Nothing like a world-wide pandemic and home isolation to get you working on projects that you've been putting off!
Three years ago our family took a wonderful spring break trip to New York, Ohio, Illinois, and Missouri to retrace the early history of our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I'm just now getting around to editing the photos (which will end up in a printed photo book) and sharing our experiences, photos, and itineraries here (which I hope might be helpful for anyone else wanting to plan this kind of a trip).
When all the posts have been written I'll compile links and downloads in one "overview" post. Until then, let's start with Day 1 in Palmyra .......
Our trip began on Tuesday, April 11, 2017 -- we took a flight from Las Vegas to Birmingham, Alabama to Rochester, New York. So excited to begin this adventure!
5 checked bags and 7 carry-ons. Conner (lying on the floor) was wiped out after getting in at midnight from a choir trip to Hawaii. Scott is teasing Anna that she'll have to sit by a stranger and it's freaking her out. This teasing/freak out combination is a common theme of their relationship.
So much planning & preparation, excitement, research & study, and scheduling had gone into maximizing our time as we would cover 1000 miles over the next 7 days. Yes, 1000 miles! Our plan was to start in New York, rent a van, and drive west as we visited church sites in New York, Ohio, Illinois, and Missouri ending in Kansas City where the rental van would be returned and we hopped on a plane back home. Totally doable.
We wanted this trip to be a lasting memory in the kids' minds not just because of the sites we would visit, but also because of the feelings and spirit that could accompany it. Each day I planned for us to listen to a set of scriptures, a song, and a talk that had something to do with the places we would visit that day. Because so much of this trip required driving time, I simply made a playlist on itunes, and we listened to & discussed the daily devotional as we made our way from place to place.
Day 1 // Palmyra Car Devotional
Scripture: James 1:5-6, Joseph Smith History 1:1-25, 27-54
Song: Joseph Smith's First Prayer, Hymn No. 26
Talk: Stand in the Sacred Grove, Marlin K. Jensen, 2012 CES Devotional
Palmyra Itinerary: Download Day 1 Palmyra Itinerary
Guide to Church Historic Sites: New York
After waking up in our hotel in Rochester we drove 30 minutes to Palmyra and started our day at the Smith Family Farm and Sacred Grove. In the visitors center we were greeted by senior missionaries and were soon on our way for an individualized tour of the sites.
Going into this trip we knew that traveling in April would be a wonderful advantage because there would not be any crowds and we would have the space and time to truly enjoy each historical site. Score!
First stop, the Smith Log Home.
I love this little log home. And the family who lived inside of it. As I studied and learned more about the Smith family in the months leading up to the trip my appreciation of them grew so much! They played a big part in supporting Joseph, enabling him to do the work God required of him. The Smith family rocks! And Lucy Mack Smith is my hero. Read "The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother" and you'll agree with me too.
The Smith Family Bible on the dining table, opened to James 1:5-6. The year we visited (2017) this scripture was the youth theme for the year so it was pretty awesome that all the kids had it memorized.
I love that when you open the back door of the log home your direct view is of the grove of trees where Joseph knelt to pray.
This is the upstairs bedroom that Joseph shared with several of his siblings .... the room where the angel Moroni appeared to him and told him where to find the gold plates.
As we walked down the path toward the Smith frame home our guide stopped us and told us to turn and take in this view
He asked, "What was the ultimate purpose or reason for the First Vision and the restoration of the gospel?" The answer is this right here. Creating eternal families through the ordinances of the temple! What a great visual as you walk down the gravel path on the Smith family farm -- the sacred grove on your right and the Palmyra temple on your left.
The Smith frame home -- this home was built by Alvin Smith and after his death it was finished by his brothers for their parents, Joseph Sr. and Lucy, as a place where they could live comfortably in their old age.
85% of the home today is ORIGINAL to what it was in the late 1820s. That is pretty amazing.
The gold plates were once hidden under this hearth
Lucy Mack Smith is one amazing woman. I admire her strength, faith, the way she stands up for her family, and her ability to roll with the punches. This home was supposed to be her "retirement" home to enjoy in her old age. After 3 months of ownership, some dishonest men essentially stole the deed to their house and the Smiths went from being home owners to renters. After 3 years they lost the home entirely and had to move back into the log cabin. Reflecting on this unwanted but necessary transition she said: "See what a comfortable home we have had here and what pains every child that we have has taken to provide for us everything necessary to make our old age comfortable, and long life desirable . . . I now give this up for the sake of Christ and salvation and I pray God to help me do so without one murmur or a tear . . . I will not cast one longing look upon anything which I leave behind me." I'm pretty sure that she is now enjoying a mansion in heaven!
Hey kids, wanna build a retirement home for us?
Directly across from the Smith frame home you'll find the threshing barn and cooper shop which is where Joseph Sr. would make barrels and brooms.
And an open barn on an overcast day provides THE perfect conditions for some great photos of your kids
Then onto the Sacred Grove. I think what spurred me to revisit these photos and document these memories is the fact that right now we are celebrating the bicentennial of the First Vision. 200 years ago a 14 year old boy went into that grove of trees with a question. He prayed and he saw God the Father and Jesus Christ. The answers and knowledge he received that day, followed by more visitations and revelation led to the restoration of Christ's church on the earth.
Often when we picture the sacred grove in the spring of 1820 we imagine lush green trees, full of leaves, birds chirping, and forest life buzzing. We visited the grove in mid-April and as you can see, it is not so green. That was definitely eye-opening to consider what the grove might have really looked like when Joseph entered to pray! I recently listened to The First Vision: A Joseph Smith Papers Podcast and Episode 3: "I Retired to the Woods" talks in depth about what the grove might have looked, smelled, or sounded like. The historians confirmed what we experienced -- most likely the grove would not be the lush green forest that is often depicted in art and films.
While much of the grove was grey and brown, we did come across something bright, cheery, and completely unexpected ....
Thank you to whoever decided to plant these daffodils! They were a welcome delight!
We almost had the grove to ourselves and so we took some time to wander individually or in pairs on various paths and just take it all in.
What a cool experience to get to visit these sites in person!
We drove to the neighboring Palmyra temple to snag a picture ....
And finally to the Hill Cumorah
SO steep! We had a short tour in the visitors center which mostly comprised of a video of Joseph Smith & Oliver Cowdery working on the translation of the plates. Then we walked the trail up the hill to see the monument.
It was really windy and cold at the top, so we didn't stay too long. But we did take the opportunity for the kids to read aloud Moroni's promise (Moroni 10:3-5) which is inscribed on one side of the monument. Then Conner pulled out his scriptures and read to us from Mormon 6 which tells of the final battle between the Nephites and Lamanites as they gathered in the land of Cumorah. THAT was super cool. You can watch it in the video below ....
From there we went back into Palmyra for a late lunch followed by a visit to the Historic Publication Site of the Book of Mormon (Grandin Building). To end the day we drove out to Waterloo (formerly Fayette) and did a tour of the Peter Whitmer Farm. Those will come in later posts!
Day 1 - Manchester, Palmyra, Fayette
Smith Family Farm, Sacred Grove, and Hill Cumorah
