Months before our trip we started doing family home evenings to get us ready. We each took turns studying about some of the sites we would be visiting and then teaching the family what we learned.
It was so fun to learn some interesting facts about these sites before we went.
Thursday, October 20th
Calli stayed home from work to pack and get ready. The girls went to school and Adam went to work. As soon as I was done teaching preschool we checked the girls out of school, picked up Terry and Sheri and hit the road.
We drove to Vegas and parked our car in the Silver Seven parking garage.
Taking the shuttle to the airport.
Checking our luggage and apparently giving a Gentry a ride.
We got there two hours early and then the flight was an hour late due to the pilots arriving on another flight late, so we had oddles of time to spare.
Watching our lane arrive. The girls were soooo excited for their first plane ride.
Fun in the Terminal
Boarding the Plane. When we went on our cruise the girls each touched the outside of the ship before boarding. They continued the tradition by touching the plane as they boarded.
They loved take-off. The best roller coaster ride ever.
Las Vegas
They look like frequent flyers. They jumped right into it and enjoyed the entire 4 hour journey.
At 1:30 am we landed in Cleveland Ohio and met up with Ben and Stacy's family. Mom, Dad. Brandon. Tracy and Kevin's family had already been to Washington DC for a few days. We would spend the next day in Kirtland with Ben, Stacy, Terry and Sheri and then meet up with the rest of the family in Palmyra.
Picking up our luggage at the baggage claim.
We grabbed the shuttle to take us to pick up our rent-a-car. The "men" in line. We drove 30 minutes to Beachwood and stayed the night (a couple hours) in hotel. We got about 5 hours of sleep and headed to Kirtland.
Our cute rental car.
Adam and I played the license plate game. We got quite a bit.
Friday, October 21, 2016
Immediately we fell in love with Ohio in the Fall. It was amazing. So colorful and vibrant.
Our first stop of the day which just happened to be one of my favorites of the trip was the Johnson Farm.
The home was about 85% Original.
The Johnson's were a wealthy family and mother Johnson had an eye for color and decorating which was rare back them to use color the way she did. The design on the mantel is an example of that.
Original design untouched.
The crew on our tour.
Sadie was asked to go look in this door and tell us what she saw. It was a stairway leading to Joseph Smith's office.
This is the exact latch that Joseph Smith used to open the door to get to his office. Of course we all had to touch it
Father Johnson's office.
Just looking at this picture brings back emotions. This is the room where Joseph slept with Emma and twins the night he was pulled out of bed and dragged outside and tarred and feathered. It was heart wrenching to stand in the exact spot and hear the story. (The flooring is refurbished but what that style and color)
He drug out the front door and a ways away. This is a view out that front door.
Upstairs bedroom.
Sewing room.
Joseph Smith's Office. This was originally Mother Smith's master bedroom and her favorite room in the house but gave it up for Joseph to use as church headquarters for a time. So much sacrifice was made by so many to help the church come forth.
Joseph Smith's desk. Where he received many revelations including the degrees or glory and what happens to children who die before the age of eight.
All of us in his office. This was also the place where Joseph was visited by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
Another example of the original and restored colors
More designs.
After the Johnson Farm we headed to a Amish General Store that had been highly recommended to visit. It was a bit out of the way but we were sure glad we made the trip. It was so cute. We loved it.
Horse and Buggy
The store was so cute. You couldn't help getting caught up in it all. Gentry and Trasen picking out 20 marbles for a dollar.
Penny Candy. We of course had to load up here.
Kassi and Sadie playing checkers. It was so much fun watching these two. They were connected at the hip for 5 days and had soo much fun together.
The kids bought real dried grasshoppers to taste.
1,2,3 They all popped one in their mouths.
Some liked it better than others.
Gentry threw up her hands in victory after finishing hers.
Oh, how I loved this simple little town.
On our way out of town we saw several buggies out and about and riding down the road.
It was one of several highlights of our trip.
Next up was the Kirtland Temple.
No pictures were allowed inside the temple. It was definitely a different spirit and tour than the other sites with it not being owned by the church anymore but the spirit could still be felt especially when we stood in the exact same room as our Savior, Moses, Elijah and Elias stood and we sang "The Spirit of God" It was strong.
Again, so much sacrifice was made in building this beautiful building.
Just us siblings
We continued to fall more and more in love with fall colors.
Every site we visited we would all collect and gather leaves.
Shopping in the Temple Visitor Center store.
The drive to each site was always so beautiful.
Isaac Morley's Farm.
Our last stop was the Kirtland visitor center an village.
Center took this picture. It was a cold and rainy day but still nice enough we could enjoy our time.
Bridge crossing over from the visitor center to the village.
First stop N.K. Whitney store. I was excited to visit this site. There is so much history about this place.
The Crew
General Store
Upstairs where the translation was completed and the church was organized. Sometimes it was hard to grasp that we were actually standing in such sacred and holy places where the amazing events happened and Joseph Smith actually walked.
The original floors in that room.
School of the prophets. (The missionary called it "The first MTC") This is the room where men met and learned and smoked their cigars and the reason the Word of Wisdom was revealed.
Joseph and Emma's room. They were shuffled around so much and always having to stay with others while translating the plates an organizing the church.
Kitchen
N.K Whitney House
A bible from the 1830's
Again, a room that Joseph Smith and Emma stayed in.
This is the room where mother Johnson visited the "prophet" before being converted and asked to be healed. She was and this was the first place a healing priesthood blessing took place.
Johnson Inn
Last stop in Kirtland was the House that Uncle Dean and Aunt Karen lived in when they were serving their mission here. We stopped for dinner at the Kirtland Tavern and got on the road for our 3 hour drive to Palmyra around 9:30pm.
Crossed through Pennsylvania.
We pulled into Palmyra NY around 12:30 am.
Here we had rented a house for all of us. By the time we got there everyone was in bed asleep. But mom had made all our beds so we could just come in and fall right into them.
Saturday, October 22, 2016
It was such a cute house in a quint little neighborhood just blocks from the Palmyra Temple.
We were able to sleep in a bit this morning.
At 11:30 we headed to the temple with all the adults and 12 and older grandchildren to do baptisms in the Palmyra Temple. (Tracy's brother and sister in law stayed at the house with the littler ones.)
On the temple grounds looking towards the Sacred Grove.
Rocks on the temple grounds that border the Smith Farm laid by the Smith's
Wet and cold after baptisms on the wet and cold day but still willing to pause for a quick picture.
Baptisms were amazing. We had the font to ourselves. The temple worker took his time and really made it special for all of us. He had the men rotate and help with the ordinances. It was awesome watching Adam baptize all three daughters in the Palmyra Temple. The temple worker also took some time at the end and told us stories of the temple, windows and showed us the window that looks out over the Sacred Grove.
After baptisms we took the older kids back to watch the younger kids while we went back for Brandon and Tracy's sealing.
Wow! What a special day. the spirit was so strong. So many tears shed for this long awaited day. The sealer called our tears "liquid faith" I loved that. It was so emotional watching these two be sealed for time and all eternity but when it was time for Tracy's two deceased babies to be sealed to them, it reached another level of emotions. So neat. So happy that Brandon is now a dad and that I have another niece and nephew.
Again, what a incredible experience having all of us siblings and parents in the temple together. It was a great day. Tracy is stuck with us for eternity now.
Gift I had made for their sealing.
After the temple we went back to the house and got changed and headed out for more sites. The girls for the most part were fabulous. They went with the flow and enjoyed the sites. There were just a couple times we heard "is this all were doing"...Yep!
After the temple we went back to the house and got changed and headed out for more sites. The girls for the most part were fabulous. They went with the flow and enjoyed the sites. There were just a couple times we heard "is this all were doing"...Yep!
Cool bridge heading to Martin Harris's Farm.
The farm and house are privately owned now so there was no tour but we were welcome to walk around and look.
This isn't the original house. Martin Harris's home burned to the ground.
We stopped touring for a few minutes just long enough to grab a bite at McDonalds. We usually ate breakfast and then ran, ran, ran until dinnertime and we were starving.
After dinner we went to the four Corner Churches.
Adam and Ben looked like two people I wouldn't want to cross in a dark alley.
From this view you can see all four churches each a different corner.
Presbyterian Church. This was the church Lucy Smith was attending.
First Methodist Church
Fellowship Bible Church
Zion Episcopal Church or as the girls called The "Harry Potter Church
Just a few blocks away from the four corner churches was the E.B Grandin Priniting Press where the first Book of Mormon was published.
Another of my favorites. So fascinating how they built another building around the original building to make it more of a accessible for tourists. The process it took from start to finish is unreal.
The pounds and pounds of paper had to hoisted up to printing press.
This is the letter G
Each letter, number and punctuation mark had to be placed individually and one at a time until a paragraph had been formed.
Then they would ink it, print it, wash it and start over.
They would do 16 pages at a time and then print 5,000 copies of the 16 pages and then move onto the next 16 pages.
Not one of the original 5,000 copies were the same.
Leather used for the cover
Tools used to decorate the covers.
An original first edition
Mocj set up of the Isaac Hales Farm where the translation began.
Inking Pads
The steep stairs that were used to run back and forth from the printing press to where they covered them.
The bookstore, downstairs from the printing press. The floors are original.
The way the 16 pages looked before being folded and cut. We spent a few hours here, it was so interesting.
On our way back to the house we ran over to the Palmyra Inn to look around and do some souvenir shopping. We were all able to find what we were looking for.
Our current and future missionaries got these shirts.
And the girls got these darling shirts.
After a yummy spaghetti dinner we celebrated Ashlynn's 19th birthday with cake and ice cream.
Sunday, October 23, 2016
We all got up and went to 9 o'clock church with the Palmyra ward. The girls were good troopers to let me get this picture. It was so cold.
First stop was the cemetary where Alvin Smith was buried.
Alvin Smith's Grave.
On the back was the original headstone.
So Cool!
Then drove around and looked at how cute Palmyra is and enjoyed more fall colors.
We also came across this mural which was pretty cool.
Being Sunday we saved the best for that day and headed to the Sacred Grove.
Looking back at the Smith farm from the trail leading to the sacred Grove
We thought this pile of rocks was cool. We figured someone had to pile them there for a reason.
Story goes that Joseph was out chopping wood one day and left his ax in a stump. After reading James 1:5 he went back (after an unknown amount of time) and went back to where his ax was to pray.
There really are no words to describe the beauty and the peace tat you feel when you are in the Sacred Grove. We spent a couple hours here. Walking, pondering, and visualizing the miraculous events that took place there. We didn't want to leave. We walked all the way up and around and walked the entire loop. Adam and I wandered off a bit on our own. We talked about the events and guessed over and over again where it might have taken place. I kept reminding my self of all whom had been to this beautiful place. Joseph Smith and his family, I'm sure he took Emma and showed her the spot, Our heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I got wrapped up in my thoughts when I noticed I had lost Adam. It was about this same time I also realized that Satan had been in these very woods as well. The feeling changed quickly and I called out to Adam. I quickly found him and we continued our peaceful stroll together. It was amazing.
Sun Shining through the trees.
After spending our time in the Sacred Grove we went to the visitor center and then the Smith Farm.
Bible in the visitor center opened to James 1:5
Our family at the Smith Log Cabin. This is a replica built on the original foundation. Eleven people lived in this small home.
Smith Family Kitchen. Joseph Smith moved here when he was 12 years old.
Master Bedroom
Joseph and his siblings slept in this area. This is the room where the Angel Moroni came and visited him.
Stairs leading up to the space.
Another Bedroom
The Smith Farm was fenced just like this, with boulders placed under the fence to keep animals out.
Sacred Grove in the distance as seen from the Smith Cabin.
Walking the short distance to the Frame House they built years later.
Smith Family Home. This is the original home built by the Smith family.
Gentry and Sage. He was her little shadow.
Love the Foundation
I sound like a broken record, but this was another of my favorites. This was the first place he came after receiving the plates. They showed us several of the hiding spots that Joseph used to hide them. One was under the bricks in fireplace.
He lifted up some of these bricks and dug a hole and buried the plates and put the bricks back.
Another spot was here in a toolbox just like this on this dresser in the living room.
Master Bedroom.
The Smith sisters room. Two of Joseph's sisters slept and hid the plates between them as the mob broke in and looked for them.
The Pantry
The sink. This was a luxury sink because it had a drain.
Stairs leading to the cellar
Family dinner table. Can you imagine the conversations that may have taken place here.
Replica of a well that the Smiths sons dug.
Garden still used by the missionaries today.
Thrashing Barn
Where they used these tools to thrash wheat.
The logs are the size of the trees that the Smiths removed on their land.
The Cooper Shop where Joseph Sr. made barrels.
The plates were hiden out here as well. Once under the floorboards and then in the rafters.
This is the most amazing view. This is on the dirt road walking between the log cabin and the frame house. On one side you can see the sacred grove and on the other you can see the Palmyra Temple peeking through the trees.
After spending most of the day here. We next drove to Hill Cumorah.
Visitor Center
Hill Cumorah
Trail leading to the Moroni monument
The view from the top.
Angel Moroni statue at the Hill Cumorah monument
I had showed Calli a video of a guy "walking/sliding" down one of these so she was trying it.
After Hill Cumorah it was getting late but we had one last stop. So we hurried out to the Peter Whitmer Farm.
Peter Whitmer's home. Joseph and Emma spent time here as well. This is where they finished the translaton of the book of mormon because it was further out of town and offered them better protection.
The whole gang.
Whitwer Kitchen where the Church was Organized.
Room where the translation took place.
Gentry and Adam playing a game at the visitor center
Gorgeous picture of the Savior
After seeing all we wanted to see in Palmyra we drove to Niagara, NY, ate dinner at KFC and checked into our hotel for the night.
Monday, October 24, 2016
Bright and early we woke up, met at breakfast and headed to Niagara Falls.
Layering up before heading to the falls.
Even from a distance they were magnificent.
"I'm the King of the World"
We all got geared up in our pink ponchos and boarded the Maiden of the Mist.
Canada
Excitement increased as we got closer and closer to the falls.
The Fam on the Maid of the Mist
It was just a short 20 minute ride but so worth it. It was sooo cool!
After getting off the boat we all hiked around a bit and followed trails to different view points of the falls.
The 8th wonder and I'm not talking about Niagara Falls!
Our cute Family
The whole motley crew
We then decided to cross the bridge and hike around to the other side to the island and a extreme up close look at the falls.
It was a gorgeous walk
After a couple more hours spent here we went souvenir shopping and took a rest.
Future sister missionaries showing off their shirts
After the Falls Terry, Sheri and my family had to head to the airport to catch our flight.
Funky House on the Way.
We went through several toll booths throughout the week.
Back on the plane ready for our 5 hour flight home.
Couldn't have asked for a better vacation. We absolutely loved every minute of it. It was more than we ever expected. We were tired and ready to go home but I already miss it. Hopefully, we can make it back there again someday.
We were so in awe of the fall colors while there that we collected leaves all along the way at every site we went to. Not sure what we were going to do with them but we couldn't help ourselves from picking more and more up and each site. After we got home we decided to make bookmarks out of them. They turned out awesome. Now we have a constant reminder of our trip and a free souvenir.
