'ÄúNestled in the Endless Mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania along the banks of the Susquehanna River is a place where heaven once descended upon the earth.'Äù Harmony, Pennsylvania, occupies a prominent position in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and in Joseph Smith'Äôs preparation to become a prophet of God, but many people are unaware of Harmony'Äôs spiritual significance before the restoration of the Church. One hundred and fifty years before Joseph Smith set foot in Harmony, religious pioneer William Penn established the colony of Pennsylvania based on religious liberty. The laws and policies enacted by William Penn created a religious protective environment for Joseph Smith to receive the Holy Priesthood of God, translate the majority of the Book of Mormon, and receive fifteen critical doctrinal revelations. Religious liberty prevailed in Harmony. Backed by primary sources from Church history, original papers from William Penn, and legal documents from the 1800s, author Forrest Hansen recounts the parallel narratives of Joseph Smith and his predecessor William Penn. Though they lived centuries apart, their spirits of sacrifice and dedication for religious liberty transcend history. Join Hansen on this spiritual journey through the early miracles of Pennsylvania and the Church that brought the blessings of religious liberty to Harmony.
'ÄúNestled in the Endless Mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania along the banks of the Susquehanna River is a place where heaven once descended upon the earth.'Äù Harmony, Pennsylvania occupies a prominent position in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and in Joseph Smith'Äôs preparation as a prophet of God, but many people are unaware of Harmony'Äôs spiritual significance before the restoration of the Church. One hundred fifty years before Joseph Smith set foot in Harmony, William Penn established the colony of Pennsylvania. The laws and policies enacted by William Penn created a religious protective environment for Joseph Smith to receive the holy priesthood of God, translate the majority of the Book of Mormon, and receive fifteen critical doctrinal revelations. Backed by primary sources from Church history, original papers from William Penn, and legal documents from the 1800s, author Forrest Hansen recounts the parallel narratives of Joseph Smith and his predecessor William Penn. Though they lived centuries apart, their spirits of sacrifice and dedica