LOCAL SITES VISITED:

This morning was cool and cloudy again so we decided to venture out and see The Sacred Grove, The Hill Cumorah Visitors Center and find Alvin's grave.

Alvin's grave is on a hill in Palmyra where the first school was built for the village.  We had to climb stairs to the top of the hill that looked like the pyramid steps in Egypt.

                                              The stairs were mossy on the way up,

                                                            a steep slope on the way down

The front of Alvins headstone.  It is right at the edge of the tall hill.

The back of the headstone...a later version.

The Hill Cumorah Visitors center is located at the base of the hill.  We went inside and saw the Christus Statue and the new film about Jesus's Crucifixion and Resurrection.  The narration for the new film was by the Apostle John.  It was well done.

Jesus gives us hope!

The Joseph Smith Home has several sites on it.  There is the main visitor center which was getting a new roof this morning.  The log cabin where Moroni appeared to Joseph is just next to it and then farther down the road is the home Alvin had started to build for his parents before he died.

This is one of several wells they dug on the property.

The tree in the background is the "Alvin" tree Lucy had them plant when Alvin passed away.

After seeing my daughter pick out so many fun sinks for her new home I was fascinated with the stone sink Lucy had...it only let water out...the water to be put in had to be carried into the sink.

The cellar in this home looked like the Wade home in Tetonia where I always slept when visiting my Grandparents.  The whole cellar was made with river rocks.

 There is a awesome creek that runs in front of the Sacred Grove.

Last when we got back to the Inn we had mail....see the plastic slots behind Grandpa Art.  Those are the missionaries mail boxes.  Grandpa said to tell you, hint hint!  You'de think his birthday is coming sometime soon...Ha!

To have walked where the Smith's walked was totally inspiring today.  To ponder the visit that Joseph received in the first vision is humbling.  Grandpa and I pondered how many places Our Heavenly Father and The Savior have visited on the earth.  I am sure there are many.  Perhaps They will visit where you live today.  I hope so.  We know They have walked the halls of the temples.  May we be blessed to feel Their Spirits and love always.  Hug's to each of you.   Don't be concerned with all the blogging done this week...next week I will be serving and there will be way less blogging...but while I had your attention I had to acquaint you with our lives at the present !

Beginning the temple missionary experience:

Beginning the temple missionary experience:

While it is fresh on my mind I want to relate our experience on our first visit to the Palmyra Temple last evening.  We drove to the parking lot as it was raining and the wind was cold.  It is quite a distance from the parking lot to the main east entrance, almost the same distance as our Yukon home to the OKC Temple!  There are several steps to climb before walking to the entrance...that will take some getting used to.  There were three people at the entrance taking pictures, in the rain.  They had traveled here from London.     

President and Sister Brighton were there to greet us.  He is tall and slim and she is small and slim.  They had lived in this area for over 25 years some time ago.  They told us we would grow to love this area.  President gave Art and I wonderful blessings.  With all these prayers we have been given, The Lord has his work put out to answering such marvelous blessings as have been given us.  

We met several missionaries who are finishing this week and were weepy as their tasks are over.  There was one other new couple there from Safford, Arizona last name Morris.  They are serving for 6 months.

My first glimpse of the temple were the beautiful doors that have the glass etchings of The Sacred Grove.  It is a lovely temple inside and out. Art and I are going to be very comfortable serving there.

The coordinator put me right to work and gave me a shift, on the schedule, of a Sister that could not be there last night. I caught myself saying, "That isn't how we did it in the OKC Temple".  Hopefully the sisters did not hear me.  They are all such awesome women.  I met one sister who had lost her husband just a couple of months ago.  He went upstairs to lay down and that was when he passed away, quietly, but shockingly for his wife.  There are several couples who live around here and they told us where to shop etc.  We learned of children, grandchildren and homes that are the center of these wonderful peoples lives.

This Sunday there is going to be a Fireside in the evening.  Elder Walker who is head of the temple department in SLC is speaking.  We just met him at our training in Utah.  I will write what he teaches us then.    

Oh no, We left our garden home...this is the lettuce we were growing in our Oklahoma home...guess Ryan & Sarah get to reap the benefits of our green thumb.

We drove to Lake Ontario today....burr it was very cold water. 

 We also drove by Brantling Ski Hill, it was very interesting to us because we love to ski.

Taken from the bottom of the hill

                                                        taken from the top of the hill

                                                                       Brantling lodge

We also did our laundry today.  I felt like I was back in college....1.50 for washing and .75 for drying.  Such fun!

That's it for this missionary moment.  Good night.

We arrived at Palmyra Inn on the 22nd of April.  We were assigned room 232.  They were still cleaning up from the former tenants the evening before.   No new paint for us!  This is the pictures of the room along with a picture of The Hill at Cumorah.  It was raining as we drove up so decided to choose another day to walk up to the monument.   I couldn't figure how to put the picture last.  It is not in the middle of this motel room!

We both got up and exercised at 6:30 am.  I rode a stationary bike.  I really miss the pool at the Mitch Park Y, but will be faithful and continue the exercise.

Tonight is our first shift at the Palmyra Temple.  We are meeting with President Brighton at 4:15 pm today to get set apart and then we will serve during the 5:00pm shift.

I hope the Sacred Grove see's spring soon....it looks pretty dark and dreary now...however there are some buds forming on the branches.

Please tell our grandson Cannon that his duckling and egg are hanging in our new abode!

Hug's to each of you.  We are following Him in Faith and hope you are too.