James and Hannah Stoddard – Is the ‘Miracle of the Gulls’ Story Reliable History? Faith Crisis 2: Behind Closed Doors
James F. Stoddard III is the father of 10 children. He is a direct descendant of Asael and Mary Duty Smith, the Prophet Joseph Smith’s grandparents, and other LDS Church history figures. He is the president of the Joseph Smith Foundation, including LDS Answers, ZionTube, FAQs, Papers, InspiraWiki and Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith. He is the co-author of Seer Stone v. Urim & Thummim: Book of Mormon Translation on Trial and the producer or executive producer of seven documentary films. James has worked in private, public, religious, corporate and home education as well as Web development, software engineering, videography and natural health. He is the owner of IntegriVizion, a family business specializing in film production, Web development and graphic design. James spends any free moments working on Highland Cathedral Estate, a planned family retreat and learning facility with perennial gardens and walking trails specializing in experimental farming techniques and four-season food production. He currently serves on the Firm Foundation Executive Advisory and Strategic Planning Board. He also authors many papers and articles on the Web. James has worked as a release time Seminary teacher and as an instructor at the Provo Missionary Training Center (MTC). His research supports the writings and teachings of ancient and latter-day prophets.
L. Hannah Stoddard is the co-author of Seer Stone v. Urim & Thummim: Book of Mormon Translation on Trial. She is the founder of Joseph Smith’s Legacy and the producer or director of six documentary films. In addition to directing Joseph Smith Foundation projects for over a decade, she is often invited to speak on various radio and video programs. Hannah helped direct her first documentary film, beginning at age 16. She has worked as a history and literature teacher, graphic design artist, software developer, videographer, project manager, agriculturist and research assistant. Her work focuses on Church history and doctrine, answers to Latter-day Saint faith crisis questions, educational philosophy, culture and defending the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Documentary Films – For Our Day: Covenant on the Land (2013), For Our Day Divinely Sanctioned Governments (2013), Statesmen & Symbols: Prelude to the Restoration (2014), The Prophet Joseph: More than we know (2015), Unlocking the Mystery of the Two Prophets: Revelation 11 (2017), Hidden Bloodlines: The Grail & the Lost Tribes in the Lands of the North (2017).
Virtual Expo September 2020
As always, thank you for your diligent research!
Just as the Nephite apostates stirred up their enemies (the Lamanites) to attack, our own historians are doing it today with the progressives/liberals of the world today. I’m sure Noah heard similar mocking in his day to the warnings he was trying to provide those around him. I wonder how long the mockers were able to dog paddle before it finally dawned on them that they were wrong?
Thank you for all the work you have done to keep us informed! Excellent!
I purchased Rough Stone Rolling recently and wondered why it felt so uncomfortable to read some of the “History” it portrayed. Thank you for clarifying the real history about Joseph Smith’s method of translation and the miracle of the sea gulls. This story has intrigued me since I was in 5th grade and did my state report on Utah. I was not raised in the church, but I always believed that this was a miracle. Thank you so much for your diligent research and especially your testimonies.
A breath of fresh air in this time of feeling that the Progressives are leading us all to somewhere we really don’t want to be.