Church History Matters

When the Latter-day Saints left Nauvoo and made their way west to the Salt Lake Valley, they carried with them more than their belongings and their faith. They carried a profound desire to build temples where they could make sacred covenants, receive their endowments, and bind themselves to God and to one another through the ordinances of the restored gospel. In this episode ...

What is the story behind the history of Latter-day Saints and temple worship? In this episode of Church History Matters, Scott Woodward and Casey Griffiths trace the remarkable history of Latter-day Saint temples from the earliest days of the Restoration to the iconic temple in Salt Lake City. The story begins in Kirtland, where the first temple of this dispensation was built...

Discover the remarkable double life of Ezra Taft Benson—a man who simultaneously served as a high-ranking Washington statesman and a chosen Apostle of the Lord.In this video, we dive deep into the chaotic, inspiring, and historic eight years (1953–1961) Ezra Taft Benson spent serving as the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. As an LDS Apostle,...

Is this really Joseph Smith? A recently discovered daguerreotype has sparked intense debate among historians, researchers, and Latter-day Saints. Could this remarkable photograph actually be an authentic image of Joseph Smith the Prophet?In this episode of Church History Matters, Scott Woodward and Casey Griffiths sit down with independent researcher Patrick A. Bishop and cla...

Few figures in early Latter-day Saint history have a reputation as colorful—and as misunderstood—as Orrin Porter Rockwell. Known in popular memory as a fearless frontier scout, bodyguard, and legendary defender of Joseph Smith, Porter has often been portrayed as a rough-and-tumble gunman whose reputation sometimes overshadowed the real person. But who was Porter Rockwell when...