Mormon Stories Podcast
Mormon Stories Podcast
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Martin & Lucy Harris and the Lost 116 Pages of the Book of Mormon - John Turner Pt. 3 | Ep. 2028

Posted

June 5, 2025

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Welcome to part three of the Joseph Smith Podcast! Today we are back with Dr. John Turner to cover his new book “Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet.” Today we are covering Chapter Four titled: Lost in Translation which takes place in 1827-1829 in Palmyra, New York.

In this episode, we explore one of the most pivotal and mysterious events in early Mormon history — the story of Martin and Lucy Harris and the infamous loss of the 116 pages of the Book of Mormon manuscript. With historian and non-Latter-day Saint scholar John G. Turner, we dive into the complexities of translation, belief, and the relationships that shaped the early Restoration movement.

We also examine:

-The discovery of the plates

-Martin Harris’ background and motives

-Lucy Harris’ suspicions and possible involvement

-The cultural and religious context of the time

-Theories about the Book of Mormon translation process

-What the loss of the 116 pages reveals about Joseph Smith’s prophetic development

This episode also reflects on broader themes of faith, deception, historical interpretation, and the psychology behind religious movements. Whether you're a believer, skeptic, or historian, this deep-dive provides rich insight from a non-Mormon perspective.

Please purchase the book here

To support this series please donate hereOne half of all donations will go to Dr. Turner for as long as he is participating in the series.

You can find the Joseph Smith podcast feed on Spotify here

Show notes can be found on the Mormon Stories blog here

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Guests & Subjects Covered

John Turner Pt. 3Joseph Smith Podcast TodayDr John TurnerJoseph Smith The RiseAmerican Prophet TodayChapter FourPalmyra New York InLucy Harris

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