THE REST OF JULY II: THE HILL CUMORAH PAGEANT

The fam in front of The Sacred Grove

In mid-July Phil's family came out for a visit and to see the city and road trip it up to Palmyra for a little Hill Cumorah Pageant. After spending a couple days in the city we rented two cars and drove the six (which may or may not have taken us ten) hours up to Palmyra or more specifically Canandaigua, NY.

Side Note: Upstate New York=BEAUTIFUL. If I had been one of those immigrants who came across the ocean and landed in the NYC, I would have said, forget this crowded island! I'm going a few more miles north to make a living among the lush greens and charm. I'm just so surprised with all the beautiful room to roam in this state, everyone insisted on staying put...well, not everyone, but you get my point.

After finally arriving at our hotel, (P.S. Penny thinks she is a city girl now and does not take well to a car seat any more :( :(  ) well, we went to bed. Because it was late. In the morning, however, we got up and went out to breakfast and made our way to Palmyra to visit the house Joseph Smith grew up in and to see the Sacred Grove. I LOVED IT! It was beautiful. I loved the spirit there. I loved the sister missionaries there. I even loved how they decorated and restored the interiors of the log home and Lucy Mack Smith's home. I'm really glad I got the opportunity to see these sites and it was just a huge reconfirmation of my testimony of Joseph Smith and all that I know to be true.

Phil and Ryder in front of the log house

Phil's parents in the boys' bedroom

Me standing near the fire place where the golden plates were hid

Phil and Ryder running to toward The Sacred Grove

 

Penny and I taking a break on a bench in The Sacred Grove. (I meant to be a little serious--but not that serious.)

Ryder using the map and navigating our way through the grove.

Two thumbs up!

The Palmyra Temple

We went back to the hotel for a little nap and pool time and then headed to the pageant! There is something about gathering with a large number of members of our church that puts joy in my heart. The pageant was really fun and the set was amazing. Although it was a quick trip with lots of driving, I'm really glad we did it.

Ryder with Samuel the Lamanite. Now--is he more excited about his celebrity encounter? Or that he gets a 7up all to himself? We shall never know.