Day 3- Adam-ondi-Ahman, Far West, and Haun’s Mill

Yet another fantastic day here! Some of us were awakened in the night by terrifically loud thunder and the sound of pouring rain, while others of us slept right through the noise.  After breakfast, and despite the still heavy rain, we headed off to the Gallatin Ward to attend sacrament meeting, which began at 10 a.m. There, we were blessed to of the sacrament, as well as hear the talk of a newly returned missionary, who served in Brazil, and a senior missionary couple who served for one year as missionaries, and another 2 ½ years as mission president and wife in Greece and Cyprus. Elder Youd shared an experience where he and his companion had to try and see an investigator as the Savior sees him. When they came to his home to pick him up for church as they had arranged, they found him to be intoxicated. But, they felt they should take him to church anyway, and remember to see him as a brother who needed help, not judgment. Though the Brother did not behave too reverently in sacrament meeting, he heard that others were being baptized, and later, when the Elders came to visit him at home, he asked if it were still possible for him to be baptized and that he had thrown out all of his alcoholic beverages and pledged to remain sober from then on, which he did.

Sister and Elder Freestone, the senior couple, each bore stirring testimony of how much they learned serving in Greece. Elder Freestone told how, as mission president, he would ask the missionaries returning home what they had learned while serving, and he shared some of their answers. A few of those I can recall are: how to focus more on Heavenly Father’s will instead of their own; how to rely on the Spirit more; how to be more patient and endure to the end; and how serving others brings true happiness. He also shared how important it is for young men to prepare to serve as missionaries, as it is a priesthood duty, how much young women are needed to serve as missionaries, and also how much senior couples are needed to serve as missionaries. It was a wonderful sacrament meeting.

After church, we headed back to the ranch to change clothes and grab some lunch. Then, we headed off to the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, a peaceful place where we know from the Doctrine and Covenants that Adam gathered his descendants together to bestow upon them a blessing, and where he will come again before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. We looked out over the beautiful green valley and contemplated what had happened and what will happen there.  We also saw Tower Hill, which Joseph Smith said had a Nephitish altar there, though no remnant of it remains.

Next, we went to Far West, where we saw the cornerstones of the temple that had been laid, and we thought about the Saints who had begun to build a community here, but had to leave because of persecution.

From there, we made the journey to Haun’s Mill. Though the rain had subsided by this time, the small dirt road to get there was extremely water-logged and muddy in places, and one of our cars got stuck in the muck before we all got there. While the rest of us went on, (while nearly getting stuck ourselves), a nice group of young men, who had been out in a four-wheeler and had just passed us by, were kind enough to help by first trying to push the car out, and when they didn’t have success, they went and got chains. The Bishop was also there in the rental pick up truck. While we weren’t able to meet together at Haun’s Mill, some did get out at the marker, though there is nothing else there.

After returning back to the ranch later than planned because of our adventures in the mud, we ate a late dinner and then listened to the Bishop’s evening presentation, where he talked about the Saints finally having to leave Missouri behind because of the extermination order, and heading back to the east, where they were taken in by people in Commerce, Illinois, forty miles from where Nauvoo would eventually be built. We learned about W.W. Phelps, who wrote several of our hymns, and how, though he became bitter towards the church and betrayed Joseph Smith, was embraced by him when he wanted to return to the Church.

Personally, I really felt the Spirit in all the places we visited today, but especially in Far West. I know that we were truly standing on holy ground, and that the early Saints had great faith and made great sacrifices that opened the way for us to worship freely without the cruel persecution they had to endure.

Now, for the pictures:

We have eight cars in our convoy. Here we are lined up and ready to head to church. 

Claire and Kailyn ready to go.

Front cover of the program from the Gallatin Ward

Outline for sacrament meeting service

All of the following pictures were taken at Adam-ondi-Ahman

                       
                           These pictures are at the area of Adam-ondi-Ahman known as Tower Hill.

These pictures were just for fun, as we were leaving the area. These girls really wanted to pet the cow closest to the fence, but she had other ideas.

The following four pictures are in Gallatin, Missouri, where those who did not like the Saints tried to block them from voting. You can read more about that here.                                  

 Next up are pictures from Far West. This place has a special feeling about it, and we contemplated what the Saints went through here. Bishop described the area we stood upon as an "outdoor temple," since the Lord declared that this was to be where the temple should be built, and the cornerstones had been laid. This was also the place where the Twelve were to meet to leave for England to do missionary work. These events are described in Doctrine and Covenants sections 115 and 118.

Getting to Haun's Mill proved an adventure. The next few pictures show the extremely muddy road that led to the Haun's Mill site, and the car that got stuck.

Here are some pictures of the Haun's Mill site. Some of the group braved the mud to get out and think about what occurred here.