The Bucket Trip

I'm trying to recover from a FABULOUS trip with Tiffany, Ryan and kids. It is always so exciting to see the grandkids and be with them on their own turf. Aidan is growing up and seems to really enjoy learning. He'll still let me hug him. Lacey is the diva. She is so cute and is always ready to do make-up and nails. She is a sensitive spirit and loves to hear stories and sing our special song. Cassidy is amazing. She is just this little short princess running around and talking in huge words like she was twelve. She knows she's adorable.
We piled all of us in the car for our road trip. It was a tight fit. But we had a car carrier on top which was essential. Our first night was in Cleveland. The drive there was just so beautiful. I was sleepy along the way but I just couldn't close my eyes or I would miss something. Wednesday morning we picked up Ryan and headed for Kirtland. We took some of the back roads and it was just gorgeous! Ryan gave Tiffany and I each to tokens. That was for stopping and getting a picture. We had to choose carefully. We were at the John Johnson Farm first then went to Kirtland to the Newel K Whitney Store and the Kirtland Temple. In the cemetary across from the temple we stood and sang "The Spirit of God". I want to talk about the spiritual side of all of these places in the next blog. We had a perfect, beautiful day. The children were so patient in listening to the missionaries as they spoke. That night we raced on to Niagara Falls. We were able to see it at night with the lights on. But the next morning we just couldn't believe it. It was definitely a bucket sight!!! The river is so powerful that it just thunders over the falls. The morning was cloudy and it made for a spectacular site when the light streamed onto the water of the falls.
We had the unique experience in Buffalo. We had scheduled to see a 1830 Book of Mormon at the Rare Book part of the Library. This book was one of the original 5,000 copies that was published in Palmyra. We were able to handle it and see that it had no verses but had chapters. I was surprised to see one place that said "Prophecies of Samuel the Lamanite". The testimony of the 3 witness was at the end. And it had a list of items and references that I haven't seen before. I'm sure it was added later. They didn't know who the book belonged to. We then drove on to Palmyra to see the Sacred Grove. It was beautiful and stood higher than any other ground around. Gordon saw a little trail from the monument and so we walked down the back and side area. I'm so glad we went that way because it was natural and so easy to visualize Joseph walking up there to talk to Moroni and see the box with the plates.
Next we went to Fayette and saw the Peter Whitmer home where the church was organized. We sang the song, "I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." I loved this place because it was so peaceful. Gordon and I went to the temple that night. After the session we walked around the temple to find the open window that looks from the temple out toward the Sacred Grove.
The next day we went to the print shop where the Book of Mormon was printed and published. It was very interesting. Then we went to the Joseph Smith Farm and saw the old log house and then the newer home. Our last thing was to go to the Sacred Grove. It was very beautiful on the farm. Lots of trees with brightly colored leaves. We sang "Oh How Lovely Was the Morning". Just walking into the Sacred Grove was and experience. Here was where a watershed of history occurred. You could feel the sacredness of it. I wanted to have a revelation there...as I supposed everyone wants to...but no revelation came. But my testimony for what happened there is strong. You want to search for the EXACT place but it's impossible to tell. What I received was the assurance that the Lord is no respecter of persons and that here in that obscure place the Lord found a faithful, seeking person and responded to his simple prayer. I have a testimony that God continues to do that. Those that seek Him He will reveal Himself to, whether it is in Aloha, or Boise,Twin Falls, Grenada, North Salt Lake, Bountiful or Louisville. I hated to leave the area, but I was glad that the last place we went was the Sacred Grove.
So we then headed back to Kentucky. We laughed and sang songs. We ate too many snacks. I told the children the story of Heidi which they loved. The memory will always be very dear.