S2 E2 Joseph Smith's Early Poverty, Illness, and Trials

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Episode 2 of Beginnigs explores Joseph Smith's formative years, examining how poverty, illness, and relocation shaped his life. Through historical analysis, hosts discuss how Smith's early hardships—including typhoid fever, financial ruin, and family tragedy—potentially influenced his religious visions and teachings, offering listeners a nuanced perspective on the human experiences behind one of America's most significant religious figures. 

Sources

• Essay: Joseph Smith Sr Ginseng Venture & Loses Farm_Meridian
• Essay: Truth Claims | Joseph Smith_Mormon Stories
• Essay: Early Struggles of the Smith Family_LDS.org
• Essay: Family Faced Strugglesf_Deseret News
• Essay: Joseph Smith Childhood Illness_BYU RSC
• Essay: Joseph Smith Boyhood Surgery_BYU RSC

AI Prompt
Examine Joseph Smith's formative years in grinding poverty/typhoid - moving eight times in ten years, losing their farm, surviving typhoid that left him crippled and dependent on crutches for three years. Explore Lucy's dowery, the ginseng failure, creditors stripping Lucy's savings, winter journeys on foot despite surgical recovery, trading earrings for food. Poverty in VT an Palmyra. Death of Alvin. How could pressure for money and survival impact Joseph Smith's decisions and actions? 

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1. Truth | 2. Beginnings | 3. First Vision | 4. Priesthood | 5. The Gold Plates | 6. The BoM | 7. The BoA | 8. Polygamy | 9. Changes | 10. Challenges | ...