Christmas trip Day 10,11,12

Carthage Jail

Brick Mason at Nauvoo

Kirtland Temple

Freezing at Niagara

Christmas trip Day 12

Day 12

We are still surviving. The kids are doing great still.

This morning we woke up and went back to the Kirtland Visitor's Center, we watched a movie about the Saints building up Kirtland. We then went into the N.K. Whitney store. They have a list they have typed up that shows who bought supplies at the store. We found John Johnson on the list who I am related to and Joe Hills Johnson who Roy is related to. We then went upstairs to where Joseph and Emma had stayed for a little while and were able to go sit in the School of the Prophets room.

Next we went over to Newel Whitney's home across the street. After his house we went into the Johnson Inn. We found out the the Johnson's had sold there land to help profit the church and so when the church bought the land for the Kirtland Temple, they gave the Inn to the Johnsons. After the Inn we went into the Ashery which they used to make ash. They sold to the ash to make money to build the Temple.

We went to the Kirtland Temple next. Talk about a spiritual change of pace. We had to pay to take a tour of the Temple. In the movie that they show you before they take you over to the Temple I found it very strange. When they talked about Joseph Smith seeing the vision in the Grove they only mentioned him seeing Jesus Christ, They also kept using quotes from members of our church that to me doesn't seem appropriate as these people are not members of their church. It felt blasphemes to me. I was fighting the urge to even want to go and see the Temple but I am glad that I did. I know that the Saints were supposed to build it and the Joseph Smith needed this place to be able to receive the rest of the keys for the Navuoo Temple. The Kirtland Temple to me is just like the Conference Center. It is a gathering place for the Saints. As I came to realize this, it made the Building more comforting.

We then went to lunch and hurried out to the Johnson Farm. Our GPS told us we wouldn't arrive until just after 5:oo. They close at 5:00. We kept going anyway. We got there and I told Roy to at least go and take a couple of pictures. As he got up to the house, the Couple asked if we were the ones that had called and said they were on our way and were going to be late, Roy said no, just as he did another van showed up so we were able to take a tour with this family. They have 7 boys. So again, Miranda is the only girl. At the end of the tour we found out that this family was in the ward that we went to on Sunday back in Palmyra. What a small world. I know Heavenly Father was definitely watching out for us on this trip. There were small things that happened, but I know this is where we were supposed to be.

We then were

Christmas trip Day 11

Day 11

On Tuesday we took off for Niagra Falls. It was about 7 to 8 degrees as we were driving up there. We thought about not going, but then decided we were so close and didn't know when we would be back up there again, so we went. We parked and literally froze as we were walking to the American Falls, it was windy and very cold. The Falls were neat to see, or at least what we could see. This is definitely not the place to see during the winter. We drove over to Goat Island, which is where the observation deck is during the summer, as we got out of the car we were wondering why it was raining on us when there wasn't any clouds above us. We walked to the one lookout spot took a quick picture and ran back to the car. On the way back to the car we realized that the mist from the Falls was freezing as it went up in the air, as it came back down on us it was raining and as it landed on us it was freezing again. Our coats were frozen when we got back to the car. We can now say we have been there. It is cool to look across Lake Erie and see Canada. Kinda Fun.

We then finished off driving into Kirtland. We got in around 5:00 and drove around for a minute and saw that the Kirtland Visitor's Center was still open. We went inside and they had a Creche' exhibit going on. They had made an I Spy with the Creche' to help with the kids attention spans. Our kids helped each other out and were able to find them all. We went back to our Hotel, ate dinner and went to bed.

Christmas trip Day 11

It snowed on us in Palmyra

The saw mill at Kirtland, OH. The original one was built by Joel Hills Johnson, Roy's ancestor

John Johnson farm (Luke S. Johnson) My Ancestor

Johnson Inn

Christmas trip Day 10

We woke up this bright Monday morning to a few inches of snow. We keep lucking out weather wise. Up to this point we seemed to have been following the snow. It finally caught up with us.

It didn't keep us inside though. We got up, dressed warm and headed to Joseph Smith's home and the Sacred Grove. When we got to the Sacred Grove, Roy took the 4 kids tromping through the snow to the Sacred Grove. He had each of them seperate and think for a few minutes alone and he told them to pray and see for themselves if the Church is true.

Garrison said he prayed about it and he felt a nudge that he knows the Church is True and was restored. He felt a warm feeling in his heart.

Miranda says she felt some comfort. She knows the church is true and that Heavenly Father built it for us.

Devin says he felt he should do Missionary work through music, example and leadership. He says he went from believing the church was true to knowing the church is true.

Parker had fun walking in the snow with his dad. I sat in the warm building with Wyatt talking with the Sister Missionaries.

Roy mentioned that as he stood there thinking he looked up and through the trees he saw the Angel Moroni and thought how appropriate that was.

After they came back inside we then went on a tour of Joseph Smith's boy hood home and then onto Alvin's home where they lived for a few year's. It is neat to be there at his home and to look out the windows and see the Palmyra Temple up there on the hill. There were definitely some confirming moments for me as we stood there and were able to listen to the things that aspired in such a place.

We then drove over to the Grandin Building where the publication of the Book of Mormon took place. Mr. Grandin was only in the publishing business for 5 years. He was excited for the challenge set upon him about publishing such a large book. It is amazing how they were able to do so much back then.

We then ate pizza and took off for the Peter Whitmer log home. We made it there with about a half hour to spare. It is such a neat feeling to be in a place where the Book of Mormon was translated and to feel the spirit that resides there.

After we were done for the day we went back to the room and the kids got to swim.

Christmas trip Day 9

Day 9

I spent the moring updating the blog, while the kids had a relaxing morning.

We went to church in Palmyra. We stayed for sacrament and then went to the Hill Cumorah Visitor's Center. We got there around 4:00 and stayed till 7:00. We watched a movie called Joseph Smith 'The Restoration', walked around the statue exhibit they had in the back room and then went outside and walked up the hill to the monument for the Golden Plates. It was chilly and starting to get dark.

Up to this point we had seen points of interest for the US History, now we were changing into Church History mode.

After we got back inside we watched a couple of more short movies and then went back to our hotel. There was no snow when we came into to town.

Christmas trip Day 9

Peter Whitmer Sr. Home Palmyra NY

The Grandin Building where the Book of Mormon was printed.

A sculpture at the Palmyra Visitor Center

Standing at the top of the hill where the Gold Plates were. The Hill Cumorah

Christmas trip Day 8

Day 8

Travel day or Our States Tour. We asked the kids if they wanted to just head to Palmyra NY, a 6 hour drive or take the 5 state tour to say we have been to those states. This would make a 12 hour day. They chose the States Tour. We left NYC at 11:00. Everything started off pretty good. We went up the coast to CT, RI, MA, NH and then VT. While in NH we were able to meet up with Roy's Manager. He and his family met us at a place called the Pasta Loft. Good Food. It was a fun night. We met him at about 6:00 in the evening. While we were waiting for him, we were playing tag in there town square and ran into the Missionaries. We left there about 8:00 and still had about a 5 hour drive to Palmyra NY. The weather held out through NH, but as we kept going into VT and started going up in elevation the raods were getting a little slick. It was driving through slush. The drive went well until we were about a mile from our exit and we ran out of Gas. AAGGGGHHHH. It was 1:30 AM. Luckily through our car insurance we have roadside assistance. We were able to call them and waited about 45 minutes for some one to come. By the time all was said and done, it was 3;00 AM. I don't know how Roy and I survived and we were still able to get up the next morning..

Christmas trip Day 7

Day 7

Merry Christmas! The kids were so warn out they did not wake up until 9:00. They saw there presents from mom and dad and were excited to be in New York City for Christmas. We went and ate and took off for the Empire State Building. It was only about a 10 Minute wait. Which is not normal, but we won't complain. We got up to the top and it was Windy. It was fun to see the area. We then went on the Subway and rode it down to the pier to ride the ferry across the river to see the Statue of Liberty, Staten Island and the many boats that are in the harbor. On the way back, we found out the Santa was our Captian. That was fun for the kids. We then walked up to Ground Zero, rode the Subway again up to Times Square and then walked up to the Rockefeller Center. About a block away from Rockefeller Center it started to rain. We then got to walk back to our hotel room in the rain about 15 blocks. On the way home, Roy picked up some NYC Cheesecake and eggnog. That is a perfect ending to a fun day.

We can say we have walked our kids to the bone, but it has been fun.

Christmas trip Day 7

Wyatt sitting on the Subway in NYC

At the top of the Empire State Building or the Eiffel Tower as Garrison calls it.

Christmas Presents

The Statue of Liberty as seen from the Ferry crossing over to New Jersey

Christmas Morning in the Hotel Room