On Saturday, we arrived in Palmyra. Landon had never been there before. An Elder couple missionary took us on a tour. First, we went into the home that Joseph Smith Jr. lived during 1819-1829. This was the home he lived in when he had the First Vision and when angel Moroni appeared to him. "It was also where the gold plates were hidden at times, and where the translation of the Book of Mormon commenced." It was hard to focus much to the missionary man because the kids had lots of pent up energy from the long car ride and wanted to touch everything, etc. But it was still wonderful to be there and feel the spirit of the place.
As we walked from this house to a another home, we passed the temple. It's so neat that there's a temple that can overlook these sites and the Sacred Grove.
As I understand it, this was the home that the Smith family was busy building {when Alvin died} for Lucy and Joseph Sr. to move into; a step up from the other. In this house that Joseph hid the plates at times as well.
Joseph learned about Martin Harris losing the manuscript there and paced the kitchen. A piece from Lucy Mack Smith's book, History of Joseph Smith by his Mother, tells that part of the story like this:
Here are the boys paying attention to the missionary telling a story. It's of when the Smith family, trying to protect the golden plates from a mob, ran out of the house, toward the group, banging pots and pans and hollering loudly. It scared the bad guys away.
The apple orchard is on the left hand side. The cooper shop is right behind Landon's head. They also had a barn, which the picture chops off, but it is on the right hand side.
It was in that barn that they threshed wheat. I didn't know they did that. But that's what the Elder said and later I read it in Lucy's book. That was actually why the family moved to New York when their crops failed for three successive years in Vermont. "...He would then go to the state of New York, where wheat was raised in abundance'.
Here's the apple orchard '...of about three dozen trees'. I told Landon I was born in the wrong time period since I want to do some of that homesteading stuff :-) Someone from that time period would think I'm so silly because for me, it would be a hobby, whereas for them, it was a way of [hard] life.
Then we walked {maybe the boys were more like running} toward the Sacred Grove.
I loved the sound of this stream babbling along...
It was different being there in the winter time. I had previously been there in summer of 2004. It was easier to imagine that 'early spring morning'. Still special, though.
And this boy continued to be a little boy despite our attempting to be reverent.
After a 15 minute walk through the Grove, we drove to Main Street Palmyra to visit the printing shop. We began a tour, but I left before it finished with Camden and Tyler. Cam needed to eat and Tyler, let's just say, had forgotten his listening ears by then ;-) That's what missing naps can do to a guy! Before I left, though, the Sister Missionary who was leading the group, asked a man to read part of an original {I believe} manuscript. He seemed unfamiliar with the language of it, so I assume he was not a member. After the reciting, Britton unabashedly announced to everyone, "I know that." It was 1 Nephi 3:7 and Landon had taught Britton to memorize it a few months before. I explained that Britton had memorized it, to which the Sister exclaimed, "I didn't even know that before I went on my mission!"
Before leaving Palmyra, we drove up to the monument on Hill Cumorah.
An engraving depicting The Eight Witnesses. You can't help but notice Brit's mouth -- it's pizza grease. Apparently we didn't notice with all that dark! I should eat a few more carrots...
A depiction of The Three Witnesses.
And isn't it so neat how Martin Harris, even after losing the manuscript, is still allowed to be one of the Three Witnesses?
Doctrine & Covenants 5:23 And now, again, I speak unto you, my servant Joseph, concerning the a man that desires the witness—
24 Behold, I say unto him, he exalts himself and does not a humble himself sufficiently before me; but if he will b bow down before me, and humble himself in mighty c prayer and faith, in the d sincerity of his heart, then will I grant unto him a e view of the things which he desires to see.
25 And then he shall say unto the people of this generation: Behold, I have seen the things which the Lord hath shown unto Joseph Smith, Jun., and I a know of a surety that they are true, for I have seen them, for they have been shown unto me by the power of God and not of man.
26 And I the Lord command him, my servant Martin Harris, that he shall say no more unto them concerning these things, except he shall say: I have seen them, and they have been shown unto me by the power of God; and these are the words which he shall say.
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