Joseph Smith celebration tonight
"Today, I've come to celebrate," he said at a press conference inside the visitors center at the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial.
President Hinckley of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Elder M. Russell Ballard of the church's Quorum of the Twelve were in Vermont on a clear, cold day Thursday as part of the worldwide observance of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Smith. The LDS prophet and church founder was born Dec. 23, 1805.
The two church leaders will speak tonight in a satellite broadcast from the the site. President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, and President James E. Faust, second counselor, will speak from the Conference Center in Salt Lake City.
Proceedings will be carried to meetinghouses throughout the world via satellite and will be broadcast locally.
"This is a very significant event. It happens only every 100 years," President Hinckley said in reference to another church president, Joseph F. Smith, who came here on Dec. 23, 1905, to dedicate a monument that stands in honor of Joseph Smith.
"I'm within five years of being a part of that 100 years. I'm 95 years old and am glad I made it today," President Hinckley said.
"This is a very significant occasion," he said. "The boy who was born here became the prophet of the church and today that church has a membership of approximately 12 million in 160 nations. The growth of this work is an absolute miracle and to think it all came through a little boy who had a very common name and lived in a very remote area, and had very little education but his name has become known for good all over this world. It is for this reason that we're here to celebrate the 200th anniversary of his birth."
President Hinckley said the monument erected 100 years ago "is a tremendous thing in and of itself. Junius Wells was the man who engineered all of it. It was a tremendous thing to get it up here."
The monument is 38 1/2 feet tall, a foot for each year of Joseph Smith's life. "It is a beautiful and magnificent thing. The task getting it in place was tremendous. As we came up the road, I marveled at the ingenuity, the work, the faith of Junius Wells, who got it here and had it ready in time for the dedication by President Joseph F. Smith. It was a wonderful occasion."
Asked what the people of Vermont, most of whom are not Latter-day Saints, can gain from being near and seeing the monument, President Hinckley said that they can "come here and discover the roots of the church. That is the significance of it. The prophet was born here. This becomes, therefore, the roots of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which has grown and moved across the world and will continue to do so. It has become, without any question the largest church ever organized on the American continent. There have been other churches organized on this continent but none, I think, equal anywhere near the membership of this church as it has grown far and wide. Its work is carried on in many languages.
Comments
- Attempted murder case refiled 1:58 a.m.
- Sports on the air 1:38 a.m.
- This weekend on TV 1:38 a.m.
- Birthdays for Saturday, July 11 1:38 a.m.
- 2 men cited on LDS plaza 1:37 a.m.
- S.L. man spots stolen car — his 1:23 a.m.
- Girl critical after run-in with train 1:23 a.m.
- Probe of death treated as slaying 1:22 a.m.
- Taylorsville man arrested in robbery 1:21 a.m.
- HBO defends U. logo use in 'Love' 1:20 a.m.
- Jazz brass debate Millsap match
- LDS seminary principal arrested
- Reactions on Boozer speculation
- 2 men cited on LDS plaza
- Teacher faces new sex charges
- Jazz talking Boozer trade?
- Jazz finances not quite so bleak
- HBO defends U. logo use in 'Love'
- Jazz down Oklahoma City
- Twitter lets fans communicate, interact
- LDS seminary principal arrested
160 - Bronco collecting a galaxy of recruits
141 - Jazz talking Boozer trade?
136 - Blazers may offer Millsap a contract
123 - Jazz brass debate Millsap match
99 - Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
94 - Fairness of BCS debated
81 - Chaffetz eyes challenging Bennett
74 - Letters: Single-payer system best
72 - Services bids farewell to Jackson
70
As more and more dads are put out of work in this economy, I've been...
The photographs are mysterious, brooding, dark. They show dimples and...
I love Millsap, and the Jazz will find a way to move Boozer and match for...
i think its childish to assume that somebody would actually want to get...
Millsap and Boozer need to stay in Utah. Millsap is Boozers backup while he...
Childish and immature? Its always easier being ignorant and presuming things...
can you use words like testimony and church leadership to critisize a...
Bro P really helped me through a tough time in my life when I had him in...
These are only allegations at present, but I hope when he goes to trial, the...
My thoughts are with the Pratt family right now. Michael I hope you are...
It is interesting that everyone who seems to be a member comments on how nice...
You presume, simply because they were gay, that they were trying to "stir...



You can be the first to comment on this story.