“Visitors on Holy Ground,” On Holy Ground: A Guide for Missionaries at Historic Sites (2024)

“Visitors on Holy Ground,” On Holy Ground: A Guide for Missionaries at Historic Sites

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visitors outside Smith farmhouse

Chapter 3

Visitors on Holy Ground

Jesus Christ declared that He “came not to be ministered unto, but to minister” (Mark 10:45). In the latter days, He has given His disciples a similar charge:

“Ye are not sent forth to be taught, but to teach the children of men the things which I have put into your hands by the power of my Spirit;

“And ye are to be taught from on high” (Doctrine and Covenants 43:15–16).

The Lord will delight to bless you personally as you serve at one of His sacred historic sites (see Doctrine and Covenants 41:1). According to your faith and your needs, He will strengthen you, comfort you, and teach you from on high. But He did not call you for your benefit only. He called you to minister and to teach. You are here for the visitors.

You will notice that many visitors are Latter-day Saints and that many of them visit as families or youth groups. But as you look into their eyes and faces, you will see that even among members of the Church, each person, each family, and each group is unique. They have unique reasons to be at the site, whether they know it or not. With this understanding, you won’t say to yourself, “Here is a typical Latter-day Saint family” and then provide the same scripted experience you give all Church members. You won’t say, “These people don’t seem to be members of the Church” and then proceed to give them an experience that leaves out significant, sacred stories.

You probably will not know that a certain visitor is mourning the recent death of his mother or that another visitor is seeking a closer relationship with God. But the Lord knows. If you seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost and do all you can to meet the needs and expectations of visitors, He will help them have the experiences they need.

Meeting Visitors’ Basic Needs

Before visitors can make meaningful connections with a sacred place, they must be ready to learn. This readiness usually includes taking care of basic needs. You can help them take care of those needs so they can move on to the reasons they really came to the site.

For example, visitors often need something as simple as directions to drinking fountains or restrooms. They might need to move to a place where their eyes are shielded from the sun. Young visitors—and older visitors as well—might need to move around for a few minutes. One visitor might need to sit down. Another might need you to speak a bit louder. Another might need to move to a place where she can see the artifact you are discussing. Another might have difficulty seeing clearly no matter where he is standing. Another might appreciate information about accessibility for a wheelchair or walker.

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parents with young boy in wheelchair

Visitors need to know that they are in a positive, safe place. Be conscious of your tone of voice, your facial expressions, the way you stand, the way you acknowledge them when they walk through the door. Without being overbearing, you can help visitors know that you are glad they are there. They will sense that they can trust you—that you will listen to them, respect their ideas, and be honest and straightforward with them.

Some basic needs are hard to perceive. One visitor might need to feel a sense of belonging with other people in the group. Another might need to know that she can ask questions or make comments without being judged or ridiculed. Another might need to know that you respect his time and that you will not try to keep him longer than he can stay.

You can address some needs at the beginning of every experience with visitors. For example:

“Before we get started, I thought you might like to know that the restrooms and drinking fountains are just around that corner.”
“I know some of you just took a long drive to get here. This next tour lasts about 30 minutes and will include a few long periods of standing. If you need to walk around and stretch a bit before we begin, please feel free to do so.”
“Sometimes I talk too quietly. If you need me to talk louder at any time, please let me know.”
“We hope each of you will have an enjoyable experience. Do any of you need accommodations so you can enjoy your time here?” (If you ask this question sincerely, one visitor might feel comfortable saying that she is recovering from knee surgery and has difficulty walking and standing for long periods. Another might tell you that he is hard of hearing and would like to stand close to you the entire time. Another might inform you that her son has autism and might become nervous about bees when he is outside. Such conversations help you and other visitors not be surprised when someone walks a little slowly or when someone makes a seemingly unprovoked outburst.)
“If there is anything you need while we are together, please tell me. I’ll do all I can to help.”

You can address other needs during the experience. For example:

“It’s hard for everyone to see this small artifact. Once you have had time to look at it, could you please give someone else a chance to see it? Thank you!”
“We have almost reached the end of this tour, and we have spent a few extra minutes talking. How are we doing on time? Does anyone need to leave soon?”

Welcoming Visitors Who Have Disabilities

Many visitors at historic sites have disabilities. You have the opportunity to help them know that they, like all other visitors, are welcome and that you are happy to be with them. Without ignoring them and without giving them more attention than they need or want, you can give them a true sense of belonging.

It’s impossible to list all the ways you might do this. There are as many caring, welcoming expressions as there are individuals who need them. But as you seek to follow the Savior’s example of ministering to people “one by one” (3 Nephi 11:15; 17:21), the Holy Ghost will inspire you to know what to say and do. The following examples might give you a few ideas.

Welcoming a Visitor Who Is Blind or Has a Visual Impairment

If a visitor is blind or has a visual impairment, look for ways to make her experience similar to everyone else’s. For example, if she enters the Smith family’s log home near the Sacred Grove, she might feel excluded if a missionary says this: “As you look at the furniture and other things in this room, perhaps you can picture the Smith family eating dinner after a day of hard work.” On the other hand, she will feel included in the experience if the missionary simply describes the room: “Here in this room, with a large table in front of the fireplace, we can imagine the Smith family eating dinner after a day of hard work.” The missionary might even allow this visitor, with help from one other person in the group, to touch a few things that people are normally asked not to touch: the table, a chair, a table setting, the fireplace stones, and the rough-hewn logs in the walls.

Welcoming a Visitor Who Is Deaf or Hard of Hearing

If a visitor is deaf or hard of hearing, ask him how he would prefer to communicate with you. Do all you can to ensure that he can enjoy the same stories that others hear. Consider the following possibilities:

If someone in the group is a sign language interpreter, ask how the three of you can work together. When you are speaking, look at the person who is deaf or hard of hearing, not at his interpreter.
If the visitor reads lips, make sure he can always see you while you are talking. Speak clearly and carefully but not loudly or unnaturally. Trust that he will let you know if he does not understand you.
If the visitor prefers to use an electronic device that transcribes spoken language, ask him how you can convey your words to the device most effectively.
You might allow the visitor to borrow a site guide while he is with you. Show him where he can read the information you will share.

Welcoming a Visitor Who Has Trouble Walking

A visitor with limited mobility might be in a wheelchair, use a walker or crutches, or have physical needs that are harder to see. In any case, ensure that she knows that you do not feel rushed or pressured. Move at her pace. Share stories and get to know her and other members of the group along the way. If you need to skip things you usually say or do, don’t announce to the group that you are doing so. Just give them all a good experience.

This visitor might not be able to go to all the places at some sites. For example, if she walks with difficulty, she might choose not to climb the steep staircase in a historic home. Depending on what you have observed in her and the others in her group, you might consider the following options:

Keep the entire group downstairs and share the stories of events that occurred upstairs.
Take most members of her group upstairs and allow them to conduct a video chat to include her and others who stay downstairs.
After taking most of the group upstairs, invite them to share their experiences with those who have stayed downstairs. Imagine a young man going to the School of the Prophets room on the second floor of the Whitney store in Historic Kirtland and then returning downstairs to tell his grandmother what he has learned and felt. This could strengthen connections between family members, and it could also reinforce the young man’s testimony and desires to serve the Lord.

Welcoming a Visitor Who Has a Developmental or Emotional Disability

Many disabilities are easy to see. Some developmental and emotional disabilities, such as autism and anxiety, are invisible until they manifest themselves in unexpected ways. In these situations, the best response is to be patient, kind, and loving. Do not overreact, and do not try to diagnose the situation. Trust the person’s family members and friends to know how to help.

Additional Help

For additional guidelines on helping people who have disabilities, visit disabilities.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Companionship Study or Site Training

Before or after visiting hours, take time to consider what it might be like to experience your site if you were hard of hearing, blind, or in a wheelchair. You might go on a practice tour with earplugs in your ears, with a blindfold over your eyes, or in a wheelchair. Later, talk about how you felt during the tour. Share ideas for welcoming visitors with disabilities.

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family outside Newel K. Whitney and Company store in Kirtland, Ohio

Meeting and Exceeding Visitors’ Expectations

Beyond basic needs, most people come to the Church’s historic sites with high expectations. They want immersive experiences in holy places. They want to connect with faithful people and sacred events from the past, and they want to draw nearer to God the Father and Jesus Christ. These expectations manifest themselves differently from one visitor to another.

For example, you will probably see:

Latter-day Saint parents who hope to help their children increase in faith and conversion.
The children of those parents—some openly excited to visit, others trying their best to look disinterested.
Adult members of the Church who want to renew their faith and connect with their spiritual heritage.
Friends of other faiths who are visiting for the first time because they genuinely want to learn more about the Church—or because their Latter-day Saint neighbors have invited them to come.
People who seem most interested in taking pictures and posting on social media.
Returning visitors who already love the site and want to go to a favorite place to ponder and pray.
People of all ages who seem to have a natural curiosity and desire to learn, taking time to read signs and examine everything they see.
Latter-day Saint youth groups who are noisy and rambunctious but who are also ready to listen and learn.
Family history researchers who are interested in the place largely because it provides some connection to their ancestors.
Historians who are eager to share their knowledge about the site.
Travelers who know little or nothing about the place and who have stopped to satisfy a touch of curiosity.¹

As you begin to recognize these expectations, you will find different ways to communicate with each visitor. You will see that some people want to talk with you and that others want to be left alone. Some will be interested in little details, and others will be happy with general overviews. Some will want to spend hours at the site, while others will want to spend only a few minutes.

As you pray and seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost, you will help visitors connect with the site. You will help meet and even exceed their expectations. Ultimately, this is your goal: to follow the guidance of the Spirit, even when you are simply telling a story or sharing a historical fact. The Holy Ghost will help you meet needs and expectations that are seen and unseen, obvious and hidden.

You will find that visitors’ expectations might change while they are at the site. Some people who want to talk at first will later need space to be quiet and contemplative. Some who need time by themselves at first will approach you after 15 or 20 minutes, eager to share what they have learned or to talk with you so they can learn more. Some who say they can spare only a few minutes will leave hours later, brimming with answers to questions they didn’t realize they had. You will see an unmistakable light in the eyes of some of those children and youth who tried so hard to look disinterested. Many of those rambunctious youth will leave happy but subdued. Photographers and social media posters might put their cameras in their cases and their phones in their pockets for a moment or two so they can have a quiet, personal experience on holy ground.

Companionship Study or Site Training

Write two or three descriptions of people who might visit your site. You might describe their actions when you first meet them or after you have been with them for a while.

Share these descriptions with your companion or with other missionaries. Take turns explaining what you might do to meet the needs and fulfill the expectations of each person you have described.

This is a simple activity, but it is worth repeating while you serve at the site. You might even describe people you have seen recently. Discuss what you have done to help them and how you can improve.

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children inside Smith farmhouse

Reaching Little Children—and Everyone with Them

Because each visitor and each group of visitors is unique, this book does not attempt to categorize all the people you serve. However, one category of visitors deserves special attention: little children. As you prepare to minister to little ones who visit your site, you can look to Jesus Christ as your example.

Sister Michaelene P. Grassli, who served as Primary General President, shared the story of the resurrected Savior ministering to the Nephites. Sister Grassli quoted 3 Nephi 17:11: “He commanded that their little children should be brought.” Then she taught:

“Notice what verse 11 doesn’t say. It doesn’t say never mind the little ones because they aren’t accountable yet. It doesn’t say the children were to be taken elsewhere so they wouldn’t disrupt the proceedings. And it doesn’t imply that the children won’t understand. But it does teach that children need to learn the significant things of the kingdom. … Children share with all of us the divine right to spiritual enlightenment.”

Continuing with the account in 3 Nephi 17, Sister Grassli observed:

“Is it any wonder that following the Savior’s visit to the Nephites, they lived in peace and righteousness for two hundred years? Because of miraculous instructions, blessings, and attention they and their children received, righteousness was perpetuated by their children’s children for many generations.

“Let us not underestimate the capacity and potential power of today’s children to perpetuate righteousness. No group of people in the Church is as receptive to the truth, both in efficiency of learning and with the greatest degree of retention.”²

Give young visitors your best attention, and remember their capacity. While you must use words and concepts that are familiar to them, and while you must be engaging and energetic to keep their attention, you do not need to talk down to them. You can trust that they will understand spiritual truths. Your challenge is to understand those truths yourself—with such clarity and depth that you can convey them with power to children, youth, and adults.

As you follow the practical ideas in this book—such as greeting visitors warmly, talking in natural and normal ways, sharing engaging stories, and asking appropriate questions—you will communicate effectively with little children. These same methods will also help you communicate effectively with their older siblings, their parents, and their grandparents.

Perhaps those children will return in 25 or 30 years to “perpetuate righteousness,” as Sister Grassli said. They will come to give their children the same experiences that spoke to their spirits when they walked in sacred places with you.