How did the one of richest Mormon polygamous groups get its start? With one man, Charles William Kingston. In this episode, his great-grandson, Charles Elden Kingston, tells his story.
Author: Grace Pool
E156: Should We Save the Provo Temple?
Yes, the mothership temple of Utah County has been the butt of many jokes. But what will we lose if the LDS Church goes ahead with its renovation of the Provo Temple? Alan Barnett reveals surprising architectural aspects of the Provo and Ogden Temples, and argues that their loss robs us of an essential part …
E155: Are There Jokes in Heaven? Are They Better than General Conference Jokes?
Our intuition tells us that there must be humor in heaven, but the D&C has specific injunctions against laughter. Using theories of humor and stories from the Bible, Stephen Carter tries to figure out what kind of jokes gods make. And if they’re any good.
E154: Passive-aggression Among the Latter-day Saints
When Michael Stevens started teaching university courses in Utah, he noticed that passive-aggressive behavior was significantly higher there than at the midwestern universities he had taught at. His studies revealed that the behavior was highest among people with an LDS background. Where does this behavior come from? How does it manifest itself? And how does …
E153: Jesus Christ (Almost) Visits the Mormons.
Would Jesus pass muster to visit an LDS ward? Ryan Shoemaker doesn’t think so. But for reasons that have more to do with Whole Foods than the whole gospel. Episode includes bonus scripture from Jake Christensen.
E105: Playing the Mormon Trail
Ever played the old PC game The Mormon Trail? Your ancestors played it in real life and this episode discusses what it was like for them. Shownotes: Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!) Historic Resource Study: Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail by Stanley Kimball …
E104: Daily Life in the WQ
What was life like if you were stuck in Winter Quarters? Bryan and Lindsay dig into some of the stories of the women who lived there and what their day-to-day life was like. Shownotes: Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!) George Q. Cannon: Politician, …
E103: The Donner Party and the Mormons
Many people don’t realize just how many Mormons were part of the fated Donner/Reed tragedy. In this episode, Lindsay and Bryan discuss the horrible tale of travel gone awry. Shownotes: Donate to Sunstone and the History Podcast (leave us a note in the comment section to say hi!) Register for the Sunstone Summer Symposium The …
E152: Saving the Good Ship Zion by Leaving It.
The story goes that anyone who leaves the Good Ship Zion comes back all wet and half drowned. But in this episode, Stephen Carter argues that this is short-sighted, and that a journey away from the ship may actually be the best way to save both yourself and the ship.
E151: Jesus, John Wayne, and Captain Moroni: How Mormonism Became Evangelical.
Mormonism used to pride itself on how different it was from other Christian sects. But it has since become part and parcel of the Evangelical movement. How did this happen? In this episode, Stephen Carter looks at recent LDS history through Kristen Du Mez’s book “Jesus and John Wayne: How Evangelicalism Corrupted a Faith and …