Mark Hofmann & the Forging of New Mormon History

De: L. Hannah Stoddard, James F. Stoddard III

Narrado por: L. Hannah Stoddard

This three-and-a-half-hour audiobook offers a faithful retelling of the Hofmann forgeries, and their impact on the progressive rewriting of Latter-Day Saint history. Why did new Mormon historians insist Hofmann’s forgeries were legitimate, even when investigators provided convincing evidence to them of the hoax? How did Bruce R. McConkie know Hofmann’s Joseph Smith III Blessing was a fake, despite authentication by document experts and pressure by historians calling him “incompetent” for questioning? Before detection, Mark Hofmann’s “discoveries” challenged the testimonies of many Latter-Day Saints as science and history seemed to attack the character and integrity of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Church. Church leaders endured a great deal of criticism for their inability to detect the deception foisted on them by Hofmann. For progressives, the Hofmann story left behind a black hole and a black eye for the Church. For traditionalists, the Hofmann forgeries can represent a faith-promoting opportunity with diverse lessons for navigating future trials. This audiobook is an excerpt from the larger book, Faith Crisis, Volume 1: We Were Not Betrayed!.

©2020 L. Hannah Stoddard (P)2022 L. Hannah Stoddard

A Spellbinding Account

Growing up in Pennsylvania I only heard the small bits and fragments that made the news back East about Mark Hofmann and his strange Salamander letter and blowing people up over it. I had no idea what really happened.

This short book excerpt blew me away going through a timeline of events, from Mark’s initial early desire to forever change the narrative about Joseph Smith, to the incredible uncovering and exposing Hofmann’s fraud by document experts in the FBI, to the position we find ourselves in now, not really knowing what “history” has become tainted by Hofmann’s forgeries.

This is such a crazy incredible story. I wish everyone understood this and would listen to this amazingly researched narrative. It could help people step back and stop worrying so much about weird historical narratives that were obviously tainted by fraudulent actors, and just focus on what we do have and know. I am so grateful to Hannah and James Stoddard for putting this together and presenting it so well. Well done!

every truth seeking church member should consider

Much controversy surrounds present day present day latter day Saint topics in new events. The church is being attacked from many vectors not only from without but from within. This book shows some of the ways we may be in danger from those within who have an agenda that they openly admit is to change the course of the church.

Fascinating and Faith Promoting!

I was SO pleased to have this book on audio, even in partial form. L. Hannah Stoddard’s reading brings the fascinating and tragic tale of Mark Hoffman to life, as well as the effect it had on the ‘new narrative’ pushed by progressive LDS church scholars.

I was a teenager when this all played out and missed so many details! Brilliantly researched and written. I look forward to the next reading.

Must Read!!

This is a very well researched and written book. Important for anyone who wants to discover the truth for themselves!!

Fantastic read!

I loved the material. Great performance by Hannah Stoddard. Well worth the time and money.

Good Explanations of Things That can Be Confusing about The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-Day Saints

The author did a great reading the book. The information was very interesting and faith affirming, I listened to it in one long session while doing things I needed to do. I look forward to reading her other books.

Hannah reads very nice. Easy to listen to.

The statement of Gordon B Hinckley that we do not need present revelation seems opposed to early mormon views.

An eye opening perspective

While I think the authors understandably misstep in their version of the "prophets aren't fallible" narrative, that is the undoubtably hinge point for most members that eventually apostasize/deconstruct their faith. I do think that overall the message is solid and exposes the efforts among the progressive historians to mainstream and legitimize traditional anti Mormonism as fact.

I hope the authors will consider that their own position, is uncomfortably close to the progressives in that they also seem to believe the prophets fallibility is somehow more recent than their own. And this leads both the progressives and the traditionalists to use prophetic fallibility as an excuse override prophets with their own interpretations sold as truth. They just have different perspectives. Or different versions of the story they want to tell.

The authors version is undoubtedly vastly better than the progressives. But both contain the seed of apostasy within them in that seek to steady the ark of God in their own ways. They put their own wisdom above the wisdom of the Lord in guiding his church.

Sure there are questions that will trouble the newly aware saint. But regret the mistakes or missteps, I would argue they are deliberately left by the Lord to test us. To see if we will trust him to run his church or if we will push our own will over his.

Read the book. It's unavailable. Just be aware that the adversary will attack from every angle he can to undermine our commitment to let God prevail. Whether we are progressive or traditionalist, he will use either to further his agenda of provoking us to anger and to pride.

Never believe that you are strong enough to resist evil or worse to challenge it openly in your own strength. Pray that you are strong enough from a position of humility.

The Lord is sifting his church of tares. It's accelerating. - Dimitri