Why LDS Polygamy and Joseph Smith Historian Left and Came Back to the LDS Church (Part Two) | E0013 

I gradually lost my faith in the Church and God after watching Mormon Stories and anti-Mormon content. One day I paid attention who I was listening to, and all of them didn’t believed in God and Christ anymore; I also asked myself “Are you going to remplace Elder Urchdoft for Jhon Dehlin as role model in your life?”, that day I went back to God for answers and I got answers and spiritual experiences. I’m coming back to the Church and more than that I’m Coming back to Jesus Christ with a more informed and real testimony than ever.

I'm a southern baptist and I love watching these videos and learning about how LDS members think. Thanks for sharing this content.

Many years ago I was concerned that Joseph Smith committed adultery. The Holy Spirit told me " whether or not Joseph Smith committed adultery is none of your concern, that is between him and Me, as for you, you need to be concerned about your own standing."

I remember feeling so broken hearted when I saw my dear friend wearing her "I am John Dehlin" tee shirt after she left the church. My subsequent study and "journey" of faith followed after seeing her departure from the church. I am so grateful for that experience and what it taught me about the Lord and His mercy and love for us. I am really ready to wear an "I am Don Bradley" tee shirt now. Thank you Brother Bradley. You are one of my favorite modern-day examples.

Someone who is honestly willing to change their point of view is way more trustworthy than someone who blocks out beliefs they don't like. I'm honestly a bit more of the latter, but it is so refreshing to see someone who not only acknowledged that their old point of view was incomplete but to do it twice and adjust accordingly regardless of how embarrassing it is. I have nothing but respect.

This is absolutely the BEST interview w/ Don Bradley that I've seen. The Saints Unscripted one was good but brief. In the Ward Radio interview, Don was frequently interrupted by the host & other guests. This one was so great! Between Part 1 & Part 2, this is a full-length film, where Don does most of the talking! 👏🏼 Thank you Stephen, for only asking necessary questions, & letting Don mostly guide the conversation. 🙏🏼 I have 1 disagreement w/ Don, though. He says he's not a very good speaker. Pfff! 🤔😆 I've heard his story before, & was still mesmerized for over 2 hours by everything he said! THANK YOU BOTH!

Here's a scholar who has looked at LDS Church history from all angles with a critical eye. After all he has seen and been through, he's come to the conclusion that the Church is true. His story is a cautionary tale to members who are thinking of walking down the same path that leads to spiritual apostasy. Thanks for sharing your story, Don.

Don not only brings great light to controversy in LDS history, but also teaches us how to think critically about history and all aspects of truth in our lives. I love his emphasis on broadening his perspective on how the gospel has benefited him, as I think so many tend to “throw the baby out with the bath water”. Also a common practice in todays politics and culture. I also appreciate his ex-member atheist perspective and hope to give more compassion and understanding for a difficult path people choose to take when leaving their beliefs behind. Thank you Don!

The last part got me. Thank you so much for this. I have been listening to Don Bradley a lot this past year, and I had thought the whole time, as insightful as he is, that he was a historian who came back to the Church simply because his research revealed historical facts that were undeniable. This is the first time I saw that he actually has a sincere and beautiful testimony of the gospel and the love for our Savior. Thank you, Don, for what you do. God did not give up on you.

I can feel Don’s sincerity. The closing segment/couple minutes is everything. Thank you Don and Stephen for being bold and sharing this with the world.

Part 1 was my first time watching your channel. I loved the interview! As a mother of many who looks like the typical LDS mom and who has experienced a faith crisis, I have so much more compassion for everyone who struggles. It is a gut wrenching experience. Thank you Don for sharing your experience in such an open and honest way. It was very uplifting to hear your story.

This was one of the most uplifting, insightful, and inspiring interviews I’ve ever listened to… no exaggeration. Wow 😮

There have been a lot of interviews with Don Bradley, and this and his Ward Radio one are my favorites, for different reasons. I love hearing from this man, your story is amazing Don! Not only that, but your intellect is so clear and refreshing in my mind. I really appreciate your contributions.

I love listening to Don Bradley. Him and David Alexander are two of the best people to listen to on the internet. I hope he keeps writing more books. His story needs to be shared far and wide. if nothing else, like and comment to get this important story and man out there.

Don's journey is very sincere and I agree that someone who leaves the church and returns is a more trustworthy source for me because they understand the dealbreakers and have reasons to believe regardless of them. Again, thank you for sharing his story! It truly shows that behind the scenes the church wants to forgive...the Savior wants to forgive.

"if the church couldn't forgive, It couldn't be The Lord's church." TRUTH!

Thank you so much Stephen and Don, this has been faith promoting content. God bless you brethren!

I love Don Bradley’s life story and his powerful witness and testimony of the divine nature of the restored gospel of Christ through Joseph Smith and God’s mercy to all His children through Jesus Christ. Very humbling! Thank you both for this wonderful discussion!

This is so incredibly powerful. Thank you both for what you are doing to lift and strengthen testimonies. Don, your story touched my heart and brought me to tears. I’m grateful for your vulnerability and willingness to share. Thank you! ❤️

I think we could all put ourselves in his shoes and learn the process of being compassionate and charitable when things aren't the way we want them to be in church.

Absolutely beautiful episode(s). Don has to be one of my new favorite people and I cannot wait to read more of his publishings and findings. What an incredible man and GENIUS. I could listen to him talk for another 3 hours!! Thanks for putting together this amazing podcast and for being a wonderful corner of the internet that is faith building and assuring. Can’t wait to hear more!

I would like to add a thought to what Don Bradley spoke about regarding Joseph Smith marrying women who were pregnant and already married to other men. In addition to the possible motive discussed in the podcast at 44:57, I think there’s another possible explanation we should consider. Joseph understood that plural marriage would be hard for people-especially Emma-to accept. Being sealed for eternity only to woman who were already married and pregnant essentially eliminates the possibility of sexual relations between these women and Joseph. This seems to be the case especially in light of what the Lord says in D&C 132:41. After being sealed for eternity to Joseph, these women continued to live and have normal marital relationships with their first, legal husbands. Therefore, one could argue that another motive for Joseph seeking out these kinds of marriages was because he knew they would be less difficult for Emma to accept. Certainly less difficult than if Joseph had immediately sought out single, attractive women-since marriages of that kind could justifiably include sexual relations. Joseph’s first attempt to practice plural marriage with Fanny Alger did not go well to say the least, and it makes sense Joseph would want to avoid a repeat of that. So it seems these marriages to women who were already married and pregnant was Joseph’s attempt to fulfill the commandment to practice plural marriage while minimizing damages to his relationship with Emma and accusations of sexual promiscuity from others.

I appreciate the things I felt watching this series, the resolve that has come to me. Oh I took so much from this. So much beauty. I never watch lengthy videos but I'm glad I stuck around through these.

This made my day! Thank you, Don, for sharing your experience and testimony and thank you, Stephen, for putting wonderful, faith-building content out there. ❤

I read Don's book on the 116 pages. It was so well thought out and insightful. He is really good at his craft. I loved this episode!

You wrung me to tears. I am so grateful for overcoming my carro period and for my testimony of the restoration.

This was so amazing to me. It's just what i needed. Most of my children have left the church... for now. I want to read all of dams books. What a humble scholar.

There's so much good stuff; I particularly appreciate from 11:18 to about 11:50. After coming out the other side of my own little crisis of chafing against the culture, doubting my faith etc. I've gotten a lot more patient with my fellow worshipers, even when they say boneheaded things. I might try to describe it by saying I feel I've had a link forged to a truth deeper than all that, and a love that dissolves a lot of natural human fractiousness.

Don Bradley's book The Lost 116 Pages is one of the very best books I have read about the Book of Mormon, and I have read a lot of them. His attention to all of the tiny details and the way he connects the dots between them make his work very special and very instructive. If you haven't read the book, you should. It made me love the Book of Mormon even more. And, like he mentioned in this interview, I feel closest to Jesus Christ when I am reading the Book of Mormon.

Both part 1 and 2 of this are amazing. I am so grateful for Don Bradley and that he went on the journey of leaving and now back with so much to share. His life, journey and knowledge he gained through everything is a gift to us. The journey is important. He is so much more credible to me because of his journey.

Thank you for sharing. Millions will either find the truth or return because of your experience. God will utilize you as a tool, both of you. All the best.

I love his book The Lost 116. I feel like he has the best grasp on translation process and can explain it well. At least for me-he helped me more than any other book or speaker on the topic.

I literally just finished watching part 1 when this was posted.

This is an exceptional interview and person. Thank you so much!

“On account of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints I’d like to invite you to be baptized again!” Wow that was powerful! That brought tears to my eyes.

So beautiful, remarkable humble young man. Love to have you back Carol

Thank you for sharing your story! I have 2 sons who removed their membership records from the church, one of them went on a mission. Broke my heart.

Welcome home brother.

Simply amazing!!!! Wow…..The spirit is so strong listening to the testimony of these two men!

I am so grateful i have listened to the whole episode. I was strengthened a hundred fold in my belief that Jesus Christ is the head of the Church of Jesus Christ and that He lives. Thank you to both of you. ❤

Excellent. Beautiful. Vulnerable. Humble. Inspiring. Hopeful. I'm so grateful you are willing to share your experiences.

I have a feeling that Joseph did everything around to obey “polygamy” according for Jacob 2 without having intimacy with those women but still having children born in the covenant. According to multiple DNA evidences he didn’t fathered biologically children with any of his plural unions. Also, I don’t think he saw/treated them like “wives”. Also, I have a feeling that we are seeing a poligamy practice very influenced by the “Law of Adoption” (a very common practice in the early years of the church of getting sealed to the presidents/leaders of the church to link the families for the after life since there were not family history back on those days).

Majority of those who leaves the church similar to Don are very sincere. It’s so sad because we know 100% that Satan has got ahold of them and they’re blinded by his craftiness. It’s far more refreshing when you see the grace of the Lord continue to work with them until they return. This interview is a beautiful and a testament of God’s love to all of us.

My gratitude for the pioneers of the church has been an enormous part of the foundation of my faith in the church.

One crucial thing people seem to forget is their spiritual experiences ✨️ are also apart of your testimony! And they should be remembered as a part of your testimony ! And feeling the spirit of God is also so important!

Man, what a great episode. I feel better. Thank you.

Thank you thank you thank you! For such a wonderful testimony! Truly strengthened mine

I love hearing his journey, and appreciate his willingness to share such personal experiences. I really loved his thoughts on Gratitude. It’s important to love everyone, including those who leave the church, we are commanded to love others as ourselves. You will never regret being kind. As those who understand the Atonement, everything we say, do, think of others was felt and suffered by Jesus Christ.

I really am touched by this interview. Thanks so much for letting Don talk aboutb his journey and testimony building experiences! I have a young grandson who has been going through a faith crisis. Not sure Ican get him to watch, but believe it could make a difference. He read some material that told him Joseph Smith lied about polygamy, that really threw him for a loop. I'm praying how to get this before him. Thanks again! Love this!

This is an incredible video! Thank you so much Brother Don for sharing your story!!!

Thank you so very much for this interview!

Thank you Stephen Jones and Don Bradley! I am glad I listened to both parts 1 & 2.

Powerful. Both part 1 and 2. Thank you for your testimony. Looking for The Lost 116 Pages! ❤

1:17:50 core of the gospel, I love it! Thank you Don for your humility, going to dive into the gratitude journey and encourage everyone around too! 1:19:10 pure truth

The mashup of video clips from his other podcast appearances is great.

My brain is logic driven. Early on… I was always told I couldn’t build faith thru logic. And it’s true… you can’t fully gain faith thru logic. However… while my faith began thru child like trust in my father and others… logic has always strengthened my faith as my study in the gospel continues… Listening to your journey… what depths you dug into… and having it all lead you back is an incredible… and logical strength to my own testimony. I’ve never had a faith crisis… my weaknesses… however … lead to broken temple covenants. The love and support of members that met me where I was… helped me pick myself up and in the end… that made me stronger. ❤ Thank you for sharing your journey … I’ve heard it thru a number of different channels now… and it’s always inspiring ❤❤

I just finished both episodes. Fabulous interview! Thank you, Don, for authentically sharing your story.

Christ said to Peter that revelation was how He would build His kingdom and that is exactly what you have done. 😮

Wonderful interview! Loved it! ☀️💕

I was intrigued and impressed with Don’s knowledge in Part 1 but this interview had so much power. Thank you for sharing.

Such a great video!

Just finished both videos. Fantastic stuff. I can’t agree with all of Don’s premise and conclusions regarding polygamy, but his insights on life as a member and all of the stuff connected to leaving is a new dimension to this ongoing discussion of Mormonism and living as a member. God bless.

My big takeaways on this one or the fascinating information about the initial plural wives being pregnant or very likely pregnant, and then I really enjoyed the part of the end about Christ and God reaching down to us to help lift us up

You’re a good dude Don👊🏻. Glad you found your way back🎉

Thank you for choosing to come back. You have given me hope for my friends (a couple of them, specifically) who chose to leave the church. I appreciate your story and your journey back. Even if I never hear about any future contributions you may make for the church, thank you for them and your insights. 🕊️💐

This was great. Reading his book and listened to him a lot, but loved hearing his personal story

Thanks for sharing your story. It has given me hope.

Don Bradley got me choked up walking on the treadmill 🥲 - barely 10 minutes in and loving the episode.

Love this thanks you. I'm many years inactive. Intellectually helpful and spiritually Touching and watery eyes.

Best take away for me with what was said is, "Faith is gratitude. Gratitude is faith." Thank you for that thought.

I LOVE this, It's good to know that you can really come back. 💙

Really enjoying your channel, Stephen, and Don Bradley is awesome!

Stephen, you post the best interviews. Thank you for letting tour guests share their amazing stories

What a journey and testimony Don has. I just ordered Don's book about the 116 missing pages! Cannot wait to read.

Such a beautiful and powerful ending Don, thank you for your insights, I love what you said about the gospel being God lifting us up with Christ and trying to emulate through helping others. Thank you for sharing things close to your heart.

Powerful testimony. Thank you for being a great host to a great guest.

Wow! I have learned so much in this interview! I will be watching this again to be able to absorb more. Don, thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge! What an amazing life. And congratulations on your marriage!

"If the church couldn't forgive, it couldn't be the Lord's church." Powerful.

Amazing. God is good and Christ is Lord.

This was an amazing and uplifting discussion. I always love hearing Don Bradley speak. Thank you Stephen and Don!

In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't. Blaise Pascal

Great stuff, Don B. Is a stud!

Thank you both!

When will this episode be uploaded on Spotify?

Around 14:00 - “There are going to be things in the culture of the church that I don’t like, and that’s okay.” That’s so good. Thank you.

I love the conversation about why and how people leave the church. I’ve learned this myself through the years having people very close to me leave the church. I’m grateful in a way that I was able to learn from them to recognize my biases and let them go over time. I do still recognize church cultural things that make me cringe that I may have said way back when.

Can you imagine being the missionaries re-teaching Don Bradley! His story is amazing and inspiring.

Don, it sounds like your 'Moses's snake' letter swallowed up your 'pharaoh's magician' letter.

This was absolutely beautiful! His journey resonated so much with mine and I had the same prompting just yesterday before watching this video about how I left the church because I didn't have a testimony of Jesus Christ but I did in J Smith, eventually everything came down when I did my degree in history because I didn't have Jesus Christ as my center. Thank you so much for doing this episode.

So… Brother Bradley left the church and subsequently felt spiritually lost. Then he discovered that perhaps Joseph Smith knew things about the temple endowment long before Nauvoo. God reached out to him and let him know that He is real. Don came back to the church, because of the good that he felt it did in his life and because our form of religion/spirituality “worked“ for him. What I was listening for, hoping for was some reason to believe that if Joseph was a prophet, then it rationally follows that the men who controlled the church after him, were also prophets. I never heard him expressed that belief, and I never heard him say he believed the church is true. Just that it’s good for him and he wants to be part of it. That is the most honest, educated testimony, I think I’ve ever heard in my life!

Thank you so much for sharing your experience and Testimony. My younger brother has left the Church, and while he has helped me realize that I need to think critically about Why I continue to go to Church, and more importantly choose to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it has also caused me to lessen my level of conviction. Also, upon learning more about the corporate side of the Church, and when emphasis seems to be more about Prophets than Jesus Christ, I have been wondering where I was finding Jesus and His Gospel. In addition, it's been hard to see my brother who has chosen to leave the Church, being what I feel is harshly judged by my Dad! It feels like those moments in a story when a character makes a choice that makes you cringe and you want to call out "Noooo! Don't Do that! No.. that just made it worse!" It's especially hard when you know that your Dad gets choked up about the story of the Prodigal Son, and yet when it's happening in real time, he chooses to act like the Elder son of the Parable. It makes me question whether or not I Am even Christian or if if I think I'm doing better than I really am as a person. Do I really live out what I believe or am I just going through the motions? Do I have pure motives, or should I stop "trying", so I can be honest with myself and others? I still want to believe, but I want to be sincere in what I believe when it comes to this Gospel and the Church Doctrine. However, I'm grateful for when you mentioned that we each deal with members who might not do things exactly how we might think it could be done, but that our main focus should be on our relationship with God, my Father, and my Brother, Advocate, and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you Brothern for this interview. ❤🙏🕊️

Honest question, I’m curious about, do we know who the fathers are for those first few marriages’ pregnancies? IE have we ruled out that they weren’t pregnant with Joseph’s baby and so he was “covering his tracks” by marrying them after? Not having a faith crisis or anything, just curious and thinking if I was playing devils advocate to the point polygamy wasn’t introduced to be about sex.

I firs want to say welcome home. I know that what you lost was similar to loosing your brother in having your family relation broken. But when you leave the church you also loose a family feeling of belonging to the family of Jesus. Even now my strongest testimony is that the church the only organization that has the ability to create a family relationship. If president Nelson didn’t have .he priesthood keys the bringing a person into a family. Going into a dedicated building makes you feel like being in your own fathers home. Most people know that you feel differently in your fathers home an,d being in your grandfathers home. That is why when we go to church we want to associate together as siblings. To me there is no greater testimony that the church is true. Again I welcome you back. NPJ

Im a latterday saint and I am crying knowing you both have come back john tells lies to make money and supports those that have been excommunicated not to come back heavenly father loves you and the saints you are stronger now and can help others

That tunnel vision spoken of in this video reminds me of MANY current members who are focusing on social issues in which they feel the church is off base in its stance. We would all do well by being grateful for all we have and know. Everything else works itself out of focus over time and we have peace.

@Stephen Jones: Softball interview. We really cannot determine what Joseph Smith's motives were for his marrying women who were already married, and pregnant (presumably) with their husband's child. Debating/arguing that his plural marriages did not involve sex is a truly pointless activity. We do know that some of his plural marriages WERE sexual. To be clear, at least some of his polyandrous marriages, and at least some of his marriages to single women were sexual relationships. For me, the best measure of Joseph Smith is what he taught to the Twelve and to others regarding the Principle, because they LIVED what they were taught by the man Joseph Smith. Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards, Franklin D. Richards, Parley Pratt, Orson Pratt, Orson Hyde, Lorenzo Snow, William Clayton, Joseph B. Noble, etc. These men were all taught this principle by Joseph Smith. They went forward for the next 60 years and lived it. There was a lot of procreation associated with the lives of these men, and the women they married. Brian Hales and Don Bradley can engage in all of the mental calisthenics they want to arrive at the conclusion that Joseph practiced non-sexual polygamy. I am grateful to know that not all of Joseph's marriages were sexual, but I am not a fool. Some of them did. If plural marriage is a true principle, then it must have involved procreation. I would imagine if men were abusing this principle - one way or the other - God would be justified in striking men dead.

I have a personal model for why God would require Polygamy. It is based on the assumption that there will always be more women than men, that are worthy of Exaltation... Due to human nature. (This assumption could be wrong but I think it is likely, based on the differences in Male and Female human nature.) With this assumption, if God did not allow polygamy, then the "excess" women who are worthy of Exaltation would be robbed of their Just reward. (i.e. "God would cease to be God.") My model also accepts that all Plural Eternal Marriages must be completely consensual. And expects that all Men & Women who become Christ-like enough to be worthy of Exaltation, will willingly invite others into their Plural Marriage, to fulfill God's Love & Justice. Else they would cease to be Gods. This "model" is not doctrine but merely my current thinking on polygamy. Polygamy is practice for Christ-like people. Therefore few are ready during their lifetime.

Wow!! I love the humility of this intelligent man! It clearly shows the contrast between those with pride who think they are way smarter than the Lord, and those who are humble like this man who overcame all pride he clearly could have had because of his extensive knowledge and abilities in order to admit he had been wrong and accept pure truth. Because of his point of view from both sides, he has been able to discover and share some amazing insights. Thank you for sharing this sweet story!

Welcome back to the church, brother Bradley!

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