Elder McVea was here with President Christainson to shoot part of a video production. The intent of the video was to show many of the changes that have occurred in the Church Historical Sites since the 70's. President Siddoway, former president of the NY Rochester Mission asked for such a video to be done so he could show it at an upcoming mission reunion.
This Cabin was reconstructed on what is believed to be the exact spot where the original cabin was back in 1830. This is where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was first organized April 6, 1830 by the Prophet Joseph Smith. It was originally organized according to New York State law with 6 members and has grown to over 14 million with members in nearly every country of the world. There are now more members outside the US than in; and it all started in this same air space, at a fire place similar to this one.
It was in this cabin that Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery finished up the translation of the Book of Mormon. They could have done the work at a table like this one in the picture. It was in the woods near here where the 3 witnesses where shown the Gold Plates by and Angle of God and were commanded to bear record to the world of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. These three men, Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris, never denied their testimony, even though all of them fell away from the church. Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris came back in later years, but David Whitmer died before coming back.
