On August 8, 1844, following the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, Brigham Young addressed thousands of Saints in Nauvoo during a solemn assembly to determine the leadership of the Church. Many witnesses testified that as Brigham Young spoke, he appeared and sounded like the Prophet Joseph Smith, providing a powerful spiritual witness that the Lord had chosen him to lead the Church. Brigham Young later guided the Saints across the plains to the Salt Lake Valley and spent the remainder of his life building communities, strengthening the Church, and encouraging education, hard work, and compassion. The lesson teaches that faithful leadership, determination, and reliance on God help us overcome trials and accomplish great things.

This episode was created using Notebook LM voice-overs and original research by Rosemary Pollock, historian and  ...