Massachusetts Trip April 23

My brother and his wife Becka were being sealed with their daughter Reese in the Boston MA temple in April so we all gathered for their special occasion. We went early enough to do some sight seeing while we were there. There is a lot of American history in this area and we were excited to take it in. I wish I could remember all that I’d read on our drive up about Lexington and Concord because it is so interesting to me. Here is the Wikipedia write-up on the Battles of Lexington and Concord.  Battles of Lexington and Concord I printed it out and took it with us on our trip. It was very helpful to me to understand the place. I’ll try to write down what I can remember of our feelings there because there was a lot of spirit in the place.
Stand your ground. Don’t fire unless fired upon but if they mean to have a war let it begin here.
We had the opportunity to visit the Town Green in Lexington where the first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired. It was a very hallowed place and the spirit could be felt strongly while we were there, even with all the people and traffic around us.
Here is a memorial to the first victims in the Revolutionary War listing their names. Then it says:
The Die was cast!!! The blood of these martyrs, in the cause of God and their country, was the cement of the union of these states, then colonies, and gave the spring in the spirit, firmness and resolution of their fellow citizens. They rose as one man to revenge their brethren’s blood and at the point of the sword to assert and defend their native rights. They nobly dar’d to be free. The contest was long, bloody and affecting. Righteous Heaven approved the solemn appeal. Victory crowned their arms and the Peace, Liberty and Independence of the United States of America was their glorious reward. – built in 1799

One thing I remember feeling at this place was this battle absolutely had to happen if we were going to wage the war that would give us our freedom. The British were marching through because they were on orders to remove the weapons and artillery from the colonists. The shot that was fired that morning, it is not known who fired it. It could have been a misfire or someone being overzealous but it did start that battle and with that battle and the ensuing battles along the way to Concord later in the day the war might have died out and taken longer to get going. A precedent may have been set where the colonists had to peacefully give up their weapons. Perhaps this battle could have taken place in another place, another town. But it started here. And with it the beginning of the freedom we celebrate.
And with our freedoms came the freedom to worship as we will. It ultimately helped bring about the restoration of the church. Only about 50 years separate this battle from the moment that Joseph Smith became confused by all the differing religious views and prayed about it. That is not a long time at all. Someone living during this battle could have been there when Joseph Smith received the plates. You can see the urgency in getting things set into motion here.
It is just amazing to me to have been able to, in my mind, witness that timeline as I stood there on the green. I was able to see how it was all meant to happen just as it did and everything fell in to place by the grace and according the the plan of our Father in Heaven. He definitely had a hand in this battle. On a lighter note, while the tour guide at the tavern we visited was telling us about the first shot fired and how nobody knows who actually fired it, I did think how funny it would be if we were to find out one day that an angel had actually made the gun go off and it wasn’t the fault of anyone in particular. Heavenly Father had a plan and He knew what had to happen to set it into motion.
I think that time we spent on the Green was the most humbling and spiritual closeness to the Revolution I had ever felt before. I know that Heavenly Father gave us this country and with it our freedom so that we can have the priesthood and the gospel restored and so we can more fully use the free agency we have been given. It really is a gift and those who fought for these rights I’m sure have a special place in Heaven for it.
There is more of our trip to follow, but as today is the 4th of July (so appropriate that I had time to blog about this today!) we are going to go find some fireworks and celebrate our freedom!