The Sacred Grove--Palmyra, New York





(Joseph Smith History, Chapter 1) At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God.  I at length came to the determination to "ask of God," concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture.

 

   



So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt.

It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty.

  













It was the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my
 anxieties I had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally.



After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go,
having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began
to offer up the desires of my heart to God.







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!

  





 



My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that
I might know which to join.  No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be
able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the
sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)--and
which I should join.

He forade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me. When I came
 to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven.

.

When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home.

 




And as I leaned up to the fireplace, mother inquired what the matter was.  I replied, "never mind,
 all is well--I am well enough off.  I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true."

 




This is the stream that young Joseph Smith crossed to enter the grove of trees behind his
cabin home.  The stream watered the Smith farm and originated at the Hill Cumorah
where the plates of gold were buried.  The Book of Mormon that Joseph would soon
translate would become the living waters of the Restoration.

 





Being in the Sacred Grove was a dream come true for me.  LeGrand and I also found
ourselves alone in that  most sacred place and had the Spirit witness to us that Joseph
truly did see the Father and the Son as he prayed that morning in 1820.