facebook-pixel

‘Mormon Land’: Angels, demons and Ouija boards — A look at LDS missionary folklore and what it says about the faith

Some stories are tall on tale and short on truth, but they all carry meaning.

(Trent Nelson  |  The Salt Lake Tribune) Missionaries at the Missionary Training Center in Provo in 2023. Missionary stories and folklore are ubiquitous in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Missionaries at the Missionary Training Center in Provo in 2023. Missionary stories and folklore are ubiquitous in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Few groups exist in the world like missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

They may be assigned to different countries or speak different languages, but for 18 months to two years, tens of thousands of these mostly young proselytizers share the same strict schedule, routine, identity and purpose: namely, to share the good news of — and seek converts to — their religion.

More than a million have served in the church’s history, so missionary stories are practically as ubiquitous in the 194-year-old global faith as are soaring steeples, crying babies and tiny sacrament cups.

Some stories are inspiring. Some are scary (with odes to devilish humans and even Satan himself). Some are funny. And some are, well, tall on tale and short on truth.

Talking about these narratives, some of which are cataloged at church-owned Brigham Young University, on this week’s show are folklorist Christine Blythe, executive director of the Mormon History Association, and her husband and fellow folklorist, Christopher Blythe, author of “Terrible Revolution: Latter-day Saints and the American Apocalypse.” Together, they host the Latter-day Saint podcast “Angels and Seerstones.”

Listen here:



Support free news for Utah

sltrib.com is now free to access — no subscription required. We made this decision because we believe access to trustworthy, independent news shouldn’t depend on what you can afford — especially as misinformation and AI-generated content continue to rise.

Free to read doesn’t mean free to produce. Our reporters show up every day to ask hard questions and hold powerful institutions to account. That work takes resources. As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on support from people who believe it matters. Make a donation today to fund local news that serves Utah communities.

You can help us bring more local news to more communities today.