For every person whose life has been touched by the gospel there is at least one place on the mortal landscape to which a fond spiritual memory is attached. For some that might be the scene where the Holy Ghost first whispered the comforting truth of redemption. For others that might be a room within one of the Holy temples of God, or a place where communion with loved ones has rendered sacred the walls of a home or dwelling place.
I can still recall as if it were yesterday the pleasant surroundings of a certain secluded grove on a beautiful summer day many years ago where I had retired, following an extended fast, to pour out my heart in prayer for confirmation of the decision I had made to propose to a certain noble and fair daughter of Zion. It was there that the Spirit proffered a blessing of truth and comfort in unmistakable terms, and I cannot drive past that spot without thinking of the words “Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?” (D&C 6:23.) That scene, together with the sealing room in one of the holy temples where she and I soon thereafter consummated our wedding vows, remains fixed in my mind as an unforgettable, sacred precinct to which fond memories will forever be associated.
In the account of Alma’s ministry at the secluded Waters of Mormon, we read of an event that would become unforgettable for a small group of enthusiastic converts—and by extension for the countless readers of the Book of Mormon who have since vicariously experienced this same event with much edification: “And now it came to pass that all this was done in Mormon, yea, by the waters of Mormon, in the forest that was near the waters of Mormon; yea, the place of Mormon, the waters of Mormon, the forest of Mormon, how beautiful are they to the eyes of them who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer; yea, and how blessed are they, for they shall sing to his praise forever” (Mosiah 18:30).
It is through such experiences that we come to understand that there are many traces of the infinite scattered through the finite mortal landscape. Indeed, revisiting such places of spiritual resort (either in reality or within our active memory), and reliving the ennobling events that transpired there, can become for many a source of strength and vitality, and an inducement to remember with gratitude the Lord’s compassion in walking with us, as it were, along the pathway of life. (Richard J. Allen)