They used professional credentialed historians to write them. Patrick Mason was familiar with the process and explained it.

They used professional credentialed historians from -outside- the Church history department historians.

They wrote long academic essays with sources like a peer-reviewed article would be with the same standards as a peer-reviewed article.

Then they realized that if it took 30 pages to answer a question, it might make looking for an answer worse.

I wish they attached the longer academic essays with the shorter brief answer.

But as it were they worried about peoples attention spans and if someone was trying to quickly answer a critic.

You think the answers are not enough? I went on my Mission in the early-mid 1990s. Want to know what I had to answer critical questions? Old Ensigns from closets of Missionary Departments, Members who were willing to answer questions, and that is about it. There was a "Missionary Pal" little book that had brief answer to "Evangelical Christian" type scriptural criticisms, but that was about it.

Why did Missionaries give poor, "Mountain Meadows was due to the victims poisoning wells and starting the fight" type answers... They did not have good resources.

The answers are not enough? They are much better than what we had on our Missions.

I am not saying this applies to you. But I worry sometimes that people want no controversy and easy answers.

Critic: "Smith practiced polygamy, and he likely engaged in Biblical relations with many of the women! The restoration cannot possibly be true!"

Essay: "Smith practiced polygamy, and he likely engaged in Biblical relations with many of the women! And the restoration is still true!"

I worry sometimes people want to find, "Smith never practiced polygamy, and the critics are lying liars." I have found critics lying. Or engaging in half-truths or hyperbole. It happens.

But people in faith crisis or facing serious questions who read or hear about a difficult to swallow historical fact then it is largely confirmed on the Essays... That is a tough situation.

I think the Essays are wonderful. I went on my Mission without the Essays or anything like it from the Church and it was hard to answer critics with truth. So I like them for providing answers. And i like them that they inoculate members from hard questions. The kids coming up now won't be phased by the kinds of questions people my age didn't know the answer to.

I was blessed because my Mom was super into Church history and wasn't scared of the hard questions. But even still I didn't know all of the answers to hard questions when I went on my Mission.

I recommend, "Planted" by Patrick Mason, PhD.

Fair is an excellent online resource with faithful answers.

Mormonr.

Evidence Central.

The Latter-day Saint (Mormon) Experience – Jeff Lindsay's Site and the Shake Well Blog

Saints Unscripted

Our Channels | More Good Foundation

Good luck. There are difficult to accept aspects of Church history. The Essays are a wonderful source for quick answers. One day the Church may publish the full essays, which will be cool. But there are some wonderful sources to answering difficult questions from Church history.

Podcasts I like:

Saints Unscripted Audio

Maxwell Institute

Church History Matters

Standard of Truth

Gospel Tangents Podcast

Faith Matters

Y Religion

Latter-Day Perspectives. It hasn't had an episode since Sis Hales passed. But it covered a lo-ot of Church history topics.

Good luck.

Surviving a faith crisis (and how Church members can help)

Surviving a faith crisis (and how Church members can help) - LDS Living