it really happened.

The other night at my mission reunion, my mission president shared a story with us. It was about a new missionary who was trying to memorize Joseph Smith's experience in the Sacred Grove.

It came to his turn to share the experience of when Joseph Smith prayed to know which church was true and God and Jesus Christ appeared to him in that grove. He shared the story of the first vision and felt good that he had remembered it all. After the lesson the missionaries left the house. This guy was a 6' 6" Tongan and as they walked down the street his tiny companion grabbed him by the tie, pulled his face down and said, "Don't you ever share it like that again . . . It really happened."

It struck me as I contemplated my own feelings about God and Christ's appearance to Joseph Smith.

I've had the opportunity to walk through that same grove where they answered Joseph Smith's prayer.

But you don't need to go there to know.

As I walked back to my car after yesterday's afternoon session of General Conference a protestor was "singing" a parody of Praise to the Man. He derided Joseph Smith and called him all sorts of misinformed things.

I just need to say this:

God and Jesus Christ appeared to a 14 year old boy in a grove of trees in upstate New York and told him that no church was true; they told him that a restoration of God's authority and church needed to take place. That boy was Joseph Smith.

It happened. I know it because God told me so. I prayed about it and He answered. Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet, he translated the Book of Mormon by the gift of God.

God's Church is restored, we have full access to the Atonement of Jesus Christ and God's authority is on the earth.