Your Sacred Grove

As I walked into the woods by the side of the road with 17 other missionaries I was unaware of what was going on. We had wandered along the back roads of Columbia, SC, for a good minute and were baffled as to why all the hoax. Our mission president walked us into the foliage several yards until the road was no longer in sight, then he stopped and explained himself. We sang a verse or two of the hymn "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" and President shared his testimony of those sacred events. He invited us, as we were about to begin our full time service to the Lord, to take a few minutes and have our own "sacred grove" experience, to gain a sure knowledge for ourselves that the gospel we were going to share was true. Then he left along a line of simple bright tags among the brush.

As the other new missionaries sought proper spots, I found a flat rock and sat upon it, facing away from most of the others. My mind wandered back to the day only weeks previous when early one morning I had left the campsite where my parents and I were staying and took a walk along a small trail weaving between the trees by the lakeside. I remembered the pure beauty I witnessed and the closeness I felt to my God as I took in His creations. As I walked, I felt the desire to pray and in a secluded spot on the trial by the shore I knelt down to offer up my soul, in preparation of the mission I would soon begin. My heart was full of joy and love as I expressed my gratitude to my Heavenly Father for the gospel, for this earth and my life there. I remember the desire I had to please him, to fulfill His purposes for me and sought a final witness before I left that the gospel was true and what I was doing was right. My heart filled with the sweet light of the Holy Ghost and with love and joy. I promised God I would serve faithfully.

Now as I was again seeking a witness the shadows of that day, of the feelings I had felt, came to my heart. As I prayed, rather than beg for another witness, all I could think to do was tell my Heavenly Father that I knew it was true and that as I embarked on my mission I needed His help. I saw no pillar of light. No voice whispered in my ear. Yet I still remember it so clearly. It was a sacred time spent with my God. After about 10 minutes, I got up and followed others along the line of tags. I had no idea where we were, so when the gold trumpet shined through the tops of the trees my heart stopped. I realized where we were, at the Columbia temple. As I continued walking the image to that humble and magnificent house of God opened to my view and tears began brimming in my eyes, my spirit overcome. Why, I'm still not sure, but it did. At the tree line stood my mission president. I was full out crying as I shook his hand and looked at his warm, loving face. He smiled and welcomed me to the temple. As I continued walked to join the other missionaries that had arrived and to admire that sacred edifice, I couldn't stop thinking of how perfect it had all been planned out.

Inside the waiting room of the temple, President Holm shared his testimony again of the power of this work and how the temple and the celestial kingdom is our goal for those we are here to teach, not just the waters of baptism. The role of the temple and its ordinances in the gospel became much more meaningful to me that day. 18 months later, we returned again to that temple. This time, my service was ending rather than beginning. I was grateful to be there with my mission "parents" as we participated in the ordinances of the dead. At the end of the session when I entered that Celestial room, I was the first of the missionaries there. President and Sister Holm stood as I entered and we bright smiling faces invited me forward. I came to them and felt as if it were a shadow of future events, when at the end of my earthly mission I will greet my Heavenly parents, and they too will say, "You did it." and "Well done." as they embrace me in their arms.

Sacred experiences. A small trail. A sacred grove. A house of God. A witness that God lives and that He loves me. Elder Jensen shared a CES devotional in May 2012 in which he urged each of us to always stand in the sacred grove (virtually, not physically) and whenever we are experiencing life's challenges, to remember that place and the lessons learned there. These were my sacred groves. In a few weeks I will have the opportunity to enter the same woods where Joseph saw God the Father and Jesus Christ. I am excited and grateful for the opportunity I will have to worship there, to thank my Heavenly Father for the amazing gift of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and feel of the sacred Spirit that remains among those trees.