Peace and Joy and Revelation
Ok, I'm sitting on my bed, surrounded by all my clothes, my luggage, dirty laundry, toiletries, random bags.... my room is an explosion right now. I just got back from my whirlwind trip to New York this morning, then rushed off to a million church meetings, while trying to deal with the effects of jet lag. Instead of organizing my room and preparing to go back to work after a week off, I decided to write about part of my trip... because all those pictures I shared on Facebook just weren't enough for you guys.
As I was preparing for this trip, people kept asking what I was most excited for, and I kept responding "The Sacred Grove!" I was soo excited to go stand in the Sacred Grove where a young boy knelt in prayer and received the greatest revelation of our day. I was so excited to get to feel the spirit in the Grove, along with the peace I knew I would find in the country.
The first day there, we toured the Sacred Grove, and the Hill Cumorah. We also did the David Whitmer farm, the Grandin Printing press, a session at the Palmyra temple (that makes number 18 since I went through the temple almost 2 years ago), and a tour of the Smith's farmland this past week. It was really cool to be where it all took place; where it all began. "Here's where Joseph read James 1:5-6"; "Here's where he fell coming home from working with his dad in the field, and the angel appeared"; "Here's the Grove he went to pray in to ask which church was true"; "Here's where the church was organized"; "Here's where the Angel Moroni appeared." I mean, really cool. These are stories I'd heard my whole life, and I was finally there, where it actually took place! The beginning of the story! I was excited, and freezing, but ready to be there.
As we walked the Sacred Grove our first day there, something happened that affected the rest of my trip. No, it wasn't a lightning strike, testifying of the truthfulness of the Gospel. No, an angel didn't appear to testify of the events that had occurred. No, I didn't have an overpowering feeling, finally confirming that what happened there nearly 200 years ago really happened - Joseph did see God and Jesus Christ. No, I didn't have a life changing experience in the Grove. None of that. What happened was the realization that I didn't need to walk the Sacred Grove to know the story was true. I didn't need to have my own Sacred Grove experience in the Sacred Grove to believe it. I already did. I already believe. My bedroom has become my Sacred Grove. The temple - specifically the Salt Lake temple, but really all temples - has become a Sacred Grove to me. These are places I go to ask God questions, and where I receive the most peace and joy and revelation.
I already know Christ lives. I know the Book of Mormon is true. And because of those two truths, the rest falls into place. If the Book of Mormon is true, all of what Joseph Smith testified of is true, and therefore the Sacred Grove, the Hill Cumorah, the angels, the miracles, the priesthood restoration; all of it is true. And I already knew it. I gained that testimony when I was a child.
I didn't go to the Sacred Grove to gain a testimony; my testimony was already there. The Sacred Grove to me is what Gettysburg is to me, or the Susan B. Anthony home, or Waterloo, or Alcatraz - these are historical sites that can teach us, and can be the reminders of history. However, they are not where our testimonies should be formed.
I don't need to visit Bunker Hill to know that the battle actually happened. I don't need to tour Auschwitz to believe in the Holocaust. In that same sense, I didn't need to go to the Sacred Grove to know it was where God and Jesus appeared to Joseph Smith. I already know it is true. The thing that affected me the rest of the trip was the realization that I could have gone my whole life and never visited these sites, and my faith would not be shaken. My faith and my beliefs are not dependent on seeing these sites, or being where they took place. I'm not trying to say not to go - totally do it! It was so cool, and so fun to be there!
What I'm trying to say is if you go to the Sacred Grove, or any of those sites, or places, expecting to gain a testimony because of that visit, you will probably be sorely disappointed. Not that that can't happen; but faith is an action. In order to truly gain a testimony, you must put forth the effort. That means believing even if your dad isn't healed. Even if you still have that mid-life crisis. Even if you fight with high anxiety. Even if work is stressful. Even if you aren't perfect. Faith means you endure to the end because you have a hope in things that you cannot see, which are true.
I am so grateful that almost 200 years ago, a young boy, Joseph Smith, "lacked wisdom and asked of God" and kneeled in prayer in that Sacred Grove right outside his house in Palmyra to ask God which church to join. And I'm so grateful to know that he received an answer - God and Jesus truly did appear to him and tell him that none of the churches were true, and that he would restore the true church onto the earth. I'm so grateful I got to tour these sites, but more importantly, I'm so grateful to have a testimony of Christ.
As I was preparing for this trip, people kept asking what I was most excited for, and I kept responding "The Sacred Grove!" I was soo excited to go stand in the Sacred Grove where a young boy knelt in prayer and received the greatest revelation of our day. I was so excited to get to feel the spirit in the Grove, along with the peace I knew I would find in the country.
The first day there, we toured the Sacred Grove, and the Hill Cumorah. We also did the David Whitmer farm, the Grandin Printing press, a session at the Palmyra temple (that makes number 18 since I went through the temple almost 2 years ago), and a tour of the Smith's farmland this past week. It was really cool to be where it all took place; where it all began. "Here's where Joseph read James 1:5-6"; "Here's where he fell coming home from working with his dad in the field, and the angel appeared"; "Here's the Grove he went to pray in to ask which church was true"; "Here's where the church was organized"; "Here's where the Angel Moroni appeared." I mean, really cool. These are stories I'd heard my whole life, and I was finally there, where it actually took place! The beginning of the story! I was excited, and freezing, but ready to be there.
As we walked the Sacred Grove our first day there, something happened that affected the rest of my trip. No, it wasn't a lightning strike, testifying of the truthfulness of the Gospel. No, an angel didn't appear to testify of the events that had occurred. No, I didn't have an overpowering feeling, finally confirming that what happened there nearly 200 years ago really happened - Joseph did see God and Jesus Christ. No, I didn't have a life changing experience in the Grove. None of that. What happened was the realization that I didn't need to walk the Sacred Grove to know the story was true. I didn't need to have my own Sacred Grove experience in the Sacred Grove to believe it. I already did. I already believe. My bedroom has become my Sacred Grove. The temple - specifically the Salt Lake temple, but really all temples - has become a Sacred Grove to me. These are places I go to ask God questions, and where I receive the most peace and joy and revelation.
I already know Christ lives. I know the Book of Mormon is true. And because of those two truths, the rest falls into place. If the Book of Mormon is true, all of what Joseph Smith testified of is true, and therefore the Sacred Grove, the Hill Cumorah, the angels, the miracles, the priesthood restoration; all of it is true. And I already knew it. I gained that testimony when I was a child.
I didn't go to the Sacred Grove to gain a testimony; my testimony was already there. The Sacred Grove to me is what Gettysburg is to me, or the Susan B. Anthony home, or Waterloo, or Alcatraz - these are historical sites that can teach us, and can be the reminders of history. However, they are not where our testimonies should be formed.
I don't need to visit Bunker Hill to know that the battle actually happened. I don't need to tour Auschwitz to believe in the Holocaust. In that same sense, I didn't need to go to the Sacred Grove to know it was where God and Jesus appeared to Joseph Smith. I already know it is true. The thing that affected me the rest of the trip was the realization that I could have gone my whole life and never visited these sites, and my faith would not be shaken. My faith and my beliefs are not dependent on seeing these sites, or being where they took place. I'm not trying to say not to go - totally do it! It was so cool, and so fun to be there!
What I'm trying to say is if you go to the Sacred Grove, or any of those sites, or places, expecting to gain a testimony because of that visit, you will probably be sorely disappointed. Not that that can't happen; but faith is an action. In order to truly gain a testimony, you must put forth the effort. That means believing even if your dad isn't healed. Even if you still have that mid-life crisis. Even if you fight with high anxiety. Even if work is stressful. Even if you aren't perfect. Faith means you endure to the end because you have a hope in things that you cannot see, which are true.
I am so grateful that almost 200 years ago, a young boy, Joseph Smith, "lacked wisdom and asked of God" and kneeled in prayer in that Sacred Grove right outside his house in Palmyra to ask God which church to join. And I'm so grateful to know that he received an answer - God and Jesus truly did appear to him and tell him that none of the churches were true, and that he would restore the true church onto the earth. I'm so grateful I got to tour these sites, but more importantly, I'm so grateful to have a testimony of Christ.
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