Sacred Grove

We began this day with beautiful weather ready to tour around Palmyra New York and learn more about church history. But unfortunately the weather dampened our experiences in some places.  We visited Peter Whitmer Log Home home first where the church was reorganised on 6th April 1830.  This home was fascinating to me as the main frame of the home is original with some remodeling on the inside.  The second picture was the actual room that the conference for 175th anniversary of the church was conducted and streamed live throughout the world.

We went through the visitors center and then drove onto the area known as the Sacred Grove.  When we arrived the weather was awful with loads of rain.  The missionaries at the visitors center talked us into visiting the Smith Family home and then deciding from there if we wanted to tour the grove or not.  Not only do the missionaries talk about the history of the church they really take the time to bear testimony and help the children to feel of the spirit at these places.  On the way to the Smiths family home we could see the new Palmyra temple spires through the rain and trees - it was beautiful!  After touring the home it was still raining slightly so we decided to wait in the barn for a little while and discuss as a family what were we going to do.  We had a couple of days up our sleeve so we could wait and come back but most of us wanted to walk around then and there.  Jason and I got a little tense with all the pros and cons so in the end we went back to the van and decided to come back the next day.  This didn't go down too well with the children so they asked if we could pray for the rain to stop.  How could we refuse this request!  The rain definitely eased so we rugged up and went for a walk and within about 10 minutes the sun was shining.  This experience really helped us.  We were also reminded by one of the missionaries that this was similar to Joseph and Emma who were having an argument one night when Joseph was trying to translate the Book of Mormon....because of the tension he could not translate the words or feel in tune with spirit for the revelation.  So he and his wife prayed and cleared the air and he was able to begin translating again.

We had an amazing time together as a family here in the Sacred Grove.  We were virtually the only people there for most of the time so we were able to pray together and by ourselves and ask Heavenly Father about the truthfulness of the events that happened in the groves to bring back Christ's church on the earth.  - Of course we had a little fun as well and Joanna prayed for a family dog...which we knew wouldn't come true for a long time but hey two years later we have Hugo - the huge dog!!!

Jordyn and Hugo 25-06-15