The Hill Cumorah, one of the most sacred settings in the history of the Restoration, has been rededicated following a years-long effort to restore its natural beauty and spiritual focus. On Sunday, September 21, 2025, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles offered the dedicatory prayer before 500 gathered guests and a global audience watching remotely.
In his prayer, Elder Bednar asked that the site serve as “a place of holy remembrance, a place of heavenly inspiration, a place of heartfelt appreciation, a place of seeking and learning, and a place of humble reverence.” He prayed that those who visit would come with “curious and open minds and with sincere and receptive hearts” and be blessed to learn eternal truths by the Spirit.
Elder Bednar’s remarks connected Cumorah to the burning bush of Exodus, reminding listeners that Moses was told to remove his shoes because he stood on holy ground. “Today, you and I also stand on holy ground,” Elder Bednar said. The comparison underscored the significance of the hill where Joseph Smith first encountered the angel Moroni and eventually received the golden plates that became the Book of Mormon.
The rededication came exactly 202 years after Moroni’s first visit to the Prophet on September 21, 1823. The report from Church Newsroom recounted the sacred timeline: Moroni’s repeated visits to Joseph, the prophet’s years of preparation, and his retrieval of the plates on September 22, 1827.
Elder Bednar described these experiences as part of Joseph’s “celestial curriculum,” a divine education that shaped the beginning of the Restoration. Elder Hugo E. Martinez of the Seventy, present with his wife, Nuria, reflected that Joseph’s development as a prophet began with the First Vision and continued through sacred encounters like those at Cumorah, culminating in “the restoration of the fulness of time.”
The historic site itself has undergone a transformation since 2021. Twenty-three buildings once used for the Hill Cumorah Pageant were removed, along with more than nine acres of asphalt, gravel, and parking areas. Thousands of seeds from native trees are being planted to re-forest the hill, offering visitors a landscape closer to what Joseph Smith would have known.
“I can picture in my mind’s eye Joseph walking up [the hill] thinking, ‘What am I going to learn today?’” said Tom McCoy, who serves as the historic site leader with his wife, Lani. She added that the changes make it “a peaceful and a contemplative area where we can feel the Spirit and know that wonderful things came from this very hill.”
The Hill Cumorah has long been a gathering place for Latter-day Saints. The Church purchased the property in 1928, and a monument featuring Moroni was dedicated there in 1935. For decades, the Hill Cumorah Pageant drew tens of thousands of participants and spectators each summer. While that tradition ended in 2019, Elder Bednar expressed gratitude for the service of generations of volunteers whose efforts helped keep the story of the Book of Mormon alive in public memory.
Alongside the outdoor restoration, the visitors’ center—originally built in 2002—has been redesigned. New exhibits, artwork, and an immersive film guide guests through the story of Joseph Smith and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. A new set of statues depicts the resurrected Savior ministering to the people of the Americas, underscoring that Jesus Christ is at the heart of the message.
“It’s the story of Joseph Smith [and] how he retrieved the golden plates from the site. But the golden plates become the Book of Mormon, and they testify of Jesus Christ,” said curator Benedicte Dansie. The site is now self-guided, allowing for more personal experiences, and its offerings are available online through Glad Tidings from Cumorah.
Elder Bednar concluded the dedication by pointing visitors back to Christ. “In this sacred place, visitors will learn the Lord preserved and brought forth the Book of Mormon to give light and knowledge to God’s children throughout the world,” he said.
“In this sacred place,” he continued, “visitors will learn the Lord restored His gospel and kingdom to the earth, beginning with the ministry of the Prophet Joseph Smith. And in this sacred place, visitors will learn that The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ testifies of the resurrected Redeemer and invites all people to come unto Him.”
With the rededication complete, Hill Cumorah enters a new chapter—quietly forested, spiritually centered, and prepared to continue its role as a witness of Jesus Christ and the restoration of His Church.
Aleah is a graduate of Southern Virginia University, where she studied English, Creative Writing, and Dance. She now works full time as a marketing and product manager, writer, and editor. She currently hosts the podcast “Single to the Glory” about singlehood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Aleah served a mission in California and loves baking, Lang Leav poetry, Gaynor Minden pointe shoes, and Bollywood movies.
Aleah, you have outdone yourself with this outstanding presentation. Thank you for this, and for all you continue to do to provide your inspirational and spiritual articles. Your personal scrapbook must be bulging by now.