Palmyra, New York

Soon after my dad, Brooke, and Tyler arrived for a visit we took a little trip to Palmyra. We were hoping to be able to see Niagara Falls too but it took longer than we thought to get to Palmyra. Instead of rushing and stressing we decided to just enjoy ourselves in Palmyra...

First stop was the Hill Cumorah where the gold plates were buried.

It was a great place for the kids to get their wiggles out after a long drive. They hiked up the hill to the monument and then rolled down and ran up the hill more than once.

Livy was Tyler's side kick the entire week.

All of us at the top of the hill.

It was nearing 7:00 when the other sites would be closing so we tried to squeeze in one more tour. We drove over to the Joseph Smith log home. It ended up being the perfect light for some beautiful pictures.

The replica  of the Smith family log home. This is where Joseph Smith lived when he prayed as a 14 year old boy in the Sacred Grove (the woods behind this home) to know which church he should join.

The attic is where the Smith children slept and this is where Joseph was visited by the angel Moroni. This is where Joseph first heard about the gold plates buried in the Hill Cumorah. We are so blessed to have that ancient record translated and available for us to read any time we want.

Down the road is the Smith frame home. Between the two homes you can see the temple spire peaking through the trees as you walk.

Here is the frame home which Joseph's brother Alvin built for the family and where they lived for a short time before returning to the log home. This home is 80% original and much bigger inside than the log home for their large family. By the time Joseph actually got the gold plates the family was living here. The entire family helped protect the plates and keep them safe and hidden from mobs. Even the younger sisters helped by hiding the plates between their bodies while laying in their bed when a mob searched the house for the plates.

Across from the frame home is a threshing barn. It is not the original barn, but after a lot of research they were able to locate Brigham Young's threshing barn that was built around the same time and transported it to this spot.

Next to the barn is a little cooper shed where they made barrels. This is another place where the plates were hidden.

Then we walked to the Sacred Grove where Joseph Smith prayed and was visited by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. There was hardly anyone there, which made it so peaceful and the evening light was beautiful.

Seeing how tiny that little log home was makes you realize why Joseph chose to go to the woods to pray. 

Kylee wanted to take a rock from the Sacred Grove, but we decided to just take a picture of it and leave it there where it belonged.

On our way to the car we asked the Sister Missonaries where to find a good place to eat. They suggested Nima's for their awesome calzones. By the time we got to Nima's it was almost closing time so we ordered some slices of pizza and sandwiches instead. They were awesome. It makes me want to go back and try the calzones next time :)

We stayed across the street from the log home around the corner from the temple. It was a great little townhouse with beds for everyone.

The kids were so good all day and went to bed pretty late. When we went upstairs to bed later that night, we found Kylee on the floor in the hallway.  It looked like she wanted to sneak out of bed and be downstairs with the adults, but didn't make it too far before konking out. We laughed pretty hard.

The next morning we walked around the temple.

I loved how there were trees etched into the windows all around the temple. The windows in the waiting area are left transparent to provide a view of the Sacred Grove. The temple was actually built on the original 100-acre Smith family farm.

Next stop: the E.B. Grandin print shop where the Book of Mormon was printed...

This is the original building and is right on the main street in between all of the little shops and restaurants.

Here is the first level where the books were sold.

On the third level is where the printing was done. The Sister missionary showed us the process of printing and it was so interesting.

On the second level was the binding area. The Sister Missionary let the kids take a giant page with 16 different pages printed on it and showed them how to fold and cut it so that all of the pages would be in order.

A block or two away was a very old cemetery where Alvin Smith was buried.

Then we took a little walk to the Erie Canal which is just a few blocks behind the print shop. Having the canal so close made it possible for them to ship goods quickly and easily.

We picked up a great lunch from a little Mennonite store called Sauder's (thanks to another Sister Missionary recommendation!) and ate it outside at the Whitmer farm-our final stop. Again, we were the only ones there and as we were about to leave tons of tour groups came pouring in.

To the right is a Visitor's Center and chapel where the local members hold church. It would be cool to go to church there every week.

This is the inside of the replica of the Whitmer home where the church was organized on April 6, 1830. The Sister Missionary told the kids that everything we do on Sundays all began right here. What a special place! And to think how special the Whitmer's were to have their humble home be the starting place.

After visiting here we headed home. The next Sunday at church Kylee was looking through my scriptures at all of the pictures in the back. She got so excited when she realized she had been to so many of the places pictured. Hopefully they will always remember the special feelings they experienced there.