For nearly two centuries, Joseph Smith’s involvement in polygamy has been a point of controversy. Historians and more recently, LDS leaders, have affirmed that the Mormon prophet took dozens of wives. But a growing movement within the Church is challenging that narrative, arguing that Smith was a monogamist—and that polygamy was a later invention used to justify the actions of Brigham Young and other church leaders. One of the most vocal advocates of this perspective is Michelle Stone, creator of 132 Problems: Revisiting Mormon Polygamy, a YouTube channel with nearly 120,000 subscribers. A lifelong member of the LDS Church, Michelle once had a strong testimony of polygamy, believing it was divinely inspired. But everything changed ten years ago when her husband questioned whether polygamy was ever truly of God. Determined to prove him wrong, Michelle embarked on a deep dive into historical records—only to find herself questioning whether Joseph Smith practiced polygamy at all. Now, she joins Mormon Stories to share her research, her faith journey, and why she believes the Church has it wrong on one of the most controversial chapters in its history. 00:00:00 Beginning 00:05:22 Why we want to have Michelle on 00:15:48 Michelle’s great-grandfather was told by the president of the church to go to Mexico to get a second wife 00:35:07 Her grandfather was called to be a mission president in Tonga, leaving behind other wives 00:48:56 She was never taught that Joseph didn’t practice polygamy 01:05:00 Things made more sense once she realized there was problems in church history 01:14:00 Trauma of losing a child at the hospital in 2020 during the pandemic 01:24:00 Had an experience where she felt that she saw her daughter grown up 01:56:48 Michelle was devastated by the Nov 2015 LGBTQ Policy 02:04:50 Discussion of polygamy in the BOM 02:14:50 Michelle had a second faith crisis in 2020 02:32:33 When did she start her YouTube channel “132 Problems”? 02:43:34 God saying in the BoM that polygamy is an abomination 02:56:01 Has she ever decided differently than what god “commanded”? 03:18:15 Discussion on RLDS church and why they split from the LDS church 03:19:41 Michelle is asking individuals to “hold a little space” for this new theory 03:31:54 Her episode on Emma changed her mind 03:49:20 “I have become more confident in my stance since I started speaking out” 04:16:57 Michelle’s thoughts on Fanny Alger 04:39:45 Why were there rumors of polygamy going on in the church in 1835? 05:00:40 Questions on the Nauvoo Expositor 05:33:00 How can the church be true if the original men made so many mistakes? 05:40:50 What are her thoughts on the church maybe excommunicating her? ___________________ Show Notes: https://www.mormonstories.org/joseph-smith-monogamy-affirmer-michelle-stone-ep-1996/ 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 #MormonStories #Mormon #lds polygamy,mormon polygamy,lds polygamy,joseph smith,joseph smith polygamy,lds,mormon,michelle stone,was joseph smith a polygamist,church of jesus christ of latter day saints,john dehlin,mromon stories podcast,mormon stories,mormon history,lds history,polygamy in america,polygamy marriage,lds church,polygamy deniers,debunking polygamy denial,polygamy in the bible,polygamy mormon,polygamy in the mormon church,book of mormon,nauvoo illinois