A few months before this vacation, I went to a Relief Society fireside where a descendant of Hyrum Smith spoke. The man and his wife were interesting to listen to and also brought along several artifacts from the Smith family history including the clothes that Hyrum was wearing when he was killed in Carthage Jail. At the time, I was actively looking at vacations in Europe. This was finally going to be my year! I could possibly put to good use the German I had taken (and mainly forgotten) in middle school. But during the fireside, I had the distinct thought that a European vacation would be frivolous at this time, and we needed to take the family to see the Church history sites in New York. When I got home I had to break the news to Curt that I thought our relaxing kid-free vacation should be replaced by a family trip--the kind of trip that you need a vacation to recover from! Curt was immediately on board and we (meaning I) began to plan. Soon, our plan to travel to Palmrya to see the Sacred Grove turned into an entire East Coast vacation. I jokingly call it the most expensive fireside ever, but I think this trip was definitely meant to be. I still have hope for Europe some day. One good thing about flying seven people cross country for ten days, is that now Europe for two actually seems affordable!
So that is how we all ended up here, in front of the Palmyra Temple on a beautiful summer Sunday.
On our Sunday morning visit to the Sacred Grove there was a youth tour reverently occupying every bench. The next morning, a week before the Hill Cumorah Pageant, we had the Sacred Grove all to ourselves. Definitely a highlight of the trip.
Other highlights included, the Peter Whitmer farm.
Grandin Printing Shop,
an original Book of Mormon,
Alvin Smith's grave,
and the Hill Cumorah.
The stage was almost set up for the pageant the next week.
We loved the Christus in the Hill Cumorah Visitor's Center. This is a slightly different version by the same artist that created the one on Temple Square.
This is the hearth in the Smith Frame Home where the golden plates were hidden for a short time.
The stage was almost set up for the pageant the next week.
We loved the Christus in the Hill Cumorah Visitor's Center. This is a slightly different version by the same artist that created the one on Temple Square.
Monday morning we visited the Smith Log Home which I thought was actually roomier than it looked on the outside. Of course, it was still pretty small for a large family.
Lucy Mack Smith created floor coverings just like this one that she would sell to help support her family.
This is the hearth in the Smith Frame Home where the golden plates were hidden for a short time.
Before leaving on Monday, we stopped once more at the Sacred Grove. Other than the people who took our picture, we were all alone.
Better than Europe.
Better than Europe.