For seven years, Keith Erekson directed the Church History Library, the official archive of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and home to more than 20 million records. He holds a doctorate in history, spent years as a tenured professor in Texas, and wrote the go-to book for members who want to engage their own history honestly. Once people learned what he did for a living, they kept asking him the same thing: did anything in those archives ever shake your faith? The question confused him at first. Nobody had asked it when he taught secular history. The answer he landed on surprised even him, and it had nothing to do with facts.

In this episode of Why We Believe, host Nathan Gwilliam sits down with Keith to trace a testimony that grew long before he ever set foot in an archive. Keith shares the priesthood blessing that healed him as a sick boy in Baltimore, the witness that came at twelve when his family finished the Book of Mormon, and a woman in Brazil whose dream taught her the plan of salvation before the missionaries said a word. He explains why prophets point people to Christ and never to themselves, and he describes the morning a letter from Joseph Smith passed into his hands and filled an archive room with the Spirit. Church history, Keith says, did not give him his testimony, so he cannot see how it could ever take one away.

Loved this episode?Hit Follow and share it with someone who wonders if hard questions about Church history have to cost them their faith. Leave a review for Why We Believe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. Your support helps us bring more inspiring conversations like this to listeners everywhere!

Visit WhyWeBelieve.com to download Your FREE guide on 13 Strategies to Increase Faith in Jesus Christ, to support you as you strengthen your own testimony of Jesus Christ.

Follow the Why We Believe Show:

Website: https://www.whywebelieve.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WhyWeBelieveShow

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6T9DjmWBXJZPFyIFXUCdhm

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/why-we-believe/id1751537256

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/why-we-believe-show/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whywebelievepodcast/

Follow Nathan Gwilliam:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathangwilliam/

Follow Keith Erekson:

Website: https://www.keitherekson.com/

Twitter/X: https://x.com/KeithAErekson