Summer 2015 Vacation--Part 5 (Church Sites)

Let me just say, my hubby did a fantastic job planning this trip!  After we left Ontario, on our drive to NYC we stopped at some amazing church sites.  

First we went to Joseph Smith's childhood home (rebuilt) in Palmyra, NY.  The countryside was absolutely beautiful!!

Inside the house was set up similar to how it would have looked in Joseph Smith's time.  We put Summer in the old fashioned highchair and put a fake potato in front of her and called her "Baby Joseph", she thought it was pretty funny.

 Posing in the barn...not sure what's happening here, but Summer's face is priceless!!

We walked through The Sacred Grove.  It really felt sacred and special, knowing that this was the actual place where Joseph Smith went to kneel and pray.  So grateful to have the chance to be there in person.  Surreal.

 

We took a quick trip out to see the Palmyra temple and I forced all four tired babies out for a picture.  I am so blessed to have these kids sealed to me!!

We also went for a tour of the printing press where the Book of Mormon was printed!  We learned all about how much work it took to print books back in Joseph's day.  Kya listed this as one of her top 3 things we did on our vacation!!  It was pretty cool... 

We stopped at the Hill Cumorah...where Joseph Smith found the golden plates that later became The Book of Mormon.  Pretty incredible.

Here is the part of the hill that is all cleared for the Pageant.

We heard about this great little ice cream place nearby called "Grill and Chill" so we had to stop.  Holy Cow it was amazing!  The small was four giant scoops!  Some of the best ice cream we've ever had. 

We also headed out to The Whitmer Farm (where the church was organized).  There was a really great visitor's center there where we watched a video about the growth of the church (from only 6 people in 1830 to more than 15 million now)--amazing.  

 

I feel so blessed to be able to visit the places where the church began.  It strengthened my testimony of the gospel and made me feel so grateful to belong to such an amazing organization.