
2.5M
Downloads
308
Episodes
The purpose of this podcast is to help Latter-Day Saints better understand their history and increase their faith. The podcast hosted by Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat, associate professor of Church History and Doctrine at BYU.
Episodes

Jun 27, 2024
Jun 27, 2024
14 min
It has been 180 since the prophet Joseph Smith was murdered in Carthage Jail. In this bonus episode, Gerrit discusses the martyrdom and shares his feelings about the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Jun 20, 2024
Jun 20, 2024
1hr 18 min
As Gerrit and Richard return from several weeks of Church history tours there is much to discuss. Because of this, we wanted to provide a full Rex’s Elders Quorum President Warning that we begin our discussion of the Sword of Laban 42 minutes and 18 seconds into the episode.
In this episode, we talk about our exploits on our recent Standard of Truth Tour. Have you ever wondered what it means to out kick your coverage or what a coffin corner punt is? You are in luck, Gerrit gives a great description. We read several litner emails and because the people cry out we also talk about the Sword of Laban and Gerrit explains why he believes it was shown to the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Sign up for our free monthly email: https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

Jun 13, 2024
Jun 13, 2024
48 min
This episode was recorded in front of a live studio audience on the banks of the Mississippi River in Keokuk, Iowa. In this episode, we answer questions from the litners that are on the Standard of Truth Tour in Missouri and Illinois.
Question: An LDS press was destroyed in Independence, but it was a big deal when the City of Nauvoo destroyed the Nauvoo Expositor. Other than LDS bias why was it different or was it different?
Question: How can we start a Mormon Reparations movement?
Question: Gerrit, Disney has their top 10 villains. Who would you say are the top 10 villains of the restoration? I’m guessing Doctor Philastus Hurlbut, John C Bennett, Gov Boggs, Thomas Marsh, George Hinkle, and Thomas Sharp would make the list. How does that align with your list? Who else should be added?
Aaron Burr Got Milk commercial was directed by Michael Bay even though Richard said it was Jerry Bruckheimer - https://youtu.be/OLSsswr6z9Y?si=mkukF0qy5Ho-rawr
Sign up for our free monthly email: https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

Jun 6, 2024
Jun 6, 2024
1hr 8 min
From the shadow of the Hill Cumorah, we bring you questions and answer recordings in front of a live Standard of Truth Tour audience. Below are the questions that led the discussion for this episode:
Who was Joseph Smith going to have as his vice-presidential running mate?
How frequently did Church members gather for a “sacrament” meeting from 1830 to the end of the Nauvoo period?
What is the Mount Rushmore of Restored Gospel doctrines/teachings?
We know the plates were stored in a stone box (or at least stones arranged together to contain plates when buried). Are there any accounts of anyone finding the empty stone box? Surely, individuals have tried to find the box, maybe even the antis in their zeal to prove there "never had been a stone box, hence never plates". Perhaps, the box was destroyed by an angel or even Joseph as it was no longer pertinent to anything.
Taylor, the brother of the lady who emailed you when she was in labor, asked for further elaboration on the laws that were passed/attempted to pass around eradicating the early members of the church/pioneers…and of course, polygamy.
Sign up for our free monthly (likely quarterly) email: https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

May 30, 2024
May 30, 2024
1hr 6 min
In this episode, we discuss whether or not God created the Dodge Dart. Marcion also had a question about whether or not the God of the Old Testament was the same as Jesus. His heretical arguments lead to the formation of the accepted Christian canon.
Subscribe to our free monthly email - https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com/
Please visit our website at www.standardoftruth.com
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

May 23, 2024
May 23, 2024
1hr 11 min
As it is the season when many missionaries receive their callings, we want to help provide additional resources for mission prep. In this episode, we replay a premium episode from Joseph Smith and the Restoration that discusses the Nicene Creed. We inch ever closer to Joseph Smith and the Restoration by leaping from the 2nd century A.D. to the early 4th century A.D. We discuss the Arian Controversy and the Council of Nicea that was called to provide a definitive answer to the Nature of Christ.
Please visit our website at www.standardoftruth.com
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

May 16, 2024
May 16, 2024
1hr 9 min
If you love the anti-Mormon book Mormonism Unvailed boy, do we have an episode for you. In this episode, Gerrit reads from Mormonism Unvailed where definitive statement after definitive statement is given by friends and family of Solomon Spaulding saying how the Book of Mormon was taken word for word from Spaulding’s manuscript called “Manuscript Found”. Unfortunately for all of Spaulding’s lying friends and family, Manuscript Found is found and doesn’t resemble anything in the Book of Mormon at all. We also replay part of Gerrit’s rant from a previous premium episode.
Sign up for our free monthly email: https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

May 9, 2024
May 9, 2024
54 min
In a premium episode several weeks ago Gerrit may or may have gone on a rant about Doctor Philastus Hurlbut and Solomon Spaulding and we wanted to play a section of that rant. So In this episode, Gerrit provides additional context to Hurlbut and the Solomon Spaulding Manuscript. Gerrit also talks about the Restoration Proclamation that was read during General Conference in April 2020.
Sign up for our free monthly email: https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

May 2, 2024
May 2, 2024
1hr 9 min
We continue our discussion of Eliza Gibbs and the trials she suffered in Nauvoo, Iowa, and Utah. Despite her difficulty, she remained faithful. Gerrit shares a letter to Eliza from Wilford Woodruff to comfort her and share with her the laws that govern angels and spirits that depart this life.
Sign up for our free monthly email: https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com
We had a couple of cancelations and have a couple of spots available on the Palmyra/Kirtland tour and 2 spots available on the Missouri/Nauvoo tour. https://standardoftruth.com/tours/
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

Apr 25, 2024
Apr 25, 2024
1hr 2 min
We begin this episode, like most episodes, with a discussion of the faith crisis of a 19th-century 20-year-old woman with consumption (tuberculosis). She has a miraculous experience and seven years later is introduced to the gospel. She believes the message immediately and despite the opposition she faced by her family she joins the Church.
Images mentioned on the podcast: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13hmR2rOTiVKUWRZblFsmG9hTwIu7R_oU?usp=share_link
Sign up for our free monthly email: https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com
We had a couple of cancelations and have a couple of spots available on the Palmyra/Kirtland tour and 2 spots available on the Missouri/Nauvoo tour. https://standardoftruth.com/tours/
If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com
