Last month I had the opportunity to visit the Sacred Grove. Now, for those that are not of the LDS (Mormon) faith, the Sacred Grove is the place where Joseph Smith (our founding prophet) received an answer to his prayer of what church he should join. He was not sure which church was the true church of Jesus Christ and desperately wanted to know, so he could join the correct one. He was visited by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the woods outside of his home, where he was praying. This place is now called the Sacred Grove and it's visited by thousands of people every year. (For more information about this historical site and Joseph's miraculous experience you can go to The First Vision: Journey to the Sacred Grove.)Before we got to the site I was extremely excited and anticipated that it would be a beautiful, spiritual experience for me. I prayed to God that he would give me a sign to confirm to me that the words of Joseph Smith were true:
I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell 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 1:24)I wanted to know, without a doubt, that Joseph really did see, and talk with, God and Jesus Christ. I was certain that my prayers would be answered and that I would indeed receive a sign.
As I began walking through the Sacred Grove, with my oldest son, the beauty of the sun shining through the trees was awesome. I felt the excitement of being where Joseph had been. I felt humbled that this hallowed ground had been visited by my Father in Heaven and my brother, Jesus Christ. My son and I barely spoke. We listened to the birds in the trees and occasionally passed other visitors on the path. We talked about how amazing it would've been to have been a young boy of 14 and experienced such an event. It felt incomprehensible. We sat on one of the benches, that were placed in the grove in various places, and took it all in. I waited for my sign. It felt peaceful there. I felt that this indeed was a sacred place, but I wanted my sign. Nothing came.
We decided to start walking back to the car, and I was feeling a little bummed out, but not extremely discouraged. It wasn't as if this sign that I wanted was going to make or break the testimony that I already had of the truthfulness of Joseph Smith's words. And then it hit me upside the head, I got my answer:
"You already know it is true. You have had it confirmed to you many times. There is no reason for a sign. He knows that you know it is true."I actually laughed at myself a little. How silly for me to ask of God for such a thing. The Spirit I felt at that moment was obviously, absolutely correct. I did and do know that the things that Joseph Smith saw and experienced are true. It has been confirmed to me by the Holy Spirit many times throughout my life. I needed no other sign than that.
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, the second counselor in the First Presidency of LDS church, stated:
"Is it possible to find truth? The purpose of my remarks is to proclaim the joyful message that God Himself—the Lord of Hosts who knows all truth—has given His children the promise that they can know truth for themselves. Please consider the magnitude of this promise: The Everlasting and Almighty God, the Creator of this vast universe, will speak to those who approach Him with a sincere heart and real intent. He will speak to them in dreams, visions, thoughts, and feelings. He will speak in a way that is unmistakable and that transcends human experience. He will give them divine direction and answers for their personal lives. Of course, there will be those who scoff and say such a thing is impossible, that if there were a God, He would have better things to do than hear and answer a single person’s prayer. But I tell you this: God cares about you. He will listen, and He will answer your personal questions. The answers to your prayers will come in His own way and in His own time, and therefore, you need to learn to listen to His voice (Receiving a Testimony of Light and Truth, Liahona, Nov. 2014).It is possible to find truth. God has spoken to me in His own way. It IS unmistakable. I know God cares about me and listens to my prayers. I know He answers them, as well. I am grateful for my experience in the Sacred Grove. I am thankful for the "sign" that I did not receive, for I received something far greater - the realization that I already have a belief in, and testimony of Joseph's words. I know his words are truth. I now feel that I should testify of that. I shall put my voice with his in declaring that God and Jesus did visit him in the Sacred Grove and that "all the world could not make [me] think or believe otherwise" (JSH 1:24).
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| Landon and I in the Sacred Grove. |
