LDS Church producing film for Priesthood restoration site

PROVO -- Construction is underway by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on a new visitors center and historic center in north-central Pennsylvania where the church believes the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods were restored on the earth in May 1829.

The new visitors center in Oakland, Penn. -- once known as Harmony -- will feature a film that was shot in part Monday at the LDS Motion Picture Studios in Provo.

Stephen Allen, managing director of the church's Missionary Department, and Reid Nielson, managing director of the Church History Department, held a joint news event at the studio to discuss the site plans for the area, and invite media crews to film the church's filming of the restoration story.

"This is the last site of the Restoration that has not been restored by the church," Allen said. "The film intends to tell the story of translation of the Book of Mormon through Oliver Cowdery's eyes."

The site plans include a restoration of the Joseph and Emma Smith home, the Issac Hale Home, a visitor's center and chapel. The area is close to Fayette, N.Y., and Palmyra, N.Y., and has previously held a monument marker honoring the location of the priesthood restoration.

The location is significant to members of the LDS Church because it was where they believe the resurrected John the Baptist first restored the Aaronic Priesthood through Joseph Smith and Cowdery. A short time later Peter, James and John, Christ's original disciples, returned to the site as resurrected beings and restored the Melchizedek Priesthood to the earth.

This site is sacred ground for Latter-day Saints, church historian and recorder Elder Marlin K. Jensen said when plans for the site were announced in 2011. Our hope is that by restoring the historic buildings and making the area more accessible, visitors of all faiths will be able to enjoy the beauty of the site and learn more about the restoration of the priesthood and the translation of the Book of Mormon.

The site has a three-fold message, according to Nielson. The first is the Book of Mormon translation. It was at Harmony that references to baptism and the priesthood caused Smith and Cowdery to ponder and eventually ask the Lord for further understanding.

The second message is about the many revelations Smith received on the site. Several of the modern-day revelations that formed the foundation of the church were received at this location.

The third message is the priesthood restoration.

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LDS Church producing film for Priesthood restoration site