Clint and Kera: Jul 17, 2011

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Palmyra, New York...Hill Cumorah Pageant and more...

Since we first got here, I have been wanting to go to Palmyra, NY and see the Hill Cumorah Pageant. This weekend I got my wish. We made the six hour drive on Friday and camped over night at the KOA. The next morning we went to all the church history sites there including Joseph Smith's family farm, the printing shop where the first Book of Mormon was printed, the Sacred Grove, and Martin Harris' home. What a neat experience it was to see first hand where the church was reorganized. One our favorite things that we did that morning was the Sacred Grove. There was such a peaceful and calm spirit there and we were able to just sit on a bench in the middle of the grove and reflect on what happened there. It was such a testimony building experience of the truthfulness of Joseph Smith and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We also got to see the Palmyra Temple and hike up the Hill Cumorah. (Which is nothing of a hill really and took all of five minutes to climb. That's my kind of hike. ) The pageant was amazing. They had hundreds of volunteer's who fill up a three-tiered stage and put on an such a awe inspiring and spiritual performance. The part I felt was so amazing was when the portray Joseph Smith burying the golden plates on the Hill Cumorah and the thought ran through my head that "This place where I am sitting right now IS the place where that happened. It IS the place where Moroni came to Joseph and where Joseph buried the golden plates." Everything that I have ever read or learned about Joseph Smith came into clear focus and my testimony grew so much. I am so grateful for the opportunity that we had to go to Palmyra this weekend and to have the opportunity to see the things we did and to gain a greater testimony of this wonderful gospel.