LDS Historic Sites Weekend

Last weekend, we had planned to go to the western coast of Michigan to hike and beach at Warren Sand Dunes State Park as a family, but our plans changed when we saw that the weather forecast was a rainy one. We still really wanted to go somewhere that weekend, especially since it would be our last family vacation before school starts, so on Thursday we did some brainstorming. We came up with several options but decided on an LDS historic sites tour with stops in Kirtland, Ohio & Palmyra, New York, and a side trip to Niagara Falls on the way home. Spencer and Jessica sort of remembered our family trip to Kirtland several years ago with my parents, but they didn't remember our trip to Palmyra & Niagara when I was pregnant with Alex back in 2001. Spencer was 5 and Jessica was 3, and we had gone that summer to see the pageant in Palmyra.

Anyway, this turned out to be a great alternate trip. The kids learned a lot about our church history, and Joshua and I were reminded and also learned many new things about the history of the church in these areas. I especially enjoyed the discussions we had with the kids and Q&A sessions as we traveled home in the car.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Friday afternoon, Josh came home from work a little early and we left for our three hour drive to Kirtland. After checking into our hotel, we let the kids get some energy out by played in the indoor pool. Then we put on our PJ's and played some card games in our room, and then retired for the night.



Saturday, August 22, 2009

On Saturday, after eating breakfast, our first stop was the Kirtland Temple. It is owned by the Community of Christ, formerly known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They restored and beautified this sacred building and maintain it today as a historic site with guided tours. We walked through their visitor center and watched a movie before the tour inside the temple.

In the visitor center, Alex and Logan dressed as boys in the 1800's

(A side note: Look at Spencer next to me.... He is almost as tall as I am)

Just down the road from the temple was The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint's visitor center. We walked through that, and watched a really good movie about the establishment of early Kirtland and the trials and sacrifices the early Saints made to construct the temple there. Spencer and Jessica were very moved by the movie, as were Josh and I. Afterwards, some senior missionaries took us on a tour of old downtown Kirtland at the time when the Saints lived there. We went through the Newel K. Whitney Store (w/ the School of the Prophets upstairs, and where Emma and Joseph Smith lived for a time), the Whitney home (where many important events took place), and the Ashery and Sawmill (where they did much work constructing and assembling items for the temple).

Logan liked this picture in the LDS visitor center

The kids beside the saw mill

We loved the wild flowers in the field beside the saw mill. Logan and Spencer picked flowers for me.

We really enjoyed the tour of the Newel K. Whitney Store.
It was very interesting, esp. learning about the School of the Prophets.

Only 2 miles down the road from the Kirtland Temple is a large sandstone quarry. Here the early Saints cut sandstone used in the construction of the Kirtland Temple. We could still see the drill marks carved into the rock. What an awesome sight!

We stopped at a local restaurant for an early dinner and left for our 4 hour drive to Palmyra. When we got there, we checked into a hotel, let the kids play in the hotel pool, and crashed around 11:30 pm. We decided to sleep in the next morning.

Spencer is examining the drill marks in the rock quarry.
See them on the side of the rock?

Sunday, August 23, 2009

The hotel had a really nice continental breakfast that morning, and we really filled up on it for our long day ahead. We drove into Palmyra, and stopped first at the Hill Cumorah.

Our family inside the Hill Cumorah Visitor Center

Walking up the winding paths on the Hill Cumorah

We were very high up when we reached the top.

At the monument on top of the hill.

We sat on the hill for awhile and enjoyed the beautiful morning and reverent atmosphere.

On the Hill Cumorah

After the Hill Cumorah, we drove about 2 miles to the Joseph Smith log home. We took a tour of the log home and the Smith Family frame home built only a few years later, and also on the same property. The sister missionaries who took us through these homes told of the many important events that took place in these dwellings. We also took a walk through the Sacred Grove. We instructed the kids to be respectful and reverent as we walked on the trails through the forest, especially after learning that President Gordon B. Hinckley once said that besides the temple, the Sacred Grove is one of the two most sacred places on this earth (the second one being the Garden of Gethsemane).

The kids in front of the Joseph Smith log home. They couldn't believe that 10 people lived in this home.

Listening and learning about the log home on our tour.

Spencer volunteered to read the scripture that inspired Joseph Smith to pray about which church was true.
James 1:5 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."

In the upstairs bedroom of the log cabin, where Joseph Smith slept, and was visited by the angel Moroni on several occasions.

Our family by the fireplace hearth

Sacred Grove Picture Collage --

We left Palmyra by mid-afternoon since we had a long drive home. We also wanted to stop in Niagara Falls, New York to sneak a peek at Niagara Falls. Spencer and Jessica don't remember the falls, and Logan and Alex had never seen it, so everyone was interested in getting a look at them. When we got there, it was pouring rain. We put on our sweatshirts and got out our umbrellas and braved the weather. We only stayed for an hour, but at least the kids can say they've been there. I'm sure we'll go back again some day... as long as we are living in Michigan and so close by.



We didn't get home until 1:00 am. We would've loved to stay the night in Niagara, but Monday was a busy day for all of us, and Joshua had to go back to work. But it was a wonderful weekend for all of us, and one we'll always remember.