This is the seventh of our Living Faith discussions this year, focusing on key events and persons from Church history. We were delighted to have Richard Bushman, emeritus professor of history at Columbia University and author of Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, speak to our stake on the topic “Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration”. 

Brother Bushman addressed the Kirtland period we are currently studying in Come, Follow Me, and then responded to questions sent in from members of the stake, moderated by Laguna Niguel Stake President Blaine Evanson.  

If you missed previous discussions you can find links on our website:  http://www.lnstake.org/living-faith 

We look forward to hearing from Andrea Radke-Moss, Kate Holbrook, and Barbara Morgan-Gardner later this year.

This is the sixth Living Faith Discussion the Laguna Niguel stake has hosted this year, connected to Church history events highlighted in Come, Follow Me. While studying the Doctrine & Covenants, we realized that over half the revelations came while in Kirtland, so we wanted to find a Kirtland expert for our next discussion. 

Karl Ricks Anderson is known by many as "Mr. Kirtland".  Originally from Utah, Brother Anderson left with a graduate degree from the University of Utah and went to work in Ohio. His LDS Church callings there include service as a stake president, regional representative, family history advisor and patriarch. His time in Ohio led him to a love of the Prophet Joseph Smith and LDS Church history there. He learned of the incalculable contribution the Ohio period made to the church’s organization, doctrine and legacy of sacrifice. He has since written two books, "The Savior in Kirtland" and "Joseph Smith's Kirtland".  

If you missed previous discussions you can find links on our website:  http://www.lnstake.org/living-faith We look forward to hearing from Richard Bushman, Andrea Radke-Moss, Kate Holbrook, and Barbara Morgan-Gardner later this year.

This is the fifth of several Living Faith Discussions the Laguna Niguel stake will host this year connected to Church history events highlighted in Come, Follow Me, and our first in person discussion. The other discussions we’ve had so far have been focused on particular historical events or people, but this one focuses on the unique doctrines that were revealed with the Restoration.  

Terryl Givens is a former professor Professor of Literature and Religion at the University of Richmond and currently a Neal L. Maxwell Senior Fellow at Brigham Young University. Along with his wife Fiona, he is the author of “The Christ Who Heals” (Deseret 2017); “The Crucible of Doubt” (Deseret 2014), and “The God Who Weeps” (Deseret 2012) and many other books. They are the parents of six children.   

If you missed previous discussions you can find links on our website: http://www.lnstake.org/living-faith We look forward to hearing from Karl Anderson, Richard Bushman, Andrea Radke-Moss, Kate Holbrook, and Barbara Morgan-Gardner later this year.

From the very beginning when Emma Smith said, “We are going to do something extraordinary,” Relief Society women working together have done remarkable things.  Celebrate the 179th birthday of Relief Society with beautiful music and inspiring messages from members of our stake. Speakers include Debbie Bell, Michelle Kimball, Madison Davis, Laura del Rosario, Linda Budd, Sally Hatch, and President Evanson; with musical numbers by the Lawrence family and our favorite trio (Megan Peo, Angel Westover, and Laura Thompson).

Tad R. Callister has served in a number of Church callings including full-time missionary in the Eastern Atlantic States Mission, bishop, stake president, regional representative, mission president, Area Seventy, and General Sunday School President. He is the author of many books including “The Infinite Atonement” and “A Case for the Book of Mormon”. He and his wife Kathryn Louise Saporiti are the parents of six children.

This discussion focuses on the three people who were chosen to be witnesses to the Book of Mormon: Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris. Eight other people were allowed to see the gold plates at another time, including many of the Whitmer family and some of Joseph Smith's family. 

This is the third of several Living Faith Discussions the stake will host this year connected to Church history events highlighted in Come, Follow Me. If you missed previous discussions you can find them on our stake YouTube channel or on this podcast.

A series of discussions on Church history to help us better understand the Restoration and Doctrine & Covenants, taught by leading experts. Hosted by the Laguna Niguel Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Laguna Niguel, California.  

Professor Dirkmaat is an associate professor of Church history and doctrine at Brigham Young University. He worked as a historian and writer for the Church History Department from 2010 to 2014 with the Joseph Smith Papers Project and continues to work as a volunteer editor. He is the coauthor, along with Michael Hubbard MacKay, of the award-winning book From Darkness unto Light: Joseph Smith’s Translation and Publication of the Book of Mormon.   

This is the second of several Living Faith Discussions the stake will host this year connected to the church history events highlighted in Come, Follow Me. For more information about this series, visit: http://www.lnstake.org/living-faith

Laguna Niguel Stake President Blaine Evanson spoke during stake conference on January 17, 2021.