George D. Watt was the first Latter-day Saint convert baptized in the British Isles. He kept a diary as he crossed the ocean and traveled the pioneer trails on his way to Salt Lake. Watt became indispensable thanks to his expertise with Pitman shorthand, and created the Journal of Discourses. You can now read his 1851 journal, thanks to the efforts of LaJean Purcell Carruth and Ronald G. Watt.
The 2022 Mormon History Association Conference will be held in Logan, Utah. Claudia Bushman reveals the theme and explains how to register. She also gives a sneak peek at some of this year’s research, including a panel about Carthage Jail that she says “promises to break new ground.”book
M. Russell Ballard, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has lived a life of entrepreneurship, leadership, and prominence—even if he considers himself ordinary. In this interview, biographer Dr. Susan Easton Black says that the real theme of his life has not been innovation or business, but devotion to Jesus Christ.
The Council of Fifty minutes reveal that Joseph Smith asked a committee to draft a replacement to the U.S. Constitution. The effort was eventually replaced by a revelation from God wherein the Prophet was told that the council itself was to be a living constitution. While the White Horse Prophecy is extremely suspect from a historical standpoint, the Prophet’s efforts to draft a new constitution are well-documented. Legal scholar Nathan B. Oman explains what was going on behind the scenes of the Council of Fifty.
Under the Banner of Heaven is an FX miniseries based on a book of the same name by Jon Krakauer. While the book has a controversial history stemming from factual errors about Joseph Smith and the Latter-day Saints, it tells a riveting story. The miniseries stars Andrew Garfield as Detective Jeb Pyre, a fictional Latter-day Saint detective who struggles with his beliefs after coming across the shocking murders committed by Dan Lafferty and Ron Lafferty.
The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered 75 years ago in a series of caves near the ancient settlement of Masada in the Judean Desert. The manuscripts include the influential Book of Enoch and Book of Isaiah, and have even inspired modern forgeries. Scholars continue to debate related mysteries, such as who wrote the scrolls. In this interview, Jean-Pierre Isbouts discusses his National Geographic special feature, The Dead Sea Scrolls: 75 Years Since Their Historic Discovery.
Saints 3 is the third volume in the new official history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Scott Hales (General Editor and lead writer) and Jed Woodworth (General Editor and lead historian) discuss the Saints book and tease Saints Volume 4.
The LDS Living All In podcast hosted by Morgan Pearson (formerly Morgan Jones) has a simple premise: What does it mean to be all in the gospel of Jesus Christ? It’s a relevant question in the internet age where questions about Joseph Smith swirl and religious values increasingly conflict with social norms.
Winter Quarters played a key role in the pioneer exodus of the Latter-day Saints. As many as one thousand pioneers died during the settlement’s temporary existence. It was also there that Brigham Young received his only canonized revelation. In this interview, Richard Bennett, president of the Mormon Trail Center at Winter Quarters, discusses the history and legacy of Winter Quarters.
The Book of Abraham has a fascinating history. For example, Joseph Smith charged visitors to see four mummies he purchased with the scrolls of Abraham. The topic also raises a number of questions, such as whether the Egyptian manuscripts catalyzed Joseph’s Smith’s revelatory process.