Palmyra & Niagara Falls

This weekend, our little family decided to do part of the church history tour in PA & NY. We also drove a few extra hours to Canada to see Niagara Falls. Boy, was it worth it. 

This post is mostly a "journal entry" for me... but if you want to keep reading/looking... you are more than welcome to! I figure I'd better add every picture and every thought/feeling I had this weekend before I forget! ( Side note, I took all of these with my iphone.) 

We left Friday morning after Nick's classes. We packed the car with lots of food and clothes and we were on our way. 

we were giddy as we passed through Scranton. I wish "The Office" was real. 

 The Aaronic Priesthood Restoration Site

After only a few hours of driving, we decided to stop in Harmony, PA ( now Oakland, PA). This was REALLY special and neat. Even though it was a bit chilly and wet, we still got out and walked around for about an hour and a half. There was a calm spirit here. I really enjoyed our time here and wished we could have stayed longer! We were the only ones here at this time.

See the 4 white poles in the ground behind the sign? This is where Joseph & Emma lived for a while because the mobs were so bad in Palmyra. Here is where Joseph translated a lot of the book of mormon. Emma's parents lived just down the road. 

behind those trees is the susquehana river. 

Next to the foundation of Joseph and Emma's home was this little grave. My heart was full as I walked through here. I  knew Emma's parents & Joseph and Emma's first born son was burried here, but I couldn't find the graves at first. Then I said a little prayer... and found them. I tried to imagine myself here with Emma and Joseph. Out of their 11 children, they lost 5. Here, their first born Alvin was laid to rest. My heart was full as I thought about them. 

this is the original tomb stone. Wow. 

Emma's parent's graves. 

the backside... these are their original tombs. 

Back behind where Joseph and Emma's house was... is this little path that takes you down to the Susquehanna River.  The river itself is about a 2 minute walk from this spot. It was such a peaceful place! I could have stayed there much longer. 

It was so neat standing here looking at this river. Here is where the priesthood was restored to Joseph and Oliver by John the Baptist himself. They also baptized each other in this river... probably close to this spot. So neat. 

We really enjoyed Harmony. Then we got back in the car and continued making our way to Canada. It was about a 7.5 hour drive total from our house in Philly. We made it, though! Our first time in Canada. It made me think of my little brother because he spent most of his youth traveling the United States and Canada to play ice hockey.

These falls were breathtaking! It was really neat standing in this spot and just enjoying the view. 

Then we went on a big boat that took us RIGHT up to the falls. They had us wear ponchos because it gets pretty wet. It was SO magical being SO close to the falls! I want to go back and do it again someday when my kids are older.

We passed this beaut as we walked to see the falls. Haha. I sort of felt like I was at Disneyland or something. Not sure what this was for?

Later that day, we drove back to the states and made our way to Palmyra ( about 2 hours from Niagara Falls.) We spent a few hours here at the Book of Mormon Publication Site. I'm SO glad we did! There was such a sweet spirit here. This is where the first 5,000 copies of the Book of Mormon was printed and bound.

The store where they sold their books, including The Book of Mormon. ( $1.25 back in the day.) 

one of the original copies. 

Just down the road from the book of mormon site, stood these 4 churches on 4 different corners of each other. Wow! ( first baptist, presbyterian, methodist, and episcopal. 

The printing room and a replica of the machine they used to print

 That night, we had hamburgers at a local joint in Palmyra. They were yummy. We got a hotel in Rochester ( about 30 minutes outside of Palmyra) and slept there. The next day, we made our way back to Palmyra to finish our little church History Tour.

We first stopped by the Palmyra Temple. It was so beautiful. I wish we could have done a session. The windows have trees on them ( probably because the sacred grove is close by.) President Hinckley wanted a window at the top that over looks the sacred grove... and they later put one in.

We then made our way over to the Smith Farm. It was REALLY neat being here and seeing where Joseph spent a lot of his boyhood. This log cabin was the first home the Smith's lived in. It's also where Moroni appeared and talked with Joseph.

what the Smith's kitchen probably looked like inside the log cabin. 

Hyrum and Joseph's room. A replica of the very room Moroni appeared to Joseph. 

Here, Joseph hid the plates under the floor boards and in a barrel of beans. 

This is inside the second home that the Smith's built. A more modernized home. This home is 85% how it was when Joseph lived there. SO neat! 

oops, sideways. These are the very bricks Joseph had in his home by his fireplace. 

the front of their second home. 

the apple orchard on their farm. 

This was Brigham Youngs dad's actual barn. ( The moved it here from 20 miles away).

making our way into the Sacred Grove. 

The Sacred Grove is just how I imagined it would be. Again, I could have stayed here for hours.. but Madeline wasn't about to have that. Haha. We really enjoyed our time in this sacred place and my heart was full. It's something you can't describe. I hope each of you get the opportunity to visit this amazing place. I love history... but learning more about Church history and actually standing in the very place where a young 14 year old boy gave a simple prayer and saw God the Father and Jesus Christ. This is where his question was answered and the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ was started.

The Hill Cumorah 

I loved this picture of the first vision. 

driving by the Hill Cumorah.

Our last stop was in Feyette, NY where the church was officially organized.

inside.

The place where Joseph held the first sacrament meeting & general conference was held here. So, so cool. 

We then made the 5 hour drive back to our home in Philly. We had so much fun and enjoyed our time very much! I am SO grateful we had the opportunity to see all of these wonderful things. I can't wait to run up and hug my brother, Joseph once I'm on the other side of the veil. I have so much admiration and respect for the Prophet Joseph Smith. This was a trip we will never forget! The church is true! :)