My mom invited me, my two brothers and our wives to join her on a pilgrimage to Palmyra, NY. We stayed at the Tomlinson Inn just 20 miles away. The inn was a community center for Mendon NY where the Mormon Prophet Brigham Young lived with his family. In 1830, Samuel Smith, a young missionary with a newly published Book of Mormon, came to the inn and offered to sell a copy to Phineas Young, Brigham's brother. Phineas read the book and shared it with Brigham. They were both convinced that it contained the true gospel of Jesus Christ, having been prepared by sincere searching and a glorious vision. They sought out Samuel's brother Joseph and joined the fledgling Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
We went to the Smith farm and saw where the family lived in humble circumstances. It was inspiring to see the simple farm where the boy Joseph, confused by the zealous religionists of his day, went to ask God which church he should join. In an obscure grove of trees, God answered Joseph's prayer by appearing to him with his Son Jesus Christ and saying to join none of the churches. Through this boy, God restored the true church of Jesus Christ to the earth. How fitting that by simple means, God performed a mighty miracle. It was much the same as a baby born in Bethlehem.
In the last week, we walked where Jesus walked. We have seen where God parted the veil between heaven and earth and appeared to man. We saw where an ancient prophet hid his testament of Christ and entrusted it to the boy prophet. We stood where the true church of Christ was legally re-organized on the earth. We shook hands with a modern day apostle, David A. Bednar and felt the spirit of the Lord testify that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true.
