Palmyra

Palmyra was a really nice stop. It was the biggest house, with a nice yard for one so that was a bonus. There was even a raspberry bush in the front yard and a woodchuck living under the shed in the backyard. We were pretty close to the Church History sites that we had gone there to see. 

I think going to the Smith family homes was the favorite part of Palmyra for most of the kids. It was cool to get to visit places that you've read about in scripture. The senior missionary tour guides were excellent.

We went to the print shop where they printed the first copies of the Book of Mormon. I thought this was one of the coolest things that we saw. They had totally restored the building so the floor that we stood on was the exact same floor (albeit sanded down a bit by years and sanders) that the people stood on in the 1800's. There were also really good senior and sister missionaries running the tours. 

After having heard that the Gold Plates weighed about 60 lb. (about as much as Leona) it was crazy to imagine Joseph Smith running with them down the Hill Cumorah and through the woods back to his house, while fighting off attackers.  

The Sacred Grove was my favorite part of Palmyra. It was just so peaceful. I was surprised by how open and big it felt. I imagine forests/groves as being stuffed with trees, but if I'd stopped to think about it I would have realized that you have to have enough space between trees to let the sunlight filter down to each tree. It was a beautiful summer day and there was sunlight making the light feel green and hopeful. There were mosquitos, but they seemed to mostly annoy you rather than eating you alive. 

We let anyone who wanted to go by themself to have some time to say a prayer. When I did I felt very peaceful. Even though there were quite a few people in the Grove with us, it still felt like a reverent place. I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ and that through him They restored the gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth.

Leona's Favorite Part of Palmyra was: the Grandin Printing Press, the Smith Family House, and walking around the Sacred Grove.