On March 20, 2026, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints met with members of the Restoration Branches at Historic Liberty Jail for a special tour and testimony meeting. The date was extra special because it was the anniversary of when the Prophet Joseph Smith received the historic revelation at the jail found in Doctrine & Covenants section 121. The two churches came together to remember the prophet and others in the jail and the hardships they had to endure to help restore the gospel.

The evening began with the sharing of delicious appetizers and mingling in the basement of the Visitor’s Center, soft piano music playing in the background by recently returned missionary Paige Russell. People from both congregations found connections with their new friends and enjoyed talking about common friends, places, and even similar reasons for moving to Missouri.

After mingling, the group headed upstairs and gathered in the lobby area to sing “The Spirit of God” – a favorite of both churches – and have an opening prayer. Elder Terry Gough, senior missionary in the Missouri Historic Sites Mission, then talked to the group about the history and spiritual significance of the jail. From there the group was led into the jail itself to listen to the recordings of what happened there during the winter of 1838-39.

At the conclusion of the tour, President Brody Perschon, second counselor in the Liberty Missouri Stake presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, bore testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ, the mission of the prophet Joseph Smith, and the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. Afterwards the group was invited to share brief testimonies. Nicole Johnson, wife of Clay County Commissioner Jay Johnson, started off by sharing how she was introduced to the Restoration Branch by her husband and described her experience reading the Book of Mormon for the first time. Several members from both churches then stood and also shared their testimonies.

The evening concluded with Jay Johnson, an Elder in the Restoration Branch, expressing his experiences learning about ancestors who are buried near where he lives and how he has felt a connection to this area. He expressed excitement and gratitude to members of the LDS Church in Liberty for reaching out to him and members of the Restoration Branches to share in their common beliefs and rejoice in the uniting of their hearts. President Bryson C. Cook, of the Missouri Historic Sites Mission, also bore his testimony of the truths that were revealed as Joseph Smith and others were incarcerated at the jail, and how the restoration has swept the earth. Liberty Stake President Matt Russell ended by sharing the first time he visited the historic jail as a youth and how that experience still impacts him today. He closed with his testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ and his witness that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.

The group then sang “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief” followed by a benediction. Many stayed afterwards to walk around the jail and continue talking with their new found friends. 

The event was sponsored by the Liberty Stake Communication Council, along with friends from the Restoration Branches.