My older brother has a picture hanging in his room of the Sacred Grove which he received after serving on the Hill Cumorah Pageant Work Crew. Below the picture is a quote that reads, “What happened here changed the world. Let it change your life.” This quote is a stirring reminder to me of the significance of the restoration and the effect it has on the world and each of our lives.
Preach my Gospel states, “As
Joseph sought truth among the different faiths, he turned to the Bible for
guidance. He read, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth
to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James
1:5). Because of this passage, Joseph decided to ask God what he should do. In
the spring of 1820 he went to a nearby grove of trees and knelt in prayer.” He
described his experience in Joseph Smith History 1:16-17: “I saw a pillar of
light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended
gradually until it fell upon me. . . . When the light rested upon me I saw two
Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me
in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to
the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” (Joseph Smith—History 1:16–17). Joseph was told that none of the churches
contained the fullness of Christ’s gospel. Christ’s church was restored to the
earth again by the hands of Joseph Smith.
Following
in the footsteps of my older brother, I applied and was accepted to be on the
Hill Cumorah Pageant Work Crew. While on the work crew, I had the
opportunity to visit many of these historical sites. Before we arrived in Palmyra
though, we were encouraged to memorize The Standard of Truth which says, “Our
missionaries are going forth to different nations…. The Standard of Truth has
been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing;
persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may
defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till
it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country,
and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and
the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”
This statement made by Joseph Smith is incredibly profound. God’s work
cannot be stopped. The efforts made by Joseph Smith’s persecutors failed
because Joseph was truly called as a prophet of God to restore this gospel on
the earth.
I would like to share a few
experiences I had while serving in New York. I had the opportunity to go to the
Sacred Grove three times while in Palmyra. Each time, I felt a remarkable peace
as I sat and thought about the beauty of the gospel. The spirit felt in the
grove allowed me to feel closer than ever before to my savior. One afternoon,
after walking through the grove, all 26 members of the work crew and the leaders climbed into the
upper room of the Smith’s log home and read through Joseph Smith History about
the restoration. I couldn't help but think how amazing it was that such a large
task was put into the hands of a farm boy living in very humble circumstances.
After reading Joseph’s account, we all walked back to the Hill Cumorah. This
was a very humbling experience for me. I never put into perspective the
distance that Joseph had to walk to retrieve the plates. It was a very long, hot walk. It was much harder work than I had ever imagined. This served as a
lesson to me that good things require hard work and sacrifice. It is worth the
hard work and sacrifice that is necessary to gain a testimony of this gospel.
Though the gospel has been
restored to the earth and has changed the world, we still need to let it change
our lives. Ultimately it is up to each individual to decide whether or not they
accept this gospel. We need to read and study the book of Mormon and gain a
testimony for ourselves that it is true. We cannot rely on others testimonies.
They can be a remarkable strength, but only if we have already laid the
foundation. You don’t have to go to these places to receive a testimony. A
testimony can be grown anywhere as long as you invite the spirit and have an
open heart.
I know that this
gospel is true. I know what I have felt while reading my scriptures and I
cannot deny those feelings. The first vision really happened. Heavenly Father
and Jesus Christ did appear to a 14 year old boy in the Sacred Grove and he
restored the gospel to the earth again. The Book of Mormon is another testament
of Jesus Christ. We have a living prophet on the earth today, Thomas S. Monson,
who leads and guides us through the direction of Jesus Christ. The restoration
has changed the world. “Let it change your life.”
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