Purpose
I’m a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with a deep love for both the restored gospel and honest inquiry. I created the blog, Her Witness: A Latter-day Apologist, to engage openly with difficult questions that often arise in response to anti sources like the CES Letter. Rather than avoiding hard topics, I believe they deserve careful thought, historical context, and spiritual reflection.
While not a scholar by profession, I’m a researcher, writer, and disciple who has spent countless hours studying primary sources, historical scholarship, and Church history documents. I hold a bachelor’s degree in Communication from Brigham Young University-Idaho, and I’ve spent the past four years studying journalism, specifically within the religious beat. I’ve been a reporter as well as a desk editor for the university’s student-run newsroom, Scroll. I also served as a tour guide for nine months at the Nauvoo, Illinois church history sites, giving tours in both Portuguese and English. My approach draws from faithful academics, scripture, firsthand records, and a belief that truth can withstand scrutiny. My goal in this was to seek the truth and report it to those who don’t know where to find it.
Project
Within this blog, I aim to blend scriptural insight with historical context and philosophical reasoning. I reference scripture, early church teachings, scholarly research, and the insights of contemporary thinkers from both faith and secular backgrounds.
I explore the following controversial topics:
- Plural marriage (polygamy): its historical practice, development, and cessation
- Scripture translation: including the Book of Mormon, Book of Abraham, and overall translation
- The First Vision: placing its accounts in historical and theological context
- Priesthood Restoration: the recorded events and their spiritual significance
- Race and the Priesthood: what we know, what we mourn, and how we move forward
- Temples and Freemasonry: exploring the real connections, myths, and enduring truths
- Prophets and fallibility: navigating the tension between inspiration and imperfection
These aren’t meant to be “gotchas.”
If you’re wrestling with disillusionment or have felt hurt by what you’ve discovered, you’re not alone. They’re real issues with real history behind them—and real answers worth exploring.
I strive to meet sincere questions not with dismissal, but with thoughtfulness, integrity, and evidence. Throughout my life, I have witnessed firsthand how honest questions deserve honest, thoughtful answers.
Potential
In a time when faith is often challenged, I believe it is easy to fall victim to the interpretations of others without context. I’m here to show that faith and scholarship do not have to be enemies, and doubt can be a doorway, not a dead end. This series of essays isn’t about “winning arguments”—it’s about removing unnecessary barriers to belief and pointing people to Jesus Christ, the ultimate source of truth and hope.
I don’t claim to speak for the Church. I’m simply one of many faithful voices seeking to build understanding. I don’t believe in sweeping contradictions under the rug—or in forcing blind belief or total rejection.
I believe that Jesus Christ stands at the center of this work—and that the Restoration continues in Him.
Here is the link to my blog! https://substack.com/@baileeshaw?utm_source=user-menu