Welcome to Part 31 in our ongoing series with Dr. John Turner, based on his new book Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet. Today we are diving into Chapter 31, “World on Fire,” and the explosive years 1842-1843 in Nauvoo –a period marked by scandal, secrecy, political pressure, and deep internal crisis. In this episode we cover the rise and fall of John C. Bennett and the “Spiritual Wifery” scandal. We also discuss the attempted assassination of Lilburn Boggs and the role of Porter Rockwell. We also cover aspects of polygamy, namely the Nancy Rigdon controversy and Joseph Smith’s failed proposal, the stories of Sarah Pratt and Sarah Ann Whitney (including the letter sent to the Whitneys in Joseph Smith’s own handwriting with specific instructions to burn the letter), and Emma Smith and the growing concerns in the Relief Society as well as Nauvoo at large. We also examine how Nauvoo struggled to manage these crises, how accusations and denials shaped public perception, and why John Turner calls this moment a true “world on fire.” If you’d like to help keep this project going, please consider donating to support this series. Your support makes long-form, in-depth historical discussion like this possible! https://donorbox.org/josephsmith. Purchase John Turner’s book here: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300255164/joseph-smith/ Show notes can be found on the Mormon Stories blog here: https://www.mormonstories.org/relief-society-secret-polygamy-joseph-smiths-character/ Timecodes: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:42 The formation of the Relief Society (May 1842) 00:08:05 Emma’s health and plural marriages performed right before the formation 00:14:38 Did Joseph give the women the priesthood in the Relief Society? 00:22:14 One of the purposes of the Relief Society was correcting the morals and strengthening the virtuals of females, which is ironic 00:32:45 Did Joseph Smith have sex with Agnes? 00:42:52 Are there women that KNOW of Joseph Smith’s polygamy? 00:48:31 Rumors are NOT just getting out in the Relief Society, but the men also 00:53:34 Was John C. Bennett doing spiritual wifery TOTALLY disconnected from Joseph Smith’s polygamy? 00:56:26 Human trafficking from the Nauvoo Expositor 01:03;50 Who is Sidney Rigdon? 01:09:37 The Happiness Letter 01:16:09 Why do people find this letter morally outrageous? 01:25:08 Nancy Rigdon’s conduct in the city became “common rumor” 01:27:20 Joseph Smith assassinates their character so they are not believed 01:45:48 God does very questionable things 01:48:09 Final remarks and questions ___________________ At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals. Our overall mission is to: 1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today One-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6OgmoqJbOVRq-Lv1P7SzA/join Our Platforms: 🌐Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes 🎙️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories ✳️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1 🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772 🖼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories 📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast 🎮Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF Contact us: 📧 MormonStories@gmail.com 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117