Tag Archives: Joseph Smith

The Hawn’s Mill Massacre: A Defining Tragedy The Hawn’s Mill Massacre stands as one of the most brutal and defining moments in early Latter-day Saint history, a violent eruption that left families shattered and a community forever changed. What happened in that small Missouri settlement was not just another clash in a growing conflict, it was a calculated act of terror that exposed how fragile life had become for the Saints during… Read more

Few figures in early Latter-day Saint history carry the weight, mystery, and raw intensity of Orrin Porter Rockwell. Depending on who is telling the story, he was either a fearless guardian of the Saints or a terrifying instrument of frontier justice. In truth, he was something far more complex, a man forged in persecution, shaped by loyalty, and remembered as both legend and lightning rod. If you want a broad historical overview… Read more

The Hill Cumorah has always been a place of deep spiritual meaning for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On Sunday, September 21, 2025, that sacred landscape entered a new chapter of its history when Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles rededicated the newly refurbished Hill Cumorah historic site in Palmyra, New York. This event marked not only a renewal of the physical… Read more

The Lost 116 Pages: The Book of Mormon’s Greatest Mystery The story of the lost 116 pages stands as one of the most enduring and perplexing mysteries in the history of the Latter-day Saint faith. For generations, this episode has captivated both believers and skeptics, stirring up questions about the earliest days of the Restoration, the character of Joseph Smith, and the very nature of revelation itself. The lost 116 pages refer… Read more

It Began with a Newspaper Clipping in Palmyra While visiting the Grandin Printing Press in Palmyra, New York, I noticed a framed clipping from an 1830 edition of The Reflector, a local paper. The display explained how the editor, Abner Cole, had printed unauthorized excerpts from the Book of Mormon before it was officially released. That small piece of paper told a much bigger story. It marked the beginning of one of… Read more

Here is a compact version of the timeline and life of Joseph Smith. With accompanying infographic. For a greatly detailed breakdown of this chart, please visit: Our post here, where we dissect each entry. 1805 Entered mortality in Sharon, Vermont. 1816–1817 Relocated with family to western New York. 1820 Experienced divine visitation in sacred grove. 1823 Received heavenly visitation from angel Moroni. 1827 Wedded Emma Hale. Acquired ancient golden records. 1829 Completed majority of Book of Mormon translation.… Read more

Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, led a life marked by profound spiritual experiences, rapid organizational growth, and intense persecution. From 1835 to 1844, Smith's prophetic career reached its apex, encompassing a period of remarkable achievements and devastating setbacks. This timeline traces the final decade of Smith's life, highlighting key events that shaped both his personal journey and the development of the early Mormon Church.… Read more

In the depths of religious persecution, few incidents stand out as vividly as the tarring and feathering of Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), commonly known as the Mormon Church. This brutal attack, which occurred in the early hours of March 25, 1832, in Hiram, Ohio, would become a defining moment in Smith's life and in the early history of the Mormon faith.… Read more

When we think of assassinations in American political history, names like Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. often come to mind. However, a lesser-known but equally significant event occurred decades earlier. Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), holds the dubious distinction of being the first known U.S. presidential candidate to be assassinated. This tragic event not only shaped the… Read more

The Prophet Behind the Symbol For people passing by a Latter-day Saint temple, Moroni is often seen only as a golden statue gleaming on the spire. His trumpet raised high seems like little more than a decorative emblem. Yet to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the story behind that symbol is deeply sacred. Moroni was a real man, a prophet-historian who lived in the final days of… Read more