Big Field's Church History Tour 2010: September 9, 2010 - Thursday

We have now been on the road for one week. Today in Palmyra, NY, we spent several hours in the Sacred Grove with both time together and time apart. Then we visited the Joseph Smith Farm, the Book of Mormon Historic Publication Site, Alvin Smith’s grave, the Martin Harris Farm and the Hill Cumorah Visitor’s Center. These were powerful places.

From Dad:

It’s the dream of every Latter-day Saint to have a “First Vision” experience of his or her own. We would all go alone into a Sacred Grove and have a direct person-to-person experience with the Lord if possible.

Today, I had the experience of going into that “Sacred Grove,” heart intent on communicating with my Father in Heaven and the Savior. My experience today was this: With Mark’s cooperation and encouragement, I spent a long time walking and contemplating alone in that sacred spot. Yes I did ask humbly for a direct manifestation to strengthen my testimony as Joseph Smith did. Not surprisingly, that is not what happened.

As I sat quietly on a wooden bench with no one else around me, I asked the Lord to reinforce my testimony, and more especially, to tell me what more I should do. I promised I would do whatever He asked.

For some time, I felt no response at all. Then as I pondered, the impression came that there would be no recognizable response to my request for confirmation. But I did have a strong impression of “what I should do next,” and it is deceptively simple. My mind seemed directed to the Thirteenth Article of Faith where Joseph explains the virtues we believe in. My answer seemed to be that I should simply be all those things he listed – “honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men . . . . to believe all things, hope all things, endure many things and hope to be able to endure all things. And if there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy,” I am to seek after these things.

D&C Section 121 then came to mind suggesting the qualities required to exercise the priesthood properly - “only by persuasion, by long suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; by kindness, by pure knowledge which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile” . . . . that I should “let (my) bowels be full of charity towards all men . . . . and let virtue garnish (my) thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God.”

So in the Grove, I was reminded of all that is necessary to have my “confidence wax strong in the presence of God.” The instruction was clear: My part is worthiness, timing is the Lord’s.

Smith Family Frame House

So I conclude that I need not pester the Lord continually for a manifestation; I need only live by instructions already given - and abide His time for anything more.