Standard of Truth

In this episode, we begin with a discussion of academic procrastination and how desperate Richard’s dissertation committee is to read about implied referrals. We look at Rigdon’s movement away from the teachings of the Prophet Joseph. Gerrit shares the things Rigdon was saying publicly verses things he shared privately showing how Sidney was not being an honest broker.   Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2025: ⁠https://standardoftruth.com/tours/⁠ Missouri/Nauvoo – June 22nd through June 28th  Palmyra/Kirtland – August 3rd through August 9th   Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠   If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

In this episode, we begin with a discussion of the impact of Sidney Rigdon’s tarring and feathering injuries on his mental health. We then move to Sydney Rigdon's attack on Joseph Smith and the Quorum of the Twelve and his founding of the Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite).   Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2025: ⁠https://standardoftruth.com/tours/⁠ Missouri/Nauvoo – June 22nd through June 28th  Palmyra/Kirtland – August 3rd through August 9th   Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠   If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

In this episode, Gerrit discusses the claim that President Joseph Fielding Smith destroyed pages of Joseph Smith’s history so that the saints wouldn’t be upset with some of the things found in the history. Gerrit also destroys Sidney Rigdon’s claims to lead the Church after the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith. THANK YOU to all of those who donated to Sweetwater Rescue. You have donated over $38,000 to pay for 100 members of the Rio Gallegos District to go to the Buenos Aires Temple the week of November 25th. Thank you so much. Below are links to the video we created for their district conference and the video that they sent back to us Sweetwater Rescue video for the Rio Gallegos District: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E7eCKrNfhcTnrO_hkJb34KHAL8C5TDIO/view?usp=share_link Rio Gallegos District video for Sweetwater Rescue: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lsHE52OwD0jpKFQiBNUksbYZRkxg9aLo/view?usp=share_link Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2025: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/ Missouri/Nauvoo – June 22nd through June 28th Palmyra/Kirtland – August 3rd through August 9th   Gerrit’s cruise through Bountiful Travel: https://bountifultravel.com/trips/holy-land-cruise/ Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

In this episode, we read a couple of missionary emails and talk about why the Church is mocked. We discuss our experience at the premier of the movie 6 Days in August and go on to talk about how Brigham Young follows the Prophet Joseph Smith and his teachings after Joseph and Hyrum’s death. Link to The Prodigal Son: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meBiSt4NgkI⁠  Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2025: ⁠https://standardoftruth.com/tours/⁠ Missouri/Nauvoo – June 22nd through June 28th  Palmyra/Kirtland – August 3rd through August 9th Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠ If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com⁠

In this episode, we begin with a celebration of the Milwaukee, Wisconsin temple. We play everyone’s favorite game “Fun with General Conference”. We discuss the historical context behind the movie Six Days in August which is a dramatization of the succession crisis after the murder of Joseph Smith.   Six Days in August Trailer: https://youtu.be/8JcNJzfDtyY?si=Fa7lKg2yUyOaATpd Where to find the film: https://witnessesfilm.com Picture of Gerrit as a missionary in Wisconsin: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YbvYLklH80gbm-ijfjHI2otZ_ir9zYPL/view?usp=sharing   Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2025: ⁠https://standardoftruth.com/tours/⁠ Missouri/Nauvoo – June 22nd through June 28th  Palmyra/Kirtland – August 3rd through August 9th   Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠ If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

In this bonus episode, we play a recording that we did on the 2024 standard to tour in Palmyra. We hear the comments of tour participants and the things that they liked the most about the tour. We hope that you enjoy this bonus episode and that you are having a lovely conference weekend.   Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2025: ⁠https://standardoftruth.com/tours/⁠ Missouri/Nauvoo – June 22nd through June 28th  Palmyra/Kirtland – August 3rd through August 9th Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠ If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

In this episode, we continue a deeper theological discussion of the problem of evil and what happens to the billions upon billions of people who never hear the name Jesus let alone be given the opportunity to accept Him. Gerrit’s dander is way up. In fact, in this episode on the Gerrit Dander Meter we are at a 93. Is that high? We have no frame of reference but 93 sure seems high.   Joseph Smith sermon Gerrit reads from during the episode: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/discourse-7-april-1844-as-reported-by-wilford-woodruff/5#full-transcript   Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2025: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/ Missouri/Nauvoo – June 22nd through June 28th Palmyra/Kirtland – August 3rd through August 9th   Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com   If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

In this episode, we discuss the theological impact of the restored gospel on Christianity. Most if not all of us have family or friends that have had a crisis of faith over some aspect of the church, church, history, or doctrine. Many of these people leave the church while still having a strong love and belief in Jesus Christ. We discussed the false choice that exists between the teachings that come through revelation in the restoring gospel and mainstream Christianity. We play several audio clips from sermons trying to explain away mysteries of God to his nature, the problem of evil, and the fact that the vast majority of the earth’s population will burn in the fires of hell. Gerrit provides insight and ends with a beautiful sermon by the prophet Joseph Smith.   Joseph Smith’s teaching on the salvation of mankind referenced by Gerrit: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/times-and-seasons-15-april-1842/10?highlight=goes%20to%20hell   Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2025: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/ Missouri/Nauvoo – June 22nd through June 28th Palmyra/Kirtland – August 3rd through August 9th   Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

In this episode, Gerrit discusses a book that was randomly sent to a litner, Joseph Smith Revealed: A Faithful Telling: Exploring an Alternate Polygamy Narrative. Gerrit provides an academic breakdown of the argument taking it apart piece by piece. Richard provides a slightly less comprehensive review by calling the book stupid. In these highly charged political times The Standard of Truth Podcast finally takes a controversial stance. We stand with Connecticut against the 3rd Amendment. Cynical people may say that we are only doing this for website traffic, but they are all James Madison apologists. In addition, never in the history of words has anyone read anything as poorly as Richard read the emails from the Phoebe Draper Palmer Brown Mailbag on this episode. If you have ever thought you might share The Standard of Truth Podcast with friends or family, we recommend that you do not share this episode.   Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2025: ⁠https://standardoftruth.com/tours/⁠ Missouri/Nauvoo – June 22nd through June 28th  Palmyra/Kirtland – August 3rd through August 9th Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠ If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

We continue our discussion on President George Albert Smith’s apocalyptic vision and Gerrit shares other quotes and warnings from modern prophets on how to prepare for the great calamities and signs of the times of the Second Coming. In addition, Richard accused Gerrit of being wealthy enough to have the Disney Channel in his youth. Richard is proven incorrect as the cartoon Gummi Bears originally appeared on NBC from 1985 to 1989, season 5 was on ABC, and only aired on the Disney Channel with season 6 and in syndication up to 1997. Alvin and the Chipmunks “Wall” Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BLIzbBbXHI Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2025: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/ Missouri/Nauvoo – June 22nd through June 28th Palmyra/Kirtland – August 3rd through August 9th Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

The Standard of Truth Podcast is nothing if not hip to the kids and current social media trends. Recently a recollection of an apocalyptic vision attributed to George Albert Smith has been making its way around the interwebs. In this episode, we go through the vision and the original source. BYU archived source:  https://archives.lib.byu.edu/repositories/ltpsc/resources/upb_mss6105 Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2025: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/ Missouri/Nauvoo – June 22nd through June 28th Palmyra/Kirtland – August 3rd through August 9th Sign up for our free monthly email: https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

The episode begins with a TREMENDOUS amount of gratitude for those who donated to Sweetwater Rescue’s fundraiser to help Latter-day Saints in Rio Gallegos get to the temple  (https://www.sweetwaterrescue.org). Gerrit answers litner’s questions about the changes made to Aaronic Priesthood offices and responsibilities. Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2025: https://standardoftruth.com/tours/ Missouri/Nauvoo – June 22nd through June 28th Palmyra/Kirtland – August 3rd through August 9th

Gerrit is asked for his favorite story from Church history, leading to a discussion of the rescue of the Willie and Martin handcart companies at the Sweetwater River.  Richard talks about the organization Sweetwater Rescue and their goal to help people get to the temple. He shares a miraculous story about saints in southern Argentina and the work being done to help them. Sweetwater Rescue website: ⁠https://www.sweetwaterrescue.org⁠ President Hinckley's conference address about the Sweetwater Rescue: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYS6rohbE4k⁠   Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠ If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com⁠ Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2025: ⁠https://standardoftruth.com/tours/⁠ Missouri/Nauvoo – June 22nd through June 28th  Palmyra/Kirtland – August 3rd through August 9th

Attacking the Book of Mormon is a staple of anti-Mormon commentary, however, the fact that it exists creates a problem. There are many theories about the origin of the Book of Mormon that attempt to explain it away and in this episode, we explore a lesser-known theory. Gerrit also makes a definitive statement that Joseph Smith did not steal the line “I have dreamed a dream” (1 Nephi 8:2) from the 1980 musical Les Misérables. Gerrit also sets up the context of one of his favorite stories from Church history.   Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2025: ⁠https://standardoftruth.com/tours/⁠ Missouri/Nauvoo – June 22nd through June 28th  Palmyra/Kirtland – August 3rd through August 9th Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠ If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com⁠

We start the episode by providing an answer to a litner’s email, if they could choose the date for their child to be born, what date from Church history would Gerrit choose. We then go on to answer the following questions about Joseph Smith from a missionary’s email: What was Joseph Smith’s education? What was Joseph’s military service? What were Joseph’s financial circumstances? What were some of the radical teachings from the Prophet Joseph Smith? Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2025: Missouri/Nauvoo – June 22nd through June 28th Palmyra/Kirtland – August 3rd through August 9th

In this episode, Gerrit’s dander and blood pressure both continue to remain way up as he continues to refute the assertion that Joseph was in any way a fallen prophet. Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2025: Missouri/Nauvoo – June 22nd through June 28th Palmyra/Kirtland – August 3rd through August 9th Sign up for our free monthly email:  ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠ If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com⁠

We begin with a discussion about the author of Lectures on Faith and why was it removed from the Doctrine and Covenants. Then the episode takes a sharp turn as Gerrit refutes an argument made on social media that Joseph Smith was taken from the earth because he refused to practice polygamy. Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2025: Missouri/Nauvoo – June 22nd through June 28th Palmyra/Kirtland – August 3rd through August 9th Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

In this episode, we respond to a litner’s email who has had many friends and family leave the Church. Gerrit describes all of the problems with the standard definitions of God without the further light we receive from the Restored Gospel. We cover just about everything from mosquitos to syphilis. Gerrit also answers a question about canes made from the coffins of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2025:  Missouri/Nauvoo – June 22nd through June 28th Palmyra/Kirtland – August 3rd through August 9th We also received an email that references Marinda Hyde and polyandry so we want to provide the references to those two episodes ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/standard-of-truth/id1570846618?i=1000582495978⁠ ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/standard-of-truth/id1570846618?i=1000583263596⁠ Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ ⁠https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com⁠ If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com⁠

In this episode, we answer some missionary emails relating to the First Vision, Joseph’s early persecution, and Joseph’s experiences attending other churches. There is also a healthy discussion about frocks. Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2025: Missouri/Nauvoo – June 22nd through June 28th Palmyra/Kirtland – August 3rd through August 9th Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com

We start the podcast with a discussion of General Authorities conference talks that focus on adultery. For the prize of a $50 Olive Garden gift card, we play everyone’s favorite game “Fun With Adultery” where Gerrit has to guess which decades adultery was a larger focus and which prophets and apostles spoke about the topic the most. Gerrit lost and Richard retained the $50 gift card for use in a future “Fun With _________” game. We answer a litner’s question about the change to the language used in the ordinance of baptism. We also announce the Standard of Truth Tour dates for 2025 and Richard talks about how much he is willing to pay for a great-grandchild to be named Richard Andrew LeDuc IV. Standard of Truth Tour dates for the summer of 2025: Missouri/Nauvoo - June 22nd through June 28th Palmyra/Kirtland – August 3rd through August 9th Sign up for our free monthly email: ⁠ https://standardoftruthpodcast.substack.com If you have any questions or possible topics of discussion for upcoming podcasts, please email us at: ⁠questions@standardoftruthpodcast.com