History of the Saints

Episode Twenty Eight: The Move to the Ohio: In 1843 in Nauvoo, Joseph Smith would say, “the main object of the gathering was to build unto the Lord a house whereby He could reveal unto his people the ordinances of His house and the glories of His kingdom.” He was speaking of the Gathering. It was the winter of 1830-31, when the call was sounded for the saints in New York to gather “to the Ohio” that they might escape the power of the enemy. In this episode of History of the Saints we will talk about that gathering—why they were leaving New York, where they were going and how they got there.

Scholars: Jeffrey Walker, William Hartley, Mark Staker, Andrew Hedges, Kyle Walker, Sharalyn Howcroft

Episode Twenty Seven: The Lamanite Mission Part Two—On to the Missouri: October 1830, Oliver Cowdery, Parley P. Pratt, Ziba Peterson, and Peter Whitmer Jr., the four missionaries called to preach to the Lamanites, set out on their journey to Indian lands west of the Missouri River. Along the way they stopped in the Kirtland area of northern Ohio where they found thousands eager to hear them. They baptized more than 125 people—and then, by the end of November 1830, they were once more on their way west. This episode of History of the Saints is the story of their journey to and experiences among the Lamanites in Indian territory.

Scholars: Sherilyn Farnes, Mark Staker, Andrew Hedges, Alexander Baugh

Episode Twenty Six: The Mission to the Lamanites Part 1: It was September 1830 when Joseph Smith received a revelation that we now know as DC 28. In that revelation the Lord says to Oliver Cowdery, “And now behold I say unto you that you shall go unto the Lamanites and preach my Gospel unto them and inasmuch as they receive thy teachings thou shalt cause my Church to be established among them.” This would prove to be the first missionary call of its kind—to a specific place for an extended period of time. This episode of History of the Saints is about that first historic missionary journey.

Scholars: Alexander Baugh, Andrew Hedges, Mark Staker

Episode Twenty Five: The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible: Joseph Smith Jr. had been raised in a Bible-reading family amid a Bible-fearing culture. Of course it was an integral part of his life. In the course of translating the Book of Mormon he learned that many plain and precious truths had been taken from the Bible and must needs be restored, and that is our story of this episode of History of the Saints.

Scholars: Kent Jackson

Episode Twenty Four: The New York Revelations: On April 6, 1830, the Church of Christ was organized once again upon the earth. On the very day of that organization a revelation was received that outlined principles for the governing of the Church—Doctrine and Covenants 21. From that time forward revelations continued to come instructing the Saints on how the great Latter-day work was to be conducted. “In the revelations one hears the tender but firm voice of the Lord Jesus Christ, speaking anew,” through his servant Joseph Smith Jr. This episode of History of the Saints is about some of those early revelations.

Scholars: Gerrit Dirkmaat, Mark Staker, Grant Underwood, Steven Harper

Episode Twenty Three: Martin Harris and the Book of Mormon: In August 1829, Martin Harris, a prosperous Palmyra farmer, entered into an agreement with Egbert B. Grandin of Palmyra, a printer, that he would pay for the printing of 5000 copies of the Book of Mormon for $3000, an enormous sum of money for the time and difficult to come by, and to secure that agreement Martin would put up his farm as collateral—all of it. And in the end Martin gave all of it for the Book of Mormon. This episode of History of the Saints is the story of Martin Harris and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.

Scholars: Jeffrey Walker

Episode Twenty Two: The Organization of the Church of Christ: In a revelation to Joseph Smith in the summer 1828, the Lord said, “If this generation harden not their hearts, I will establish my Church among them.” The promise was that the Lord would restore his Church once more among them and Joseph and his brethren anxiously awaited that fulfillment. Then came Tuesday, April 6, 1830, and the formal organization of the Church. This episode tells that story.

Scholars: Steven Harper, Andrew Hedges, Larry Porter, William Hartley, Mark Staker

Episode Twenty One: Printing the Book of Mormon Part 2: It was August 1829 when Hyrum Smith, with Peter Whitmer Jr. acting as bodyguard, delivered 24 pages of the printer’s manuscript of the Book of Mormon to the printing establishment of Egbert B. Grandin. And the work of printing the Book of Mormon began. It would take about seven months to print, but before it could be printed it had to be punctuated and paragraphed. This episode of History of the Saints is the story of the details in printing the Book of Mormon.

Scholars: Robin Jensen, Royal Skousen, Gerrit Dirkmaat, William Hartley

Episode Twenty: Printing the Book of Mormon: From the very beginning it had been Joseph Smith’s intent to publish the Book of Mormon to the world. There would be 5000 copies of a book with more than 500 pages, bound in leather, and on frontier America that was a daunting and expensive undertaking. Who could they get to print it? This episode of History of the Saints tells that story.

Scholars: Robin Jensen, Gerritt Dirkmaat, Larry Porter, Royal Skousen

Episode Nineteen: Book of Mormon Witnesses: “Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people unto whom this work shall come, that we through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record....We beheld and bear record that these things are true. And it is marvelous in our eyes.” So testified Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris—the Three Witnesses. This episode of History of the Saints is the story of the witnesses of the Book of Mormon.

Scholars: Larry Porter, Richard Anderson, Alexander Baugh