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 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 !
We enjoy your comments, Art and Gene. We took our family out to Palmyra a few years ago and enjoyed it. Krissie's grandparents, Ted & Florence Jacobsen were the mission presidents of the Eastern States mission. They had great stories about Palmyra. Their mission conferences were held IN the Sacred Grove. They were also in charge of the Hill Cumorah Pageant besides being in charge of a multi-state mission (this was in 1955). Krissie's grandmother was the first to restore the Joseph Smith family home (frame house) and acquired most of the items in the house today from local antique dealers that were from that time period. She went back there when she was 89 to consult on the 2nd major restoration when they took off the white frame siding that was modern. She said that the first time that they uncovered the original floor boards and used brown shoe polish to polish them. She gave us a piece of the original wood rain gutter that Alvin created and was on the house until the late 1950's. We enjoyed our time meditating in the Sacred Grove.
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