Yes, I have a thorough understanding of the topic. It was common belief over 90% of all Christians during that time period. Yet we have only an anology from one leader, Brigham Young. And we have someone 30 years after the fact claimed to have heard it from someone else.
And yet it is claimed that Mormons believe such a thing? That is intellectual dishonesty. It would be the equivalent of me stating that Southern Baptists believe in snake handling as a testament of their faith, because I have some obscure references to such a thing. In fact, I could make a vastly stronger case, but in my heart I would know it was dishonest. Don’t you realize in your heart the blatant dishonesty that these nutcase critics are making?
Part of the problem here is that Mormonism started as a church with a following and a leader with a leadership elite. Conditions were such that they ended up out in the Wilderness in the American West and had to govern themselves.
That colors everything. On the other hand, the institution of the Prophet, although it allows LDS to "adjust to modern conditions", runs across the grain of more orthodox Christians who believe the Age of Prophecy is long past.
They come out of the woodwork to denounce views to the contrary ~ there are a lot of 'em too.
I still say, voting Republican is always better than staying home or voting Democrat. It just is. Deviations from this belief will be punished through loss of their children, confiscation of their assets, and imprisonment for smoking cigarettes and drinking beer.