Steven A. Wilden began his studies in history and religion in high school and continued those studies in college with a strong desire to read, research and to write historical narratives. He grew up in the Lutheran Church and is grateful to his parents for this Christian training in his early years. At age sixteen, heeding his best friend’s suggestion, Steve read The Book of Mormon and studied the Prophet Joseph Smith’s testimony of his first vision of Deity.

Like many before him, Steve desired to know if these things were true. After praying repeatedly and fervently for guidance, the Spirit of the Lord verified with great spiritual light, power and a burning in his bosom, the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and that Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God through whom the fulness of the gospel was restored to the earth between 1820 and 1844.

Steve was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1973. He served in the Texas Dallas Mission from 1974-1976. Steve received a Bachelor’s Degree in History from Brigham Young University in 1980. From 1981 to 1991 he served for three years in active duty and for seven years in the inactive reserve of the United States Marine Corps reaching the rank of Captain.

While apprenticing in architecture for twelve years from 1984 to 1996, he took distance learning courses from California State University and eventually earned a Master’s Degree in History from George Wythe College in 1999. The following year, he passed the 35-hour long California Architect’s Examination, and after a second oral examination in 2001, Steve received a license to practice architecture in that state. Steve is currently a licensed architect in Idaho where he also owned and operated an architectural firm from 2002 to 2009.

From 2004 to 2006 he served as board member and later as president of the Twin Falls County Historical Museum in Idaho. He is presently and since 2010 employed as an architect and project manager in the Bangor Public Works Department of the United States Navy in Silverdale, Washington.

Steve’s articles on the history of archaeology and the Smithsonian Institute, ancient American artifacts and Gnosticism in relation to cultural diffusion have been published in Ancient American magazine. The Gnosticism article was published also in the book, The Lost History of Ancient America. Steve is married to the former Evelyne Cattin of Lausanne, Switzerland. Steve was previously married to Jana Porter of Los Gatos, California and they are the parents of five married children and grandparents to twenty grandchildren.