SHARON, Vt. — Amid the snowy landscape of a Vermont winter day came a moment to be frozen in time: here, at the monument memorializing the birthplace of the Prophet of the Restoration, walked the prophet of today and a great-great-nephew of Joseph Smith.
President Gordon B. Hinckley and Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve who is a great-great-grandson of Joseph's brother Hyrum, came to southern Vermont for the single purpose of paying tribute to Joseph Smith Jr., who was born here Dec. 23, 1805.
Upon their arrival Dec. 22, President Hinckley and Elder Ballard walked around the polished granite shaft, which stands 38 1/2 feet tall (a foot for each year of the Prophet's life). While their visit to the monument might have held deep personal sentiments, they did not have the luxury of being alone with their thoughts. A dozen or more newspaper photographers and television camera crews — including a contingent from Japan as well as from Utah, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and other locales — pressed close to capture the moment as reporters strained to overhear every word.
After they spent a few minutes at the memorial, President Hinckley and Elder Ballard met with members of the media inside the visitors center, located just a few hundred yards from the monument.
President Hinckley said that the first time he came to southern Vermont, he came to visit. This trip was different.
"Today, I've come to celebrate," he declared.
President Hinckley and Elder Ballard traveled to Vermont to take part in the worldwide observance of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Smith. In introductory remarks and in response to reporters' questions, they spoke about the life and work of the Prophet of the Restoration, bearing testimony that Joseph, indeed, was a prophet of God.
President Hinckley explained that he and Elder Ballard would deliver talks from inside the visitors center and that their addresses, transmitted by satellite, would be woven into a program originating in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. (President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency and President James E. Faust, second counselor, delivered addresses in the Conference Center and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square performed. The program was transmitted to meetinghouses throughout the Church).
Responding to a question from a member of the media, President Hinckley emphasized, "This is a very significant event. It happens only every 100 years." His comment was in reference to another Church president, Joseph F. Smith — son of Hyrum Smith and nephew of the Prophet Joseph — who came here on Dec. 23, 1905, to dedicate the 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 continued. "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 F. Wells was the man who engineered all of it. It was a tremendous thing to get it up here." Junius F. Wells was the son of Daniel H. Wells, who was associated with the Prophet in Nauvoo, Ill., and who served for 20 years as a counselor to President Brigham Young.
"It is a beautiful and magnificent thing," President Hinckley said of the polished granite shaft. "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.
"The Book of Mormon, which is memorialized here in a sense, has been translated into 77 languages, and 130 million copies published. That's a very significant thing."
To a question regarding the emphasis being placed upon Joseph Smith, especially during the Christmas season, President Hinckley said, "He was born on the 23rd of December and we celebrate the birth of the Savior on the 25th. I say this, that there has been no greater testator concerning the divinity and the reality of Jesus Christ than Joseph Smith, the Prophet."
In his introductory remarks at the press conference, Elder Ballard said, "President Hinckley has wanted to come here. For the past six months he has talked about coming here, and how grateful we are to be here with him to celebrate the 200th anniversary even as Joseph F. Smith came to celebrate the 100th anniversary a century ago. I'm sure Heavenly Father is pleased that His living prophet has been able to come to the birthplace to celebrate the life of Josesph, who started this great work and was born here in Sharon, Vermont."
Further, Elder Ballard said that he has had the privilege of visiting the birthplace memorial two or three times. "I think any time we go to a historical site it draws our memories to our forefathers. If you love your forefathers, you have very tender feelings. My feelings are very tender because we're here to celebrate the 200th birthday of the Prophet Joseph Smith. President Hinckley has a great affection for Joseph Smith and he has expressed that to me many times."
Elder Ballard told the media representatives, "We must not underestimate what it means to have the president of the Church, whom we sustain as a prophet, seer and revelator — the successor to the Prophet Joseph Smith — he who holds all the keys and authority of the holy priesthood to direct the affairs of the Church in the world . . . to come here to honor the Prophet Joseph Smith. The world doesn't hesitate being impressed at the thought of Moses, Abraham and others of the great prophets of the Old Testament and apostles of the New Testament, but I testify to you that we have today God's prophet here to celebrate the 200th birthday (of Joseph Smith) and that is no small thing."
E-mail to: gerry@desnews.com
