Missionary Efforts in the 19th Century Utah Part 1



MRM’s Bill McKeever interviews associate Aaron Shafovaloff about ministries and missions efforts in Utah during the 19th century. A new series.

Overview:

  • Aaron Shafovaloff discusses the historical missionary efforts of Christians in Utah, emphasizing the long-standing tradition of evangelism in the region.
  • He is digitizing historical resources related to these efforts and making them available on the MRM website.
  • The focus is on creating an index of online Christian historical sources on Mormonism to provide access to primary materials.
  • Aaron highlights a pamphlet by Josiah McClain, a Presbyterian, which details the history of Utah and the role of Christians in the area.
  • The pamphlet discusses Captain James Bridger’s exploration of the Great Salt Lake region in the early 1820s and the subsequent settlement by Mormons in 1847.
  • The discussion includes the establishment of churches and places of worship by Mormons as they settled in the region.
  • Aaron encourages Christians in Utah to learn about their own missionary history.
  • The episode sets the stage for further exploration of the first Christian missionaries in Utah and their efforts to evangelize Latter-day Saints.
  • The next episode will continue discussing McClain’s pamphlet and the 19th-century Christian missionary efforts in Utah.