See also Restoration of the Gospel; Smith, Joseph, Jr.

The appearance of God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ to the Prophet Joseph Smith in a grove of trees.

In the spring of 1820, Joseph Smith, Jr., was in his fifteenth year. He lived with his family in the township of Palmyra, New York. A short distance west of the family home was a grove of large trees. Joseph went to this spot to pray to God to learn which church was right. He had been impressed while reading the Bible that he must seek that answer from God (James 1: 5-6). In answer to his prayer, the Father and the Son appeared to him and told him to join none of the churches then on the earth, for they were all wrong (JS-H 1: 15-20). This sacred experience began a series of events that would bring about the restoration of the gospel and Christ’s true Church.