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Historian: Joseph Smith may have found objects beyond gold plates

September 18, 2026 at 5:03 PM MT · via YouTube / Let's Get Real with Stephen Jones · Summarized by Mormon News from original reporting

Historian Don Bradley argues in a YouTube interview that Joseph Smith may have found objects beyond the gold plates traditionally described in Latter-day Saint history. Bradley examines the artifacts associated with the Book of Mormon's coming forth and suggests the historical record has been misunderstood.

The video from Let's Get Real with Stephen Jones has drawn 35,340 views in 27 hours. Bradley's work on early Mormon history and the Book of Mormon translation has been influential in academic circles.

The interview engages ongoing scholarly debates about what Smith claimed to find at the Hill Cumorah and how the translation process occurred. Bradley's interpretations challenge both traditional faithful narratives and skeptical dismissals.

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