Mormon Stories Podcast

John Turner, historian and author of Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet, walks through the explosive Nauvoo years of 1842–1843. Scandal, secrecy, and political strain dominate. Stories include John C. Bennett’s fall, the Spiritual Wifery accusations, the attempted assassination of Lilburn Boggs and Porter Rockwell’s role, polygamy controversies, secret letters, and Relief Society tensions.

Kyson Dana, a former LDS missionary turned digital storyteller who turned his trauma into creative work. He recounts intense missionary life in Russia, violence and silence around harm, the long aftermath of PTSD and panic, and his path through therapy, somatics, psychedelics, and filmmaking toward reconnection and community.

John G. Turner, historian and author of Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet, explores Chapter 24’s look at Nauvoo’s Relief Society origins. He traces sewing societies, ties to Masonry, Emma’s fraught leadership, secret plural marriage practices, rumor management, whistleblowers, and how secrecy and power shaped moral policing and institutional legacy.

A new Netflix documentary on the 2002 kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart in Salt Lake City by Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee (all Mormons) has been released.  To what extent was this kidnapping influenced by Joseph Smith and/or Mormonism?  Join John, Samantha, Alyssa, and Taylor as they explore the Mormon connections to Elizbeth Smart's kidnapping.___________________YouTubeShow NotesAt Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals.  Our overall mission is to: 1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor todayOne-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6OgmoqJbOVRq-Lv1P7SzA/joinOur Platforms:🌐Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes 🎙️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories ✳️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1 🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772 🖼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories 📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast 🎮Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF Contact us:📧 MormonStories@gmail.com📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

John G. Turner, historian and author of Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet, explores Nauvoo in 1842. He traces Freemasonry’s appeal, the anti-Masonic backlash, and how Masonic rites and secrecy intersected with the first Nauvoo endowment. The conversation highlights ritual parallels, secrecy’s role in managing polygamy and trust, and how Joseph Smith blended sources into new temple practices.

Leopoldo Larcher, an Italian convert who rose to senior leadership and helped build the church in Italy, and his daughter Emily Guincho, raised Mormon in Italy, BYU alum and former missionary, share their family’s journey. They discuss rapid leadership roles, intense church service, cultural clashes with Italian life, discoveries about church history, and the personal costs and consequences of leaving.

Nemo the Mormon, a longtime LDS Discussions commentator known for critical analysis, and Julia Sanders, researcher behind Analyzing Mormonism, trace the 18th–19th century circulation of metal-record stories. They survey reports of brass, copper, and lead plates, local New York finds, biblical and European sources, and timelines that show how plate ideas could have been in Joseph Smith’s milieu.

In this conversation, Jean Daniel O’Donncada, a former Latter-day Saint and current National Pastor of Canada for the Christian Church, shares his transformative journey from Mormonism to progressive Christianity. He discusses his search for spiritual identity, his experiences serving a mission, and the intellectual shifts that led him to question his faith. Jean emphasizes the importance of community while navigating doubt and highlights his calling to create an inclusive spiritual environment, encouraging others to embrace diverse beliefs and build meaningful connections.

Join historian John Turner, author of "Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet," as he explores the fascinating origins of the Book of Abraham. Turner discusses Joseph Smith's translation of Egyptian papyri, examining its impact on core Mormon doctrines like premortal existence and exaltation. Listeners will learn how the Book of Abraham shaped ideas about God becoming God, alongside its implications for cosmology and the role of intelligences in pre-earth life. Turner connects these themes to controversial aspects of Mormon history and theology.

Ceci Hendrickson, a former child bride and advocate from the FLDS community, shares her harrowing experiences growing up under the oppressive rule of Warren Jeffs. She reveals how her joyful childhood quickly transformed into a life of strict obedience and arranged marriages. Ceci discusses the traumatic realities of being married at 16 and the alarming normalization of abuse. Through her escape, she highlights the challenges of reclaiming her children and the journey of healing to help others escape polygamy's grip. Her insights are both shocking and inspiring.