When he first hears Joseph Smith has produced this book, he says he's filled with wrath.

His punk kid would claim that he had produced a book of scripture.

It was a signal to people that the heavens were not closed, that it wasn't just the record of the Bible,

but that there was more scripture.

I have more confidence in the book of Mormon than any book of this wide earth. Orson Pratt, Parley Pratt, know the Book of Mormon way better than Joseph does.

It seems like his unfamiliarity might be a strength for us.

If he's the translator and not the author of the Book of Mormon, maybe he did know it,

not as well as Orson or Parley Pratt, and that's okay. It is just like any relationship, it takes time.

We've been looking forward to this for a while, and part of it is because Janice is just done some

really great work in early Latter-day Saint converts,

and especially early Latter-day St. Converts in the Book of Mormon.

Janice Johnson specializes in American religious history, specifically Latter-day Saint

history, and the prosecution for the Mountain Meadows Massacre.

Dr. Johnson has master's degrees in American religious history and theology

and a PhD in American history taught and researched as a professor at BYU, Idaho, and

BYU, and is now an acquisitions director at Desiret Book. And she is the author of numerous books

and articles, including the award-winning convicting the Mormons, the Mountain Meadows Massacre

in American Culture, and her newest book on Revelation in the series Themes Themes and The Doctrine and Covenants that was published by the Maxwell Institute and Desiret Book.

Dr. Johnson's current research centers on the Book of Mormon and the relationship of early Latter-day Saint converts to this new American scripture.

Janice, that is an impressive retinue of projects that you're involved in.

And it seems like you've worked with a lot of good organizations.

Right now, you're with Deseret Book.

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