Weekend Trip

Dan's brother Adam is in Syracuse for several days on business, so we thought we'd make a quick trip to see him and visit the Niagara Falls and Palmyra. It's all within 7 hours from us! I have always wanted to go to those two places and it was worth it! It was a lot of fun and it was great to spend time with Adam. Here's some picture of our trip.

Our hotel in Niagara Falls had an awesome swimming pool! (Disclaimer: You can't judge this picture. I was working off hardly ANY sleep with no make-up. You're lucky I even put it up)

Guess which side is Canada and which side is the U.S. Look carefully

It was SO cold! The girls were not big fans. We're planning to go back in the summer, so we can enjoy it a little more!

While the girls and Dan took a nap at the hotel in Palmyra, Jessica did a session at the Palmyra Temple. There's something extra special about being in this temple. To think that just a couple minutes walking from the temple and you're at the Sacred Grove is awesome!

After church on Sunday, we saw the sites of Palmyra!

SACRED GROVE

This is the Smith's home. It is still 85% original. All the wooding you see is the original wood and the bricks in the hearth (where Joseph hid the plates one time).


This is where the Book of Mormon was first published. The tour was rather fascinating even if we had two fussy little girls!

I have always liked this painting. At the printing press, they had a bunch of original paintings. They were beautiful!

This picture was taken in the car, so it's not the greatest. These 4 churches sit in the middle of Palmyra and to the right of them is another church! No wonder Joseph Smith was confused as to which church to belong.

I absolutely loved visiting Palmyra. It's a place that is very dear to me and I'm so grateful I was able to go there. The spirit is amazing as you walk through the grove and contemplate on exactly what happened there. I do have a testimony of Joseph Smith and the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I am grateful for his example of the love and faith he showed for Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that he went to a grove of trees, knelt down and prayed for an answer as to which true was true. He did receive an answer and he did see God the Father and Jesus Christ. I know that he translated the Book of Mormon. I know the Book of Mormon is a witness of Jesus Christ and that by following the teachings in the scriptures we can find true happiness in our lives. I know that families can be together forever and that through the Atoning sacrifice that our Savior made, return to God. I know that God lives and that we are each children of a loving Heavenly Father who knows and loves each of us.