Palmyra

As I have said before, I went to Palmyra the first time when I was a young girl, around 11 years old.  It had an impact on me, and I have always remembered that time walking through the Sacred Grove as the beginnings of my testimony.  Since that time I have always wanted to go back and share it with my kids.  It was better than I remembered.  First of all they have rebuilt or restored much more than there was when I went there, and secondly being there as an adult made it even more meaningful to me. 

Replica of the Smith Log Home

Upstairs of the Log Home

Frame Home

Grant with the brick from the fireplace hearth

Room where Joseph's sisters slept with the plated between them

 We started the day a little later than the previous two days, and it was nice to get a little extra sleep.  Our first stop was the Smith Farm and the Sacred Grove.  I wanted to make sure that we had plenty of time there.  First you go through the log home.  It is very small, and is is built where the original log home was.  Next you go into the frame home that is mostly the original home that the Smith's moved to.  Grant pulled up one of the bricks from the hearth where Joseph Smith buried the plates to protect them.  We saw the room where Joseph's sisters slept with the plates in between them when the men came searching for them.  They searched the room everywhere but under the covers. 

Because we went after pageant times we got to enjoy most of these things by ourselves.  We spent almost an hour walking through the Sacred Grove all alone.  It was a great experience to me.  As I hummed Oh How Lovely Was the Morning, I felt again the sweet reassurance of the spirit that truly we were walking through sacred ground.  It was sweet, peaceful, cool, and serene.  Words fail to accurately describe my feelings. 

You can see the Palmyra Temple from the Smith Farm, so we stopped there next.  Have I mentioned how beautiful it is in all these places?  Trees everywhere.  If you have never been outside of Utah you just can't even picture it.  The temple is beautiful and overlooks the Sacred Grove.  I love the stained glass Sacred Grove windows around the temple.

E.B. Grandin Building

 

Our next stop was the Grandin building where the Book of Mormon was printed.  The process to print the Book of Mormon is mind-boggling to me, and so cool to learn about.  Then we took the short drive to the Peter Whitmer farm where the church was organized.  Again we got to enjoy this with just our family.  I especially love the story of Mary Whitmer seeing the plates.  I think about the small home and the people gathered there...do you ever wonder if they realized on that day what they were starting? 

Peter Whitmer Home

 

Hill Cumorah

After returning to Palmyra we visited the Hill Cumorah and the visitor's center.  I would love to see the pageant someday, but I loved kind of feeling like it was a Benjamin Family private tour of the area. It was a great day, one that I hope to always remember.