1666-1668: Stake Counselor Confronts General Authorities – Evan and Weston Smith
Evan became an advocate for LGBTQ people in the Church. His position as a Stake Presidency Counselor led him to a few confrontations/discussions with General Authorities and a later meeting at Church Headquarters where they discussed Evan’s progressive beliefs on LGBTQ matters.
1585: Book of Mormon Translation w/ LDS Discussions – 03
John, Jenn and Mike from LDS Discussions break down the “translation” of the Book of Mormon.
1575: Joseph Smith and Treasure Digging w/ LDS Discussions – 01
Mike from LDS Discussions talks to us about Joseph Smith's treasure digging and how it relates to the Book of Mormon story and the Church as a whole.
1570-1574: An Evangelical Christian Encounters Mormonism – Steven Pynakker
https://youtu.be/yAZqrUNWvaQ https://youtu.be/a7U4zY-cYbU https://youtu.be/JoLzA4CKmCs https://youtu.be/ELSFpRlbyto https://youtu.be/ggCNIv23U0s Steven Pynakker, host of the Mormon Book Reviews YouTube channel, shares with us his story of how he gained an avid interest in Mormonism growing up as an Evangelical [...]
1562: Mormonism and Logical Fallacies – w/ John Larsen
https://youtu.be/oTCcYaUuHDk Join us for Part 1 of a multi-part series where John Larsen discusses Mormonism and logical fallacies. We talk about how fallacious arguments are natural to the human brain and how people in and outside of the [...]
1532: A Father & Daughter Mormon Journey – Mark & Zelle Phillips
https://youtu.be/L-jYVs2_ZkM Mormon Stories listeners are in for a treat today as we’re joined by Mark Phillips and his daughter Zelle as they share their family’s fascinating Mormon journey. Mark is a clinical and counseling psychologist by profession who [...]
1498: The Life of Historian Fawn McKay Brodie with Newell Bringhurst
https://youtu.be/if765B_gc50 Mormon Stories is honored to welcome American historian and author Newell Bringhurt to discuss the life of Fawn Brodie, author of No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith. We discuss Newell’s biography of Brodie, her [...]
Why the Catalyst Theory is Dead on Arrival
When Joseph Smith formed the Mormon church on April 6, 1830, he granted himself (in the name of God) the title of "Translator" along with "Prophet" and "Seer." Prophet...Seer...Translator. Those are audacious titles for an uneducated farm boy. The [...]
The Harmful Effects of Mormon Apologetics
I am putting together a list of the harmful and/or dishonest tactics employed by Mormon apologists - tactics that ultimately harm questioning Mormons who are earnestly seeking truth in order to make important decisions about what to do with [...]
Progressive and Post-Mormon Influencers — A Starter List
William Law Statement of Purpose: In 2020 we are experiencing a "Mormon Renaissance" of sorts, as the LDS church (under President Russell M. Nelson) is making historic changes to accommodate long-fought-for progressive and post-Mormon concerns. While countless [...]
1287-1293: Surviving Spiritual Abuse and Suicidality as BYU-Idaho Faculty & Non-Believing Spouse – Ryan & Holly Nielsen
For today’s Mormon Stories Podcast episode we interview Ryan Nielsen and Holly Parson Nielsen, who were both raised as devout Mormons in Rexburg, Idaho. After marriage, Ryan worked as full-time BYU-Idaho faculty for twelve years in the Department of [...]
Ryan Bush
Thank you for this opportunity. I am 43 years old, born and raised in the church, served a mission, and married in temple. My wife, Susan, was also born and raised in the church. We've been married 22 years [...]
About The Author
Perhaps it is best to begin our story by sharing how my beloved wife and I were both born into the covenant, served honorable missions, held many leadership positions, paid a full tithe and faithfully magnified our callings. Our [...]
Folk Magic / Treasure Digging
Folk magic and occult beliefs were a part of early American and Mormon culture, affecting practice and doctrine in profound ways. Despite the scientific enlightenment movement that swept across Europe, Americans of diverse social classes and education levels inherited [...]
Sources of Inspiration and Content
The Book of Mormon is the keystone of the LDS religion. It is declared to be a literal record of the original inhabitants of the Americas, as recorded on gold plates. The thesis of the book is that the [...]
Chronology of Mormon History
597 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar takes Jerusalem, installs Zedekiah as tributary king. City is not destroyed. 2 Kings 24:14 "None remained except the poorest people of the land." 587 B.C. Zedekiah revolts against Nebuchadnezzar, allies with Pharaoh Hophra of Egyptrevolts, siege [...]
Sources
OFFICIAL LDS CHURCH RESOURCES LDS Gospel Topics Essays LDS.org - Search Church History Journal of Discourses The Book of Commandments The Book of Mormon Doctrine & Covenants The Pearl of Great Price The Joseph Smith Papers Journal of Discourses [...]
Temple Ceremony / Masonry
LDS temples play an integral part in the Mormon experience, hosting the religion’s most sacred rituals and ordinances. Only members who have participated in a multi-tier personal interview process with patriarchal leaders are granted permission to enter. Therein, Mormons are instructed [...]
Priesthood Restoration
The hallmark that sets the LDS Church apart from all other religions is its claim that God’s authority has been restored on Earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. LDS historians suggest that the first restoration occurred sometime in May [...]
Polygamy
No area of Mormonism is as controversial and ill-understood as the practice of polygamy, which lasted for an uninterrupted period of approximately seventy years. Early LDS prophets, such as Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor, as well as other [...]