Saints Podcast

George Tate, an emeritus professor of Humanities and Comparative Literature at Brigham Young University, and Jonathan Stapely, a historian and scientist, join the podcast this week to discuss section 138 of the Doctrine and Covenants and the circumstances around the revelation. We also explore the hardships that President Joseph F. Smith experienced in the final years of his life.

How did Latter-day Saints respond to the First World War? Edgar Wolferts, grandson of Paul Schwarz, joins us to discuss this question and to share his family's experiences of the war in their native Germany.

In this week's chapter we read about the outbreak of the First World War and the ongoing Mexican Revolution. Joining us today is Elder Hugo Montoya, a General Authority Seventy and a counsellor in the South America Northwest Area Presidency. Elder Montoya is a descendant of Rafael Monroy and he shares his family's experiences and perspectives on the revolution. Please note this episode contains some distressing material.

Kate Holbrook, a managing historian in the Church History Department, and Steve Harper, a professor of Church History and Doctrine at Brigham Young University, join us to discuss the life of Alma Richards, his accomplishments at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, and the role of the Word of Wisdom in the lives of Latter-day Saints.

Jed Woodworth is the managing historian of the Saints project. In today's episode Jed shares insights into the issues surrounding post-manifesto marriage and the public's opinion of the Church in the early twentieth century.

The erection of the Joseph Smith Memorial in Vermont, United States, was an exciting moment for the Church. Joining us in this episode is Keith Erekson, Director of Outreach in the Church History Department, who explains the symbolism and significance of the monument as well as other insights from chapter 8.

In this episode we explore the political crises surrounding the Church and the legacy of plural marriage. Joining us this week is Ken Cannon, a lawyer and independent historian. Ken shares his perspective on the way the Church deals with the challenges leading up to the Second Manifesto.

Matt Grow is the managing director of the Church History Department. In today's episode, Matt brings his perspective to George Q. Cannon's return to Hawaii and the growing concern about Latter-day Saint youth in Cardston, Canada.

The first Latter-day Saint women to serve as full-time missionaries arrived in England in 1898. Matt McBride, a director in the Church History Department, and Lisa Olsen Tait, a historian and general editor of volume 3, discuss this and other important moments in the final years of the nineteenth century.

Amber Taylor, Kate Holbrook, and Lisa Olsen Tait are historians in the Church History Department who join us in today's episode to discuss the state of Mutual Improvement Associations at the end of the nineteenth century. Our three guests explain the ways that Latter-day Saint women were improving themselves and the church.

Cherry Silver is co-editor of the Emmeline B. Wells diaries and Tiffany Bowles is the Associate Curator of Education in the Church History Museum. In today's episode Cherry and Tiffany join us to shed more light on the Political Manifesto and the history of women's suffrage in Utah.

Latter-day Saints in Great Britain seek to withstand persecution led by a disaffected former member. In Utah, church leaders try to better understand practices relating to the sealing of families and how to appeal to its younger members. Lisa Olsen Tait, a historian and general editor of Saints volume 3, shares her thoughts and insights into this chapter.

While the Tabernacle Choir enjoys success the Chicago World Fair, there are big challenges facing the Church. Michael Hicks, an emeritus professor of Music at Brigham Young University, Jed Woodworth, managing historian of the Saints project join us to discuss this opening chapter of Saints volume 3.

Welcome back to the third season of the Saints podcast. In this episode we introduce our hosts, James Perry and Shalyn Back and talk about Saints volume 3 with Church Historian and Recorder, Elder LeGrand R. Curtis Jr. about what readers can look forward to in this volume.

In our final episode of Season 2 of the Saints podcast, hosts Ben Godfrey and Shalyn Back are joined by Scott Hales and Jed Woodworth. Scott and Jed share how being involved with this volume has changed them and what they have learned along the way.

Jennifer Lund is the director of the Historic Sites Division of the Church History Department. In this week's episode we discuss the culmination of Saints, Volume 2. Jenny explores the dedication of the Salt Lake temple.

Emily Utt is a conservation specialist with the Historic Sites Division of the Church History Department. In today's episode Emily helps us understand all that was involved in finishing the Salt Lake temple.

Jake Olmstead is a curator with the Historic Sites Division of the Church History Department. In this week's episode Jake explores how plural families lived after the Manifesto.

R. Eric Smith is the editorial manager for Church History Department publications. Eric is also a general editor of the Joseph Smith Papers. In this week's episode Eric discusses how Joseph F. Smith struggled to uphold the law.

Jed Woodworth is the managing historian for the Saints project. In this week's episode Jed explains the aftermath of the issuing of the Manifesto. We learn there was confusion about what it meant for plural families.

Scott Hales is the lead writer and literary editor of Saints, Volume 2. In this week's episode Scott discusses Jane Manning James's desire to participate in temple work and receive a recommend to perform temple baptisms.

Angela Hallstrom is a writer and editor of Saints, Volume 2. In this week's episode Angela explores the effects of living on the underground for plural families. We also explore the Idaho test oath.

Keith Erekson is the director of the Library Division of the Church History Department. In this episode Keith explains a conflict between members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Angela Hallstrom is a writer and editor of Saints, Volume 2. In this week's episode we discuss the passing of John Taylor and Eliza R. Snow and their impact on the Church.

Elder Kyle S. McKay is a General Authority Seventy and assistant executive director of the Church History Department. In this episode Elder McKay explains the aftermath of the passage of the Edmunds-Tucker Act in 1887.

Lisa Olsen Tait is a historian and writer for the Saints project. In this episode, Lisa helps us understand what the historical record reveals about plural marriage in Nauvoo.

Brian Warburton is a collection care specialist at the Church History Library. In this episode Brian discusses the early missionary efforts and successes with the Māori in New Zealand. We also learn about John Taylor's court trial.

Kate Holbrook is a historian and leads the women's history team in the Church History Department. In this week's episode we learn about the 50-year jubilee celebrations since the founding of the restored Church.

Matt Geilman is a global history specialist in the Church History Department. In this episode we explore the first efforts to take the restored gospel to Mexico. Matt discusses the ups and downs of the missionary effort.

30: A Steady, Onward Movement

Justin Bray is a research specialist with the Church History Department. In this week's episode Justin explains how the priesthood organization was updated near the end of Brigham Young's life. We also learn about Jane Richards.

Jeff Anderson is a global history specialist in the Church History Department. In this episode we explore how the temple site in Manti, Utah, was selected. We also learn about Samuel Chambers, who joined the Church as an enslaved person.

In this episode we learn about the tragedy of the Bear River Massacre. Chairman Parry also recounts the miraculous conversion story of the Northern Band of the Shoshone tribe.

In this week's episode Lisa explains the context of Brigham Young's federal trial in 1871, which the judge referred to as a battle of "federal authority versus polygamic theocracy."

In this episode we also explore the events leading up to the Great Indignation Meeting that protested anti-polygamy legislation.

In this week's episode we explore the cooperative movement of the Church. We also learn about a visit by Joseph Smith III to Utah Territory.

In this episode we also explore the Black Hawk War, the arrival of the transcontinental railroad, the re-establishment of Relief Society, and the founding of the Sunday School Union.

In this week's episode we learn about the corruption of Walter Gibson in Hawaii. Clint explains how Gibson used his ecclesiastical position to defraud the local Hawaiian saints.

In this week's episode we learn about the construction of a theater in Salt Lake City and how entertainment fit into the lives of the early Saints.

In this week's episode Chad helps us understand the Church's efforts to improve its image in U.S. newspapers. We also discuss Joseph Smith's prophecy of civil war in the United States.

We discuss the conditions leading up to the so-called Utah War, the political climate of the day, and the aftermath.

Matt Grow is a historian and the managing director of the Church History Department. In this week's episode Matt helps us better understand the Mountain Meadows Massacre. We discuss what we can learn from this terrible tragedy.

In this week's episode we explore the events that led some Church members to instigate this horrific crime and helps us understand more about the immigrants who were the victims.

In this week's episode we learn more about the effort to rescue the stranded handcart pioneers.

In today's episode we discuss the often-misunderstood timeline of the Willie and Martin companies and their rescuers.

In this week's episode we explore the experiences of Jacob and Ann Eliza Secrist.

In this week's episode we learn about what later became known as the Walker War. Chelsea Henrie explains how deceit led to open conflict.

In this week's episode we discuss missionary work in South Africa and the priesthood and temple restrictions for people of African descent.

In this week's episode we discuss the harrowing story of Johan Dorius, a missionary serving in Norway, and his soul-stirring defense in front of a skeptical judge.

In this week's episode Tyson Thorpe from the Church History Department joins us to talk about the first petition for Utah statehood.