Mark Hofmann & the Forging of New Mormon History

By: L. Hannah Stoddard, James F. Stoddard III

Narrated by: L. Hannah Stoddard

This three-and-a-half-hour audiobook offers a faithful retelling of the Hofmann forgeries, and their impact on the progressive rewriting of Latter-Day Saint history. Why did new Mormon historians insist Hofmann’s forgeries were legitimate, even when investigators provided convincing evidence to them of the hoax? How did Bruce R. McConkie know Hofmann’s Joseph Smith III Blessing was a fake, despite authentication by document experts and pressure by historians calling him “incompetent” for questioning? Before detection, Mark Hofmann’s “discoveries” challenged the testimonies of many Latter-Day Saints as science and history seemed to attack the character and integrity of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the Church. Church leaders endured a great deal of criticism for their inability to detect the deception foisted on them by Hofmann. For progressives, the Hofmann story left behind a black hole and a black eye for the Church. For traditionalists, the Hofmann forgeries can represent a faith-promoting opportunity with diverse lessons for navigating future trials. This audiobook is an excerpt from the larger book, Faith Crisis, Volume 1: We Were Not Betrayed!.

©2020 L. Hannah Stoddard (P)2022 L. Hannah Stoddard

A Spellbinding Account

Growing up in Pennsylvania I only heard the small bits and fragments that made the news back East about Mark Hofmann and his strange Salamander letter and blowing people up over it. I had no idea what really happened.

This short book excerpt blew me away going through a timeline of events, from Mark’s initial early desire to forever change the narrative about Joseph Smith, to the incredible uncovering and exposing Hofmann’s fraud by document experts in the FBI, to the position we find ourselves in now, not really knowing what “history” has become tainted by Hofmann’s forgeries.

This is such a crazy incredible story. I wish everyone understood this and would listen to this amazingly researched narrative. It could help people step back and stop worrying so much about weird historical narratives that were obviously tainted by fraudulent actors, and just focus on what we do have and know. I am so grateful to Hannah and James Stoddard for putting this together and presenting it so well. Well done!

every truth seeking church member should consider

Much controversy surrounds present day present day latter day Saint topics in new events. The church is being attacked from many vectors not only from without but from within. This book shows some of the ways we may be in danger from those within who have an agenda that they openly admit is to change the course of the church.

Must Read!!

This is a very well researched and written book. Important for anyone who wants to discover the truth for themselves!!

Fantastic read!

I loved the material. Great performance by Hannah Stoddard. Well worth the time and money.

Fascinating and Faith Promoting!

I was SO pleased to have this book on audio, even in partial form. L. Hannah Stoddard’s reading brings the fascinating and tragic tale of Mark Hoffman to life, as well as the effect it had on the ‘new narrative’ pushed by progressive LDS church scholars.

I was a teenager when this all played out and missed so many details! Brilliantly researched and written. I look forward to the next reading.