DC/NY/ Harmony trip (Day 12) July 13, 2018

July 13: (6291 steps) Darrel and I packed up and headed out early this morning.  We stopped by the Smith’s little house and said our good-byes to them.  As always----it was difficult not knowing when we will see them again.  It was also sad to think that our adventure was nearly over.   Darrel and I then drove to the priesthood restoration site in Harmony, Pennsylvania. A senior missionary saw us arrive and came right over.  He asked if we were on time constraints and we indicated we were not.  He said, “I’d like to give you the VIP tour.”  He did just that! We learned that it took Hurricane Sandy to make restoration of that site possible.  Through the years a country road was built right up to the foundation of the Hale’s home and farm.  The church has approached the Pennsylvania State Road Department with a proposal to move the road at Church expense so the restoration could move forward.  The man in charge would not even give them audience until after the Hurricane.  It left his home and neighborhood flooded and caked in mire.  People in yellow “helping hands” t-shirts arrived and helped muck out the whole neighborhood.  Seeing that caliber and goodness of the members, this man approached the church and expedited the request.  Today was the first time I grasped the true concept of the translation process of the Book of Mormon for which Harmony is also identified by.  We saw an actual photo of the seer stone Joseph used for 70% of the Book of Mormon translation.  With the little information we had before the publication of the Joseph Smith papers, my concept was inaccurate and it was thrilling to hear and feel the witness of the correction.  The seer stone was placed in a hat that Joseph looked into.  The plates sat on the table wrapped in one of Emma’s table clothes.  Oliver sat at the table and penned the words as the prophet read what appeared on the seer stone.  If there was an error, the words would remain until corrected. The stone acted as a “smart phone” and the plates as the “blue-tooth” that broadcast the information to the stone.  That account of how the “power of God” made the translation possible made more sense to me that what has been imagined and taught in the past.   It was instructive to learn more about Emma and her family. The missionary walked us into the grove where the priesthood was restored.  He pointed out the exact area Elder Holland had identified for that sacred event.  He also talked about the character trees in the grove and the symbolism of the eco-system balance that exists there. We learned that there is only two places apostles are required to dedicate: temples and historical sites.  Our feelings while visiting here in western NY helped us understand why.  We stayed in a hotel in Vestal NY that night.  We had Indian Food and ice cream from Cold stone as the finale of our day.

                         Visitors were encouraged to touch this statue of the Savior.

 This is a picture of a photo taken of the actual seer stone 

used by Joseph Smith. The stone passed from Joseph to Oliver, 

then to Brigham Young and then each seceding prophet.  

It is currently housed in the Church's Granite Archives. 

 This is a replica of the Hale home in Harmony.  

Emma was from a prominent and wealthy family.

This home sits on the original site.

 Rooms inside the Hale Home.

 This is a replica of the smaller home Joseph and Emma were 

allowed to stay in.  This is where a large portion (70%) 

of the Book of Mormon was translated.

 A first edition of the Book of Mormon.

 A replica of the wooden box made to house and protect the plates.

 This is a realistic replica of how the Book of Mormon was translated.

 The Maple Grove where the Book of Mormon was translated.

 Elder Holland identified this as the actual location of 

the appearance of John the Baptist to Joseph and Oliver. 

 The spirit in this virgin grove is similar to the Sacred Grove.

 

 Our trek home had begun.  We flew out of New Jersey.

 Janna and her small ones flew home from Palmyra.

 Jason and Laura's family met with Valden and Kara's family.

Kara and Valden were living in the area at the time. 

July 14: Today was our travel home day.  We traveled two hours by car to the Newark NJ Freedom Airport.  Then we flew to Atlanta for a lay-over and on to SLC.  Bethany picked us up at the airport.  She had taken care of everything at home while we were gone. Our check on  luggage didn’t arrive when we did so it was delivered the next morning.  The contents were rather wet from the rain in Georgia!   Our second week averaged just over 10,000 steps per day!   We arrived home tired bu forever changed because of this amazing trip with Laura and Janna's families.  We felt so blessed to be able to be in the early church restoration sites with them.  DC and Niagara Falls were just a bonus.