Discussing Helen Mar Kimball with Hannah Stoddard 

My wife and I loved volume 1 and are looking forward to more of these writings.

Hannah is my hero.

Hannah is seriously a modern day Captain Moroni! She is non-apologetic in defending the Truth, defending the Prophet Joseph Smith and defending the Restoration of the gospel. Glad she is going about doing much good!

Thank you ladies!! This is a blessing to me. I have family that suffered during the early days of the Saints. I know they suffered much. Their example and courage has been an inspiration for me in my life. My life hasn't been easy, but I know who I can look to strengthen my faith. I love my Savior for his example and sacrifice. This makes me feel guilty about not keeping a better journal for my posterity.

Love how Hanna takes on the hard questions and brings new understanding to Church history without throwing the baby out with the bath water.

I really enjoyed this interview! Thank you!

Loved the interview, and will be trying to purchase the book soon. Thank you.

So good. Thank you for doing the research and writings!

The part I find disturbing about Helen’s journal is when she talked about women wanting to see an angel, so they got together and fasted, but the babies that were there were possessed by demons. Then Bishop Whitney said it would have worked had they killed on of the babies. Then the babies never recovered, so one of the moms ended up sacrificing one of the babies. 😢 so sad and satanic! So I understand listening to the women and trying to get to know them. We have to consider that they’re in the middle of nowhere and through Brigham’s made up D&C 132, women are threatened with destruction if they don’t accept polygamy. So we have to consider the religious abuse that happened and the fact that they had trauma bonding. Why can’t we trust Joseph for what he said? That he was innocent of any claims that he was practicing polygamy. That he excommunicated men for abusing women with polygamy, and sued people over it and canonized D&C 101 (the original not current) to make it clear how against polygamy the church was. Then if we’re going to pay attention to the women’s what about Emma who said that they were innocent of the evil, very, very late rumors (with motive to want to gain possession of the temple lot) rumors that Joseph and Emma were evil.

Thank you for sharing this interview. It has some wonderful information and perspective. While I am going to be contacting them about this, I would like to share some important historical and sociological context. It is very important to know that the idea that there were minors/teenagers involved in polygamy is completely incorrect. Like all age categories, adolescence is a social construct that was not developed until the early 1900's. There were two age categories at this time. There was childhood and adulthood; the age of majority ( age that a person is viewed by society and the law as an adult) was physical maturity (puberty) This means that Helen, at 14, was an adult in addition to all the other great things about her.

Thank Elizabeth and Hannah!! ❤️🙏🙏

Would love to see more interviews with her!

A faithful podcast getting into the weeds! Nice work!

Can someone tell me how can "plural marriage" be validated/justified when not then not now there's a legislation that allows such a practice. And if polygamy was "divinely restored" why then there's no records that the early christians under the new covenant ( Heb.chapters 9 and 10) never practiced polygamy. Hellen was only 14. Can a child conscientiously/willingly take such a big step in life like getting married?

Hannah is like fresh air.

This is a topic I wish I understood better. My first wife died, and I love her a lot, then I was remarried and sealed again, so now I am sealed to 2 wives. The Book Of Mormon says flat out that God prefers monogamy but then all through the history of Israel is full of multiple wives, as well as the early days of the restored church. Now I am sealed to both, and I cannot conceive of eternity without either of them. But NO ONE is willing to talk about this now days, and I just want to understand it. I am currently praying to God for clarity, so I know it will come, but this topic has taken on a new meaning to me.

This is an incredible video.

Since Hannah mentioned that poetry come back, I cannot resist plugging my daughter Emily and my poetry books: In Search of the Lost Vol 1,2,3 , Sonnets of Faith, Love Remains Vol 1 &2 features Adilene Idalie by Emily Jane Elliott Nardacci and Jeffrey Elliott Cruz. I loved listening about the life of Helen Mar Kimball. What both of you discussed to me was the making through trials of Saints worthy to be a wife of the prophet Joseph ( but in Eliza R Snow case, I think it was Joseph being worthy of being the husband of Eliza R Snow Lol.) Sorry , it was true for all his wives. I enjoyed the poignant insight that reading regarding the life of Helen Mar Kimball is gaining an insight into plural marriage. I believe this is true.

1:13:08 what an AMAZING truth!!! I’ve been talking about this for more than 2 years now! So many people don’t understand that charity comes from the heart, not the wallet. What also is perhaps not known is that it comes from repentance. It’s one of the gifts!!! Repentance isn’t forgiveness, it’s a real PLACE! Full of foods that fill our soul and bless with with this spiritually healthy principle of “charity”.

I have learned to be happy despite of pain, and hurt. Those will happen, but we can learn to be happy anyway. Christ is just that good!

Joseph Smith was not a polygamist! I implore you to put down church history books that promote the narrative he was and study all the primary, contemporaneous sources!

As someone who is also very passionate about the role of women, and is an active LDS woman who loves the Church, I wonder if you are willing to consider if marriage between one man and one woman is actually God’s law, without exception? For the last many decades, we church members have attempted to defend the doctrine of polygamy because our ancestors said it was of God. I think we have relied far, FAR too much on these testimonies. I know they believed it, Helen Mar Kimball included. But their testimonies do not prove Truth. They also believed it was essential for exaltation, and the highest law of the celestial kingdom, but our Church now explicitly teaches differently. I think we must be willing to look-without fear that we will lose the Church and all its blessings-into whether polygamy itself is of God. I recently published an essay, “An Enemy Hath Done This: the Seed and Weeds of Polygamy” and I would love for you to consider this perspective, or at least show me where my understanding is incorrect. I very much admire your efforts to defend the faith.

1:06:00 You say it was harder because there were more people, but coming from a family where I have 12 kids, everyone seems to miss all the blessing of having more people. I love a bigger family, hard of course but no harder than when I only had 3 kids, and the more I had the more blessed I became. Talk about the blessings they had because of these marriages

Good pod cast. Here’s my question. Can one have a testimony of plural marriage, and still never, ever want to live it?

Oh yes! Do Eliza next! Love Hannah Stoddard!

The twelve sons of the House Israel were conceived and established because Jacob took multiple wives. To deny polygamy is to deny the foundation of God's House established on earth.

Honor your Mother so your Days may be long upon the Earth.

The Ghost of polygamy is a great book about the history of the subject

22:00 i’m sorry but you’re very wrong on this. an example of “free will” would be going down to the deli and picking ham or turkey on your sub, or choosing between a chocolate or vanilla ice cream cone. Helen was placed in an arranged marriage done by her father Heber C Kimball to ultimately seal the two families through the marriage. Joseph also told Helen that the marriage would guarantee the exaltation of her entire lineage so long as they stay faithful. and this all happened when she was very young as we all know. the amount of pressure she had on her not only from Joseph and her father, but mentally imagining possibly an infinite amount of intelligences being granted a state of Godhood suggests that she didn’t have total free will in this situation. According to LDS belief, the fate of literal souls teetered on her decision. So i’m curious as to why you say she had free will in this choice?

The iron woman of the last dispensation.

And I’m not trying to be rude to either of you girls here. But you can’t understand marriage, and what a part sex plays in bringing a husband and wife together if you’ve never been married. You can’t understand how sex brings a husband and wife together emotionally, psychologically, spiritually, not just physically , and not just to bring children into the world. Heavenly Father makes it very clear in Jacob (BofM) that the feelings and chastity of women are sacred and important to Him, that polygamy isn’t the normal way of doing marriage, but the exception to the norm, to be practiced only when the need arises. So I disagree that plural marriage is God’s way of marriage. We just do not know that for sure.

Don’t you find it ironic that the women haven’t been given a voice in the history books just as they weren’t im to whom they married?

21:30 "going through hell"?? Why would any policy that God asks us to comply with "hell"??? Name anything else in LDS Land that is a policy/belief that is a "hell"???

Lovers the story of the potato peels. Gave me a great, unexpected insight into 2 Nephi 25:23!

I would love to be able to just hear Hannah speak about …instead of being interrupted by the interviewer all the time

I think them trying to say who is and who isn't Joseph wives is a little 🤔. I know that Joseph f smith said there isn't a sealing on earth or in heaven that will make a women be where she doesn't want to. If Helen could choose, no doubt be with Horace. Who she actually loved!

Nah, Joseph Smith did not have plural wives. They got sealed to each other in the early church. Sealings were not just marriages. Wilford Woodruff changed sealings to be what we know today. So Hannah does not have this correct!

22:00 "cling to truth and restoration"....??..... BETTER SAID.... followed what Joseph told people to do and believed what he CLAIMED.

Hannah, president Nelson said Joseph Smith used the seer stone to translate the book of Mormon. You have made hard statements against that. Wish to comment?

I’ve had people attack me with insults, because I am Lds. One thing they bring up is plural marriage. I’ll tell them that there are a lot of biblical prophets that had many wives. Does that mean the Bible is false? They don’t reply after that. I do know the principle of polygamy is not well known or understood, but I have a feeling it is for the after life, when our earthly mind has the veil lifted and ego, emotions and sex drives are out of the way

And it’s not just like a monogamous marriage. There’s this thing call sex involved.

Elizabeth.... When you were 14, if an older married man told you that you needed to marry him, what would have been your response? Assume for a moment this was The Prophet telling you this.

So, Joseph Smith did have multiple wives? Did God tell him to take muliple wives? Are we to excuse or overlook Joseph Smith lifestyle?

Does it ever cross your mind that JS and Mormon history have so many things that need to be explained away, that would otherwise, on face value, be considered blatantly evil?

Wait, you can't just claim that Eliza R Snow consummated her marriage and just leave it. I need more details because from what I have found (and I am no historian), that statement is controversial. Can we have details and evidence?

When it comes to plural marriage (as well as everything else that's been altered) we really need to stop putting other people's testimonies BEFORE the words of Joseph Smith himself. Joseph Smith very adamantly stated that he never taught, lived or taught anyone else to live plural marriage-not in secret, not in public-EVER. He denied every single accusation placed against him constantly and yet we just don't seem to care in this church because other people say "Oh no he was lying."??? How can we really say that we believe in and honor the prophet Joseph Smith as an honest man and a true prophet and then treat his words on this subject like they're nothing compared to what others say? This is one of the most hypocritical things we do in this church. Also, difference in culture and laws or not, it never was and never will be ok for a 30+ year old man to marry a 14 year old girl. Just because it was acceptable by law back then does NOT mean that it was right or ok at all.

Joseph Smith is second to Jesus? He is greater than Moses, Peter, Paul? Please give scripture to substantiate such a claim. Did God say this, or a man venerating a man, much like Catholics who venerate Mary to a position second only to Jesus.. Thank you for your answer.

Better becareful... we really don't know who is wives are and aren't. Wilford Woodruff told a man who was making a list of Joseph wives. It was wrong. And that he did actually know.

Why would God command Joseph Smith to practice Polygamy IN VIOLATION of State of Illinois Law???

Hold onto the Iron Rod; the Scriptures are true. World War 3 kills one third of humanity. Isaiah the prophet said in Chapters 3 and 4 what would happen in the Last Days as Isaiah 2:2 says. Bless you who can read and believe prophets. 1/10/23 #60 comment.

Does your history talk about the 33 wives of Joseph Smith and the fourteen-year-old young girls he married and don't forget the wives of other men he married.

These girls also believe Russell Nelson is a prophet..

Imagine how disconnected from reality and morality one must be to justify a 37 year old man marrying a 14 year old child.

To say that she was not walked over is an interesting cake seeing as she has a 14-year-old child married off to a grown man that in a bit self. He said what if I had another lawyer when he was her religious leader for prophet who did quid pro quo claim that child marraige was her entrance to heaven and for her family too. And you mention she struggled with polygamy because ya obviously

One way we know Hannah is teaching the truth is by people attacking her with false accusations. A member was a guest on another Utube show that wrote a book Hannah has covered, and I made sure she got credit. Someone attacked Hannah with a false statement. I went to cut and paste, so to speak, to prove they lied, and of course got interrupted in my efforts to defend her. Which I plan on correcting. On the subject of polygamy. We are incredible as spirits. Job records that we sang and shouted for joy at the laying of the foundations of the earth, Jeremiah was ordained and sanctified a prophet as a spirit. We fought a war as spirits. The rich man suffered as a spirit, while Lazarus was comforted in Abraham's bosom as a spirit. We can see, hear, travel, love, hate, repent, of some things, forgive. Christ created heaven and earth as a spirit. The Bible teaches that everyone's body of flesh and bones will be resurrected and immortal. Why? We are so awesome as spirits, why would we even want or need a body? We would have to be able to do something with a body that we cannot do as spirits only. That something is eat, drink and copulalte. We cannot do those things as just a spirit. Considering the ability to eat and drink is not an ability worthy of a mortal test, in otherwords, God could have transitioned us strait from spirits to immortals if we only had the ability to eat and drink as immortals. It is our ability to copulalte that requires a mortal test. The very reason for an immortal body is to be unified for eternity with an eternal companion of the opposite sex. Adam and Eve had sexual organs. There will be immortal men and women during the Millennial reign of Christ with sexual organs, like Adam and Eve. Did God need to make our bodies with sexual organs to create bodies for His spirit children? No. He created Adam and Eve without childbirth. God is giving us the opportunity to be like Him, a righteous parent of spirit children on worlds without number, worlds without end. Will he give us an immortal body that has sexual organs, like His, that has the power He has, that cannot be killed to a person who has not repented of all sins related to the law of chastity? No! A Celestial body is an immortal body that has sexual organs. A Terrestrial or Telestial body is an immortal body that has no sexual organs. Male and female is an eternal identity, not created. There is an opposite to everything. We are begotten sons and daughters of God, but we were male and female intelligences before that. Joseph Smith taught that intelligent spirit is not created, otherwise who created God? So, through free agency, will more women or will more men live the law of chastity in mortally? If you have to question the answer to that you are not paying attention to life. But to give you statistics, 25 percent of married men cheat whereas 15 percent of married women cheat. Because there will be more women than men in the Celestial kingdom there will be polygamy. Does that mean all marriages will be polygamy marriages? I don't know. What I do know is far more people throughout history will earn a Celestial body that were not members of the Church than who were in mortality.

You should reach out to Bill Reel or John Dehlin (Mormon Discussions Podcast & Mormon Stories), and share your perspectives. I really like Joseph Smith's comment when he once said that it is only in proving opposites that the truth is manifest.

Plural marriage is about women, by women, for women....to fulfil the promises God made to his daughters.

You're making excuses for a sick man who married more than 25 women before his wife could know about them. A man who drank coffee and alcohol but claimed it was a revelation.

When you seek answers from the Book of Mormon instead of the Bible, God can't help you because you have turned your back on Him. Therefore this leaves the door open for Satan (II Corinthians 11:14-15) to step into your life with a false christ or prophet showing you signs and wonders to lead you away from the real Jesus of the Bible who is God the Son 2nd person of the Trinity. God Himself warns us about this in: MATTHEW 24: 23-24 "Then if anyone says to you, Look, here is the Christ! or There! do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect..." Mormons teach and believe that their jesus is the brother of Satan, which contradicts what God says in His Bible that Jesus is God the Son 2nd person of the Trinity. So Mormons, which Jesus do you believe in? A. Your jesus of the Book of Mormon, who is the brother of Satan. OR B. The Jesus of the Bible, who is God the Son 2nd person of the Trinity.

I didn’t know God’s bar was so low.

23:11 It displays a deep lack of understanding and compassion to imply that people suffering with trauma bonding are weak or lack intelligence. That is extremely insulting and hurtful. Tell that to Elizabeth Smart, or any other number of traumatized and abused women and girls. What an unfortunate thing to say. Trauma bonding is a natural response to being treated as if you don't matter -- as if you are a means to an end for someone who has power over you, which was absolutely the case with Helen who claimed her father "sacrificed" her and willingly "laid" her "on the alter," despite it breaking her mother's heart as well as her own, for his own purposes -- to be connected to Joseph Smith and ensure his own exaltation. By the way, that is a bizarre theology that we don't begin to support today. In this comment, Hannah is referring to this video -- for those who want to gain a far more complete and full understanding of polygamy ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-RJVHQMebLXY.html

I’ll never get over how insidious it is that all these years latter young women are still forcing themselves to accept polygamy. It’s like finding a cockroach in your ice cream and being told if you like ice cream you have to eat the cockroach too. You don’t!

I could see Hannah marrying Joesph Smith as one of his many wives. So, sad defending this false prophet.

If you follow the prophets in their dispensations, Joseph is next to Christ.

You ladies seem so sweet and very respectful. I haven’t read your book, but I do know about Helen Kimball. I have a much different take on her though. Joseph destroyed that poor girl’s life and for what? She was robbed as a little girl of a normal life where she would be free to find someone to marry and raise a family. Why, why did Joseph Smith have to practice polygamy and polyandry ?Joseph Smith laid out the law of polygamy in D & C 1 32, and he never even follow those rules, so I’m not so apologetic when it comes to Joseph, I don’t view him as a prophet. I view him as a pig. I can’t figure out why you girls are defending him.

What an awful topic. No wonder there are more men on here than women. A loving Heavenly Father would never put his faithful daughters in such an awful situation. He glorifies women and polygamy is an abomination in his sight. It is miraculous that the Joseph Smith papers were "mostly" revealed that allowed people to see what Joseph Smith actually believed and taught. And, that the first Book of Commandments published stated the revelation that given that was standard for marriage is monogamy. There is not one shred of first hand evidence otherwise until Joseph Smith was killed. Then conspiring men brought this evil into the church and changed JS's historical writings. We need to keep in mind what situation these women's circumstances were and that they had to do "and say" anything they were told or they would be ostracized. They had no rights. Section 132 was written AFTER JS was killed and it contradicts ALL scriptures when God states man should have one wife. There is not any scripture that state that God tells any man to take more than one wife. And in Jacob, the scripture that has been misinterpreted by polygamists everywhere since Brigham Young, when raising a righteous seed, it states that God has to explicitly command there should be no polygamy allowed or if He doesn't, the people will do otherwise.

“Uglier than you think. RU-vid: Joseph Smith HORROR mansion"

How do you “work through” spreading a story that try’s to completely nullify the beautiful culture, language, beliefs and values of the native people and spread lies about them around the world. Sad.

I hope that Ms. Stoddard's historical analyses are better than her and her cronies' (at the JS Foundation) scriptural exegeses. The foundation actually posits the theory that Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, are the two prophets spoken of by John in Revelation 11. It's either a very sloppy interpretation, or the Stoddards were trying to sell their awful collection of DVDs by baiting them with sensational claims. It doesn't matter which is worse; the JS Foundation was distributing DVDs that clearly were designed to sell them to an ignorant population. I listened to all of its DVDs and, in each case, talking heads were babbling heads. The two prophets clearly are _not_ the Smith brothers, for the Smiths were never in Jerusalem, nor were they killed and resurrected in Jerusalem. I suspect Ms. Stoddard has either a book or some DVDs to sell. As it is, I don't trust anyone connected with the JS Foundation.