Managing Director of the Church History Department Matt Grow on the importance of celebrating past and present pioneers

“This is the place.” These four simple words, uttered by a prophet, confirmed visions, gave a people their home and have become synonymous with the valley that headquarters The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On July 24, 1847, Brigham Young spoke those words as a company of pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley where the Church finally settled — building a community and a temple. As the 175 anniversary of that event approaches this July, Latter-day Saints celebrate the pioneers who made that journey possible and their spirit and legacy. This episode of the Church News podcast features historian Matt Grow, the managing director of the Church History Department, to explore this pivotal point in Church history 175 years after the pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley.

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.