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Go to the Grove – Expanded Edition

The Smith Family’s first Virtual Go to the Grove 5K is a huge success. We have almost 300 people from all 50 states participating. With encouragement from some living out of the United States we are moving our Virtual Go to the Grove to an expanded international level. Additional categories allow each person to “Go to the Grove”— celebrating the 200th Anniversary of the miraculous First Vision in their own way. Free registration options are available and donations are appreciated. The Virtual Go to the Grove raises funds that the Smith Family will donate to save vision and honor the good that began with Joseph Smith’s First Vision.

Go to the Grove—Join with us by participating in one or more of these eight categories: Contemplate–Celebrate–Commemorate! Shall we not go on in so great a cause?

5K

The Virtual 5K gives you time to contemplate the event and your own convictions. Activity: Run or walk. Record your time. Prizes: $200 Fastest times. And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.

Meaningful Service

Providing service is a way to show your gratitude and build your charitable heart. Activity: Provide service and report. Prizes: $200 Random picks. When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

Read a Good Book

Reading good books provides you with knowledge and wisdom.
Activity: Read a book. Share your report.
Prizes: $200 Random picks.
Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom.

Photo or Art

The earth is amazingly beautiful. Capture a photo or create some art of your own sacred grove. Activity: Take a photo or create some art. Share it.
Prizes: $200 Judging committee
It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day

Short Story or Poem

Committing thoughts to words to bring understanding and enlightenment.
Activity: Write your short story. Share it.
Prizes: $200 Judging committee
Proverb: A brief moral saying or counsel

Music

Music reaches the soul, matching the beats of a grateful heart.
Activity: Perform music and share it.
Prizes: $200 Judging committee
For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me.

Family History

Know family history, know thyself. Know thyself, know God.
Activity: Do family history. Report it.
Prizes: $200 Random picks.
A day of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another

Food

Food is the celebration of life, bringing people from the world to the table to rejoice.
Activity: Create your own recipe. Share it.
Prizes: $200 Judging committee
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the dchildren, and the heart of the children to their fathers

Report your activity at http://record.gotothegrove.com/. All proceeds go to all proceeds will be given to Vision Care, a non-profit organization.

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Family Fun Prize Winners

(The picture inside Chalk the Walk is Elder Ballard in 2013 as he chalked the beginning of Joseph’s Miracle Run.)
Elder Ballard holding a stick with chalk to draw the line to begin the Children’s Run and Joseph’s Miracle Run
Congratulations to eleven-year-old, Wesley of Provo, Utah for his First-Place Winning drawing in our Chalk the Walk contest. He put in his personality into the work and managed successfully to work around a couple of flaws in the pavement. They ran out of chalk and the stores were out so they had to order some online.
Lottie is the second place winner. She is eleven and said, “This art project is to symbolize the pathway to my own sacred grove, -my home- where I can feel and recognize the spirit.”
Carter (age 7), Madilyn (age 5) and Abigail (age 3) recieved third place and wanted to show their personal vision of the first vision. These three are the youngest participants. They also used # gotothegrove5k.
Dave and Miranda Montijo had the smartest project. Miranda said, “My husband knows I love sunflowers so he decided to get a picture of a sunflower off the internet, do mathematical calculations to get plot points, and then recreate the picture with those plot points so we could draw and chalk a 30 foot diameter Sunflower in our court.”
The family favorite. Ashley, Sarah, Anna, Emily, and Mary Jensen said they “LOVE playing games as a family! Monopoly is one of our favorites! We spent the afternoon drawing and coloring, listening to music and eating snacks! We ran out of black and white chalk so we used burned bits of wood from our fire pit for black and scraps of sheet rock to fill in for white. It worked great! This chalk art is brought to you by the girls in the family…the boys were teasing so they got kicked off the project! 😁”
Zachary (age 9) was one of the children who had to wait to find chalk. He did a great job maintaining the theme of Go to the Grove.
Riley (age 9).
Cameron is 9 years old. Cameron is really looking forward to seeing the Sacred Grove for the first time at the Smith Reunion 2020.
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2020 Vision Celebration – Rescheduled

Saturday, October 24, 2020

We are still monitoring the pandemic reopening regulations and schedules.

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Go to the Grove – Chalk the Walk

We are sharing some activities to help distract our family members from the COVID-19 news. Add some fun and lighten the day. One challenge: be the first person to determine what the image inside the below words “Chalk the Walk.” Email your guess to Steve Orton or Frances Orton.

We are excited to announce a new contest “Chalk the Walk” to celebrate with art the “Go to the Grove” theme. We invite you individually or as a group to decorate your sidewalks and driveways with chalk art. These “Go to the Grove” activities are to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the First Vision in our efforts to have Joseph’s name known for good. This contest is open to the public, so ask your family, neighbors, and friends to participate. Please follow the guidelines and directives of physical distancing as instructed by community leaders. Here are the details:

  • The contest is free and anyone that appreciates (or is interested in) the “Go to the Grove” activities can enter.
  • Enter to win up to $50 in prize money. We currently have $50 and other small prizes which will be for one winner or divided by up to five winners.
  • If you’re able, contact us about donating additional prize money.
  • Share photos and comments of you creating your artwork. Add the # Go to the Grove 5K.

  • Complete your chalk art project anytime between now and Saturday, April 25th
  • Submit your entry by Noon, Mountain Standard Time, Monday, April 27th
    http://chalk.gotothegrove.com.  
  • Winners will be announced on by Friday, April 30th.

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2020 Vision Celebration – General Conference Bingo

Print this page to participate in the game. Use your smart phone to scan the QR Code and perform the associated tasks. Enjoy and have fun.

Smith Family General Conference Bingo

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He Looked Up

Check out this song by Michael McLean.

History about creating this song – https://www.facebook.com/michaelmcleanmusic/videos/207232633933162/

Find it on your favorite music platforms: https://lnk.to/helookedup

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Virtual Go to the Grove 5K

For health and safety concerns we are making the 5K a virtual race. This new format is actually more fitting with the goal of “Go to the Grove” because we are celebrating the world-changing event that Joseph Smith made 200 years ago. He went to the grove by himself to ask a question. The answer has changed the world.

Each reunion year we are excited to do a service project that will help and improve the world we live in and have Joseph’s name known for good. This year, our project reflects our theme of the 2020 Vision Celebration. In honor of the miraculous event 200 years ago, we have chosen to donate to Vision Care. This organization helps “volunteer ophthalmologists assist medical care providers around the world with training and equipment to treat simple vision problems.” The Go to the Grove Virtual 5K raises funds that the Smith Family will donate to honor the good that began with Joseph Smith’s First Vision.

  • Register soon. We have extended the deadline to May 11. (http://gotothegrove.com/)
  • You will receive a t-shirt and a collector’s medal in the mail.
  • Run or walk a 5K whenever and wherever you can before October 2020.
  • Get someone to take a picture of you running or do a 5K selfie.
  • Record and report your time if you would like a chance at winning a prize.

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Smith Family 2020 Vision Celebration

Registration is now open for the 2020 Vision Celebration. This day will be filled with wonderful experiences helping us celebrate 200 years since the First Vision.

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Scholarship 2020

For details on making your submission, see https://josephsmithsr.org/scholarship/.

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Smith Family Monument & Plaza Dedication

Topsfield, MA. – June 20, 2020


Topsfield Cemetery Smith Monument during a visit of Joseph F. Smith and family members
December 25, 1905
This monument was erected in memory of Robert Smith and also 1st and 2nd Samuel
By George A. Smith and other descendants in Utah

A new Smith monument and plaza is underway in Topsfield, Massachusetts. This unique and large endeavor at the Pine Grove Cemetery will include a monument similar to the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial in Sharon, Vermont.


Congregational Church in Topsfield, Massachusetts –
Photos by Michael Nebeker

The monument has been developed by the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation through the Chair, Kim Wilson. This 2020 project celebrates the 200th anniversary year of the First Vision and the 400th anniversary year of the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock. The Smith Family Monument and plaza is a tribute to the Smith family who immigrated to Topsfield, Massachusetts. Five generations of Smith descents cherished the American dream and raised their families in the Topsfield community. They were actively involved in the Congregational Church and the community.

On the left: Joseph F. Smith visit to Robert Smith Home, 1905. On the right: Joseph F. Smith’s visit to home of Samuel Smith in Topsfield, MA.

President M. Russell Ballard is excited about the project and he is planning to perform the dedication. The dedication will take place on Saturday, June 20th, 2020 at the Topsfield Fairgrounds Arena. It is an exciting time for descendants of Robert Smith, the first Smith to immigrate to this country, to come together and to celebrate and learn an amazing part of the Smith family history. Space at the dedication will be limited.

If you would like to participate please click this link.


Partially installed granite sections – Photos by Rick Cochran

The construction of the site has begun. Like the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial, Vermont granite is being used. The Topsfield Cemetery Commission approved a large plaza area encompassed by granite curbing, granite corner posts, the middle granite posts, four granite benches and decorative chain cordoning-off the plaza area. The new monument and the existing marker will be inside the curbed area with a long 300-foot handicapped accessible pathway from the parking area directly to the Smith Family Monument.

The approval of the project included a stipulation that the site work would begin in 2019. The polished granite memorial is expected to be installed by late March of 2020.


This photo was taken at the edge of the parking area looking towards the new Smith plaza and monument – Photo by Rick Cochran

Architectural rendering of the Smith Family Memorial

Mormon Historic Sites Foundation has asked that the family contribute toward the memorial. This is honoring the Smith family and we feel we should support it by contributing what you are able by pressing the green donate button and giving what you can.

This is a wonderful gift in honor of the Prophet’s birthday! It is exactly 214 years from his birth – Monday, December 23, 1805.