Changed and Softened from the Inside Out, Your Own Sacred Grove Experience
Sister Alynda Kusch
President Bruce C. Kusch
January 07, 2025 11:15 AM
"No one of us is perfect on the outside. We look in the mirror and we see all of our bruises, blemishes, yes, all of our imperfections, but that does not mean that our hearts cannot be soft and loving."
"My invitation, Brothers and Sisters, to each of us this morning is to seek to have your very own Sacred Grove experience – whether you have had one, or more than one, or none at all. In our mind’s eye, let’s imagine we are there, and let’s consider the principles and the lessons to be learned that we can liken unto ourselves in our 2025 lives."
Changed and Softened from the Inside Out
By Sister Alynda Kusch
Last summer I made weekly trips to my local grocery store and local fruit stand in search of my favorite seasonal fruit. You see, I love fresh peaches. I wait all year long, until late summer and early fall so I can enjoy them.
My search last summer and fall was very disappointing. I can’t tell you how many beautiful peaches I bought, hoping for just one that would be ripe and juicy and flavorful. I had no luck, and I’m a little bitter about that.
Now the summer before, I was equally determined to find peaches that were tasty and sweet. One day I drove all the way to Brigham City and visited my fruit stand where I had been before to find delicious peaches.
Upon arrival, I asked one of the workers if she could direct me to where the best peaches were in the store. She motioned to some boxes over in a corner that were filled with fruit that was misshapen and bruised and discolored.
My first thought when I saw them was this was a wasted drive.
But then she explained. The fruit that I had dismissed because of its outward appearance, was called Angela peaches.
They are unique because they ripen from the inside out. So, judging an Angela peach’s sweetness and flavor has nothing to do with the blemishes or bruises that appear on their skin.
To determine when an Angela peach is ready to eat, you feel the stem where they were attached to the tree. When it is soft around the source of its nourishment, it is ripe and ready to eat, regardless of what it looks like on the outside.
As I cut the peaches in half, preparing them for the freezer, some pits fell apart in my hand, which made extra work for me but did not mean the peaches were not worthy of the effort. They were not perfect, but with a little extra care I cut away broken pits and small blemishes to reveal delicious fruit inside.
As I worked with these peaches for several days, I discovered many similarities between me and Angela peaches.
Most of the peaches had blemishes and bruises. For some of them, their skin was marked with imperfections, or their pits fell apart, but they still tasted sweet and perfect on the inside.
Can you see some similarities?
No one of us is perfect on the outside. We look in the mirror and we see all of our bruises, blemishes, yes, all of our imperfections, but that does not mean that our hearts cannot be soft and loving.
Some of the peaches that I purchased this summer were beautiful on the outside, but the flesh of the peach, after the perfect exterior was cut away, was hard and completely without flavor.
Some humans are like that, beautiful on the outside, but their minds and hearts are hard and unyielding to the Spirit.
As I worked with the Angela peaches, I was reminded of some important truths about righteous living and spiritual ripening. Because you see the Lord has a different way of determining our spiritual softness. From 1 Samuel we read, “the Lord seeth not as a man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
So, what you are becoming on the inside is more important to Him than any imperfections you might see on the outside.
I would like to share with you some of the things I have learned about how you can become an Angela disciple, a trusted disciple of Christ; fully softened, sweetened, ripened and committed from the inside out.
Becoming a trusted disciple has a lot to do with where you get your spiritual nourishment. Angela peaches are nourished at the stem where they are connected to the branches and trunk of the tree. They receive water and nourishment from the soil as it passes from the source, directly to the fruit.
Where do you go to be spiritually fed by the Holy Ghost? Are you spending time in places where spiritual truth can influence you or are you taking yourself to places where the Spirit cannot go? Are you making it easy for the Lord to work with you and soften your heart? Being involved in your ward, attending institute, coming to devotional, worshiping in the temple, are all places where you can be spiritually fed truth. Go to them.
Becoming a trusted disciple has a lot to do with how familiar you are with the source of true spiritual nourishment. In the same way that Angela peaches are linked to the source of their nourishment, are you connected to the sources of truth? Are you spending time nourishing yourself spiritually? Are you looking for ways to better hear the Lord and follow His direction and example? Do you love being in places where the Holy Ghost can be? If your answer to these questions is not a firm yes, you have some work to do. Ask the Lord to help you. I promise that He will and that it is worth the effort.
Now, becoming a trusted disciple has a lot to do with how you are taking care of your spiritual heart. Just like Angela peaches, you become spiritually mature from the inside out, so protecting your spiritual heart is vital.
I wish it was as simple as asking for a new, soft heart. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?
But the Lord cannot simply put a new heart in you, because, without your willingness to foster a safe place for it to dwell, your new heart would be surrounded by your old self, your old jealousies, your old grudges, your old harsh judgements, your old poor behavior. These would overtake it and strangle your new heart. That is not what the Lord wants for you.
But what you say, where you go, what you watch and listen to, how you treat others, is a personal declaration of who you really are. It is an indication of your desire, your willingness to be more like Jesus Christ. I hope it means that you want to and are trying to become a trusted disciple, nourished by the Savior’s good word, with soft hearts and kindly spirits.
In September of 2020 my daughter was standing on the side of the freeway next to her car that had a flat tire. After calling her insurance company and being told it would be 3 hours before they could get someone there to change her tire, she opened a YouTube video and, standing beside her car, with the hazard lights flashing, was concentrating on understanding the directions on what to do.
A young man saw her as he passed by recognizing the situation and what my daughter was trying to do. He prayed as he passed her there on the freeway, “Heavenly Father, please send someone to help her.”
He had an immediate thought come into his mind, “You are that someone, go help her.”
He drove to the next exit and circled back around so he could stop and change the tire for her. Another man also stopped to lend a hand. She was very grateful to the young man who prayed and listened and acted as he came to help her.
Listening to the Spirit and acting upon those whisperings, as this young man did, is a sign of someone who is being changed from the inside out.
My sister and her friend Joan had been next door neighbors for over 40 years. Recently my sister shared this Christmas message with me, “We [Joan and her family] developed a deep friendship over the years. There were different backgrounds, lifestyles and ideas but we found common ground and enjoyed great memories. Even when they moved across town, and we relocated to Southern Utah we didn't lose touch.
Joan made delicious Christmas cookies and shared them with us. She's gone now but each Christmas I still receive a box of cookies her children now send to us. It reminds me of a dear friend…great memories and the true gift of Christmas: sincere love for others devoid of judgment…Thanks for my cookies, your friendship and a Christmas reminder of Christlike love.”
Serving others, as Joan’s children did, when you don’t have to, is the sign of someone who is being changed from the inside out.
Not long ago a young woman shared the following with me. “As I began working in residential care, something that always broke my heart was when residents were without family members or someone to celebrate with. I remember one particular day I was asked to hand out mail. I walked into a room with two residents. I handed one resident her mail and the other perked up and asked if there was anything for her. When I responded no, her smile dropped and she quietly mumbled “I never get any mail.’”
Remembering the disappointment in her client’s face and in her voice, this year she organized her Family Home Evening Group and together they created cards and letters that contained witty sayings, scriptures and poems. Almost all of the cards included some phrasing to let the person receiving it know that they are loved and not forgotten. The cards were finished, packed in envelopes and decorated with stickers and other fun drawings and then delivered to a nursing home where they were distributed to each resident so no one would feel left out.
A heart that is learning to love others like the Savior, as this young woman did, and sharing that love with others is the sign of someone being changed from the inside out.
Last weekend President Kusch and I were in Arizona to be with our grandson as he attended the temple and spoke in his sacrament meeting before beginning the MTC yesterday. He gave me permission to share a portion of his talk with you this morning because what Andrew shares is an important truth about how you can make it easier for the Lord to work with you, to soften your heart, and to change it.
“In this life, conversion [which is another way of describing a changed and softened heart] is not a foot race with a start line and a finish line. But rather it’s more like ice converting to water. When ice turns to water, you have to constantly and continually keep it warm enough, or it’ll freeze again. Through the warmth of Christ, we can be as water. But this world is cold. If we do not keep Christ in our hearts and thoughts and actions, and if we push away the spirit, we’ll freeze. Luckily, Christ is always looking to us, He is always with us and extending His hand for us to take and feel of His warmth.”
Andrew’s wisdom I believe is the answer to how you nourish your heart and soul. You must be in places where the warmth of the Savior can make it easier for you to become a trusted disciple with a desire to act and live in a more holy way.
Angela peaches become delightful and delicious despite outward imperfections by being nourished from a true source, changed and softened from the inside out. Trusted disciples of Christ, regardless of outward imperfections, can likewise be changed and softened also from the inside out. If it is your desire, the Lord can help you have a kind heart, a better heart, a faithful heart.
I testify to you that this is possible, and it is wonderful and worth whatever effort is required. May the Lord bless you as you are changing from the inside out this semester.
In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
My search last summer and fall was very disappointing. I can’t tell you how many beautiful peaches I bought, hoping for just one that would be ripe and juicy and flavorful. I had no luck, and I’m a little bitter about that.
Now the summer before, I was equally determined to find peaches that were tasty and sweet. One day I drove all the way to Brigham City and visited my fruit stand where I had been before to find delicious peaches.
Upon arrival, I asked one of the workers if she could direct me to where the best peaches were in the store. She motioned to some boxes over in a corner that were filled with fruit that was misshapen and bruised and discolored.
My first thought when I saw them was this was a wasted drive.
But then she explained. The fruit that I had dismissed because of its outward appearance, was called Angela peaches.
They are unique because they ripen from the inside out. So, judging an Angela peach’s sweetness and flavor has nothing to do with the blemishes or bruises that appear on their skin.
To determine when an Angela peach is ready to eat, you feel the stem where they were attached to the tree. When it is soft around the source of its nourishment, it is ripe and ready to eat, regardless of what it looks like on the outside.
As I cut the peaches in half, preparing them for the freezer, some pits fell apart in my hand, which made extra work for me but did not mean the peaches were not worthy of the effort. They were not perfect, but with a little extra care I cut away broken pits and small blemishes to reveal delicious fruit inside.
As I worked with these peaches for several days, I discovered many similarities between me and Angela peaches.
Most of the peaches had blemishes and bruises. For some of them, their skin was marked with imperfections, or their pits fell apart, but they still tasted sweet and perfect on the inside.
Can you see some similarities?
No one of us is perfect on the outside. We look in the mirror and we see all of our bruises, blemishes, yes, all of our imperfections, but that does not mean that our hearts cannot be soft and loving.
Some of the peaches that I purchased this summer were beautiful on the outside, but the flesh of the peach, after the perfect exterior was cut away, was hard and completely without flavor.
Some humans are like that, beautiful on the outside, but their minds and hearts are hard and unyielding to the Spirit.
As I worked with the Angela peaches, I was reminded of some important truths about righteous living and spiritual ripening. Because you see the Lord has a different way of determining our spiritual softness. From 1 Samuel we read, “the Lord seeth not as a man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
So, what you are becoming on the inside is more important to Him than any imperfections you might see on the outside.
I would like to share with you some of the things I have learned about how you can become an Angela disciple, a trusted disciple of Christ; fully softened, sweetened, ripened and committed from the inside out.
Becoming a trusted disciple has a lot to do with where you get your spiritual nourishment. Angela peaches are nourished at the stem where they are connected to the branches and trunk of the tree. They receive water and nourishment from the soil as it passes from the source, directly to the fruit.
Where do you go to be spiritually fed by the Holy Ghost? Are you spending time in places where spiritual truth can influence you or are you taking yourself to places where the Spirit cannot go? Are you making it easy for the Lord to work with you and soften your heart? Being involved in your ward, attending institute, coming to devotional, worshiping in the temple, are all places where you can be spiritually fed truth. Go to them.
Becoming a trusted disciple has a lot to do with how familiar you are with the source of true spiritual nourishment. In the same way that Angela peaches are linked to the source of their nourishment, are you connected to the sources of truth? Are you spending time nourishing yourself spiritually? Are you looking for ways to better hear the Lord and follow His direction and example? Do you love being in places where the Holy Ghost can be? If your answer to these questions is not a firm yes, you have some work to do. Ask the Lord to help you. I promise that He will and that it is worth the effort.
Now, becoming a trusted disciple has a lot to do with how you are taking care of your spiritual heart. Just like Angela peaches, you become spiritually mature from the inside out, so protecting your spiritual heart is vital.
I wish it was as simple as asking for a new, soft heart. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?
But the Lord cannot simply put a new heart in you, because, without your willingness to foster a safe place for it to dwell, your new heart would be surrounded by your old self, your old jealousies, your old grudges, your old harsh judgements, your old poor behavior. These would overtake it and strangle your new heart. That is not what the Lord wants for you.
But what you say, where you go, what you watch and listen to, how you treat others, is a personal declaration of who you really are. It is an indication of your desire, your willingness to be more like Jesus Christ. I hope it means that you want to and are trying to become a trusted disciple, nourished by the Savior’s good word, with soft hearts and kindly spirits.
In September of 2020 my daughter was standing on the side of the freeway next to her car that had a flat tire. After calling her insurance company and being told it would be 3 hours before they could get someone there to change her tire, she opened a YouTube video and, standing beside her car, with the hazard lights flashing, was concentrating on understanding the directions on what to do.
A young man saw her as he passed by recognizing the situation and what my daughter was trying to do. He prayed as he passed her there on the freeway, “Heavenly Father, please send someone to help her.”
He had an immediate thought come into his mind, “You are that someone, go help her.”
He drove to the next exit and circled back around so he could stop and change the tire for her. Another man also stopped to lend a hand. She was very grateful to the young man who prayed and listened and acted as he came to help her.
Listening to the Spirit and acting upon those whisperings, as this young man did, is a sign of someone who is being changed from the inside out.
My sister and her friend Joan had been next door neighbors for over 40 years. Recently my sister shared this Christmas message with me, “We [Joan and her family] developed a deep friendship over the years. There were different backgrounds, lifestyles and ideas but we found common ground and enjoyed great memories. Even when they moved across town, and we relocated to Southern Utah we didn't lose touch.
Joan made delicious Christmas cookies and shared them with us. She's gone now but each Christmas I still receive a box of cookies her children now send to us. It reminds me of a dear friend…great memories and the true gift of Christmas: sincere love for others devoid of judgment…Thanks for my cookies, your friendship and a Christmas reminder of Christlike love.”
Serving others, as Joan’s children did, when you don’t have to, is the sign of someone who is being changed from the inside out.
Not long ago a young woman shared the following with me. “As I began working in residential care, something that always broke my heart was when residents were without family members or someone to celebrate with. I remember one particular day I was asked to hand out mail. I walked into a room with two residents. I handed one resident her mail and the other perked up and asked if there was anything for her. When I responded no, her smile dropped and she quietly mumbled “I never get any mail.’”
Remembering the disappointment in her client’s face and in her voice, this year she organized her Family Home Evening Group and together they created cards and letters that contained witty sayings, scriptures and poems. Almost all of the cards included some phrasing to let the person receiving it know that they are loved and not forgotten. The cards were finished, packed in envelopes and decorated with stickers and other fun drawings and then delivered to a nursing home where they were distributed to each resident so no one would feel left out.
A heart that is learning to love others like the Savior, as this young woman did, and sharing that love with others is the sign of someone being changed from the inside out.
Last weekend President Kusch and I were in Arizona to be with our grandson as he attended the temple and spoke in his sacrament meeting before beginning the MTC yesterday. He gave me permission to share a portion of his talk with you this morning because what Andrew shares is an important truth about how you can make it easier for the Lord to work with you, to soften your heart, and to change it.
“In this life, conversion [which is another way of describing a changed and softened heart] is not a foot race with a start line and a finish line. But rather it’s more like ice converting to water. When ice turns to water, you have to constantly and continually keep it warm enough, or it’ll freeze again. Through the warmth of Christ, we can be as water. But this world is cold. If we do not keep Christ in our hearts and thoughts and actions, and if we push away the spirit, we’ll freeze. Luckily, Christ is always looking to us, He is always with us and extending His hand for us to take and feel of His warmth.”
Andrew’s wisdom I believe is the answer to how you nourish your heart and soul. You must be in places where the warmth of the Savior can make it easier for you to become a trusted disciple with a desire to act and live in a more holy way.
Angela peaches become delightful and delicious despite outward imperfections by being nourished from a true source, changed and softened from the inside out. Trusted disciples of Christ, regardless of outward imperfections, can likewise be changed and softened also from the inside out. If it is your desire, the Lord can help you have a kind heart, a better heart, a faithful heart.
I testify to you that this is possible, and it is wonderful and worth whatever effort is required. May the Lord bless you as you are changing from the inside out this semester.
In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Your Own Sacred Grove Experience
By President Bruce C. Kusch
Shortly before Christmas, while delivering some Christmas treats to a family in our ward, I asked them about their holiday plans. They said, “We’re going to Brazil to visit members of our family who are serving in the Church’s Brazil Area Office there.” As we talked about their plans, they mentioned plans to go to Iguazu Falls, which are spectacular.
These Iguazu River waterfalls are on the border of the Brazilian state of Paraná and the Argentine Province of Misiones.
Many years ago, sister Kusch and I had the opportunity to go to Iguazu Falls, and it was truly an amazing and unforgettable experience.
You will note the comments on the map: “Immense, scenic set of waterfalls.” That is an understatement. The falls at Iguazu are more than immense. And they are more than scenic. But there is a dilemma. You can see the falls from Brazil, and after a short ride, you can see the falls from Argentina. The family I was visiting asked, “Which view of the falls is the best? I said, “The view from both sides is indescribable. Of course, if you ask a Brazilian, they will tell you the best view is from Brazil. I think you know what the answer would be if you asked someone from Argentina. We saw the falls from both sides – and for the record, we thought seeing the falls from both countries was equally amazing.
But you can’t just see the falls; you have to experience them. You can do that by taking a ride in a small boat that takes you directly under and through one of the falls. Sister Kusch and I did that when we were there. It was so fun! I still giggle when I think about how much fun it was. I must admit the Argentine side has one significant advantage, and it is the Devil’s Throat section of the waterfalls. These are the largest and most famous of all the falls at Iguazu and are considered one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.
You will notice that there’s a walkway that takes you right to this waterfall. Now, if you’ve ever been to Niagara Falls, they pale in comparison to the power of the cascading water and the accompanying roar of Devil’s Throat. I’ve never experienced anything like it and I will never ever forget being there.
But as I said, you can’t simply see the falls or see pictures of Iguazu; you have to experience them.
Now, come with me to Palmyra, New York, to the place in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in this Dispensation began. It is called the Sacred Grove. My assumption this morning is that some here have been to the Sacred Grove, that many have not, and that many may not ever visit the Sacred Grove.
But unlike Iguazu Falls, it is not necessary for you to physically be in the Sacred Grove or to visit the Sacred Grove to have your own very personal Sacred Grove experience.
What do I mean by a “Sacred Grove experience”?
Joseph Smith’s experience before and during his very personal time in the Sacred Grove provides a pattern and principles for us to observe, follow, and apply. We can do the things he did, and we can come to learn and know the things he learned and knew. Now, let me be very clear: in describing a Sacred Grove experience, I am not suggesting that it will include a personal visit from the Father and the Son. But by the power of the Holy Ghost, we may know that they truly are (see Moroni 10:7), and we can know with certainty that “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also” (see D&C 130:22). Just like Joseph, we can know that we are God’s beloved sons and daughters and that He has a work for each of us to perform during our time in mortality. This is essential knowledge for every single one of us.
My invitation, Brothers and Sisters, to each of us this morning is to seek to have your very own Sacred Grove experience – whether you have had one, or more than one, or none at all. In our mind’s eye, let’s imagine we are there, and let’s consider the principles and the lessons to be learned that we can liken unto ourselves in our 2025 lives.
In the spring of 1820, Joseph Smith, barely a teenager, read a verse of scripture in the New Testament that would change him, change the world, and that would launch the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times. You know these verses well:
“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.
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed” (see James 1:5-6).
Joseph said, “Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible.
At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to “ask of God,” concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture” (see JSH 1:12-13).
So, on an 1820 spring morning, Joseph Smith found a familiar place in a grove of trees near the Smith family farm to seek God in prayer.
What is the pattern Joseph followed that could be helpful for us?
1. Approaching God with a sincere heart, with real intent, and asking inspired questions are prerequisites for revelation.
2. Satan is real, and he will exert all of his power to divert us, distract us, and discourage us from seeking God and Jesus Christ.
3. God’s power is greater than Satan’s power, and God will always rescue us when we do not give up.
4. When revelation comes, we follow it with our whole heart and soul.
The answers to Joseph’s sincere and heartfelt prayer and questions were more than he could have ever imagined and have blessed millions of the inhabitants of the earth for more than 200 years.
But before his answer came, Joseph had to wrestle and fight and struggle to overcome darkness. Oh, how Satan must have fought that spring of 1820 day. I rather doubt Joseph had any idea what was coming; so strong was Satan’s power that Joseph thought he was doomed to destruction. But then the Light came, and with the Light came relief and salvation from the darkness.
In the pillar of light were two personages: God, our Heavenly Father, who announced and introduced His Son, Jesus Christ. What truths were revealed to Joseph Smith during his Sacred Grove experience? While I am sure there are more, there were at least six truths Joseph learned.
Those truths that Joseph learned that day brought him unspeakable joy, relief, and love. But, with the exception of his immediate family, at first, no one would believe him. In fact, it would be the beginning of defending these truths that would mark every single day of the rest of his mortal existence.
I believe if I asked any of you here this morning to recite the Ensign College mission statement, you could do it– without help. But I’m going to give you some help. I’m not going to ask you to recite it, however.
The purpose of any organization’s mission statement is to firmly declare what it intends to accomplish for those that it serves. So, when we state that our mission is to develop capable and trusted disciples of Jesus Christ, that is our hope, and that is our intent.
Now, let’s consider what President Russell M. Nelson taught in his first General Conference address as president of the Church in April 2018, and his reference to the Prophet Joseph:
“Brothers and sisters, how can we become the men and women—the Christlike servants—the Lord needs us to be? How can we find answers to questions that perplex us? If Joseph Smith’s transcendent experience in the Sacred Grove teaches us anything, it is that the heavens are open and that God speaks to His children.
The Prophet Joseph Smith set a pattern for us to follow in resolving our questions. Drawn to the promise of James that if we lack wisdom, we may ask of God, the boy Joseph took his question directly to Heavenly Father. He sought personal revelation, and his seeking opened this last dispensation.
In like manner, what will your seeking open for you? What wisdom do you lack? What do you feel an urgent need to know or understand? Follow the example of the Prophet Joseph. Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort.
Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will “grow into the principle of revelation.
Does God really want to speak to you? Yes! “As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course … as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints.”
You don’t have to wonder about what is true. You do not have to wonder whom you can safely trust. Through personal revelation, you can receive your own witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, and that this is the Lord’s Church. Regardless of what others may say or do, no one can ever take away a witness borne to your heart and mind about what is true.
I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, for the Lord has promised that “if thou shalt [seek], thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.”
So, brothers and sisters, why would it be so essential for you and for me to have our own personal Sacred Grove experience? What was the most fundamental thing Joseph Smith experienced on that glorious spring morning in 1820?
He received personal revelation. He learned that he could seek it, and he learned how to seek it, and he learned when he sought it, it would come.
In that same April 2018 General Conference address, President Nelson said:
“I am optimistic about the future. It will be filled with opportunities for each of us to progress, contribute, and take the gospel to every corner of the earth. But I am also not naive about the days ahead. We live in a world that is complex and increasingly contentious. The constant availability of social media and a 24-hour news cycle bombard us with relentless messages. If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation.
Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again. We will see miraculous indications that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, preside over this Church in majesty and glory. But in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”
There are no limits to the truths that can be revealed to us by the power of the Holy Ghost. There is no limit to the amount of personal revelation that can come to guide us in our lives perfectly customized for our individual needs and circumstances.
And there is also personal revelation that can come to each of us that is exactly the same.
By the power of the Holy Ghost, you can know that God and Jesus Christ are real, that we are the spiritual offspring of heavenly parents, and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, our Redeemer, and Savior of the World.
By personal revelation, you can know that Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ and conversed with Them in the Sacred Grove.
By the power of the Holy Ghost, you can know that the Book of Mormon is true and was translated by the gift and power of God.
By the power of the Holy Ghost, you can know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led by prophets, seers, and revelators and that President Russell M. Nelson is God’s appointed prophet to lead the Savior’s Church on the earth at this time.
On April 5, 2020, to commemorate the two-hundredth anniversary of the First Vision, President Russell M. Nelson read a prophetic Bicentennial Proclamation to the World entitled THE RESTORATION OF THE FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. The concluding paragraph states:
“With reverence and gratitude, we as His Apostles invite all to know – as we do – that the heavens are open. We affirm that God is making known His will for His beloved sons and daughters. We testify that those who prayerfully study the message of the Restoration and act in faith will be blessed to gain their own witness of its divinity and of its purpose to prepare the world for the promised Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
I pray, Brothers and Sisters, that we will each have the desire to accept this prophetic invitation.
I pray that each of us will have the desire to follow the pattern that made Joseph Smith’s Sacred Grove experience possible.
Let us make a study of the scriptures an essential part of our daily lives.
Let us exercise faith in God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, nothing wavering, by acting upon what we learn.
Let us make our standing before God and our relationship with Him and the Savior our highest priority, repenting daily and seeking forgiveness for our imperfections.
Let us take our questions and our seeking to the Source of all Truth and be willing to allow God, who is that Source, to prevail in our lives. May we patiently wait upon the Lord for the answers that we seek, and when they come, may we willingly follow with whole soul obedience.
Let us remember the rescuing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which will help us remain firmly on the covenant path or come back if we have wandered.
And let us live worthy of the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost to help us not only survive spiritually but to thrive as capable and trusted disciples of Jesus Christ.
I have been to the Sacred Grove and I have walked through the grove of trees near Joseph Smith’s boyhood home. But it was long before that experience that I received a testimony of the First Vision. The Holy Ghost has borne witness to me in a Los Angeles, California suburb, in Guatemala, in El Salvador, in San Jose, California, in Rexburg, Idaho, in South Central Mexico, and in Salt Lake City, Utah. And that’s not everywhere, or the only times I have felt the Spirit’s confirming witness.
I testify of the truth of Joseph Smith’s Sacred Grove experience. What he said happened really happened.
As I consider the magnitude of what took place on that 1820 spring morning, I do not have words adequate to describe my feelings. The God of the universe, along with his Only Begotten Son, visited Joseph and called him to be the prophet of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in this dispensation. Can you see how important the Restoration is to Them? The Plan of Salvation would have been forever frustrated after the great apostasy had there been no Restoration. But it was foretold in New Testament times and how blessed we are to be first-person witnesses as it moves forward and is ongoing.
I testify of Joseph’s prophetic mission as an instrument in God’s hands for the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for the establishment in these latter days of the Savior’s only true and living church: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
I know that the Savior will come again.
Finally, I know that as you and I seek to have our own Sacred Grove experience, we can know the truth of all these things by the power of the Holy Ghost.
May we each do so, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
These Iguazu River waterfalls are on the border of the Brazilian state of Paraná and the Argentine Province of Misiones.
Many years ago, sister Kusch and I had the opportunity to go to Iguazu Falls, and it was truly an amazing and unforgettable experience.
You will note the comments on the map: “Immense, scenic set of waterfalls.” That is an understatement. The falls at Iguazu are more than immense. And they are more than scenic. But there is a dilemma. You can see the falls from Brazil, and after a short ride, you can see the falls from Argentina. The family I was visiting asked, “Which view of the falls is the best? I said, “The view from both sides is indescribable. Of course, if you ask a Brazilian, they will tell you the best view is from Brazil. I think you know what the answer would be if you asked someone from Argentina. We saw the falls from both sides – and for the record, we thought seeing the falls from both countries was equally amazing.
But you can’t just see the falls; you have to experience them. You can do that by taking a ride in a small boat that takes you directly under and through one of the falls. Sister Kusch and I did that when we were there. It was so fun! I still giggle when I think about how much fun it was. I must admit the Argentine side has one significant advantage, and it is the Devil’s Throat section of the waterfalls. These are the largest and most famous of all the falls at Iguazu and are considered one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.
You will notice that there’s a walkway that takes you right to this waterfall. Now, if you’ve ever been to Niagara Falls, they pale in comparison to the power of the cascading water and the accompanying roar of Devil’s Throat. I’ve never experienced anything like it and I will never ever forget being there.
But as I said, you can’t simply see the falls or see pictures of Iguazu; you have to experience them.
Now, come with me to Palmyra, New York, to the place in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in this Dispensation began. It is called the Sacred Grove. My assumption this morning is that some here have been to the Sacred Grove, that many have not, and that many may not ever visit the Sacred Grove.
But unlike Iguazu Falls, it is not necessary for you to physically be in the Sacred Grove or to visit the Sacred Grove to have your own very personal Sacred Grove experience.
What do I mean by a “Sacred Grove experience”?
Joseph Smith’s experience before and during his very personal time in the Sacred Grove provides a pattern and principles for us to observe, follow, and apply. We can do the things he did, and we can come to learn and know the things he learned and knew. Now, let me be very clear: in describing a Sacred Grove experience, I am not suggesting that it will include a personal visit from the Father and the Son. But by the power of the Holy Ghost, we may know that they truly are (see Moroni 10:7), and we can know with certainty that “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also” (see D&C 130:22). Just like Joseph, we can know that we are God’s beloved sons and daughters and that He has a work for each of us to perform during our time in mortality. This is essential knowledge for every single one of us.
My invitation, Brothers and Sisters, to each of us this morning is to seek to have your very own Sacred Grove experience – whether you have had one, or more than one, or none at all. In our mind’s eye, let’s imagine we are there, and let’s consider the principles and the lessons to be learned that we can liken unto ourselves in our 2025 lives.
In the spring of 1820, Joseph Smith, barely a teenager, read a verse of scripture in the New Testament that would change him, change the world, and that would launch the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times. You know these verses well:
“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.
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed” (see James 1:5-6).
Joseph said, “Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible.
At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to “ask of God,” concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture” (see JSH 1:12-13).
So, on an 1820 spring morning, Joseph Smith found a familiar place in a grove of trees near the Smith family farm to seek God in prayer.
What is the pattern Joseph followed that could be helpful for us?
- Joseph Smith – even at a very young age – was a seeker of truth, evidenced by his study of the scriptures, his seeking, and his efforts to determine which of all the churches at the time was the Savior’s true church.
- Joseph cared deeply about his relationship with God and his standing with Him. He cared very much about his personal salvation. He said, “At about the age of twelve years, my mind became seriously impressed with regard to the all-important concerns for the welfare of my immortal soul” (1832 First Vision account).
- Joseph recognized his imperfections and his human faults. Perhaps as much as he wanted to know which of all the churches of his day was the correct one, he wanted to know how he could obtain forgiveness for his sins. Joseph mourned for his own sins and for the sins of the world (1832 account).
- Rather than remain in darkness and confusion, Joseph determined he would exercise faith – he would act – and he would go directly to the source of truth, even God himself, for the information that he sought.
Now, there were also principles that were related to Joseph’s experience that we should remember as we seek our own Sacred Grove experience.
1. Approaching God with a sincere heart, with real intent, and asking inspired questions are prerequisites for revelation.
2. Satan is real, and he will exert all of his power to divert us, distract us, and discourage us from seeking God and Jesus Christ.
3. God’s power is greater than Satan’s power, and God will always rescue us when we do not give up.
4. When revelation comes, we follow it with our whole heart and soul.
The answers to Joseph’s sincere and heartfelt prayer and questions were more than he could have ever imagined and have blessed millions of the inhabitants of the earth for more than 200 years.
But before his answer came, Joseph had to wrestle and fight and struggle to overcome darkness. Oh, how Satan must have fought that spring of 1820 day. I rather doubt Joseph had any idea what was coming; so strong was Satan’s power that Joseph thought he was doomed to destruction. But then the Light came, and with the Light came relief and salvation from the darkness.
In the pillar of light were two personages: God, our Heavenly Father, who announced and introduced His Son, Jesus Christ. What truths were revealed to Joseph Smith during his Sacred Grove experience? While I am sure there are more, there were at least six truths Joseph learned.
- Joseph learned that the heavens are open and that revelation from God is a reality
- Joseph learned the true nature of God and Jesus Christ
- He learned his sins could be and were forgiven
- He learned that following the death of the original Apostles, the true church of Jesus Christ was lost through apostasy and was not found on the earth at that time
- He learned he had a role to play in God’s plan for His children
- He learned there would be opposition to the truth
Those truths that Joseph learned that day brought him unspeakable joy, relief, and love. But, with the exception of his immediate family, at first, no one would believe him. In fact, it would be the beginning of defending these truths that would mark every single day of the rest of his mortal existence.
I believe if I asked any of you here this morning to recite the Ensign College mission statement, you could do it– without help. But I’m going to give you some help. I’m not going to ask you to recite it, however.
The purpose of any organization’s mission statement is to firmly declare what it intends to accomplish for those that it serves. So, when we state that our mission is to develop capable and trusted disciples of Jesus Christ, that is our hope, and that is our intent.
Now, let’s consider what President Russell M. Nelson taught in his first General Conference address as president of the Church in April 2018, and his reference to the Prophet Joseph:
“Brothers and sisters, how can we become the men and women—the Christlike servants—the Lord needs us to be? How can we find answers to questions that perplex us? If Joseph Smith’s transcendent experience in the Sacred Grove teaches us anything, it is that the heavens are open and that God speaks to His children.
The Prophet Joseph Smith set a pattern for us to follow in resolving our questions. Drawn to the promise of James that if we lack wisdom, we may ask of God, the boy Joseph took his question directly to Heavenly Father. He sought personal revelation, and his seeking opened this last dispensation.
In like manner, what will your seeking open for you? What wisdom do you lack? What do you feel an urgent need to know or understand? Follow the example of the Prophet Joseph. Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort.
Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will “grow into the principle of revelation.
Does God really want to speak to you? Yes! “As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course … as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints.”
You don’t have to wonder about what is true. You do not have to wonder whom you can safely trust. Through personal revelation, you can receive your own witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, and that this is the Lord’s Church. Regardless of what others may say or do, no one can ever take away a witness borne to your heart and mind about what is true.
I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, for the Lord has promised that “if thou shalt [seek], thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.”
So, brothers and sisters, why would it be so essential for you and for me to have our own personal Sacred Grove experience? What was the most fundamental thing Joseph Smith experienced on that glorious spring morning in 1820?
He received personal revelation. He learned that he could seek it, and he learned how to seek it, and he learned when he sought it, it would come.
In that same April 2018 General Conference address, President Nelson said:
“I am optimistic about the future. It will be filled with opportunities for each of us to progress, contribute, and take the gospel to every corner of the earth. But I am also not naive about the days ahead. We live in a world that is complex and increasingly contentious. The constant availability of social media and a 24-hour news cycle bombard us with relentless messages. If we are to have any hope of sifting through the myriad of voices and the philosophies of men that attack truth, we must learn to receive revelation.
Our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, will perform some of His mightiest works between now and when He comes again. We will see miraculous indications that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, preside over this Church in majesty and glory. But in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”
There are no limits to the truths that can be revealed to us by the power of the Holy Ghost. There is no limit to the amount of personal revelation that can come to guide us in our lives perfectly customized for our individual needs and circumstances.
And there is also personal revelation that can come to each of us that is exactly the same.
By the power of the Holy Ghost, you can know that God and Jesus Christ are real, that we are the spiritual offspring of heavenly parents, and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, our Redeemer, and Savior of the World.
By personal revelation, you can know that Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ and conversed with Them in the Sacred Grove.
By the power of the Holy Ghost, you can know that the Book of Mormon is true and was translated by the gift and power of God.
By the power of the Holy Ghost, you can know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is led by prophets, seers, and revelators and that President Russell M. Nelson is God’s appointed prophet to lead the Savior’s Church on the earth at this time.
On April 5, 2020, to commemorate the two-hundredth anniversary of the First Vision, President Russell M. Nelson read a prophetic Bicentennial Proclamation to the World entitled THE RESTORATION OF THE FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. The concluding paragraph states:
“With reverence and gratitude, we as His Apostles invite all to know – as we do – that the heavens are open. We affirm that God is making known His will for His beloved sons and daughters. We testify that those who prayerfully study the message of the Restoration and act in faith will be blessed to gain their own witness of its divinity and of its purpose to prepare the world for the promised Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
I pray, Brothers and Sisters, that we will each have the desire to accept this prophetic invitation.
I pray that each of us will have the desire to follow the pattern that made Joseph Smith’s Sacred Grove experience possible.
Let us make a study of the scriptures an essential part of our daily lives.
Let us exercise faith in God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ, nothing wavering, by acting upon what we learn.
Let us make our standing before God and our relationship with Him and the Savior our highest priority, repenting daily and seeking forgiveness for our imperfections.
Let us take our questions and our seeking to the Source of all Truth and be willing to allow God, who is that Source, to prevail in our lives. May we patiently wait upon the Lord for the answers that we seek, and when they come, may we willingly follow with whole soul obedience.
Let us remember the rescuing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which will help us remain firmly on the covenant path or come back if we have wandered.
And let us live worthy of the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost to help us not only survive spiritually but to thrive as capable and trusted disciples of Jesus Christ.
I have been to the Sacred Grove and I have walked through the grove of trees near Joseph Smith’s boyhood home. But it was long before that experience that I received a testimony of the First Vision. The Holy Ghost has borne witness to me in a Los Angeles, California suburb, in Guatemala, in El Salvador, in San Jose, California, in Rexburg, Idaho, in South Central Mexico, and in Salt Lake City, Utah. And that’s not everywhere, or the only times I have felt the Spirit’s confirming witness.
I testify of the truth of Joseph Smith’s Sacred Grove experience. What he said happened really happened.
As I consider the magnitude of what took place on that 1820 spring morning, I do not have words adequate to describe my feelings. The God of the universe, along with his Only Begotten Son, visited Joseph and called him to be the prophet of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in this dispensation. Can you see how important the Restoration is to Them? The Plan of Salvation would have been forever frustrated after the great apostasy had there been no Restoration. But it was foretold in New Testament times and how blessed we are to be first-person witnesses as it moves forward and is ongoing.
I testify of Joseph’s prophetic mission as an instrument in God’s hands for the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for the establishment in these latter days of the Savior’s only true and living church: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
I know that the Savior will come again.
Finally, I know that as you and I seek to have our own Sacred Grove experience, we can know the truth of all these things by the power of the Holy Ghost.
May we each do so, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.