Cradle of the Restoration Part 2 - The Joseph Smith Farm (Log Home)



Joseph Smith Farm

The second historical site that is of significance to the Church is the family farm of Joseph Smith Sr.  Here is where Joseph Smith Jr. spent most of his childhood.  It was on the property of this farm that the Restoration of Christ's Church through the Prophet Joseph Smith began to unfold.  The Farm is located at 843 Stafford Road Palmyra, New York.  Here on the farm is where the Sacred Grove resides, the Smith Log Home, and the Smith Frame Home.  Many significant events of the Restoration occurred on this 100 acre property.

Log Home of Smith Family

 Log Home

In 1818 the Smith family moved into the Log Home on their property, one of the first structures to be built on the farm.  The entire family lived in this small home which consisted of Joseph Smith Senior, his wife Lucy Mack Smith, and their eight children which included Hyrum and Joseph Junior.  It was here on the night of September 21st, 1823, Joseph Smith Junior was awoken that night by a spectacular vision.



Upstairs Bedroom of Log Home

Vision of Angel Moroni

It had been 3 years after Joseph Smith's first vision and he hadn't received any guidance, revelation, or direction on what to do since that day.  That night Joseph decided to pray to God to repent of his mistakes and see what God wanted him to do next.  While he was praying, a bright light filled the room, getting brighter and brighter till he says "until the room was brighter than at noonday".  A personage came to his bedside, standing in the air, dressed in a white robe with the "most exquisite whiteness.  It was a whiteness beyond anything earthly I had ever seen;"

The Angel Moroni appearing to Joseph Smith

In Joseph Smith Jr's own words, he says "He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people.  He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang.  He also said that the fullness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants;"

The Angel Moroni delivered this message three separate times that night, and once more the following morning while Joseph Smith Jr started working in the fields that day.  Each and every time, the Angel Moroni delivered the same message, adding on it with new insights from Biblical scripture and further counsel and direction.  From their Joseph Smith Jr. went to the directed place at the Hill Cumorah near his father's farm, and uncovered the gold plates which Moroni told him of that night.  The story of the Hill Cumorah and plates will be told later.

Many years have passed since this vision occurred, and many events have followed since this all happened.  Because of Joseph Smith, we now have the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, which was translated by Joseph Smith through the power of God from the gold plates.  It's a far fetched story, believe me, but I've come to know it's true.  I've taken Moroni's challenge to read and pray about the Book of Mormon, and you know what?  I've received an answer from God that it is true.  The book has blessed my life so much I can't even describe.  I hope all of you take a chance to read the Book of Mormon sincerely, that you might come closer to the Savior and be healed by Him through His words which are in it.  I know it all to be true.

Joseph Smith Farm : 843 Stafford Road
Palmyra, New York 14522

Cradle of the Restoration Part 1 - The Sacred Grove

As a missionary serving in Western New York, those I have the amazing opportunity to teach and serve have something special just around the corner.  Very few people in the world actually get to set foot in the places where The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints first began.  The towns of Palmyra, Fayette, and the nearby surround areas are commonly known among Church members as The Cradle of the Restoration.  Amazing stuff happened in these places.  This is where it all began, where the Lord's true Church and Gospel where restored to the earth by living prophets.  Those living and serving in Western New York have such a unique opportunity to actually visit these places and feel how sacred they really are.  I would like to share with you brief descriptions of these places and what happened there.  This is how it all transpired.

The Sacred Grove

The Sacred Grove

While growing up, young Joseph Smith was very concerned about which church he should join.  He had been taught to love God and Jesus Christ all his life by his parents and wanted to do what was right.  But so many different religions where out there, preaching many different things.  Some said they were right, some said others weren't right.  Joseph was very confused at what he should do.  Then he stumbled upon a verse in the Bible that touched him in such a way that he had never felt before.  It read "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, which giveth to all men liberally and upradeith not; and it shall be given him." (James 1:5)

The Sacred Grove

So one day in the spring of 1820, Joseph Smith at the age of 14 decided to do just what he felt he should do, go and ask God personally.  So one morning he went into a grove of trees next to his father's farm and his family's cabin to do this.  In Joseph Smith's own words, this is what happened.

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 had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.

 But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. 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.

 I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.”

 He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. 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 then said to my mother, “I have learned for myself - Joseph Smith History verses 15-20

Picture I took in the Sacred Grove

I've had the special chance to be in the Sacred Grove, on more than one occasion.  I've seen it in the middle of summer, the days of fall, the end of winter, and now the middle of spring.  Each and every time I feel something special and powerful.  I feel the Spirit witnessing to me that what Joseph Smith said happened in these woods is true, that the Father and His Son appeared to a simple fourteen year old farm boy.  I know that this is all true.  I hope everybody gets a chance to come here and feel for themselves how sacred the Sacred Grove really is.

Here's the address for the historical site and phone number:

843 Stafford Road
Palmyra, New York 14522
315-597-4383 (Main)

Schedule:

Summer: 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Winter: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.