Many Latter-day Saints claim that Joseph Smith could not have invented the Book of Mormon on his own. But long before the gold plates were ever mentioned, Joseph’s mother recalled how he would entertain the family with vivid, detailed stories about the ancient inhabitants of the Americas. According to History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, he described their clothing, travel methods, cities, buildings, warfare, and religious practices—as if he had lived among them. These imaginative tales sound strikingly similar to the narrative found in the Book of Mormon. This video explores the possibility that Joseph Smith didn’t need divine revelation—just a powerful imagination.
