MormonTimes.com: Brigham Young enthusiast manages Joseph Smith Papers project

Considering his current position, Ronald Esplin has a rather unexpected area of expertise.

A self-described "Brigham Young enthusiast," Esplin spent the summer of 1972 sifting through long-neglected materials in the Church Administration Building basement under the direction of then-Church Historian Leonard J. Arrington. His directive was to discover documents tied to the second president of the LDS Church. Esplin became so involved in the pursuit that it redirected his career path, and to this day, the study of Brigham Young remains Esplin's professional passion.

But for now, that work is understandably on hold. Esplin is currently the managing editor of the Joseph Smith Papers, a project that current Church Historian Elder Marlin K. Jensen referred to as "the single most significant historical project of our generation."

"There is a sense in which I am a Brigham Young expert masquerading as a Joseph Smith expert," Esplin said.

Read more about Esplin's involvement with the Joseph Smith Papers project by clicking here.