The Sacred Grove

I had the opportunity to visit the Sacred Grove in Palmyra while I was home visiting my family. This is such a special place to me, not only spiritually but I have a lot of wonderful memories walking through the trees in the Grove. For those of you who are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints I would like to explain the Sacred Grove. We believe in the Spring of 1820, Joseph Smith Jr. knelt in this grove of trees and offered a prayer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. He wanted to know which church was true and which he should join. God and His Son appeared to Joseph Smith and answered his prayer, saying that he should join none of the church's and that he would help to restore the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Earth. I believe this. I know that Heavenly Father appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith and that he did restore the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Earth today. I have gone to this grove to pray and find answers to my questions. One of my favorite times at the Grove was when I walked through it on a cold wintry day in a freshly fallen snow, I was the only one in the Grove. I sang at the top of my lungs and I felt peace. I felt hope. I knew I could keep going though my trials. I love visiting this special place!

On this particular visit it was a sunny, 70 degree morning and I walked through the leaves and enjoyed the warm air and sun!














This is the Log Home restored to look like it did when Joseph was raised there














This the path you walk down to get to the Sacred Grove. It used to be a road but the town re-routed the road so it didn't go through the main area of the Church Sites. The road is off to the left.














So scenic!














Here is the Palmyra Temple. It over-looks the Grove from the hill. When I was a Senior in high school I helped a crew remove the trees so that you could look into the Grove from the Temple pane-glass windows.














More of the path with a view of the barn and shed off to the right and the Frame Home, the Smith's second home off to the left.














The Smith's Frame Home














The view of the Sacred Grove as you are walking in














My new favorite picture of the Grove!














As I was walking out of the Grove I ran into some old friends, Bill and Kathy Sherwood. Bill is the Palmyra Temple President now. I had a great afternoon visiting with them in their home right next door to the temple.