Brittany Mangome standing near the top of Prayer Mountain in Fields of the Woods, in Murphy, North Carolina. behind her you can see part of the Ten Commandments Mountain.

My trip to Fields of the Wood was a great experience. It was also lots of fun. I saw many beautiful things there: lots of sites, stories, and reminders of how important it is to be a Christian.

My favorite part was the Ten Commandments Mountain. It was a lot of exercise. (If you’re thinking of losing some weight, try going up those stairs!) The stairs are in the shape of a chain that actually connects the two greatest commandments spoken by Jesus, by which the other commandments hang (Mt. 22:36-40).

My least favorite part was the nature trail because you have to work at trying to avoid the red clay. It is almost impossible to get this out of your clothes.

I also saw a replica of Mount Calvary where Jesus was crucified, and the tomb in which he was buried. The tomb was interesting - almost resembling a jail cell.

Another nice place was the gift shop. We spent a lot of time in there looking at all the great souvenirs and nice art. There was also a small coffee shop where we had lunch, yumm!

Another interesting site was the witness tree. Many years ago, a Church of God of Prophecy flag was fastened to it. The tree was struck by lighting, and split in half, but the lightning jumped over the flag. This was said to have been a sign from God.

The hill where A.J. Tomlinson prayed and received the revelation of the Church felt very peaceful. During our climb up Prayer Mountain, my mom, Yolanda, helped me understand the many teachings which were found on the 29 large stones along the steps. Each of these markers was engraved with a title and description of the process of a Christian’s life, including salvation, sanctification, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

It took a long time to get to the top as my mom explained to me every single marker in hopes that I would also better understand my Christian walk. When we got to the top I was relieved … and tired. Lyuda, David, and Jacob were already at the top. They felt the Spirit of God so we all knelt down and prayed.

If you consider going to this wonderful place, try to bring someone along who knows more about the Bible and the history of The Church. This will help you to appreciate it more.