You may ask, "What or where is Breckenridge?" When the Saints were living in Haun's Mill a group of Missouri militia met in Breckenridge, MO, a near by town, and attacked the men, women and children and carried out a slaughter of nearly the entire population. Sometime after this terrible attack a few of the Elders of the Church pronounced a curse upon the town of Breckenridge; the following photos are of what a cursed town looks like some 180 years later. This is a living town!
These are buildings on main street; you will also notice the streets are not paved.
This photo is a memorial to those slaughtered. The center stone is a grind stone from the mill
The following photos are of Adam-Ondi-Ahman, or "The valley where Adam dwelt" after he and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden. It is an incredible beautiful, peaceful valley. The first two are from a ridge above the valley. The following four photos are from the valley; the Church leases the land to farmers to farm. Currently soy beans are growing. The final photo is preacher's rock; Joseph Smith and others used to preach from this rock to a crowd assembled in the grassy fields just above the last photo.
This is a mound that sits on the edge of the valley; there once was a Nephite alter on the top of the mound, which would indicate that this was a ceremonial temple mound at one time. There is a small cement marker marking the spot where the alter used to stand; don't know if you can see it in this photo or not.
We next visited the Far West Temple Site; someday a temple will be constructed here.
The above 3 photos are 3 of the 4 corner stones of the temple laid just before the Elders left for missions to England. They were laid in position under cover of darkness so as not to arose their enemies who would have killed them if they had been discovered. Immediately after completing the work, they began their walk to the east coast where they were to catch a boat to England. They accomplished all this in accordance with a commandment from the Lord to begin their journey from the temple site. What a sacrifice they made in order to strictly keep the commandment. They walked all the way from Nauvoo to Far West then all the way to the East Coast.
Joseph, Hyrum and 3 others were incarcerated for 4 1/2 months in this horrible prison on charges of treason. It became their refiners fire; the brethren were not the same men when they were finally allowed to leave; they had become holy sanctified.
This evening we all gathered in a meeting room in the hotel and shared our thoughts and feelings with each other of the entire trip. Everyone was strengthened in their love of the Book of Mormon and their testimony of its divine origins. We were strengthened in our love of Joseph Smith and his many associates who brought forth this marvelous book. Most of all our love for our Savior, Jesus Christ increased and deepened for His obvious love and grace he proffers us.
