“We believe it is our obligation to understand and learn from the past,” Elder Henry B. Eyring, then of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, remarked on Sept. 11, 2007, at an event commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Mountain Meadows Massacre. The massacre is perhaps the grimmest episode in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — when brewing tensions between early Church pioneers and immigrants traveling through the Utah Territory erupted, resulting in the death of some 100 people. In 2008, the book “Massacre at Mountain Meadows” explored the complicated history of the 1857 event. The sequel, “Vengeance Is Mine: The Mountain Meadows Massacre and Its Aftermath,” is now available. Authors Richard E. Turley Jr. and Barbara Jones Brown join this episode of the Church News podcast to talk about this period in Church history.

The Church News Podcast is a weekly podcast that invites listeners to make a journey of connection with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the globe. Host Sarah Jane Weaver, reporter and editor for The Church News for a quarter-century, shares a unique view of the stories, events, and most important people who form this international faith. With each episode, listeners are asked to embark on a journey to learn from one another and ponder, “What do I know now?” because of the experience. Produced by KellieAnn Halvorsen.

‘And the truth shall set you free’: Historians discuss the Mountain Meadows Massacre and its aftermath