Impressions of a Prophet: Joseph Smith – Details, episodes & analysis

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Impressions of a Prophet: Joseph Smith

Clayton Pixton

Religion & Spirituality

History

Frequency: 1 episode/21d. Total Eps: 28

Beloved historian Susan Easton Black takes you through the opening scenes of the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ in her uniquely captivating way, while Clayton Pixton deftly handles the intro and outro music. The time period covered is the lifetime of the prophet Joseph Smith. Don't miss this foundational account!

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Score global : 83%

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25: The Road to Carthage

Season 1 · Episode 25

Tuesday, September 16, 2025 • Duration 51:40

William Law and the Nauvoo Expositor call for Nauvoo city charter to be revoked, after lengthy deliberation city council resolves to destroy press, Sheriff John P. Greene carries out order with overabundance of volunteers, Law and other proprietors later set fire to building, citizens extinguish fire, arrest warrants are issued to Joseph & Hyrum for rioting in streets and destruction of press, for first two warrants Joseph is able to stand trial before friendly judge, line of aggression is set up by enemies of the Church between Carthage and Nauvoo, Nauvoo placed under lockdown, Governor Ford arrives in Carthage despite invitations to come to Nauvoo, 3rd arrest warrant is issued with no recourse to stand before friendly judge, Joseph immediately sends for remaining ten of twelve out on political missions, Joseph and Hyrum temporarily go across river to Iowa, then after encouragement from friends and Emma it is resolved for he and Hyrum to submit to warrant and go to Carthage despite Joseph's predictions, Joseph and Hyrum say goodbye to families, Joseph tells Emma to write out a blessing that he will then sign, Joseph makes statements on his way to Carthage early in the morning that foreshadow his death...

Song today is The Unknown Grave, by David Hyrum Smith - Joseph and Emma's (at this time unborn) son.

Almost done!

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24: The Relief Society – A Monument to Women

Season 1 · Episode 24

Tuesday, August 26, 2025 • Duration 49:13

In this episode Susan tells us the story of the origins of the largest female organization in the world, the Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The original idea from some women in Nauvoo was to create a benevolent society (common in that time). Eliza R. Snow was asked to write up a constitution for it, which she did and then took to Joseph Smith to review. He responded by saying the Lord had something better for them, that would be organized not as a society of man (women), but under the priesthood itself and after its pattern.

Susan then tells us the story of and takes us through the largest memorial to women in the world, the Women Memorial Garden in Nauvoo.

We hope you'll follow us through this amazing account and gain from the lessons Susan draws from the story and the memorial garden. Thanks for being with us!

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23: Joseph Smith for President

Season 1 · Episode 23

Sunday, August 10, 2025 • Duration 54:51

Leading up to the presidential election of 1844, Joseph Smith and other church leaders counseled about who should get their vote. None of the alternatives seeming desirable, it was finally proposed that General Joseph Smith run himself. This he did, eventually finding a running mate in Sidney Rigdon. Neither of them were known to ever actively campaign. But Brigham Young, then kind of leading the newly organized Council of Fifty, gets Joseph to agree to let him ask for political volunteers to campaign for Joseph. These include, then, the likes of Brigham Young, Wilford Woodruff, Orson and Parley Pratt, Orson Hyde, and William Smith, who go to various parts of the country to campaign for Joseph and his presidential platform.

What was included in that platform? What was the Council of Fifty about? Who did Joseph say couldn't go campaign and why? Who did Joseph find was conspiring to thwart his campaign? What ultimately happened with that? Who ended up winning the election and what did they do relating to Manifest Destiny? What does all this teach us about how we should act in relation to our own country?

Get the answers to these questions and more, also an original arrangement of The Star Spangled Banner, on this episode.

Good to have you back!

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22: The Nauvoo Temple – Past and Present

Season 1 · Episode 22

Tuesday, July 22, 2025 • Duration 42:23

In this episode Susan talks about a central focus of the prophet and the saints in Nauvoo - the temple. We know from a previous episode that Joseph had received revelation and instituted baptisms for the dead, and a font was built for that purpose on the site of the Nauvoo temple, sheltered by a wooden structure with a pitched roof. Around that structure the temple was built, much of the time with armed guards to protect it and its workmen.

Where was the endowment first given (it wasn't in the temple), and to whom? What was the temple built out of? Who was the architect and who directed him? What other temples had been built before or had at least cornerstones laid, in our dispensation? Who donated the land for the temple and then became a member of the Church? Who made the first temple clothing? Did the progress on the temple halt when Joseph Smith was martyred? (No.) Why did Brigham Young finish the temple before leaving the town and going west, even though he knew it would immediately fall out of their hands?

What happened to the temple? How was the property later aquired by the Church in the 1930s? Which modern prophet announced its reconstruction?

All these questions and more are brilliantly answered in this episode. Enjoy!

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21: Nauvoo, the City Beautiful

Season 1 · Episode 21

Tuesday, July 8, 2025 • Duration 50:31

If you visit Nauvoo today (2020s), you'll see a small agrarian town. But in its heyday when it was the gathering place for the saints, it was a thriving center of religious, civic, business and cultural life, whose population briefly rivaled that of Chicago. In this episode Susan tells us some fascinating facts about life in Nauvoo at this time.

Some quick facts:

Nauvoo is largely the result of the vision of Joseph Smith, who wanted it to be a "light unto the world".
Typical houses often had their own garden and included a shop of some kind.
Many people lived out in farming communities in the farming months and returned in between.
The Lord called the stake of Nauvoo "a cornerstone of Zion".
Wards were invented in Nauvoo, named after political wards.
Saints in the outside farming communities would come into town to go to General Conference, bury their dead, go to the temple, and shop (which the men did).
There were no banks.
And more...

Glad you can join us!

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20: Commerce and Baptism for the Dead

Season 1 · Episode 20

Sunday, June 22, 2025 • Duration 43:02

In this episode we talk about the history of the place we now call Nauvoo, the reason so many died there when the saints first arrived, and a glorious revelation that followed regarding those who have died without baptism.

What were the two names for Nauvoo before it was Nauvoo? Why did the saints buy it? Why were the saints dying in such large numbers when they arrived? What revelation did Joseph Smith receive regarding those who had died without baptism? Who performed the first baptism for the dead and for whom? Where did the baptisms take place at first, and then after that? (Sorry for teasing you so much.)

Learn the answers to these questions and more. Good to have you back!

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19: Quincy and the Mission of the Twelve

Season 1 · Episode 19

Thursday, June 5, 2025 • Duration 55:33

As the latter-day saints were running for their lives from Missouri, following the Extermination Order, east to Illinois, the town they came to was Quincy, just over the Mississippi River. What makes Quincy remarkable is the kindness of the people there, who took in more than triple their population and, in contrast to people they had lived among previously, continued to support them and seek their relief until the saints were able to move on, in this case, just north to what came to be Nauvoo.

Quincy also was known for helping slaves escape to the north (the underground railroad) and helping Native Americans along the trail of tears.

President Gordon B. Hinkley said of them: "In the annals of our Church, the city of Quincy and its citizens will always occupy a position of the highest esteem. We shall always be grateful for the kindness, the hospitality, the civility with which your people met our people who were exiles from the state of Missouri."

Susan thinks the city has been blessed over the years.

At the time the saints were received into Quincy, Joseph Smith and those with him were still incarcerated in Liberty Jail. Brigham Young, the now-president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, was the one who led the saints' exodus from Missouri and their gathering there.

Soon after, Brigham also led the fulfilment of a prophecy by the prophet Joseph Smith. Joseph had received a revelation that the Twelve were to leave for missions to England, and the place they were to leave from was the temple site at Far West. Even though that place was the opposite direction from England by almost 200 miles and in enemy territory, Brigham went against the advice of some and went, as did the rest of the existing Twelve.

Who did they meet there unexpectedly? How did they escape detection by their enemies? Who was added to the Quorum at that time? What prominent leaders joined the Church in Quincy?

Hear these and other great stories in this episode. Glad to have you - as always!

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18: Alexander Doniphan

Season 1 · Episode 18

Tuesday, May 13, 2025 • Duration 55:52

We take a moment in our account to talk about a great friend to the saints and a remarkable man - Alexander Doniphan. While others in positions of influence were seeking to harm the saints Doniphan, a lawyer, stood up for them and stood up for justice, showing an integrity seemingly lacking in others at the time. At a moment when Joseph Smith and others were about to be killed, he defied his superior officer and refused to carry out the order and threatened that officer with legal action if he carried it out, effectively saving their lives.

What was his background? What was he well known for? What else did he do in his career? What was his family life like? Where did he stand during the Civil War? What did he think of Lincoln? What tragedies did he face? Who named a son after him? What is named after him today?

Find the answers to these questions and more in this episode. Good to have you back! Please tell a friend!

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17: Prisoners for Christ’s Sake

Season 1 · Episode 17

Friday, May 2, 2025 • Duration 43:03

As we discussed last time, Joseph Smith and others were taken prisoners in Far West on Oct 31 of 1838. A death sentence was passed on them, but they were effectively saved from execution by Alexander Doniphan. While their lives were spared, they were incarcerated for the next five months.

Why were they taken prisoners in the first place? What happened to Far West after the prisoners were taken? How did their trial in Richmond, Missouri go? Which three prisons were they incarcerated in? What were conditions like? What revelations were received in prison?

Which apostle visited them in prison and picked Illinois as the next gathering place for the saints?

What happened to General Clark (led atrocities in Far West) and Judge Austin King (sentenced Latter-day Saint leaders to prison) later in life? (Each was elected governor of Missouri.)

Find out the answers to these questions and more in this episode! Glad you can join us!

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16: The Missouri Extermination Order

Season 1 · Episode 16

Tuesday, April 15, 2025 • Duration 47:19

Learn about the events that led up to the infamous Extermination Order by Governor Boggs of Missouri in 1838. It reads in part, "the Mormons must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or driven from the State if necessary for the public peace—their outrages are beyond all description".

What made Governor Boggs, and indeed many Missourians, believe they were justified in expulsing fellow American citizens from an entire state and depriving them of their property and other rights, even their lives in some cases, without any compensation or justice?

What good-faith efforts were made to learn the truth of what the Mormons had done or were planning on doing, prior to issuing the order? (None I know of.) Were these citizens or their descendants ever compensated for their losses? (No.) What punishment did the perpetrators of violence suffer? (None.) What did the United States government do when these grievances were brought before them? (Nothing.) When was the Extermination Order rescinded? (1976.)

Alright, well it's hard not to be mad about it, and unfortunately it hangs over the state of Missouri and the United States still.

But despite the somber and tragic nature of the topic, we can learn many things from the episode. Hope you learn some! Thanks for being here again!

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Impressions of a Prophet: Joseph Smith – Details, episodes & analysis

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Impressions of a Prophet: Joseph Smith – Details, episodes & analysis

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