How the Book of Mormon Was Written

Dear Friends, I am very proud to have a part in this project. St Hayden Abler (1996-2024) was a precious young man and a member of St Paul Lutheran Church, Austin, TX. He had a particular desire to bring the saving truth and joy of the Gospel to members of the Mormon community. To that end, he researched and wrote what he would often call “My Paper.” Only a few months before his death he gave me a copy and we talked through the implications. He had discovered a number of arguments to address the LDS claim that the Book of Mormon must be divinely inspired. He had hoped to publish this paper, had even purchased the website, but the Lord had other plans.

It has been a joy to work with Hayden’s family and friends to posthumously publish this book. It is available as a free PDF to download, and there is not mark-up on the Lulu price. We want this text to get into as many hands as possible.

If you have LDS friends and family, this book will help you and challenge them to take another look at their Scriptures, in the hope that the true comfort and joy of the Bible will shine through. Please help me spread the news of the availability of this text to the world.

Christ is risen! Pastor Wolfmueller (February 2026)

Was Joseph Smith an uneducated farm boy, miraculously guided by God to produce the Book of Mormon—or a clever storyteller drawing on his surroundings? How the Book of Mormon Was Written takes readers deep into the world of early 19th-century America to explore the historical, cultural, and personal influences that shaped one of the most influential religious texts in modern history.

Drawing from contemporary accounts, theological debates, folk practices, and Smith’s own background, Hayden Abler demonstrates how the Book of Mormon bears the fingerprints of its time. From treasure-digging folklore and Methodist preaching styles to the Mound Builder Myth and even Smith’s own family dreams, the evidence points not to divine dictation but to a human creation. Far from being the product of a simple, illiterate man, the Book of Mormon reveals Joseph Smith’s creativity, charisma, and skill at weaving stories that resonated with the spiritual fervor of his age. This book dismantles the claim that Smith was incapable of producing the Book of Mormon on his own and offers a compelling natural explanation for its origin. Scholarly yet accessible, this work is essential reading for anyone interested in Mormon history, the roots of American religion, or the fascinating question of how scripture is made.

• Free PDF download: https://wolfmueller.co/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/habler_book-of-mormon-written-FINAL3.pdf
• Purchase from Lulu: https://www.lulu.com/shop/hayden-abler/how-the-book-of-mormon-was-written/paperback/product-kvdm2rp.html?page=1&pageSize=4

The author, Hayden Abler (1996-2024) had a burning desire to present the love of God in Christ to those in the LDS church. This book is published in the hopes that many Mormons would see deficiencies in the argument for the divine inspiration of the Book of Mormon, while also rejoicing in the perfect inspiration of the Holy Scriptures.