Explore every episode of the podcast Angels and Seerstones: A Latter Day Saint Folklore Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Episode 27: The Archangel Joseph Smith | 10 Jul 2025 | 00:32:11 | |
On June 29, 1844, the Saints in Nauvoo gathered to mourn Joseph and Hyrum Smith. As their real graves remained hidden for safety, W.W. Phelps stood before two empty coffins and delivered a funeral sermon unlike any other. In this episode of Angels and Seerstones, we dive into that powerful oration—and the mysteries it holds. Joined by historians Mark Ashurst-McGee and Bruce Van Orden, we explore Phelps’s striking claims: that Joseph Smith was a premortal archangel, possibly the Holy Ghost, the final martyr of the age, and even a future destroying angel bringing divine judgment. What did early Saints believe about Joseph’s eternal role? Why did Phelps reconstruct the sermon 11 years later? And how do ideas like Gazelem, the Prince of Light, reflect the esoteric teachings of Nauvoo? We also reflect on how modern Latter-day Saints have interpreted—or quietly sidelined—these bold theologies. Join us as we untangle one of the most fascinating funeral sermons in LDS history. 🎧 Watch the full sermon on YouTube and explore more at angelsandseerstones.com | |||
| Episode 26: The Three Nephites | 23 Dec 2024 | 00:21:36 | |
| Episode 25: LDS Star Wars Lore with Liz Busby and Carl Cranney | 15 Nov 2024 | 00:12:40 | |
Today's episode we have on Liz Busby and Carl Cranney from Pop Culture on the Apricot Tree to discuss legends of Spencer W. Kimball having inspired Yoda! | |||
| Episode 24: Halloween Fireside 2 | 31 Oct 2024 | 00:11:35 | |
Celebrate Halloween with Angels and Seerstsones! This year we have stories of sleep paralysis, missionary ghost encounters in the Phillippines, and stories of Satanists in Provo! | |||
| Episode 23: Sleepy Hollow with Mahonri Stewart | 25 Oct 2024 | 00:30:44 | |
This episode we talk to Mahonri Stewart about his new play, Secrets of Sleepy Hollow, now showing at the Hive Collaborative in Provo, Utah. Plus, he tells us about a terrifying sleep paralysis experience that he incorporated into the play. | |||
| Episode 22: Satan on the Water | 17 Oct 2024 | 00:16:25 | |
This episode discusses the folklore that people often discussing when trying to explain why missionaries are forbidden to swim: the apparition of the destroyer on the Missouri River in 1834. This experience led to a prominent belief among Latter-day Saints that Satan had dominion over the water in the last days. | |||
| Episode 21: Garment Lore | 09 Oct 2024 | 00:19:53 | |
Latter-day Saints wear the garment of the priesthood under their clothes. This garment includes promises of protection against spiritual and physical danger. In this episode, Christine and Chris dig into legends of its supernatural protection, legends about its origins, and legends about those who have defiled it. | |||
| Episode 20: Supernatural Folklore and Film with the Burgins | 02 Oct 2024 | 00:20:13 | |
In this Episode, Jessica and Barrett Burgin discuss their short film, The Angel, which dives into all the supernatural LDS themes that we love. Plus, Jessica shares a really compelling family story about a supernatural assault that occurred in 1870s Utah. | |||
| Episode 19: "Mormon" Folklore in Popular Culture | 24 Sep 2024 | 00:22:03 | |
This episode looks at the representation of Latter-day Saints in popular culture, including the recent depiction of Latter-day Saint sexuality in the form of "soaking" and "jump humping." | |||
| Demons 10: Cain's Immortal Disciples | 16 Jul 2024 | 00:15:19 | |
Chad Daybell accused the detectives involved in his case of being Immortal disciples of Cain. What was that about? | |||
| Episode 18: Tracting into Psychopaths | 11 Jul 2024 | 00:29:06 | |
This episode includes a review of the upcoming film, Heretic, and a discussion of missionary tracting (door knocking) stories. | |||
| Demons 9: Reincarnation | 01 Jul 2024 | 00:20:49 | |
Where did Chad Daybell learn about reincarnation? Did he believe that he was the angel Raphael? | |||
| Demons 8: Past Lives | 25 Jun 2024 | 00:25:05 | |
All about Chad Daybell's beliefs on past lives and how he used this belief to manipulate others into believing they had a deep relationship with him and Lori Vallow. | |||
| Demons 7: Chad's Demons | 31 May 2024 | 00:23:38 | |
Where did Chad Daybell come up with his elaborate theology of demons? Turns out some basic ideas had their roots in the Latter-day Saint tradition, as well as the Bible, but the more peculiar developments occurred among a group of fringe visionaries in the twenty-first century. | |||
| Demons 6: Immortal | 21 May 2024 | 00:20:58 | |
Lori Vallow saw Jesus Christ; she believed she was on the pathway to immortality. In this episode, I contextualize those beliefs. | |||
| Demons 5: Soulmates | 08 May 2024 | 00:19:17 | |
This episode is on Chad Daybell and Lori Vallow's beliefs about their relationship and the role they would play in the coming apocalypse. | |||
| Demons 4: Energy Work | 02 May 2024 | 00:21:55 | |
| Demons 3: One Mighty and Strong | 24 Apr 2024 | 00:24:03 | |
| Demons 2: Changelings | 17 Apr 2024 | 00:24:50 | |
How Chad Daybell's zombies relate to a long history of child murder based on supernatural causes. | |||
| Demons 1: "Mormon" Murder | 17 Apr 2024 | 00:12:44 | |
The first episode of our limited series on Chad Daybell entitled "Demons and Pendulums." | |||
| Episode 17: Shaking Hands with Angels | 15 Apr 2024 | 00:21:58 | |
This episode looks at stories of Latter-day Saints testing angels with a handshake. | |||
| Episode 16: Angels in the Temple | 04 Apr 2024 | 00:16:30 | |
Stories of the dead reaching out to individuals in the temple. | |||
| Episode 15: Personal Experiences in Nauvoo and Kirtland | 12 Mar 2024 | 00:29:33 | |
In regards to the news that the LDS Church has purchased the Kirtland Temple and Nauvoo sites from Community of Christ, Christine and I talk about our experience giving tours in Nauvoo while working for Community of Christ. We talk about the nature of historical presentation and we bring in a great story from Mags Edvalson that considers the different ways Community of Christ and LDS members appreciate these sites. | |||
| We're Back!!! Intro to Season 2 | 11 Mar 2024 | 00:02:55 | |
Intro to Season 2 | |||
| Remastered Episode 5: Ted Bundy Lore | 15 Jan 2024 | 00:15:12 | |
Remastered Episode 5. | |||
| Remastered Episode 4: Spirit Children | 11 Jan 2024 | 00:18:45 | |
Remastered Episode 4. | |||
| Remastered Episode 3: Prayer Circles Outside the Temple | 10 Jan 2024 | 00:12:05 | |
Remastered Episode 3. | |||
| Remastered Episode 2: Joseph Smith's Martyrdom Canes | 09 Jan 2024 | 00:14:45 | |
Remastered version of Episode 2. | |||
| Remastered Episode 1: Missionaries and Supernatural Assault | 08 Jan 2024 | 00:14:43 | |
This is a remastered version of Episode 1. | |||
| Joseph Smith Born in the Caul! | 23 Dec 2023 | 00:03:27 | |
This a Joseph Smith Birthday Short discussing the legend that Joseph Smith was born in the caul or the veil and what some people believed that meant in the nineteenth century. | |||
| Don't Miss Provo Art Exhibit!! | 21 Dec 2023 | 00:01:54 | |
The "Public Dreams, Private Myths" art exhibit is only open until Saturday night at Writ and Vision in Provo! | |||
| Episode 14: Guardian Angels | 20 Dec 2023 | 00:20:41 | |
This episode examines Latter-day Saint folklore and debates over the concept of Guardian Angels, including how they relate to our dead family members. | |||
| Episode 13: Raising the Dead | 29 Nov 2023 | 00:21:50 | |
In this episode, we look at stories and beliefs about raising the dead, as well as mankind's future participation in the final resurrection following the Second Coming of Christ. | |||
| Episode 12: Don Bradley on Treasure Digging | 22 Nov 2023 | 00:39:43 | |
In this episode, we discuss stories about Joseph Smith and treasure digging. Our special guest, Don Bradley, joins us to tell us about Miner's Hill, a site associated with this history, as well as the legend of Cumorah's Cave. | |||
| Episode 11: Jesus Appears in the Temple | 07 Nov 2023 | 00:14:02 | |
This episode looks at Latter-day Saint stories about Jesus appearing in modern temples from the Kirtland Temple to the Salt Lake Temple, to the Provo and Washington DC Temples. | |||
| Episode 10: LDS Spooky Stories | 03 Nov 2023 | 00:11:06 | |
We spent Halloween telling Latter-day Saint ghost stories. | |||
| Episode 9: Wayward Missionaries | 22 Oct 2023 | 00:18:42 | |
This episode is on secret societies of wayward missionaries sometimes called the Quorum of the 12 Apostates. | |||
| Episode 8: Moroni Lore | 05 Oct 2023 | 00:21:21 | |
This episode looks at the significance of Moroni in Latter-day Saint culture. We examine stories about Moroni's travels across America dedicating future temple sites, the legend of his appearance to the American founding fathers, the controversy over a statue in Manti, Utah, and conclude with an account told of his death. | |||
| Episode 7: Angelic Music | 26 Sep 2023 | 00:20:40 | |
Stories about hearing angelic choirs and singing in tongues. Special Guest: Mchael Hicks. | |||
| Episode 6: Sleep Paralysis | 12 Sep 2023 | 00:13:52 | |
This episode is a followup discussion on sleep paralysis among Latter-day Saints. We also ask how sleep paralysis relates to Joseph Smith's supernatural assault in the Sacred Grove. | |||
| Episode 5: Ted Bundy Lore | 01 Sep 2023 | 00:15:57 | |
This episode is about Latter-day Saint legends concerning Ted Bundy in Utah, as well as other stories of people who were divinely protected from serial killers. | |||
| Episode 4: Spirit Children | 05 Jul 2023 | 00:19:50 | |
LDS Folklore about Mother's Visions of their future children. This episode features a story of Russell M. Nelson about his wife's vision of their son. | |||
| Episode 3: Prayer Circles Outside the Temple | 29 Jun 2023 | 00:13:05 | |
This episode is on temple prayer circles as performed outside the temple, a common practice among LDS up to 1978. We discuss prayer rooms in historical church buildings and firsthand accounts from participants. | |||
| Episode 2: Joseph Smith's Martyrdom Canes | 27 Jun 2023 | 00:15:50 | |
In this episode, we discuss the "martyrdom canes," relics that were made from the blood soaked boards that transported the murdered bodies of Joseph and Hyrum Smith from Carthage to Nauvoo, Illinois. We discuss how these canes were used and where they ended up. | |||
| Episode 1: Missionaries and Supernatural Assault | 23 Jun 2023 | 00:16:05 | |
This episode is about the encounter of Latter-day Saint missionaries with the demonic. | |||
| Episode 0: A Quick Introduction | 22 Jun 2023 | 00:03:00 | |
Just a quick introduction to Angels and Seerstones: A Latter Day Saint Folklore Podcast. | |||