Description

This presentation explores overlooked aspects of the life of Heber C. Kimball, examining him as perhaps the earliest public advocate of the spiritual wife doctrine. Through his letters to his wife Vilate, we gain a unique window into his earliest efforts to pursue, acquire, and care for spiritual wives—a correspondence unlike any other in the historical record. His 1840 mission diary and letters reveal his earliest implementation of the doctrine, while accounts from his daughter Helen document his earliest expressions of belief. We will also examine his 1867 sermon at Vilate’s funeral, in which he declared his unorthodox practice of acquiring wives without her knowledge, as well as his connection to a group of Saints in 1840 England who practiced an early form of spiritual wifery. Finally, his personal revelations illuminate him as a visionary man who believed he could receive the “mind of God” on the subject. This presentation promises to expand Sunstone audiences’ understanding of a very well-known but perhaps not fully understood key figure in early Mormon polygamy history.

Jeremy W. Hoop is a professional actor, musician, financial professional, and devoted student of early Mormon history. Since 1996, he has appeared in films including The Testaments: Of One Fold and One Shepherd and Charly, alongside extensive television, commercial and voice acting work. As songwriter and producer, he produced the full-length album Let It Burn for his band Mayday RED. For more than eleven years, he has made an extensive study of early Mormon polygamy, leading him to create and host the Still Mormon podcast, which blends intellectual honesty with faith perspectives. Above all, Jeremy is devout in his faith, husband, and father of seven children—his greatest roles by far.

Whitney Horning is a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Born and raised in Utah, she is a 7th generation Mormon. Several of her family lines can be traced back to the early days of the LDS Restoration. After Joseph and Hyrum Smith’s deaths, her ancestors followed Brigham Young west to Utah. Since childhood she has had a passion for historical research. She has a deep love, respect and firm belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and the Restoration. She is the author of 4 books: Wisdom, Joseph Smith Revealed: A Faithful Telling, Hyrum Smith-A Prophet Unsung, and Essays on Gospel Topics. She is honored to be invited to participate in Sunstone this year.

Michelle Brady Stone attended BYU for four years where she studied Music/Dance/Theater and English Composition. She is the mother of thirteen children (11 living) whom she has educated at home. She has served as a mentor to parents and has presented at numerous conferences. Her lecture series, “Celestial Education” has been viewed by tens of thousands of parents. More recently, in 2022 she began her podcast and youtube channel, “132 Problems: Revisiting Mormon Polygamy,” where she has shared her ongoing research into various aspects of polygamy. has become wildly popular with over 1.5 million views and 116,000 subscribers on youtube alone. She is committed to platforming voices of all aspects and perspectives of the polygamy discussion, as well as religious and social issues in general.