Consecration--day 6

The last day of our trip was the longest of all. We woke up at 4:30 am. We were in our seats in the Kirtland temple just a little after 6am. I wish we could have taken pictures inside, but it is still a sacred edifice, especially to the caretakers. The Community of Christ church owns the Kirtland temple. They have a new visitor center that they allowed us to meet in and then fed us dinner a few nights before. They made special arrangements for us to be in there privately at 6am. They also fed us a wonderful lunch at the Kirtland stake center this day. They were wonderful people who served us selflessly. I did not know there were three different levels. The first and second floor are very similar. The third floor is set up more with offices.





For more pictures and history including interior click here. You will notice in the close up picture of the interior over the pulpit, little nubs in the ceiling. There were ropes that went through these little bumps that raised and lowered a veil or curtain. The ropes went through the columns and you could hand crank the veil up or down. I did not realize that when Joseph and Oliver had their vision of the Savior there in the temple, the veil was down. And there are many places in the main hall where you can curtain off different areas for separate meetings. Cool. Because I want to get this down, I'll expound on the meetings we had on each different floor later. But we were able to go into Joseph's office on the third floor and met on the second floor as well.

After the temple, we went to the stone quarry and led the whole group astray on the wrong path. That's a lesson for another time. We got back on the right path and were able to see where the stones were cut for the temple. It is now filled with water. The stones had to be set in the sun to dry before they could be used.





After the quarry, we went to the ashery at the Kirtland visitor center. The ashery was quite interesting. They burned trees, took the ashes to the ashery, where it was made into lye for soap and other uses. I know how to make soap with lye. It's easy, but you have to be careful so you don't get burned. Lye is made by pouring water over the ashes and letting it drip out. If you take the lye and boil it for some time, you get potash which is used in fertilizer. And if you then take the boiled potash and put it in an oven at 1000 degrees, you get pearl ash. Which looks like hard volcanic rock in some ways, and they used it to make China. not only that, it was very expensive, so it provided a good source of income for the church. See more about the ashery here.







Then there was the sawmill and the water wheel that "fueled" it. They weren't originally going to build a sawmill, but their needs could not be met with local sawmills.





We went briefly into a multi media building that used to be something I can't remember without my notes. There were plenty of interesting things to do and learn about there too.



The day ended with us having lunch at the stake center which was wonderful! Then we boarded the bus for the airport. We got there at 1:30 and had the opportunity to wait until well after five to get on the plain. But, we had the pleasant surprise to be switched to first class. I've only flown first class one other time, and I could get used to it quite frankly. The bigger seats and leg room were heaven for me and my 38" legs. But nothing helped my overly swollen tempurpedic feet and ankles.

We got into Phx around 8pm and drove the almost four hours home and got in a little after midnight. By the time we got in bed, it was a 23 hour day and we were exhausted. The Bish had to get up at 5:30 for his Sunday meetings. I felt sorry for him. It took me two days to recover. And tomorrow we are heading out again.

As I said, I'll come back and fill in. But here was our group photo in front of the Kirtland temple. :-)





Bad hair day with Mr Kirtland as our guide.

Judging- Days 4 and 5

There is no way right now I can write even a part of what I have experienced the last two days. But, I do wonder, how my gift for losing things can include the notes attached in my notebook for yesterday. I just don't get it. They just aren't there. And they were. Oh well.

Yesterday we went to The Leman Copley Farm. That was interesting. Leman had some acreage that he invited the Saints from Colesville to live on as the law of consecration was begun. As soon as the crops were in and they were settled, he changed his mind and invited them to move off and pay "damages." Our incredible treasure in the form of Karl Anderson (Kirtland historian) gave us lots of information about what he discovered searching for records about the land and such. Things aren't always as they seem. He was the one who was allowed to do the Copleys temple work and he shared some neat insights about that too. No judging. We just don't know. And he felt great warmth in the temple doing that work.

It was a theme repeated with our judgments of Emma, Sidney Rigdon, and others. Where would we be without Martin Harris? Martin Harris gets a bad rap. But we would not have the Book of Mormon without Martin Harris. Only the Lord knows the details. And it's only His place to judge.

John Tanner! I'd never heard of John Tanner who gave the equivalent in today's dollars of $250 MILLION to the church. And accepted the losses simply as if they were nothing. Amazing quiet story of moral integrity.

We went to the Mentor Christian church and heard how Sidney Rigdon started a church there, what his background was, his satellite churches prepared to receive the gospel, all who came into the church with him, and how he was instrumental in mentoring the prophet Joseph Smith, and how his job was to "watch over him that his faith fail not." And what happened to Sidney after he was tarred and feathered with Joseph. He was never the same after that.


Mentor Christian Church. Sidney started this
church after refusing to teach the doctrine of
infant damnation that his previous church required
of him. That made me love Sidney. He also
had several satellite congregations.


Sidney Rigdon.

We briefly went to the Kirtland visitor center and saw the Newel K Whitney home. Then we spent a good amount of time learning why the Isaac Morley Farm was so important. All I can say is, I never knew. Amazing spiritual goings on at the Morley Farm. And it was where the Smiths twins were born and died. I now have pictures in my head of all of these wonderful places. I never knew Church history was so rich and telling. Well, not in my heart anyway. My testimony has grown so much! And I am so glad that I prayed that it would. Did you know the Father and Son appeared at the Morley Farm? I don't have time to tell it. Look it up. It'll be a blessing. Lots of revelation received there as well.


Whitney home. Link.


Whitney Store, School of the Prophets


Isaac Morley farm.

A totally cool link that tells about the farm. Isaac Morley Farm.

And I almost forgot the lighthouse! We saw the lighthouse that was the inspiration for Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy. We are the lower lights, and we need to be burning. :-) The Erie canal is really something else.


Fairport Lighthouse.



Today? There are no words for today. Completely full of more information than I could ever tell. I will come back next week and try to fill in some of it and put pictures in.

We went to the John Johnson farm. Again, faithful people forwarding the work of the Lord. Lots of revelations. The site of Joseph's tarring and feathering and where little Joseph Murdock Smith died a few days later of exposure. Another heart wrenching amazing story of faith and courage against all odds. I complain about air conditioning! We spent a couple of hours hearing lots of background.


John Johnson home.


Where Joseph slept when he was dragged out.


Approx location of Sidney and Joseph tarred and feathered.


Harry Potter's room under the stairs. Haha. JK.


Where Joseph preached to the congregation "as usual."

Another totally cool site all about John Johnson home.

Then we went to Orange and heard all about the conference of the church there and how men were called, the 11 witnesses were together and more.


Sections 66 and part of 107.

We went to Shaker Heights and compared their points of doctrine and what the Lord had to say about it and how they responded to that. Look up Ann Lee for more information about them.


Shaker Heights.

We then went to the Community of Christ visitor center where we heard lecture for two hours on the Kirtland temple. Wow, wow, wow! Karl Anderson has made this trip so enriching and I am so grateful. We have walked through the Doctrine and Covenants. It's been a great blessing. We walked around the temple and also went to the graveyard. Then the C of C fed us a lovely dinner.


We finally get to see the temple.

We went back to the Newel K Whitney store and spent time in the room where the School of the Prophets was held. He taught us so much more. He has set us up for a pinnacle experience tomorrow in the Kirtland temple. We also spent a few minutes in the "revelation room." I am very excited to rise at 1:30 am Arizona time (ok exited is a little exuberant) and spend time with him teaching us about the ordinances, covenants, and power that the Saints received there. What a blessing to walk where these wonderful, humble, simple, faithful people lived and experienced a new way of life and a new faith.


School of the prophets. D&C 88: 127-141 is so interesting in this setting.


Authentic table in revelation room at Whitney store.

We loved the messages from Brother Calton and Kelley, our tour guides. Keys, how not to be deceived. Wonderful!

Tomorrow is an early and very long day. We go home. It will be great to see our kids. And when I am finished writing about this experience, I will share my testimony. I don't know how exciting that will be for any of you, but I've had some new insights to it myself. I am so grateful we were able to come.


So grateful to Mr Kirtland for making Kirtland
come alive. (Karl Anderson)

Sacred--Day 3

Read about the Sacred Grove.

July 14, 2010

Only three pictures today and more updates later. Once again, it is late.

I forgot to mention yesterday about something that was impressive to me. We heard the history of the story of young Joseph who was stricken with typhoid as others of his family had been. Sophronia had suffered for 3 months and was healed through the fervent prayer of her family. In that part of the country it was rampant and there had been over 3000 deaths. The Smiths fortunately did not lose anyone to the typhoid fever.

Because Hyrum was a talented student, if I am remembering right, he was sent to higher education. (It was confusing to me whether he was sent to Dartmouth.) I’ll have to research that detail or ask the people who gave the presentation yesterday. The founder teacher, and local Dr of Dartmouth lived in the area as well. And he was the ONLY Dr in the country who could have performed the surgery on Joseph and saved his leg. He had 17 years of previous experience. I believe the reason he came to the Smith household was because perhaps he knew Hyrum.

The presentation went on to describe some of the 10 miracles around this event. I don’t know why it was important for Joseph’s leg to be saved. Perhaps he would have never knelt in a grove years later and received the First Vision. I only know, that it must have been important, because Heavenly Father moved heaven and earth for his leg to be saved. I'm going to read this article when I get home.

http://byustudies.byu.edu/PDFLibrary/21.2Wirthlin.pdf

We are on our way to the Sacred Grove. I appreciated one of the presentations this morning from the wife of our tour guide, who shared a simple testimony from a missionary in their mission who was from Bolivia? La Paz, I think she said. Her husband, the mission President, (in Cochabamba) had just testified to the missionaries about the Sacred Grove. He had been there and shared those experiences. Then he called on this simple elder from a simple home to share his testimony. This elder stood and told of how he had come from this humble home and flown twice to get to his mission, (Somewhere is South America) and how he would go home, and likely never leave his country again. He would never go to the Sacred Grove somewhere in America. But then he testified that he knew just as well as his mission president, that the First Vision, which happened in the Sacred Grove was true. Something to think about, that millions all over the world are discovering that truth, without ever traveling to see it. But, I am grateful we get to see it.


Peter Whitmer cabin


April 6, 1830, church organized

We just came from our first visit of the day to the Whitmer farm. The Whitmer farm is where much of the Book of Mormon was translated. Many of the Whitmer family members were witnesses to the Book of Mormon. We heard some wonderful thoughts and testimony from a Sister Ward from Mission Viejo, California. She shared some simple powerful things in testimony. Two that touched me deeply. Scripture from 1 Ne 8: 12.

And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit. (When our own salvation is assured, we want to share with those we love.)

And also the thoughts from Joseph Smith about the gospel going forth.

"the Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”

To think that it was spoken in the early 1830's after 6 people got together in a small cabin with around 40 other people and organized the Lord’s Church. Bold statements for such small, humble beginnings that have come to pass but are not completed.

Around 11:30 we went to the Sacred Grove. Traveler’s note: if you go to the Sacred Grove and Smith Farm homes and visitor center, allow at least half a day. We had two hours there. For about 45 minutes we waited and then heard from President Christiansen, who is the Rochester, NY Mission President. He bore his testimony. One thing he mentioned was the anti’s outside the Pageant who will be there both before and after the pageant and who will likely be yelling and accusing and handing out their literature. He mentioned that they don’t even know they are fulfilling prophecy, not only in the Book of Mormon, but also from the Bible. He called them accusers and shared a scripture from Revelation (12: 10)


President Christiansen

"And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night."

Two of the elders bore their simple testimonies that moved me profoundly because we have two young elders doing the same thing in other parts of the country.

We then heard from a man named Bob Parrot? He is the “caretaker of the grove.” He has worked most of his life with the Forest Department. He’s an arbor specialist. He grew up in this area and said he has been familiar with the grove for 48 years. He first went to the grove ironically when he was 14 years old and said he felt the spirit. He said every time he is in the grove he feels the spirit. He is not a member of the church and said it aggravates him when he sees members of the church go through, who obviously don’t feel the spirit. When he became the caretaker in 1997? He said the grove looked like a park. No natural materials on the ground, all branches and fallen trees were removed. People walked wherever smashing down the ground and crushing the delicate roots in the top layers. He said this made the grove quite unhealthy and seemed to imply had it continued, that the Grove may have eventually been in trouble.

One thing he said I really liked. He said he supposed that the spirit was in the grove before the first vision. He assumed that Joseph would have been familiar with the grove, and perhaps it was the spirit he had felt there on other occasions that drew him to it in the first place. :-) Other "Bobisms." "Basically what I do is a lot of work to make it look like I'm not doing anything." And, "I try to open a channel when I come into the grove and He teaches me how to care for the grove." Bob wishes he had known it would change so quickly so he would have documented it! :-0


Bob was great!

Brother Terry Calton shared before we left to go through the grove, he shared the verse in Joseph Smith history, where Joseph says: "When the light rested upon me I saw....and wanted us to put a period there. Then this phrase, "When the light had departed, I had no strength..." He made the point that when we are in light, we see, and whenever that light departs, we lose strength. Something to consider. Am I living in light?

President Hinckley was the one who somehow realized it needed to be properly cared for and returned to a natural forest. In the last 12 years, it has become that. We spent a good 30 minutes in the grove. Though there were many people walking through it, we really did not hear them often, nor see them. We were able to sit quietly on a bench and read Joseph’s account of that Spring morning that changed the world. I felt a simple, quiet, peaceful joy as we sat there and listened to the “sweet birds singing, music ringing through the grove.” I felt great gratitude to be able to experience it.

We came out around 1:15 and unfortunately only had 15 minutes to see everything else. Needless to say, we did not really see everything else. We took quick peeks at the farmhouse and the cabin. We did not even get to go upstairs and see where Moroni appeared to Joseph. But, that’s ok. We felt the spirit of the grove. We felt time whisper with the trees, “preparation, revelation, consecration, inspiration, translation.” Those whispers perhaps were passed on to other trees throughout the area and on throughout the world. I paused to wonder if nature itself began proclaiming the gospel on that day, preparing the hearts of people everywhere to receive. It’s a lovely thought. My heart was touched. There are 6 "witness trees" left in the grove. In other words, they are old enough to have been there, when the First Vision occurred. He would not point them out to us lest, in President Hinckley's words, "everyone would love them to death."


Smith family log home


Smith family frame home.

We briefly drove by the Martin Harris farm. The farm he lost because he financed the printing of the Book of Mormon. We were able to go by the Grandin publishing house where the Book of Mormon was printed. 5000 copies of a book being printed in that day and age was unheard of. A large order would have been 300 copies. The $1.75 originally charged for the Book of Mormon, was 2 days wages = today to something like $170. Would I have paid two days wages to read? Gone without food and comforts to read the truthfulness of the gospel? I hope. We also went up to see Alvin’s grave.


Original copy of the Book of Mormon

We briefly went up to the top of the Hill Cumorah and took pictures of the monument there. As I turned away from the monument to look down the sides of the hill and the surrounding terrain, I was sobered by the thought of what it would have taken to heft the plates down the very steep thickly wooded hill. (but saw a picture later of the hill taken long ago with no trees on it. Hmmm) Even though Joseph originally took the plates down without anyone knowing, it would have been daunting to run through those woods with fiends in pursuit, trying to protect the record he had been given.


Palmyra temple.


Hill Cumorah.

We ended the day at the Hill Cumorah pageant. I have to say, that was pretty cool. We ran into Brother Toma who used to be in Tucson but is now in DC, and his family. He played the part of Abinadai. And the Done family, who used to also be in Tucson but is now in Pennsylvania. And, I looked around for Leslie Householder, author of Jackrabbit Factor, that I have enjoyed and found her and talked to her. It would be a really neat experience to take our family and do that. Next year won’t work if we’re going to Israel. And I plan on going to Israel. Sooo, maybe when Chris comes home.


Abinadai. Brother Toma.


Joseph and Moroni.


The Done family.


Leslie and some of her children.


Tree of life.


Sailing to the promised land

The downer of the day, was the accusers with their signs and bullhorns and accusations. That’s all I’ll say about it, but they could not dampen the music, the production, or the feeling that we took away from it. Fortunately, we did not have to come through that exit, but I felt for the little children who did, and probably would have been not only confused but frightened. We were the first bus out, so we were able to save sitting for an hour in traffic. Whew! Because we got back to the hotel after 11 as it was. It was a wonderful ending to a wonderful day!

The Will of Kind Heaven--day 2

It's amazing how many things you can cram into one day. Speaking of cramming, I liked a quote yesterday that I've heard before. It's by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

“Earth's crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God; But only he who sees, takes off his shoes - The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.”

Are you seeing heaven in earth? I sure am these lovely days in New England.

We saw many things today. I'd love to write commentary on it all, but it is after 10 already and we have a 17 hour day tomorrow beginning at 6am. Woohoo! I'm so excited. I'll be thoroughly exhausted and happy.

I can't possibly share all the details of the day. I guess I should be journaling all day long and then cut and paste at the end of the day. I may try that tomorrow, because there will be so much of wonderful things tomorrow. But, back to today.

We started off in Tunbridge, Vermont. We went into the small clerk's office to see the records of Joseph Smith Sr and Lucy Mack's marriage and the birth of their first baby Alvin, Joseph Jr's oldest brother who died in his mid twenties and who Joseph adored.

Tunbridge clerk record.


Stephen Mack's store. (Brother to Lucy) And where she met Joseph Sr.


Me and a covered bridge.


The New England scenery and architecture is like water to a thirsty girl for me. While the desert certainly has it's unique beauty, coming "home" (the South is home and looks a lot like NE) and seeing the familiar greenery and beauty just lifts my spirits and creates a longing for it. But, I am happy where I live.



Next we went to Sharon, Vt, the birthplace of Joseph Smith in 1805. It was a very special place to see the homesteads of Solomon and Lydia Mack and also one of the first homes of Joseph and Lucy. There were missionaries to give presentations and unfortunately being behind schedule, our time was cut short. But the story of the monument being dragged from several miles away with horses and oxen was really an amazing thing. I loved the beautiful hymns playing on the grounds. The monument stands 38 1/2 ft tall. One foot for each year of the Prophet Joseph Smith's life.








We made some other quick stops, but the other big one of the day was in Harmony, Pa. We went there to see the homes of Isaac and Elizabeth Hale, Emma's parents and one of Joseph and Emma's first homes where their baby Alvin was born and died only a few hours later. That was the first of many heartbreaks for Joseph and Emma. It is also the site of the restoration of the Aaronic priesthood and where Joseph and Oliver were baptized in the Susquehanna River. We also saw the graves of Isaac, Elizabeth, and little baby Alvin.

Hale homesite


Aaronic Priesthood monument

All about the Aaronic Priesthood.

Susquehanna River



Each day, there are several presentations given by different couples on various topics that apply to the places we are seeing that day. For example, this morning, we gave one on the Mack family history. Of that history and the Smith history I am sure, President Brigham Young said:

“The Lord had his eyes upon [Joseph Smith], and upon his father, and upon his father’s father, and upon their progenitors clear back to … Adam. He has watched that family and that blood as it has circulated from its fountain to the birth of that man. He was fore-ordained in eternity to preside over this last dispensation.”

We had more than one presentation on the bus about things relating to Emma. I'll comment about my experience with learning about Emma. A couple of years ago, when I was in the RS Presidency, I had a Sunday lesson coming up and decided to do a lesson on Emma. I studied for three months and shortly before giving it, felt I should give another lesson. So, I did. Then I studied for three more months and gave a 40 minute lesson on Emma. I read several articles and two very good books and came away with a much better picture of Emma, all she endured, and a love and respect I shall always have for her.

We had somewhat of an expert with us on the bus today. And she has been studying Emma's life for many years and does a single woman play of sorts in California whenever she's asked. One of the many things she shared was the following quote by Emma:

“Was it not for … the direct interposition of divine mercy, I am very sure I never should have been able to have endured the scenes of suffering that I have passed through … but I still live and am yet willing to suffer more if it is the will of kind Heaven..."

This was what she wrote to Joseph while he was in Liberty jail, after they had fled from Missouri and the mobbing there. After they had already lost several babies, after a lot of heartache and stretching. The quote caught me by surprise. Here is a woman, who had endured things most of us cannot begin to imagine in our comfortable circumstances. We all have challenges and experiences that are not always pleasant or according to OUR plan. And how do we meet those challenges and experiences? Chances are, we complain, and whine, and wring our hands, and ask why me? Do we then follow up by thinking or saying, I am yet willing to suffer more if it is the will of kind Heaven? I call it being grateful in all things.

Fortunately that is something I have personally been working on this last year. But I am not sure I am to the point yet of really saying, bring it on kind Heaven. Emma was a wonderful example. And I hope in my minor challenges and experiences, I can remain faithful as Emma certainly did. For whatever reason, I cannot get my pictures to upload. So, I will just upload the one I liked the most today (at the top)and add the rest later.

I am so excited tomorrow to go to the Sacred Grove and the Hill Cumorah pageant, among many other things. What a great experience! I highly recommend it.