The Work and the Glory is a movie set in the 1820s and 1830s, focusing on the founding of the Mormon Church. It tells the story of a young man's journey into faith amidst religious intolerance and the rivalry between his family and the local community.

Joshua Steed returns to Missouri a wealthy man with a beautiful wife; however, the past has a way of catching up. Soon Joshua is tangled in a web of rumors, deception and betrayal that threatens to tear his family apart. Back in Kirtland, financial trouble riddles the foundations of the fledgling Church causing a division, and questioning of the Prophet Joseph Smith's divine calling. Has he lost his prophetic gift? Hundreds of Saints immigrate to Missouri, where Governor Boggs raises an army - with Joshua at its head - to address the "Mormon Problem." When the militia receives orders to attack the Mormon settlement, only Joshua can save his family from the gathering mob.

The story continues as the Steed family struggles with the hardships and dangers of settling in the untamed lands of the west during the 19th century. They face religious persecution, mob violence, and personal struggles that test their faith and unity.