Retreat to the serene woods surrounding the boyhood home of Joseph Smith Jr., and experience firsthand the beauty of upstate New York, a land that retains the natural woodlands of 200 years ago.
During the 1820s, upstate New York experienced a period of religious revivals. Joseph Smith Jr., a 14-year-old boy, lived in Palmyra, where he attended the services of various religions. He searched the Bible to discover religious truth. While searching the New Testament, he read, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him" (James 1:5). Joseph was inspired to ask God the questions that had been troubling him. One morning in the spring of 1820, he went to the woods near his home, found a secluded place, and knelt down to pray. While praying, a miraculous event occurred, which Joseph later described: "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!" (Joseph Smith–History 1:16-17). These two personages, God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, instructed Joseph not to join any of the churches then established, but instead to wait for further direction in the restoration of Christ's Church.
Joseph was later entrusted with a sacred record written on golden plates. Through the power of God he translated the record, known as the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. He was also instrumental in organizing and restoring The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which he became the first prophet and president.
You can also enjoy free tours of the nearby Smith Family Farm as well as other church historic sites in the Palmyra area.
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