Some of our members share why history is important to them.
Christin Mackay
Why church history is important to me? Church history is important to me because it’s part of my story. The story of the church and my family are intertwined through many generations. It’s our responsibility to tell the stories of the early and recent church so that current and future generations know the struggles and triumphs that earlier members endured to bring their concept of Zion closer to reality.
Sharon Wood
The past and the present are part of the same journey.
Peter Judd
From my teenage years on I have always wanted to know more about the faith community into which I was born and which meant so much to my family for several generations. I continue to search for stories that were important to earlier generations in the church.
Bill Shepard
I study church history to attempt to understand Mormon activities in the formative years and to attempt to separate history from myth.
Scott Esplin
My earliest religious feelings are associated with childhood visits to our shared sacred sites. The study of Church history reminds me of those feelings and nurtures a desire to foster them in others.
Jill Brim
Initially I studied church history in order to understand my newly-acquired theology. Traveling from Chicago to Nauvoo through the years, I gained a cultural awareness of the many voices of the Restoration. My education has been enriched by my association with JWHA colleagues.
Taunalyn Rutherford
Church history is more than a hobby or a career–it informs my sense of self. JWHA in particular connects me to historical “cousins” I didn’t know I had, who open new doors of understanding and create a more complete picture of restoration history.
Keith Wilson
All history is perspectival. Good history considers multiple perspectives and challenges each participant to not just perpetuate their own story but to weigh its credibility in the historical marketplace. This is why I love coming to the John Whitmer meetings. Perspectives abound.
Sherry Morain
The church was my cradle. I have been intrigued by church history since 3rd grade Sunday School class so I got pretty adept after leaving home at explaining the RLDS origins in a superficial but adequate story. It is fun to fill in both the deeper and broader story as I listen to the stories within the story.
Dan Whittemore
Why is Restoration church history important to me? I recognize objectivity, reality, and historical accounts of the John Whitmer Historical Association. Understanding the past helps me understand myself, my background, my church and the Restoration movement. My maternal and paternal ancestors gathered during the Nauvoo-era, and I want to understand why my ancestors were drawn to the Restoration.
I am blessed to hear and read from contemporary historians, authors, and speakers. In my opinion, the John Whitmer Historical Association is the most accurate and balanced historical resource for Restoration History.
Mel Johnson
A community of decency interested in Latter Day Saint history.
