What can Nauvoo land deeds actually tell us about Joseph Smith and the practice of plural marriage? In this episode of LDS Discussions, we take a close look at Nauvoo land records and examine claims that deeds issued to women –including women who were later identified as plural wives of Joseph Smith –provide evidence for Joseph Smith’s practice of polygamy. The records are fascinating, but they are also considerably more complicated than they might appear at first glance. We examine the legal and historical context surrounding Nauvoo property, including the difference between a grantee and a recognized landowner, quitclaim deeds, coverture, widow’s dower rights, property held in the  names of women and children, and the ways Joseph Smith and others used property arrangements to protect land from creditors and other legal complications. We also take a  closer look at individual cases involving Helen Mar Kimball, Sarah Ann Whitney, Flora Woodworth, Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner, Lydia Dibble Granger, Mercy Fielding Thompson, Philinda Myrick, Emma Smith, and others. Several of these women had connections to plural marriage, but that raises an important historical question: Does the existence of a deed help explain why a particular transaction happened, or does the deed itself provide evidence that polygamy was the reason for the transaction? Throughout the episode, we compare the deeds with tax records, William Clayton’s journal, bankruptcy proceedings, and other contemporary evidence to see whether the names and dates appearing on the deeds accurately reflect who actually owned, occupied, controlled, or benefited from the property. One of the key conclusions is that you cannot simply take Nauvoo land deeds at face value. A plural marriage may sometimes provide a possible explanation for a property transaction, but the transaction itself does not necessarily prove that a plural marriage existed. This episode explores the complicated gap between what was legally recorded, what people were actually doing, and what later historians assume those records mean.

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In Episode 81 of the LDS Discussions series, we take a deep dive into the history of Mormon tithing –where the concept comes from, how it appears in the Bible and Book of Mormon, how Joseph Smith and the early Latter-day Saints understood it, and how the practice evolved into the modern LDS Church’s system of financial requirements. We begin with the biblical origins of tithing, examining passages from the Old and New Testament and asking whether the biblical practice of tithing actually resembles the transactional model taught by the modern Church. We then turn to the Book of Mormon and explore what it says about priestcraft, wealth, and religious leaders receiving financial support. From there, we trace the history of tithing in early Mormonism, including Joseph Smith’s financial requests, the 1838 tithing revelation, how early Saints actually contributed to the Church, and the significant differences between the original language surrounding consecration and the modern requirement to pay ten percent of one’s income. We also examine the controversial history surrounding Green Flake and the claim that an enslaved man was donated as tithing, the financial relationship between Brigham Young and the Church, and what the surviving historical records can –and cannot –tell us about the practice of tithing and labor tithes in early Utah. Finally, we look at the development of modern LDS tithing requirements, including when tithing became a requirement for temple recommends, the distinction between tithing and fast offerings, teachings about self-reliance, changes to tithing slips, and the Church’s long-standing lack of financial transparency to its membership. If you value episodes like this one, we ask that you show your support by donating to Mormon Stories Podcast! 

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In Episode 80 of our LDS Discussions series, Julia, Kolby, and Nemo the Mormon join together for a deep dive into one of the most significant financial controversies in modern Latter-day Saint history: Ensign Peak Advisors and the SEC’s investigation into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

The discussion begins by examining what Ensign Peak Advisors is, why the Church created an enormous investment reserve, and whether maintaining such a fund is inherently problematic. From there, the panel walks through the timeline leading up to the 2019 whistleblower revelations and the 2023 SEC Order, exploring the Church's filing practices, the creation of 13 shell companies, and the legal findings that concluded the Church intentionally obscured the size of its investment portfolio. 

Along the way, we analyze statements from Church leaders including Roger Clarke, Christopher Waddell, Elder Ballard, Elder Packer, Joseph F. Smith, Lorenzo Snow, and others, comparing modern financial practices with historical teachings on tithing. We also discuss the evolution of tithing slips, the Church’s growing investment portfolio, estimates of annual tithing revenue, David Nielsen’s whistleblower allegations, and the ethical implications of the Church’s financial secrecy. 

Finally, the panel examines the SEC’s findings in detail, asking difficult questions about honesty, accountability, transparency, and whether a church that teaches integrity should be held to the same legal and ethical standards it expects of its members. 

This episode provides one of the most comprehensive examinations of the Ensign Peak controversy, combining historical documents, SEC records, Church statements, and primary sources to better understand what happened –and why it matters. 

If you enjoy these in-depth historical analyses, please like, subscribe, and share this episode. Your support helps us continue producing thoroughly researched content exploring the history and truth claims of Mormonism.

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Welcome to LDS Discussions Part 79, where we continue our deep dive into the Book of Abraham, examining one of the most popular apologetic arguments: the claim that Joseph Smith drew on ancient traditions about Abraham rather than translating the surviving papyri.

We begin by exploring the history of the Joseph Smith Papyri and the various theroies proposed to explain the Book of Abraham, including why so many copeting models exist. From there, we focus on the “ancient traditions” theory, looking at stories about Abraham preserved in later Jewish, Christian, and Islamic writings and askign whether they actually support Joseph Smith’s text.

Along the way, we compare the timelines of the Book of Mormon and Book of Abraham translations, disucss the implications of the Church’s Gospel Topics Essay, and examine whether Joseph Smith had access to contemporary biblical commentaries such as Adam Clarke’s. We then compare the Book of Abraham’s narrative --including Abraham’s calls, the famine in Chaldea, Terah, Haran, Abraham’s age, the attempted sacrifice of Abraham, Egyptian idolatry, human sacrifice in acient Egypt, and Abraham’s knowledge or astronomy --with the historical sources often cited by apologists.

This episode evaluates whether these ancient parallels strengthen the Book of Abraham’s authenticity --or instead demonstrate that Joseph Smith was drawing from ideas available in his own time.

As always, we examine the historical evidence, compare the primary sources, and let the documents speak for themselves.

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Welcome to another episode of LDS Discussions! We are joined again by Bryan Buchanan to discuss the William Clayton Diaries.The William Clayton Diaries are among the most important firsthand records from Joseph Smith’s final years in Nauvoo. Few individuals stood closer to Joseph Smith than William Clayton, who served as clerk, confidant, and participant in many of the most controversial events of Mormon history. In this episode, we dive directly into the diaries themselves. We examine what Clayton recorded, what historians can learn from his daily entries, and why these journals have become central to discussions about Joseph Smith’s plural marriages, the Council of Fifty, the Quorum of the Anointed, the Kinderhook Plates, Nauvoo politics, and the final months leading up to Joseph Smith’s death. Along the way, we explore the lives of Joseph and Emma Smith, Margaret Moon, Sarah Whitney, Lucy Walker, Flora Woodworth, Eliza R. Snow, and many of the other figures who appear throughout these remarkable journals. We also address modern claims that the diaries were altered, fabricated, or created after the fact, and compare those claims to the evidence available to historians who have studied the original manuscript. Topics include William Clayton’s relationship with Joseph Smith, evidence for Joseph Smith’s polygamy, Emma’s reactions and resistance to the “P” or “priesthood,” the Moon sister’s involvement in polygamy, the strengths and limitations of Clayton as a source and why historians consider these diaries indispensable. The William Clayton journals offer an unparalleled window into the inner workings of Nauvoo Mormonism. Whether you are a believer, skeptic, historian, or simply curious about early Mormon history, these records provide some of the most revealing evidence available from the period.

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Welcome to another episode of LDS Discussions! Today we are joined by Bryan Buchanan to discuss the William Clayton Diaries.For decades, the William Clayton Diaries have occupied a near-mythical place in Mormon history. Hidden away in the First Presidency vault, copied in secret, fought over in court, leaked to researchers, and cited in some of the most controversial debates surrounding Joseph Smith and plural marriage, these journals have one of the most fascinating histories of any historical document in the Latter-day Saint tradition. In this episode, we trace the remarkable journey of William Clatyon’s Nauvoo journals from the 1840s to the present day. We explore how historians such as James Allen, Dean Jessee, Leonard Arrington, Thomas Alexander, Andrew Ehat, Scott Faulring, and others gained access to these records, why the Church restricted them for so many years, and how copies eventually found their way into the hands of independent researchers and critics. We also examine the legal battle surrounding the journals, the role of Jerald and Sandra Tanner in publishing portions of them, the impact of the Mark Hofmann era, and the ongoing debates over access, transparency, and historical scholarship within Mormonism. With Yale University Press preparing the first complete scholarly edition of the William Clayton Diaries, this is the perfect time to revisit one of the most important archival stories in Mormon history. We discuss the discovery and preservation of Clayton’s journals, the First Presidency vault and restricted documents, specific transcripts that were created for the Clayton diaries, how those transcriptions leaked out into the public and the lawsuit on these leaked transcripts. We also lightly discuss the recent news that additional parts of Clayton’s diaries have been released to the public and the debate around whether Joseph Smith was actually a polygamist. Whether you’re interested in Mormon history, archival controversies, historiography, or the debate over Joseph Smith’s polygamy, this episode provides the essential backstory behind one of the most important historical sources from Nauvoo. Be sure to join us for the next episode where we share some of the most controversial and exciting entries from William Clayton’s journals!

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For years, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were taught that violations of the law of chastity were “next to murder” in seriousness. Recently, Jasmin Rappleye defended that teaching (and maybe changed its interpretation) in a viral video, sparking widespread discussion both inside and otuside Mormonism.In this somehat impromptu epsiode in our LDS Discussiones series, we will examine the historical record and ask an important question: Has this doctrine actually been taught by LDS leaders?Using General Conference addresses, First Presidency messages, Journal of Discourse sermons, and passages from Spencer W. Kimball’s The Miracle of Forgiveness, we trace more than a century of statements who repeatedly taught that sexual sin was second only to murder in seriousness.Was this merely cultural rhetoric? A misunderstanding of scripture? Or was it a consistent teaching passed from one generation of church leaders to the next?Join us as we examine the sources, read the original quotations, explore the history behind one of Mormonism’s most controversial teachings, and even share some of the reactions to Jasmin’s new video!

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In a recent episode on the YouTube channel Hello Saints, Jeff McCullough interviewed Jasmin Rappleye (who got her degree from BYU in Ancient Near Eastern Studies) about one of Mormonism’s most controversial scriptures: the Book of Mormon. During the discussion, several apologetic approaches to the Book of Abraham was presented. In this episode, we examine three of the most common theories used to defend Joseph Smith’s translation:-The Missing Scroll Theory-The Long Scroll Theory-The Catalyst TheoryDrawing heavily from Dan Vogel’s groundbreaking book Book of Abraham Apologetics, we carefully review the historical evidence surrounding these claims, including the eyewitness accounts frequently cited by defenders of the Long Scroll Theory. Do these accounts actually support the evidence of a lengthy missing papyrus containing the Book of Abraham? Or have they been selectively interpreted to fit a predetermined conclusion? Along the way, we examine the work of prominent Egyptologists, discuss the relationship between Joseph Smith’s translation claims and the surviving papyri, and explore why even faithful scholars have increasingly moved away from defending the Book of Abraham as a literal translation of the existing Egyptian texts. Join Kolby, Nemo, and Julia as they work through the evidence, compare competing apologetic arguments, and ask what explanation best fits the historical record.In our next episode, we’ll examine a fourth and increasingly popular theory: that the Book of Abraham preserves authentic ancient Jewish traditions about Abraham and may contain an ancient core despite not being a direct translation of the surviving papyri.

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In this episode, we expand on ideas presented by Nate Oman during a discussion on Faith Matters and trace the complicated, evolving history of Mormon sealings from Joseph Smith through the 20th century.Today, “eternal families” are often presented as the central purpose of temple sealings in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But historically, the story is much messier.In this conversation, we explore how early sealings were not originally centered on the modern concept of nuclear families being together forever. Instead, sealing theology developed gradually during the Nauvoo period and often functioned as a way to create dynastic networks, priesthood connections, and systems of authority –what some critics compare to an MLM-style hierarchy of spiritual relationships. We discuss the evolution of sealing theology from Joseph Smith to Brigham Young, baptisms for the dead and the trauma surrounding Alvin Smith’s death, the rise of dynastic sealings and the “Law of Adoption” where men were sealed to other men. We also discuss the relationship between sealings and plural marriage, how the sealing language changed over time, why Joseph Smith never initially sealed himself to Emma, the story of Jane Manning James and how she was “attached” to Joseph Smith instead of sealed. We also discuss the racial restrictions for Black Mormons, questions of informed consent, authority, and prophetic consistency, and whether the modern LDS concept of “forever families” would have been recognizable to Joseph Smith himself. We also examine how doctrines once treated as essential and eternal –including the Law of Adoption –were later abandoned entirely, raising larger questions about revelation, institutional change, and the development of Mormon theology. Whether you’re believing, questioning, post-Mormon, or simply interested in religious history, this episode offers a deep dive into one of the most controversial and misunderstood developments in Mormon history.

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Welcome to Episode 73 in our LDS Discussions series!In this episode, we explore the long history of fraud, forgery, and "discernment" within Mormon history –from Joseph Smith’s treasure digging and the Kinderhook Plates to the Salamander Letter, Paul Dunn, Tim Ballard, and Jodi Hildebrandt.We discuss why people believe extraordinary claims, the role of critical thinking and skepticism, and whether church leaders who claim divine guidance have actually demonstrated the “Gift of Discernment” they preach about. Along the way, we examine the Book of Abraham, the Kinderhook Plates controversy, Mark Hofmann’s forged documents, hidden church history, and modern scandals that continue to raise difficult questions for believers and critics alike.The episode also looks at how faith can remain resilient even after exposure to false claims, and why many argue that institutional dishonesty –rather than belief itself –is the deeper issue.Topics include: Joseph Smith’s treasure digging, the Book of Abraham facsimiles, how Elder Oaks defended the Salamander Letter, and the hiding of early Mormon documents. This discussion asks a central question: If church leaders claim special spiritual discernment, why were so many frauds, forgeries, and harmful figures embraced or defended for so long?If you enjoy long-form Mormon history and analysis, consider subscribing and supporting the channel.If you have thoughts on other topics you wish for us to cover, please leave them in the comments!

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