Palmyra New York

Last year at Education Week, Randall Wright, one of my favorite speakers, told us to start writting down 100 goals we wanted to accomplish in our lifetime. Don't think about, just write. So I did. I never made it to 100 but I wrote several goals down...and then forgot about it!

I have always had a desire to see the Hill Cumorah Pageant, wanting to take our children with us, but it never happened. I heard that this may be the last year of the script before changing. That was two weeks ago, the next day Chad and I decided, lets go, so we booked our flights (which we used our American Express points to fly first class, pay for hotel and rental car!)

On the flight, I was looking through my memos on my cell phone. There was the list of 100 lifetime goals. I opened it up and started reading those goals. One of them was to attend the Hill Cumorah pageant! (The other goals are hard things, I am not sure if I like them anymore!)

My whole desire to come to New York was to attend the pageant. It was everything I hoped it would be. The sights, a huge grassy area where people could sit and move around, a stage that was massive with many levels, the effects with fire and water, the people in their beautiful, elaborate costumes. Families and people coming from all over to witness to have the same experiences. The cast members spend time beforehand visiting with the audience. On more than one occasion, I saw cast members tearfully testify of what the experience of being in the play has meant to them and how it has strengthened their testimony. I know what they were feeling having been part of the cast in the City of Joseph pageant. What a great experience that was for our familee. I have the greatest love for those early members of the church who lived during the time with Joseph Smith as the prophet in Nauvoo.

The pageant told the story of the Book of Mormon, in condensed form. It was done to perfection. I do love the pageants the church produces. The anti-Mormon's were out soliciting like they always do.






Prior to performance


There were over 750 members of the cast

We ended up attending dress rehearsal which was nice to be able to get good seating. Even at that there were hundreds of people there.

When we were planning our trip to New York, I thought we could go visit the historical sites in the area but wasn't overly excited about that since I had already seen them. But I have been pleasantly surprised at how the sites really have been a highlight for me. I have loved hearing every word and seeing the displays. It has almost felt like the first time I has seen them.

We have seen the David Whitmer house. There is the most elaborate meeting house on that property that I have ever seen. It has red carpet! Pres Kimball dedicated it in 1980 and even held a general conference from that building.

David Whitmer home

LDS Church building on the Whitmer Farm

The Grandin building was fasinating. It took 12 men, 7 months working 6 days a week to prepare and print 5000 copies of the Book of Mormon. That was just printing it, there was another 14 months spent in the binding process of the book. I loved learning and seeing the process of such a thing.

Early that day, before visiting the Grandin building, I was on my computer. I pleasantly came across a site where you can make your blog into a printed book. Literally, within 10 minutes and a few click, the software was able to put my written words and pictures into a book format including a table of context! That fast. Amazing! How far technology has come! What a contrast to Joseph Smith's time but how grateful I am for that process of printing the Book of Mormon.

We visited the Smith family home and Sacred Grove. I loved seeing their log cabin how tiny it was with 8 children living there. Then to see and hear the story of the home that Alvin built for his parents. The Smith's lost that home because of financial reasons, it was sold from under their feet and then they were able to find someone who could buy it back. They rented it for many years afterwards. The land then was sold. Years later, George A. Smith, I think it was him, purchased the 100 acres of land that Joseph Senior bought. He kept it in his possession until the church was ready and deeded that 100 acres over to the church for $1.00.

Smith log cabin home
This is the view you see walking from the log cabin home to the home Alvin built

The Sacred Grove is thick with wooded trees. The same feeling that exists in the temple can be felt there in the Sacred Grove. They have benchs along the path within the Grove to sit and ponder. It is peaceful there and could even be more peaceful if you were alone. There were busloads of people visiting so the Grove was quite busy with people on the path. But it was still wonderful to be there and partake of the Spirit.

In the Sacred Grove

I wanted to stop back at the temple for some pictures even though the day before we did a session. It is a small temple so we had to pack our own temple clothing. I was glad we did. And I was glad we stopped. As I was taking some pictures, a few ladies there began telling me the history of the temple. The one side of the temple faces the Sacred Grove. It less than a mile away. The church had requested that they be able to clear out an area of trees for a view of the Sacred Grove. They were denied permission by the City. The windows in that temple are stained glass (something we don't see a lot of in our church). The three windows facing out to the Sacred Grove were stained glass like all of them with tree's and leaves to represent the Grove. However, they wanted to have a 'clear' window so a person could see the Grove from inside the temple. But having been denied permission to clear a path, they put a stained glass window in. Later, and I don't know the time frame, there was a thunder and lightening storm that burned or uprooted trees right in the area the church had requested to clear. If the City wasn't going to allow this, then the Lord would just take matters into His own hands! It is in perfect line with the temple so that standing there you can see the area was cleared away and then see the Sacred Grove. Later, they took out the middle stained glass window and put in a clear window. The lady said it is the only window in all the temples that is clear where you can see out and see in.

If you look real close you can see the image of a temple worker shaking the hand with a sister inside the temple Looking at the Sacred Grove

I loved knowing that story. The day that we were in the temple, I did see the window and looked out it and just thought I was seeing beautiful country, not knowing that I was looking at the Sacred Grove.

I LOVE this gospel. I love everything about it. I am grateful for the gift I have been given of being born into this gospel, of coming to this earth with a testimony. I know that is true because the Lord has testified that to me. I LOVE the Holy Ghost and feel the excitment when I feel it's promptings. I will live this gospels teaching all my life because my greatest desire is to live in the Celestial Kingdom with ALL of my familee! We must do what we need to on earth for that great blessing.

I hope the next goal I reach is as wonderful as this one. Check mark!