🎶The Priesthood is Restored! 🎶

Dear friends and family,

Yesterday we celebrated 187 years of priesthood power being restored!  We had a busy weekend with visitors coming in for the commemoration of the Aaronic Priesthood on the very grounds where it happened, and it was a great week leading up to that!

Grounds crew:  Sisters Larsen, Gomm, Martinez, Francis

Sister Walker to the rescue!

Earlier this week we had a grounds work day with Sisters Gomm and Martinez. We pruned plants, dug around trees, spread mulch around...  all good stuff! I've never had as much fun doing yard work in my life as I have since being here at the site. But that was a promise we were given by President Nelson on dedication day, that if we didn't have fun here at the site, we wouldn't have fun anywhere. I think we've done a pretty good job at fulfilling that so far :)

After the grounds were looking spiffy for Priesthood commemoration weekend, Brother Steve Olsen from the historical department in Salt Lake, who was one of the main guys in the reconstruction of our site, came for a weekend visit. He is so awesome, and gave some really great insights we had never even thought of before. He spoke at our early Friday morning training meeting, at the Fathers & Sons Priesthood commemoration campout fireside our stake had at the site Friday night, and then in Sacrament meeting on Sunday.... He was a busy man, but we all learned so much and are grateful for him making the trip out.

Something Brother Olson talked about was D&C section 27 received here in Harmony, which was revelation on the sacrament. In the sacrament prayers the two verbs stated are "remember" and "witness." He said the reason the church builds and reconstructs historical sites is to help the saints remember the events that took place, and to allow them to become a witness to the spirit there. Not only that, but he said that these places allow us to witness to Heavenly Father that we remember what has been done for us. Brother Olson said even if nobody ever came to the site, all of the work that would be put into reconstruction would be worth it because it would still be a witness and remembrance to our Heavenly Father that revelations were received, the Book of Mormon translated, and the priesthood being restored.

With Brother Olson

Another neat thing he brought up was that there are only two places in the entire church that are dedicated by apostolic authority and never relocated--temples and historic sites. He thought of temple and historic sites as being the bookends of the dispensation. Historic sites are where blessings were promised and temples are where those blessings are received. And it's always fun to get a fresh perspective on things, especially being at the site 24/7.

I really do feel so lucky to be walking on sacred ground all day, every day. I'm so grateful for the Book of Mormon, which sparked Joseph's question to ask for the authority to baptize. I love that this gospel is one of having questions and acting on the answers. It is active! I know that the authority to act in God's name really has been restored, and was given back to us through the young prophet Joseph Smith. The priesthood is what allows us to receive SO many blessings... Taking the sacrament, baby blessings, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, father's blessings, baptism, blessings of comfort and counsel, temple sealings, blessings of healing, dedications, the power to set missionaries apart as representatives of Jesus Christ... And that's just the beginning of the general blessings available to us. Blessings for us, our families, friends, and even those beyond the veil. I love this gospel! Hurrah for Israel!

Love,
Sister Larsen

"My 9-month sisters in the sugar bush.  Honestly, who gets to serve basically their
entire mission with their MTC companions?  I love these two!!"
L-R:  Sisters Agado, Larsen, and Anderson

"Yes, that equals nine!"