M M and Joseph

Jesus Kneeling

Mormon preserved the sacred record.
Moroni delivered it.
Joseph translated it.

Together they point us to Jesus Christ.

Their work was never intended to draw attention to themselves, but to the Saviour whose gospel they restored.

That same purpose lies at the heart of the M M and Joseph website.

Welcome

My name is Alan. I am retired and have been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for almost fifty years. Throughout my life I have developed a deep interest in Christianity, the scriptures, Church history, doctrine, and the Restoration of the Gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith.

This website is the result of many years of study, reflection, and writing. Here you will find a growing collection of essays and treatises exploring Christianity, the Restoration, scripture, apologetics, Church history, and contemporary issues affecting faith in Jesus Christ and His restored Church.

What I Believe

I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Saviour and Redeemer of mankind, and the central figure in God's plan for His children.

I believe that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith, and that the Restoration of the Gospel was a real historical event. I believe the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and stands as powerful evidence of Joseph Smith's prophetic calling.

I believe that truth is ultimately established through revelation from God. Reason, scholarship, and historical evidence are valuable and necessary, but they are not substitutes for divine revelation. Many religious disagreements arise because people begin with assumptions inherited from tradition, philosophy, or culture rather than from what God has revealed.

For that reason, I seek to understand doctrine and history within the framework of revelation while giving careful consideration to evidence, reason, and scholarship.

My Approach

I strive to be both faithful and analytical.

Faith does not require us to ignore difficult questions, and difficult questions do not require us to abandon faith. Honest investigation, conducted with humility, strengthens genuine belief.

Many of the essays on this website examine controversial subjects as well as traditional gospel topics. They explore historical claims, doctrinal questions, scriptural interpretation, and common criticisms of the restored Gospel. My purpose is not to win arguments but to seek understanding, wherever honest inquiry leads.

I believe that spiritual truth is best understood when we study with both the mind and the spirit.

Why This Website Exists

This website exists for three simple reasons:

  • To strengthen faith in Jesus Christ.
  • To help readers better understand the Restoration and the teachings of Joseph Smith.
  • To provide thoughtful, well-researched responses to questions, criticisms, and misconceptions concerning the restored Gospel.

Whether you are searching, questioning, learning, or simply seeking a deeper understanding of these subjects, I hope these writings will prove both helpful and encouraging.

Website at a Glance

  • More than 150 essays and treatises.
  • Over 3,500 pages of research and study.
  • Christianity, the Restoration, Church history, scripture, and LDS doctrine.
  • Independent and non-commercial.
  • All articles are freely available to read, download, and share.

An Invitation

Whether you are a lifelong believer, an investigator, a former member, a critic, or simply someone interested in religious questions, you are welcome here.

I do not ask readers to accept my conclusions simply because I have written them. Instead, I invite you to examine the evidence, study the scriptures, consider the arguments, and seek your own answers through sincere prayer and thoughtful reflection.

Truth has nothing to fear from honest investigation.

Thank you for visiting. I hope you find something here that informs, inspires, and strengthens your own search for truth.

— Alan

Use of Artificial Intelligence

In preparing many of the articles and treatises published on this website, I make use of artificial intelligence as a research, organizational, and editorial tool.

AI assists me in locating information, exploring alternative viewpoints, organizing material, improving clarity, and refining presentation. The conclusions, interpretations, analyses, and opinions expressed throughout this website, however, are entirely my own.

I do not regard AI as a substitute for scholarship, critical thinking, or spiritual inquiry. Rather, I see it as a modern tool that enables me to study more efficiently and communicate more effectively. Every article is personally reviewed, evaluated, and approved before publication.

Nevertheless, I strongly encourage anyone undertaking a serious study of these subjects to examine the evidence carefully, study the original sources, and seek understanding through both diligent research and personal revelation.

Disclaimer

The thoughts, interpretations, and opinions expressed on this website are my own and should not be understood as representing the official views or positions of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.