About Me
I am a Mormon. I’m not just Mormon, I’m a 6th generation Mormon. I have ancestors whose names are on the rolls of the church all the way back to Kirtland, Ohio! It would probably be fair to say I’m about as ethnically Mormon as a person can get. In fact, next time I fill out a demographic form I should probably file a grievance that there isn’t a “Mormon” option to choose from!
That said…
I’m also someone who loves the restoration and believes Joseph Smith gave us something profound—something we’ve partially lost or obscured over time.
A few years ago, I started noticing puzzles in the scriptures. Phrases that didn’t quite match what I’d been taught. Teachings from Joseph Smith that seemed to contradict current orthodoxy. The more I studied, the more I realized there was a pattern.
What Joseph Actually Did
I believe Joseph’s life’s work can be distilled into four key actions:
- Joseph had an experience where he went into the woods and encountered God and angels
- Joseph translated a book (The Book of Mormon) where nearly every main character either encountered God or angels
- Joseph authored a book (Lectures on Faith) where he teaches people to develop the faith to encounter God or angels
- Joseph adapted a ceremony (the temple endowment) where participants are taught to encounter God and angels
What This Actually Means
Everything Joseph did points in the same direction:
- The First Vision isn’t just Joseph’s credential—it’s the template
- The Book of Mormon isn’t just history—it’s a manual showing the pattern repeats
- Lectures on Faith isn’t just doctrine—it’s practical instruction
- The endowment isn’t just ceremony—it’s rehearsal for the real thing
Joseph was teaching us how to ascend to God’s presence. Not in the next life. In this one.
What This Blog Is About
I’m trying to recover what Joseph actually taught by going back to the sources. Not to tear down or attack, but to clarify. To dust off teachings that have been obscured or forgotten. To solve scriptural puzzles that orthodox answers can’t quite explain.
The blog’s tagline—“I don’t know jack”—is both honest and intentional. I could be right about some things and wrong about others. I’m not claiming authority or special insight. I’m just sharing what I’ve found and inviting you to study it out for yourself.
When Jesus said the way is narrow and few find it, I believe Him. The broad gate He spoke of—that’s orthodoxy. You don’t have to do anything to enter that gate; you just follow the flow of what everyone else is teaching. The difficult and narrow way requires going back to the sources, asking hard questions, and being willing to stand alone if necessary.
A Living Document
Nothing I write here is intended to be the final word on any topic. I’m learning as I go, and I reserve the right to refine, update, or even revise posts as new information becomes available or as my understanding deepens. If you notice a post has been updated, it’s because I’ve found something worth adding or correcting—not because I’m trying to hide earlier mistakes. I’ll try to add notations where necessary.
This is a journey of discovery, not a declaration of arrived truth.
A Note on Comments
You won’t find a comments section on this site. While I aim for a conversational tone, this isn’t really a conversation with the entire internet. Online comments tend to invite drive-by arguments and off-topic debates that I don’t have time or interest in engaging with.
That said, I’m genuinely open to thoughtful dialogue. If something I’ve written resonates with you—or if you think I’ve gotten something wrong and want to discuss it substantively—I welcome one-on-one conversation. You can reach me at [email protected].
If this work resonates with you, welcome. If you see something I’ve missed or gotten wrong, reach out. We’re all trying to find our way back.