own lives:Where are you firmly committed—and how does that commitment shape who you are becoming? To connect with Angela AdamsShoot me an email:  adamsangela707@gmail.com 

This week on Spooky Appalachia, we venture across the border into Ohio to investigate five of the most unsettling cryptids reported in the Buckeye State. We dive deep into the lore and documented sightings of these mysterious creatures:The Ohio Grass Man: Discover how this Bigfoot cousin builds huts and why its sightings often leave locals panicked.Charles Mill Lake Monster: Explore the legend of the 7-foot-tall, web-footed humanoid lurking in the reservoir.Orange Eyes: Learn about the massive, glowing-eyed beast that terrorized teenagers at Lovers' Lane and left a trail of local dread.The Melon Heads: Uncover the disturbing legend of Dr. Crowe's experiments and the feral, large-headed creatures said to roam the woods near Kirtland.The Loveland Frogman: Revisit the classic reports, from the 1955 sighting involving a "sparking wand" to modern encounters during the height of the Pokémon Go craze.From police reports to chilling eye-witness accounts, we analyze these legendary local legends. Do you think Orange Eyes and the Charles Mill Lake Monster are the same entity? And what exactly is the story behind the Frogman's wand? Let us know your theories in the comments!Have your own story? Send it to us: https://www.spookyappalachia.com/submitastory.php Stay Spooky. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when a forgotten piece of Church history becomes a personal calling?In this episode of Latter-Day Lights, Sherrie Dunford shares the story of her ancestor, Dr. Frederick G. Williams—early Church leader, counselor to Joseph Smith, physician, and one of the most misunderstood figures of the Restoration.Through spiritual promptings and years of research, Sherrie felt compelled to finally tell the story of a man whose faith endured hardship, loss, and public misconception with her book, “Whatever Happened to Frederick G.?”As she retraces Frederick G. Williams' life, Sherrie reflects on the sacrifices of the early Saints, the realities of Kirtland and Missouri, and the quiet humility that defined her ancestor's legacy. This conversation is a moving look at perseverance, loyalty, and the power of remembering the stories that shaped the founding of the Church.*** Please SHARE Sherrie's story and help us spread hope and light to others. ***To WATCH this episode on YouTube, visit: https://youtu.be/LfhGN2l5Wfg-----To READ Sherrie's book, “Whatever Happened to Frederick G.?” visit: https://a.co/d/043THKOuTo LEARN MORE about Sherrie's work, visit: https://www.sherriefarrdunford.comTo READ “The Life of Frederick G. Williams: Counselor to the Prophet Joseph Smith” by Frederick Williams, visit: https://a.co/d/0fLOqgMC-----To READ Scott's new book “Faith to Stay” for free, visit: https://www.faithtostay.com/-----Keep updated with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/latter.day.lights/Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/latterdaylightsAlso, if you have a faith-promoting or inspiring story, or know someone who does, please let us know by going to https://www.latterdaylights.com and reaching out to us.

In this exciting new series, hosts Scott Woodward and Casey Griffiths dive into one of the most talked-about and most requested topics from listeners of the show: the Word of Wisdom. First revealed to Joseph Smith in 1833 as a revelation from the Lord (Doctrine and Covenants Section 89), the Word of Wisdom began as loving counsel for the Saints and has grown into a vital commandment and covenant marker for Church members around the world. Scott and Casey explore the origins of the revelation in Kirtland, the cultural context of health reform in early America, and the Lord's counsel regarding strong drinks, tobacco, hot drinks, wholesome herbs, grains, and meat. They also trace how the Word of Wisdom gradually evolved from inspired advice into a standard for temple worthiness and full fellowship in the Church. Why do some things seem emphasized more today than others? How did early Church leaders and members understand and live this law? And what does the Word of Wisdom teach us about obedience, revelation, and caring for both body and spirit? Join Scott and Casey for a fascinating historical and doctrinal journey through one of the most recognizable and sometimes misunderstood principles of the restored gospel. Whether you've wondered about coffee, tea, health practices, or the deeper spiritual purpose behind this commandment, this episode offers context, clarity, and powerful insight.

Navigating a “Faith/Trust Crisis”: Empathy, Communication, and Finding Your Pace We dive deep into the complexities of faith journeys, exploring how to better communicate with loved ones and how to navigate church activity on your own terms. What advice do you have in a faith/trust crisis conversation? https://youtu.be/uY_5UONNykI Reframing the “Faith Crisis” Drawing from Jeff Strong's new book, Torn, I think we should reframe the common “faith crisis” as a “trust crisis.” Why do members leave the Church? While Jana Riess’s statistically reliable research indicates that most people leave simply because they lose interest or marry a non-member, Strong’s study suggests that church history is actually the primary driver for those who intentionally disaffect. Regardless of the reasons, this wave of disaffiliation—which Elder Marlin K. Jensen once likened to the highest period of apostasy since Kirtland—requires navigating complex mixed-faith dynamics. Strategies for Conflict Resolution To help families and couples navigate a trust crisis, here are some powerful conflict resolution techniques designed to foster empathy and minimize defensiveness: Share emotions over intellect: Fostering true empathy requires sharing specific emotions and physical sensations (e.g., “I feel pressure in my chest”) rather than over-intellectualizing, which often leads to disconnection. True empathy does not require agreement: You can fully understand how someone arrived at their feelings based on their unique background without agreeing with their position. Use “and” instead of “but”: Using the word “but” can be invalidating to the other person, whereas “and” leaves room for both perspectives. The “One Partner, One Complaint, One Day” Rule: To prevent blame-shifting, only one person gets to bring up an issue per day. The talking partner must use non-critical language, and the listening partner is only allowed to use phrases like, “I hear you. I understand. And I’m listening.” Take an immediate timeout: After the complaint is made, the listening partner should take a timeout (up to 24 hours) to calm their nervous system and avoid a defensive trauma response. The Empathy Flip: When formulating a response, write it down and ask: Is it kind? Is it loving? Is it respectful? Imagine how you would feel receiving that exact response, and revise it if it sounds triggering. Ultimately, the goal is to consistently fight to understand your partner rather than fighting to be understood. Even if a loved one ultimately chooses to step away from the Church, it is important to trust the Atonement and recognize that they will remember your ability to keep loving them. Returning to Church on Your Own Terms A question from a 49-year-old listener with autism, “I Love Christ,” said he wants to return to Church but finds the two-hour block completely draining. What advice would you give? I offered advice for anyone feeling overwhelmed by church activity: Take breaks and ease into it: If church is stressing you out, it’s perfectly fine to step out or make your own personal study out of the time. Do what you enjoy: Bring a book to read during class, or hang out in the hallway to socialize about something else if that makes the experience more enjoyable. Don’t take everything literally: When faced with difficult scriptural or historical narratives, remember that not everything needs to be viewed through a strictly literal lens. Give and expect grace: It can be frustrating to sit through lessons that feel overly simplistic or lack nuance, but it is vital to offer grace to those at different levels of spiritual maturity, and to help teach them to give you grace in return. Is faith crisis still a problem? What advice do you have?

What does it actually take to dedicate your life to Michigan's wild places — and land one of the most coveted jobs in conservation? In this episode, Ryan sits down with longtime friend and newly appointed Michigan Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist Tim Riley for an honest, wide-ranging conversation about the road less traveled.Tim pulls back the curtain on what a typical day in the field really looks like — from early morning surveys to late nights buried in data — and shares the winding, years-long journey it took to earn his place with the Michigan DNR. It's a story that every aspiring wildlife professional and lifelong outdoorsman needs to hear.But this episode isn't just about the career path. Tim and Ryan dive deep into four of Michigan's most fascinating and complex species:

In the woods of Kirtland, Ohio there is said to be a pack of feral children with misshapen heads who feed on babies. How people created monsters in the Midwest.Strange and Unexplained is a podcast from Grab Bag Collab & Three Goose Entertainment and is a journey into the uncomfortable and the unknowable that will leave you both laughing and sleeping with the lights on. You can get early and ad-free episodes and much more over at www.grabbagcollab.comFollow us on Instagram

After receiving hundreds of your questions and concerns, I sat down with Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat and Dr. Richard LaDuke from The Standard of Truth Podcast to have an honest, thoughtful conversation about one of the most complex topics in Church history: polygamy. This episode doesn't attempt to answer every question, but the Spirit was strongly present throughout the conversation. It explores how early Saints responded to practicing polygamy, possible reasons God commanded it, and offers a closer look at complex aspects of the history; including Joseph Smith being sealed to a 14-year-old girl and Emma Smith's experience. It also addresses what this practice could mean for eternity and the challenge of reconciling something that may feel uncomfortable while continuing to hold onto faith.Resources for further study:Book Recommendationhttps://a.co/d/0ethk4qr Plural Marriage in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saintshttps://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/plural-marriage-in-the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints?lang=engThis overview essay establishes that monogamy is the church's standing law of marriage but acknowledges God commanded plural marriage in biblical times and again through Joseph Smith. It covers D&C 132, the purposes of plural marriage, and the eventual cessation of the practice. Plural Marriage in Kirtland and Nauvoohttps://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/plural-marriage-in-kirtland-and-nauvoo?lang=engFocuses on the origins under Joseph Smith in the 1830s–1840s. Discusses the angel with a drawn sword, Joseph's multiple wives (including polyandrous marriages to women already married to other men), the secrecy surrounding early practice, and Emma Smith's reactions.Plural Marriage and Families in Early Utahhttps://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/plural-marriage-and-families-in-early-utah?lang=engCovers the 1847–1890 period. Addresses demographics (20–30% of Latter-day Saint families practiced it),  daily life in plural families, financial and interpersonal challenges, women's agency,  and U.S. government anti-polygamy legislation.The Manifesto and the End of Plural Marriage:https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/the-manifesto-and-the-end-of-plural-marriage?lang=eng

In this episode our hosts dive deeper into Brigham Young's dramatic first meeting with the Prophet Joseph Smith, and highlight a surprising detail: Brigham was not immediately welcomed into Joseph's inner circle or invited to stay in Kirtland. Our hosts also explore Brigham's remarkable humility, obedience, and his lifelong, deeply personal devotion to Joseph. Provocative questions addressed: Did Joseph Smith prophesy that Brigham Young would one day lead the Church—and how did that affect Brigham? Why didn't Joseph immediately bring this impressive new convert into his inner circle, even after such a powerful spiritual experience? The post Becoming Brigham Episode 11: In Search of a Prophet first appeared on The Interpreter Foundation.

Dr Jonathan Stapley takes us inside LDS temple ceremonies, including the Initiatory, Endowment, and Sealing ceremony changes over the years. Was the sealing ceremony more egalitarian under Joseph Smith than Brigham Young? Check out our conversation…. https://youtu.be/uOdluwXxYVQ Don't miss our other discussions with Jonathan. https://gospeltangents.com/people/jonathan_stapley Copyright © 2026 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved Dr. Jonathan Stapley, author of Holiness to the Lord, explores the fascinating historical evolution of temple ordinances, clarifying the differences between early Kirtland practices, the introduction of Masonic elements in Nauvoo, and the shifting language of the sealing ceremony. Myth of the “OG” Endowment When asked about fundamentalist groups attempting to reconstruct an “original” eight-hour endowment complete with wrist-and-ankle-length garments, Stapley states bluntly that a static, “Platonic ideal” of the endowment never existed. Because the early liturgy was transmitted orally, the ceremony has continually adapted and changed from its very inception. It wasn’t until the Wilford Woodruff era in the St. George Temple that the endowment ceremony was finally written down. Stapley pushes back against the idea that changes to the wording prove apostasy, noting that Brigham Young continuously made changes to the ritual in Nauvoo, the Council House, the Endowment House, and finally the St. George temple. LDS Temple Ceremonies: Kirtland vs. Nauvoo Ordinances Stapley clarifies a common historical misconception: in the Kirtland era, the washing and anointing was a completely separate event from the “endowment”. Washing and Anointing: This was an annual ritual limited strictly to male priesthood officers, purposely patterned after the biblical consecration of ancient Israelite priests. The Kirtland Endowment: This was a solemn assembly where participants feasted on the Lord’s supper, washed each other’s feet, and experienced charismatic spiritual outpourings. It wasn’t until the Nauvoo era that these concepts merged and expanded to include all men and women. Furthermore, Stapley notes that there is no compelling historical data to support the idea that the modern temple liturgy is hidden within the text of the Book of Mormon as Don Bradley has suggested. Masonic “Social Technology” In 1842, Joseph Smith participated in a Masonic initiation, a fraternity ritual that used dramatic progression, hand clasps, and promises of secrecy to tell the mythical story of Hiram Abiff, the builder of Solomon’s temple. Stapley explains that Joseph Smith borrowed this Masonic “social technology”—the structural framework of the ritual—but used it to tell a completely different story. Instead of Masonic lore, Latter-day Saints used this interactive format, alongside biblical priestly clothing, to teach the plan of salvation, including the creation, the fall, and humanity’s return to the presence of God. The Evolving Sealing Ceremony The episode also reveals fascinating details about the first sealing ceremonies. The earliest known text is an 1842 polygamous sealing ceremony written by Joseph Smith for the Whitney family, which is currently available on the Joseph Smith Papers website. When historians compare this 1842 text to a Nauvoo Temple sealing ceremony published by Orson Pratt in 1852, they find substantive differences. According to Stapley, the 1842 ceremony under Joseph Smith was notably more egalitarian, while the later Nauvoo versions incorporated Brigham Young’s views on the subordination of women. (To be fair, Jonathan stated there is no such thing as egalitarian in the 19th century, just varying levels.)   Ultimately, Stapley reminds us that early Latter-day Saints simply did not value word-for-word repetition the way modern members do; even foundational prayers, like the sacrament and baptismal prayers, were often extemporized during Joseph Smith’s lifetime. Don't miss our other discussions with Jonathan. https://gospeltangents.com/people/jonathan_stapley Copyright © 2026 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved 0:00 Sealing More Egalitarian? 13:33 Evolution of Endowment Ceremony 24:48 Temples Used to Be Public 35:27 24 Temples  

In this episode of Mormonism Live, we walk through the full evolution of the Word of Wisdom—from its origin in 1833 to how it functions today as a requirement for temple worthiness. We start in Kirtland, where the School of the Prophets was filled with tobacco smoke, chewing, and spitting—and where Emma Smith's frustration becomes… Read More »History of Mormonism’s “Word of Wisdom” Health Code

In this episode of Mormonism Live, we walk through the full evolution of the Word of Wisdom—from its origin in 1833 to how it functions today as a requirement for temple worthiness. We start in Kirtland, where the School of the Prophets was filled with tobacco smoke, chewing, and spitting—and where Emma Smith's frustration becomes… Read More »History of Mormonism’s “Word of Wisdom” Health Code The post History of Mormonism’s “Word of Wisdom” Health Code appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

In this episode of Mormonism Live, we walk through the full evolution of the Word of Wisdom—from its origin in 1833 to how it functions today as a requirement for temple worthiness. We start in Kirtland, where the School of the Prophets was filled with tobacco smoke, chewing, and spitting—and where Emma Smith's frustration becomes part of the story behind the revelation. From there, we zoom out and examine the broader 19th-century health movements already shaping ideas about diet, stimulants, and self-control. Figures like Sylvester Graham and the growing temperance movement weren't fringe—they were mainstream. And their fingerprints are all over the Word of Wisdom. We then track how the revelation was originally given “not by commandment,” how early leaders—including Joseph Smith and Wilford Woodruff—continued to drink alcohol, and how enforcement slowly tightened over time. What began as counsel eventually became a defining boundary marker of Mormon worthiness. Along the way, we tackle the contradictions and gray areas:Why coffee and tea are prohibited while caffeine is notHow “mild drinks of barley” disappeared from the conversationThe shifting stance on medical marijuanaCultural gray zones like kavaAnd how modern application often depends more on tradition than a consistent principle By the end, the question isn't just what the Word of Wisdom says—but how it became what it is today. Donate to Mormonism Live: https://donorbox.org/mormonism-live Get Bill Reel's book “The Logical Deconstruction of Mormonism”: https://www.amazon.com/Logical-Deconstruction-Mormonism-One-Book/dp/B0GQQ4CJ2S

We focus heavily on the turbulent history of the physical temple lot in Independence, Missouri, and the controversial figure of apostle Otto Fetting. Daniel Malone, a Sunday school teacher for the Church of Christ (Temple Lot) gives his insights. https://youtu.be/xqRZPoyaUqk Don't miss our other conversations on Hedrickites: https://gospeltangents.com/denominations/Hedrickites/ Copyright © 2026 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved The 1920s Influx and a Changing Church During the 1920s, the RLDS Church experienced a major schism over “supreme directional control,” which led to a massive influx of former RLDS members joining the Church of Christ. This sudden growth swelled the Independence congregation from roughly 250 to nearly 600 members. Amidst an era of intense theological debates, the Church of Christ made a monumental organizational change in 1925: they completely abolished the office of a presiding elder (or president), choosing instead to be led collectively by a Quorum of Twelve Apostles. However, Malone candidly admits that the early church had a “horrible track record” of electing apostles, resulting in numerous leaders leaving and taking factions of the church with them. Otto Fetting and the Masonic Blueprints One of the most notable apostles from this era was Otto Fetting, who joined around 1927 and claimed to receive a series of revelations from John the Baptist. Fetting instructed the church to build a temple and provided blueprints for a massive 180-by-90-foot structure that Malone describes as looking like a Masonic lodge. This directly contradicted Joseph Smith’s earlier instructions to build the Independence temple to match the dimensions of the Kirtland temple, which was much smaller. Fetting’s revelations eventually commanded that members be rebaptized, which was a bridge too far for the church. The Church of Christ ultimately rejected Fetting, redacted all of his revelations, and considers them non-binding8. Ironically, the 180-by-90-foot dimensions proposed by Fetting are the ones still marked out on the temple lot today. The Cornerstone Controversy While excavating the foundation for Fetting’s temple, workers unearthed cornerstones that are currently housed in the church’s visitor center. Malone expressed deep personal suspicion regarding these artifacts. While he acknowledges the possibility that Joseph Smith could have originally placed them there to mark the spot, Malone finds it highly convenient that they were discovered right as Fetting was attempting to legitimize his massive temple project, suggesting they could potentially be forgeries planted by Fetting. Current Temple Plans and “Closed Communion” Despite owning the property, the Church of Christ has absolutely no current plans to build a temple. They have money strictly earmarked and set aside for a temple, but they refuse to move forward unless they receive a direct, divine revelation from God commanding them to do so. We also addressed a rumor regarding a Brazilian restoration group attempting to merge with the Church of Christ to gain voting rights over the temple lot. Malone dismissed the likelihood of this, explaining that the church practices “closed communion” and requires all new members to be rebaptized directly into their organization. In fact, they stopped accepting priesthood and baptismal transfers from the RLDS Church back in the 1920s or 1930s due to stark differences in belief. Don't miss our other conversations on the Temple Lot group: https://gospeltangents.com/denominations/Hedrickites/ Copyright © 2026 Gospel Tangents All Rights Reserved 0:00 Otto Fetting/Temple Cornerstones 15:11 Brazil Group

We learned what goes into a rescue at the Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, what situations require a rescue, and how to not need one yourself. Plus, a secret hack if you want to experience the "dune drop" in a less intense way. Vote in the On Hand state bird poll here! Check out our other state symbols here Read about the Kirtland's Warbler Alliance, a nonprofit devoted to protecting the species GUESTS: April Campbell, retired M.D. and bird enthusiast based in Ann Arbor Jen Owen, former director for the Michigan State Bird Observatory and center coordinator for Corey Marsh Ecological Center. Frances Heldt, archivist for the Archives of Michigan Cover photo by Lester Graham Want to submit a question to On Hand? Do it here: Online Submission Form Call us: 734-764-7840 Email us: onhand@michiganpublic.org If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work: michiganpublic.org/podfundSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Was Joseph Smith's relationship with Fanny Alger an early plural marriage, a sexless sealing, or a scandalous sexual affair? Long before Nauvoo polygamy, secret sealings, or theological justifications, there was Fanny Alger; a teenage girl living in Joseph and Emma Smith's home in Kirtland, Ohio. When the relationship was discovered, it triggered scandal, apostasy, and… Read More »Joseph Smith & Fanny Alger: Barely Scraping By

Was Joseph Smith's relationship with Fanny Alger an early plural marriage, a sexless sealing, or a scandalous sexual affair? Long before Nauvoo polygamy, secret sealings, or theological justifications, there was Fanny Alger; a teenage girl living in Joseph and Emma Smith's home in Kirtland, Ohio. When the relationship was discovered, it triggered scandal, apostasy, and… Read More »Joseph Smith & Fanny Alger: Barely Scraping By The post Joseph Smith & Fanny Alger: Barely Scraping By appeared first on Mormon Discussions Podcasts - Full Lineup.

Was Joseph Smith's relationship with Fanny Alger an early plural marriage, a sexless sealing, or a scandalous sexual affair? Long before Nauvoo polygamy, secret sealings, or theological justifications, there was Fanny Alger; a teenage girl living in Joseph and Emma Smith's home in Kirtland, Ohio. When the relationship was discovered, it triggered scandal, apostasy, and one of the earliest crises in Mormon leadership. In this episode, we start by taking a look into the life of Fanny Alger sharing details of her life that are little known even to those familiar with Mormon history. We then examine every major historical source connected to the Fanny Alger story including letters, later reminiscences, church disciplinary records. Then onto the Apologetics and what they are trying to resolve. And lastly we share something that hasn’t been used by either side in this discussion and this you won’t want to miss. We ask the uncomfortable questions: • Why did Oliver Cowdery call the incident a “dirty, nasty, filthy scrape”? • Why did church leaders discipline Cowdery for accusing Joseph of adultery — without denying the accusation itself? • Why does Fanny Alger quietly disappear from official church records for decades? • And do apologetic claims that “we can't know what happened” actually hold up? We also follow Fanny's life after Mormonism; her marriage, property ownership, and long, stable adulthood and ask what her silence might tell us about power, authority, and who controls the narrative. This is not folklore. This is not anti-Mormon spin. This is history read carefully. RESOURCES: https://mormondiscussionpodcast.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/02/Fanny-Alger-Episode-Sources-1.pdf

Did Joseph Smith's understanding of God come through divine revelation — or did it evolve alongside his education? In this episode of Mormonism Live, we examine one of the most important and least discussed developments in early Mormon history: the dramatic shift in Joseph Smith's theology of the Godhead. Using early Mormon scriptures, historical documents, and Joseph's own study journals, we walk through how the earliest teachings portrayed God as a single divine being, closely resembling early Christian modalism. We then trace a clear timeline showing how those teachings changed over time — especially following Joseph Smith's intensive study of Hebrew in Kirtland, Ohio. As Joseph learned Hebrew grammar, biblical structure, and concepts such as Elohim as a plural noun, Mormon theology began to change with it. The singular God of the Book of Mormon and Book of Moses gradually gave way to a plurality of Gods, divine councils, embodied deities, and ultimately the revolutionary teachings found in the King Follett Discourse.This episode explores: Why early Book of Mormon passages describe Jesus as both Father and Son How later scripture reverses earlier creation accounts The connection between Hebrew study and the emergence of the “Council of the Gods” Why Joseph's First Vision accounts evolve alongside his theology And what this means for claims of unchanging revelation and restored truth Rather than attacking belief, this conversation asks a deeper question: If revelation reveals eternal truth, why does the nature of God change so dramatically over time? Whether you are believing, doubting, or long past Mormonism, this episode offers a thoughtful, historically grounded look at how doctrine develops — and why that development still matters today.

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More of Mormonism's canonized revelations originated in or near Kirtland than any other place. Yet many of the events connected with those revelations and their 1830s historical context have faded over time. Barely twenty-five years after the first of these Ohio revelations, Brigham Young lamented in 1856: “These revelations, after a lapse of years, become mystified [sic] to those who were not personally acquainted with the circumstances at the time they were given.” He gloomily predicted that eventually the revelations “may be as mysterious to our children . . . as the revelations contained in the Old and New Testaments are to this generation.” Now, more than 150 years later, the distance between what Brigham Young and his Kirtland contemporaries considered common knowledge and our understanding of the same material today has widened into a sometimes daunting gap. Mark Staker narrows the chasm in Hearken, O Ye People by reconstructing the cultural experiences by which Kirtland's Latter-day Saints made sense of the revelations Joseph Smith pronounced. This volume rebuilds that exciting decade using clues from numerous archives, privately held records, museum collections, and even the soil where early members planted corn and homes. From this vast array of sources he shapes a detailed narrative of weather, religious backgrounds, dialect differences, race relations, theological discussions, food preparation, frontier violence, astronomical phenomena, and myriad daily customs of nineteenth-century life. The result is a “from the ground up” experience that today's Latter-day Saints can all but walk into and touch. Mark Lyman Staker was a senior researcher in the Church History Department of the LDS Church when this was written. He received his PhD in cultural anthropology from University of Florida. For more than fifteen years, Mark has been involved in historic sites restoration and nineteenth-century expressions of the Latter-day Saint experience. He received the J. Talmage Jones Award of Excellence for an Outstanding Article on Mormon History from the Mormon History Association, and he has been involved in numerous museum exhibits. He and his wife, Kimberly, are the parents of seven children and live in West Bountiful, Utah. The post Hearken, O Ye People: The Historical Setting of Joseph Smith's Ohio Revelations – Mark Staker – appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

If God is so Powerful, Why Didn't He Just Stop Their Enemies? by Autumn Dickson I want to share something from the Official Declaration 1, the declaration that ended the practice of polygamy in the latter-days. This post isn't specifically about polygamy, but the principle I want to teach is being taught through the polygamy example. The Lord has told me to ask the Latter-day Saints a question, and He also told me that if they would listen to what I said to them and answer the question put to them, by the Spirit and power of God, they would all answer alike, and they would all believe alike with regard to this matter. He then proceeds to ask the people what would be better: to comply with the law of the land and cease the practice of polygamy or continue to practice polygamy and lose the priesthood organization and temples and be forced to stop polygamy anyway? I've heard people express the idea that the church supposedly believes in revelation but fold the second they receive outside pressure. I've heard it conveyed that it was so convenient for the Lord to stop the practice of polygamy when things got too difficult for the people to live it. Even as a teenager, I believed in the church but remember thinking, “Isn't there a third option? Can't the Lord enable them to continue practicing polygamy without losing all of the men and the temples?” Though polygamy is unique in many ways, there is not really any new argument against God. These specific questions boil down to a question that is as old as religion, “If your God is truly so powerful, why doesn't He enable you?” The answer to that specific question varies because the circumstances of mankind vary, but I'll do my best to teach the overarching principles by referring to this specific example of polygamy. According to President Woodruff, the Saints were facing some pretty dire circumstances. He had a vision of everything that the Saints would lose if they continued the practice of polygamy. To put it shortly, they would lose everything that mattered. I don't think Satan was worried about stopping polygamy as he was about utilizing polygamy to stop the work in general. If the Saints continued on, this would surely stop the work. They would lose temples and the men; if they lost these, apostasy would reign and Satan would have won (especially since the Lord has promised that we will not fall into a Great Apostasy again). When we face dire circumstances, the Lord can react in a number of ways and He makes wise decisions based on what will bring about His purposes. The Lord's potential reaction #1: Sometimes He asks us to continue on through difficulty and lose everything. I think of Abinadi. Abinadi was asked to continue preaching despite the fact that it put his life in danger. Abinadi died. Sometimes the Lord asks for the ultimate sacrifice. He could have asked the Saints to make the ultimate sacrifice, but He didn't. The Lord's potential reaction #2: The Lord can tell His people to keep going and then remove the difficulty. There are a million examples of this, the most obvious being Moses parting the Red Sea. When it came to polygamy, the Lord could have responded in this way. He could have “parted the sea” and removed the difficulty. The Lord could have enabled His Saints to continue practicing polygamy. He could have wiped out the entire earth other than the Saints if that's what it took, but He didn't. The Lord's potential reaction #3: Sometimes the Lord tells us to stop. I think of Alma and his people. They were threatened with death if they prayed, and so they only prayed in their hearts. The Lord could have commanded them to keep praying, but it wasn't their time and so He didn't. Technically they kept praying, but there are other instances. For example, there was Zion's camp. An “army” of members left Kirtland to go win back Missouri for the Saints, but the Lord told them to turn around after they got there. I did a whole video on why the Lord might have chosen after this manner. There was also the time when the Lord excused His people from building the temple in Zion for a time. Sometimes the Lord does tell us we can stop. People love to act like this is because our God isn't real or that He isn't powerful. The answer is neither. Sometimes the Lord tells us to stop because He is wise. Despite the fact that the Lord could ask His Saints to sacrifice everything and despite the fact that the Lord could have removed the obstacles they were facing, He chose not to. I emphasize the point that we do not always know why the Lord makes specific choices unless He tells us directly, but let's think for a bit about why the Lord would have made this decision. Despite the fact that the Lord reigns over all and despite the fact that He is tremendously powerful, sometimes He chooses to act in a certain way with mankind because of His purposes. The “limitations” are not true limitations; they are self-imposed limitations that enable Him to push His purposes along. His purpose is to bring about the immortality and eternal life of man and because of His chosen purpose, He often works within the constraints of mankind so He doesn't ruin His own plan. Let's look at this principle in the context of polygamy. The Lord's potential reaction #1: The Lord could have asked them to continue on in difficulty and sacrifice. They would have lost the temples and priesthood organization that kept His restored church on the earth. That doesn't really fit His purposes so He's not going to choose this option. The Lord's potential reaction #2: The Lord could have asked them to continue on and then removed the difficulty for them. This answers the question that I've heard posed more than once in my life. Believe it or not, this would have also frustrated His purposes. He COULD have destroyed everyone except the Saints, but that doesn't contribute to His purposes. He COULD have sent down miracles to stop the rest of America from being able to infiltrate Utah and take the temples and arrest the men, but it would have taken some large-scale miracles in order to keep the work moving forward. In the history of the world, the Lord has performed some incredible large-scale miracles. We read about these miracles, and we rejoice in them. However, the Lord does not often choose to work after this manner. He just doesn't. Why? Because faith is an essential ingredient in His plan. I have studied the purpose of faith over and over and over. You can't bring about the Plan of Redemption if you wipe out the principle of faith, and large-scale miracles run the risk of doing just that. The Lord could perform large-scale miracle after large-scale miracle and fix everything, but He doesn't. Why? Because removing faith from the mortal experience has far dire consequences than anything we could potentially face on earth. So the Lord COULD have chosen potential reaction #1 or #2, but He didn't because they don't contribute to His purposes. The Lord's potential reaction #3: He stops it. And honestly, this makes sense. Temple work and the priesthood organization were more important. Faith was more important. I believe that polygamy was a policy laid down by God. I do. I also believe that polygamy doesn't make logistical sense on a grand scale so it was the wisest choice the Lord could have made. There are a million arguments made against the church. One of them is the idea of, “If your God is so powerful, why doesn't He enable you to xyz?” I testify that God is real and powerful, and I testify that He is in this work. I also testify that God is wise and because He is wise, He has self-imposed limitations in order to bring about His purposes. He could easily interfere with evil on a daily basis, but He knows the cost would be too high. I testify that the Lord is wise enough to make the decisions necessary to bring about our eternal life. Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR's 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award. The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – The Articles of Faith and Official Declarations 1 and 2 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

We are back today with part 21 of our Joseph Smith Podcast series with Dr. John Turner, discussing his new book Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet.In this episode, we explore one of the most fascinating and consequential moments in early Latter-day Saint history –the Kirtland Bank Scandal. Chapter 18 titled “Follies” (1836-1837), captures a turbulent period when Joseph SMith and the Saints in Kirtland, Ohio, faced financial ruin, internal dissent, and the unraveling of faith and community.We trace how the ambitious completion of the Kirtland Temple left the Saints deep in debt and how Joseph Smith's attempt to solve these financial woes through the creation of the Kirtland Safety Society Bank (or “anti” Bank) spiraled into one of the earliest crises of the Restoration. Against the backdrop of President ANdrew Jackson's anti-bank crusade and the Panic of 1837, the Saints' experiment with banking, prophecy, and faith would test their loyalty, their leadership, and their limits.The story unfolds through dramatic events: Joseph and Sidney hiding from sheriffs, treasure-digging expeditions to Salem in search of divine relief from debt, and the chaotic collapse of confidence in the unchartered “anti-bank.” We discuss how this episode intertwined religious revelation and financial desperation – and how it triggered what became the largest apostasy in early church history.Please purchase the book ⁠here⁠.To support this series please donate ⁠here⁠. One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series.___________________YouTubeAt Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.  Our overall mission is to: 1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions

October 6-12As you begin this week's reading assignment, and you don't skip over the headnotes in Section 111, you realize this revelation was given in Salem, Massachusetts. Isn't the central leadership of the Church in Kirtland, Ohio? What is the First Presidency doing in Salem nearly 650 miles to the east and a whopping 1,500 miles from Western Missouri? Isn't this the same city of the famous Salem Witch Trials 144 years before in 1692? This will all make sense as we study together in this episode.

Welcome to part 20 of our epic series on Dr. John G. Turner's landmark biography, “Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet.”Things are really heating up as we enter the mid-1830s in the life of Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter-day Saint movement. This episode dives into one of the most controversial and debated episodes in early Mormon history –Joseph's relationship with Fanny Alger, a young woman employed in the Smith household in Kirtland, Ohio in 1836.Was it adultery? Was it an early form of plural marriage? Or was it something else entirely –a “scrape”?Join us for Part 1 of Chapter 18, where we unpack Turner's detailed treatment of this scandal, explore how it fractured relationships within the early church (especially between Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery), and trace how it shaped the theology of polygamy that would later emerge in Nauvoo.Please purchase the book ⁠here⁠.To support this series please donate ⁠here⁠. One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series.___________________YouTubeAt Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.  Our overall mission is to: 1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions

In part 19 of our deep-dive into Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet by Dr. John G. Turner, we explore the fascinating events surrounding the Kirtland Temple dedication (that took place in 1836) in Kirtland, Ohio.This episode focuses on Chapter 17, examining key developments in early Latter-day Saint ritual practice –including solemn assemblies, washings and anointings, the washing of feet, and even ritual cleansings (in cinnamon whiskey!). We also discuss internal church conflicts, prophetic authority, spiritual manifestations, and the powerful endowment promises given to early Church leaders.We also explore Joseph Smith's institutional genius, visions and heavenly visitations, Hebrew studies and the Adamic language, early temple worship and spiritual ecstacy, and controversies and personal reflections from John Turner's biography.Please purchase the book ⁠here⁠.To support this series please donate ⁠here⁠. One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series.___________________YouTubeAt Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.  Our overall mission is to: 1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions

Despite police informants thwarting one of his deadly plans, cult leader Jeffrey Lundgren's appetite for violence couldn't be satiated. When one target was out of reach, he simply shifted his sights to another — this time, a family who trusted him completely. They had followed him to Ohio believing he was a prophet of God, searching for salvation. What they found instead was a man who believed that some sins could only be cleansed through blood atonement — and a group of followers willing to do his bloody bidding. "Crimes of the Centuries" is a podcast from Grab Bag Collab exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped change history. You can get early and ad-free episodes on the Grab Bag Patreon page.  DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE CRIMES OF THE CENTURIES BOOK!  Order today at www.centuriespod.com/book (https://www.centuriespod.com/book)! Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @centuriespod Episode Sponsors: Cornbread Hemp. Right now, COTC listeners can save 30% on their first order! Just head to cornbreadhemp.com/COTC and use code COTC at checkout.  Butcher Box. Right now, ButcherBox is offering our listeners $20 off their first box and free protein for a year. Go to ButcherBox.com/cotc to get this limited time offer and free shipping always. Rula. Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/cotc #rulapod

When a people face "fightings without" and "fears within", what keeps them standing? Is it possible to serve God without constantly worrying about your property, or even your family? D&C 115–120 answers these questions, providing counsel for a Church struggling to survive. Summary: In this episode, we explore revelations given as the Saints faced intense persecution in Missouri and internal apostasy in Kirtland. D&C 115 renames the Church, emphasizing that "thus shall my church be called in the last days, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints". The Lord calls Far West to be a "holy and consecrated land" , providing a "refuge from the storm". D&C 116 identifies "Spring Hill" as the sacred place of Adam-ondi-Ahman , where Adam shall come to visit his people. D&C 117 focuses on material priorities. The Lord asks, "what is property unto me?" , commanding the Saints to "let them go" and focus on the "more weighty matters". We highlight the incredible faith of Oliver Granger, whose sacrifice was deemed "more sacred...than his increase". The Lord also warns against a "littleness of soul" and the deeds of the Nicolaitane band. D&C 118 issues a stunning challenge to the Twelve Apostles: to depart for their mission on April 26th from the cornerstone of the Far West temple, a site surrounded by enemies. The Lord promises to "provide for their families" as they go forth. D&C 119-120 reveals the Law of Tithing: first, all "surplus property" , and subsequently, "one-tenth of all their interest annually". This law is declared a "standing law...forever" because sacrifice sanctifies , helping to "sanctify the land of Zion". D&C 120 reveals that the disbursement of these funds must be managed by a presiding council. Call-to-Action: What "stuff" or "property" do you need to "let go" of to focus on the "more weighty matters"? Share your thoughts in the comments below! If this discussion helped strengthen your faith, please like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay "Unshaken" in your faith. Chapter Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 5:37 What's In a Name? 18:24 Holy People Make Holy Ground 26:28 It's Just Stuff 39:19 Walk the Walk 48:02 Win or Lose 56:56 Mission Impossible 1:12:03 Tithing 1:29:03 One-Liners

Welcome back to Part 17 of our Joseph Smith Podcast series covering Dr. John Turner's new biography on Joseph Smith titled: Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet.In this episode, we begin part one of our deep dive into the Book of Abraham –a controversial and fascinating text within Latter-day Saint history. We'll trace its origins in 1835 Kirtland, explore Joseph Smith's acquisition of Egyptian papyri and mummies, and discuss the Egyptomania of the time that fueled public curiosity.With guest scholar Dr. John Turner, we set the stage for how the Book of Abraham fits into the broader story of Mormonism, how Joseph Smith interpreted the papyri, and why questions of translation, sincerity, and inspiration still matter today. This is just the beginning of our discussion –the Nauvoo period will follow in later chapters!Please purchase the book ⁠here⁠.To support this series please donate ⁠here⁠. One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series.___________________YouTubeAt Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.  Our overall mission is to: 1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions

In 1980s Ohio, Jeffrey Lundgren wasn't just studying scripture — he was twisting it into something dangerous. To outsiders, he was a soft-spoken tour guide at a historic church site. But behind closed doors, Lundgren was preaching a radical new theology, gathering followers and slowly convincing them that he spoke for God. His target? The Kirtland Temple — once the holiest site in the Latter Day Saint movement. "Crimes of the Centuries" is a podcast from Grab Bag Collab exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped change history. You can get early and ad-free episodes on the Grab Bag Patreon page.  DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE CRIMES OF THE CENTURIES BOOK!  Order today at www.centuriespod.com/book (https://www.centuriespod.com/book)! Follow us on Instagram and Twitter Episode Sponsors: Quince. Make your bed the coziest place in the house this fall—with Quince. Go to Quince.com/centuries for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Hiya Health. We've worked out a special deal with Hiya for their best selling children's vitamin. Receive 50% off your first order. To claim this deal you must go to hiyahealth.com/COTC. Cornbread Hemp. Right now, COTC listeners can save 30% on their first order! Simply head to cornbreadhemp.com/COTC and use code COTC at checkout.

Welcome back to part 16 of our Joseph Smith Podcast with Dr. John G. Turner! In this episode, we cover chapter fifteen of John Turner's new book titled “Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet” which covers 1834-1835 in Kirtland, Ohio and parts of Missouri. We discuss the rise of patriarchal blessings, the creation of new church offices –like the Twelve and the Seventy. We also discuss the challenges posed by critics like E. D. Howe and his problematic book published in 1834. These years were formative for Joseph Smith and the Latter-day Saint movement. We explore such topics as:-The publication of E. D. Howe's Mormonism Unveiled-The 1835 Doctrine and Covenants (and the Lectures on Faith)-The creation of the Quorum of the Twelve and the Seventy-The beginning of the Law of Adoption-How Joseph Smith used blessings and promises to help people follow himDid this first anti-Mormon publication get under Joseph Smith's skin? What power did early church members believe they were receiving through blessings and ordinances? How did Joseph Smith transform crises into opportunities to strengthen his movement? Join us as we seek to answer each of these questions!Please purchase the book ⁠here⁠.To support this series please donate ⁠here⁠. One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series.___________________YouTubeAt Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.  Our overall mission is to: 1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions

We are back again with Dr. John Turner in part 15 of the Joseph Smith Podcast, covering his new book “Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet.” Join us as we explore the dramatic events of 1834 when Joseph Smith led Zion's Camp, from Kirtland, Ohio to Clay County, Missouri. This episode dives deep into the historical and spiritual implications of Zion's Camp –including Joseph Smith's controversial prophecies, the hardships faced by the Saints as refugees, the question of prophetic failure, and the lasting theological impact on the Latter-day Saint movement.Topics covered today include:-The story of Zelph the White Lamanite-Joseph Smith's dog “Major”-The thunderstorm that may have saved Zion's Camp-The tension between Governor Dunclan and Joseph SmithLike, comment, and subscribe for more deep dives into Mormon history and theology.Please purchase the book ⁠here⁠.To support this series please donate ⁠here⁠. One half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series.___________________YouTubeAt Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.  Our overall mission is to: 1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions

What can we learn from the Saints' devastating losses in Jackson County, Missouri and how does that promise of the resurrection transform the story? Dr. Derek Sainsbury explores the harrowing events of 1833, the destruction of the Church's printing press, and the personal sacrifices of the early Saints as they sought to build Zion in one of the most difficult frontiers imaginable.SHOW NOTES/TRANSCRIPTSEnglish: https://tinyurl.com/podcastDC237ENFrench: https://tinyurl.com/podcastDC237FRGerman: https://tinyurl.com/podcastDC237DEPortuguese: https://tinyurl.com/podcastDC237PTSpanish: https://tinyurl.com/podcastDC237ESYOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/ScT0t5_BGuIALL EPISODES/SHOW NOTESfollowHIM website: https://www.followHIMpodcast.comFREE PDF DOWNLOADS OF followHIM QUOTE BOOKSNew Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastNTBookOld Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastOTBookBook of Mormon: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastBMBookWEEKLY NEWSLETTERhttps://tinyurl.com/followHIMnewsletterSOCIAL MEDIAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/followHIMpodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/followhimpodcastTIMECODE00:00 Part 1 - Dr. Derek Sainsbury01:32 August 1833 information03:41 Derek Sainsbury bio05:30 Presidential candidates assassinated06:38 Come, Follow Me Manual07:56 Death of first foreign missionary10:07 Indian Removal Act12:08 Mary Rollins and John Murdock16:05 Polarization of Jackson County20:13 The Promised Land 2.023:33 The Law of Consecration in Missouri25:01 Article by W. W. Phelps26:42 Zion in every book of scripture, except the New Testament28:03 Checking in with John Murdock (and Parley P. Pratt)36:46 John Murdock is the best of the Saints39:26 What happens to the Murdock children42:24 Innuendo and a lost letter45:06 Missouri and Kirtland needed emojis46:55 Leadership is easier without people48:45 Doctor Philastus Hurlbut “coverts”51:41 John Murdock's journal May 7, 183355:42 Dr. Sainsbury shares lessons from his own personal trials1:01:05 24-temple rendering1:05:09 Reasons they blamed the Mormons1:10:04 Results of meeting in Gilbert's store1:13:53 Mobbing and the Book of Commandments1:17:58 End of Part I - Dr. Derek SainsburyThanks to the followHIM team:Steve & Shannon Sorensen: Cofounder, Executive Producer, SponsorDavid & Verla Sorensen: SponsorsDr. Hank Smith: Co-hostJohn Bytheway: Co-hostDavid Perry: ProducerKyle Nelson: Marketing, SponsorLisa Spice: Client Relations, Editor, Show NotesWill Stoughton: Video EditorKrystal Roberts: Translation Team, English & French Transcripts, WebsiteAriel Cuadra: Spanish TranscriptsAmelia Kabwika: Portuguese TranscriptsHeather Barlow: Communications DirectorIride Gonzalez: Social Media, Graphic Design"Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise" by Marshall McDonaldhttps://www.marshallmcdonaldmusic.com

In an episode first released in 2010, then-producer Lulu Miller drives to Michigan to track down the endangered Kirtland's warbler. Efforts to protect the bird have lead to the killing of cowbirds (a species that commandeers warbler nests), and a prescribed burn aimed at creating a new habitat. Tragically, this burn led to the death of a 29-year-old wildlife technician who was dedicated to warbler restoration. Forest Service employee Rita Halbeisen, local Michiganders skeptical of the resources put toward protecting the warbler, and the family of James Swiderski (the man killed in the fire), weigh in on how far we should go to protect one species.EPISODE CREDITS:Reported by - Lulu MillerSignup for our newsletter!! It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Sign up (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)!Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab (https://members.radiolab.org/) today.Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing radiolab@wnyc.org.Leadership support for Radiolab's science programming is provided by the Simons Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation. Foundational support for Radiolab was provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.