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The Sail before the Trail鈥擳he 19th Century Latter-day Saint Gathering to America
Prior to their exodus west, nearly 90,000 converts journeyed across the seas to join the saints in America. In this episode Fred E. Woods, professor of Church history and doctrine, details the faith and immigration experiences of these saints as he discusses his recent publication Ports to Posts: Latter-day Saints Gathering in the Nineteenth Century. Professor Woods explores the port of Liverpool, England, the main point of embarkment for many converts, examines sailing conditions across the Atlantic for converts and non-converts alike, and details the arrival of these early pioneers into American harbors and the various posts they made contact with along the way. In addition to exploring how these converts gathered unto Zion, Professor Woods shares why so many members left their homelands to 鈥渂e gathered in unto one place鈥 (Doctrine & Covenants 29:7).
Publications:
(University of Nebraska Press, 2025)
website
鈥淭he Saints of Las Vegas鈥 (Y Religion, episode 82, 2023)
(University of Nevada Press, 2023)
(Greg Kofford Books, 2022)
鈥淭he Ascension of Abraham: A Mortal Model for the Climb to Exaltation鈥 (Religious Educator, 23.2, 2022)
鈥淐onversions, Arrests, and Friendships: A Story of Two Icelandic Police Officers鈥 (Religious Educator, 20.1, 2019)
Saints of Tonga: A Century of Island Faith (Religious Studies Center, 2019)
Kalaupapa: The Mormon Experience in an Exiled Community (Religious Studies Center, 2017)
with Mary Jane Woodger and Riley Moffat (Mormon Historic Sites Foundation, 2016)
Click to learn more about Fred E. Woods
