J and J and the Windy City

Today we awoke in South Bend, Indiana. After breakfast we headed over to Notre Dame University. It was so interesting to see this prestigious University that I have heard so much about. We stopped at the football stadium so that the boys in our family could pay homage to the various coaches who were immortalized in life sized statues surrounding the grounds, visited religious symbols of this Catholic school and then drove around the beautiful buildings on the campus.

We then shifted our focus from church history sites to family time. Jonny and Jenny moved to Chicago a year ago, which is closer to Boston but means that they are not as likely to be in Salt Lake when we are there. So when we plotted out our cross country journey, we were ecstatic when we realized that we would pass right through their new territory.
When we arrived in Chicago, Jenny welcomed us in front of their apartment. The kids raced across the lawn and leapt into her arms. We then found Jonny upstairs in their apartment. He was in the kitchen blending watermelon-strawberry smoothies with ginger and lime. Gourmet sandwiches were grilling and fresh corn salad and fruit was waiting to be served on the table. We had the most delicious lunch that we enjoyed with Jonny's good friend from high school, Kimball, and his wife Liz who live upstairs from Jonny and Jenny, along with a friend visiting from Boston, Michael Christensen. Jonny then pulled the best key lime pie out of the freezer. Jonny and Jenny couldn't have impressed us more!

We then headed to Millennium park where the kids waded in a stream that ran through the area, examined the “kidney bean” and played in the fountain.

Afterwards we took the elevators to the top of the Willis Building, formerly the Sears Tower. They recently put in glass bottomed ledges that we inched out upon. Jonny orientated us to the city and Jenny fulfilled the girls' dreams by letting them hold her hand the entire afternoon!

Jonny and Jenny were the perfect hosts. We were sad to leave them, as we continued our journey that evening, but looked forward to our trip back home at the end of the summer when we will stay for a couple of days with them.

The Early Days

This morning we awoke in Buffalo. Perhaps the children's favorite part of traveling is the complimentary breakfasts in the Marriott hotels, so we couldn't leave until each child filled their plates with their own breakfast creations, which included toasting their own bagels and filling the waffle irons all by themselves.

We then drove three hours to Kirtland, Ohio. During our drives, the kids have been keeping very short journal entries about their experiences. We have been watching church history videos and reading stories from the Friend Magazine about the areas that we will be visiting that day. I have also given the children lists of questions for each historical site, for which they can find the answers in the stories that we read, at the sites or by asking the guides questions. My hope is that our family will be very engaged in learning about our church's history.

When we arrived in Kirtland, we first took a tour of the Kirtland Temple. This is the first temple to be built in this dispensation. When the temple was dedicated, witnesses reported that there were “tongues” of fire coming from the roof and that there were angels on top of the temple. It was amazing to be standing in this building!

We then visited historic Kirtland, where the Saints moved to from Palmyra following persecution. Although this was a time of severe poverty and more persecution, this was also where the church gathered and strengthened in preparation for their migration West. In Kirtland we visited the Newel K. Whitney Store, which was the center of the town. This is where people gathered to hear the latest news, buy and trade products and collect their mail. It was also where the first Bishop's Store House was established, where the school of the prophets was held, where the Word of Wisdom was received and where Joseph received 17 sections of the Doctrine and Covenants. Joseph and Emma lived upstairs. This was one of at least four locations in Kirtland where Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith.

Newel K. Whitney kept excellent records. This is what Joseph Smith bought.

This is the original table that Joseph Smith worked on, writing part of the Doctrine and Covenants.

This is the school of the Prophets.

We then toured the Whitney Summer home, which was next door. This is where the Whitneys received revelation that a new church was going to be brought to their town, preparing them for the responsibilities they would have in the growth of the church. It is also where the first modern miracle was preformed, when Joseph Smith healed a woman's arm.

We toured the saw mill and the ashery, which is where families sold their ashes for 7 cents per bushal and finally we visited the Johnson Inn, where we were able to look up our ancestor, Peter Shirts who helped build the Kirtland Temple. It was so interesting to think that of the fewer than 2,000 early Saints in Kirtland, one of our great grandfathers was there!

Our last stop of the day was the Issac Morely Farm. This is where the Saints would stay when they first came to Kirtland while they established themselves. It is also where Emma's twins died and she and Joseph adopted the Murdock twins whose mother had died in child birth just days before Emma gave birth to her twins. It was amazing to learn of all of the significant events that occurred in Kirtland, stand in the same rooms where sacred events took place, feel of the sacrifice that the early members of our church made and marvel at the faith that these people had.

The Beginning

This morning we left Ithica New York, looking forward to a day experiencing what life was like in the early days of our church. Our first stop was in Fayette, New York where we visited the David Whitmer Farm. We stood in the small room of the farm house where 58 people witnessed the official organization of the church, climbed the stairs to the little bedroom where Joseph translated the last seven books of the Book of Mormon, and we imagined the excitement that the three witnesses, Martin Harris, Oliver Cowdrey and David Whitmer, must have felt when Joseph showed them the gold plates on this holy ground.

Our next stop was the Smith Family farm in Palmyra, New York. We toured the small log cabin that the Smiths originally moved into after leaving Vermont, looking for more fertile ground for planting. Eleven people lived in this tiny dwelling. It is also in the upstairs room of this home where Joseph was visited by the angel Moroni. We were able to climb the stairs to this room where Joseph would have been sleeping during this visitation from Moroni.

We then walked down to the Smith New England style home that Alvin Smith built for his family. It was much more modern, even with a kitchen sink! It was here that Joseph hid the plates under the fire place hearth and in the barrel of beans, protecting it from mobs of men looking to steal the plates. After four years the Smiths had to move back into their small log cabin, due to a dishonest neighbor.

We then walked through the Sacred Grove, where Joseph knelt to pray, searching for the answer of which church to join. Jesus Christ and God appeared to him instructing him not tojoin any of the churches. Unfortunately while walking through the grove there was a torrential down pour, drenching us all. We were so focused on keeping everyone dry that we forgot to take any pictures. They would have been of us with wet hair, smeared make up and dripping clothes!

We made one last stop, which was at the Grandin Print Shop, where the first 5,000 Books of Mormon were printed. They each sold for $1.50, which was equivalent to two full days of work. We observed the slow process that it took to print each book.

After a pizza dinner, we made our way to the Hill Cummorah Pageant. We mingled with the cast members and then found our seats, just two rows back from the stage. As the lights turned on, illuminating the grand stage, the singers and dancers brought the Book of Mormon to life.

Jonathan leaned over several times, whispering, “This is so cool” and Ezra was mesmerized when Jesus appeared in America, which made every sacrifice to be there worth it!

A Sacred Day

Today we baptized Annelise in the Sesquehanna River, the same river and presumably in the same spot as the prophet Joseph Smith was baptized under the direction of John the Baptist. The setting was serene, the spirit was strong and the moment was to be cherished.

On the banks of the river we began with a prayer by Jonathan, enjoyed the girls sweet song of "I am a Child of God" and listened to my short talk on baptism.

Steve then took Annelise by the hand and walked her out into the river. Annelise emerged from the water beaming. "I am so happy!" she remarked several times.

This beautiful day, which was one of the most significant days in our family, was perfect.