' ▁World s ▁of ▁Joseph ▁Smith ▁Sym pos ium ▁( 2 0 0 5 ) ▁and ▁U V SC ' s ▁M orm on ▁Studies ▁Conference ▁( 2 0 0 8 ). ▁ ▁Not ▁a ▁trained ▁historian ▁or ▁academic , ▁J ensen ▁brought ▁a ▁passion ▁to ▁his ▁work ; ▁reading ▁widely , ▁gather ing ▁sch ol ars , ▁and ▁implementing ▁changes . ▁ ▁Ob ser vers ▁reported ▁that ▁his ▁contributions ▁" help ed ▁transform ▁the ▁Ut ah - based ▁faith ' s ▁approach ▁to ▁its ▁history ," ▁and ▁saw ▁the ▁church ' s ▁history ▁department ▁" tr uly ▁come ▁of ▁age ." ▁ ▁Terry l ▁G iv ens ▁said ▁of ▁his ▁legacy , ▁" Mar lin ▁J ensen ▁has ▁done ▁more ▁to ▁further ▁the ▁cause ▁of ▁M orm on ▁history ▁than ▁any ▁person ▁of ▁the ▁current ▁generation ." ▁ ▁Several ▁major ▁develop ments ▁occurred ▁during ▁J ensen ' s ▁leadership ▁over ▁the ▁Church ▁History ▁Department . ▁Joseph ▁Smith ▁Pap ers ▁Project : ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁the ▁L DS ▁Church ▁and ▁BY U ▁created ▁the ▁Joseph ▁Smith ▁Pap ers ▁Project , ▁intended ▁to ▁rev ise ▁and ▁expand ▁on ▁the ▁long time ▁work ▁of ▁Dean ▁C . ▁Jes see ▁to ▁collect ▁and ▁publish ▁all ▁known ▁writ ings ▁of ▁Joseph ▁Smith . ▁Under ▁J ensen , ▁the ▁project ▁expanded ▁into ▁a ▁ 3 0 - some ▁volume , ▁multi - year ▁effort ▁end ors ed ▁by ▁the ▁National ▁Historical ▁Publications ▁and ▁Records ▁Commission ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Archives . ▁In ▁ 2 0