The Trip of a Lifetime: The Kirtland Area

Aunt Mary's virtues include being an excellent trip planner.  Thanks to her our church history leg of our road trip was well-planned out, for which I was very thankful.  It took a lot out of me just getting us across the country and figuring out the next couple legs of our journey.  We were joined by Grandpa, Aunt Mary and cousin Brad, and cousins Scott & Ally with their two boys.  The company made it a lot of fun!

We had perfectly beautiful weather and great entertainment for our picnic dinner at the John Johnson Farm.  Camden and Matthew were great buddies on this trip, and were both completely mesmerized by the tractor baling hay.

It was pretty cool to watch it spit the bales out and catch it in the wagon it was pulling.  I love farmlands.  

 A beautiful girl enjoying the soft grass and a rest.

 Our whole group in the upstairs room where the Prophet Joseph received several revelations.

 Sitting on the very steps where Joseph preached sermons.

 Each church historical site had beautiful grounds.  The area around here is still largely farms and with the exception of the parking lot and the motorized tractor, it looks pretty much like it did in the 1830's.  I felt a special connection, thinking of Joseph walking the land and seeing it much the same way that it looked to me.

 Beautiful girls in a beautiful place!

Visiting the quarry where they got the stones to make the Kirtland Temple:  Drew has his hand in a chisel mark.

At the Kirtland Temple - the kids were too burnt out from touring quiet places to wait for a good photo.

At the LDS Kirtland site, outside the Newel K. Whitney store.  As a youth, this and the Johnson Farm were my favorite sites in the area.

 Drew liked the corn cob checkers.

 Sitting through a 45 minute tour of one building got tricky for the six and under crowd.  Below we are in the upper room where the School of the Prophets was held.

 Aunt Mary kindly kept Emmie while we toured the Whitney Store, and after we left the store I pulled Drew and Camden from the tour group and we walked the grounds.  Can you see their long faces?

Our last stop was at the site of the Morley Schoolhouse.  We took a little walk through the woods and sang a hymn.  Check out these two future choir directors.  They took their job very seriously.  I love the intensity on Camden's face.

And then, we were off to New York!