“One of the leading doctrines of the Church resembles the spirit of the law of universal growth so nearly that one is forced to believe that the great truth embodied by this doctrine [eternal progression] is the truth shadowed forth by the law of evolution… with regard to man, Joseph Smith taught a doctrine of evolution which in grandeur and in extent surpasses the wildest speculations of scientific evolutionist.”

John A. Widtsoe, Improvement Era – Vol. VII, No. 6, “Joseph Smith as Scientist” (Salt Lake City, UT: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, April 1904), 406-407.