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This was again a lovely day. We all woke fairly late, between 8:30am and 9:30am and I called ahead to the Temple to enquire about doing baptisms with Thomas and Courtney. They encouraged us to come for the 1:00 session. I was excited to take my children to this special place. Jodie and I had been to the Palmyra Temple in October last year and were aware of its location and the significance of why President Hinckley was inspired to build a Temple here. Jodie, Tamzyn and Genna took the opportunity to tour the gardens and walk around the local area while Thomas, Courtney and I went into do baptisms. 

The Palmyra Temple is the exact same plan as our Temple in Brisbane, same size and almost the same layout. The only difference is in the main foyer area, past the recommend desk is a series of large, outward facing windows. This is known as the Hinckley window. On touring the Temple during construction, President Hinckley instructed that a window be put there so that the people attending one Sacred place, namely the Temple, could look out to another Sacred place. It is the only Temple in the world to have such a window. After completing baptisms.  

I needed to walk to the office to collect my family file cards; I took Thomas and Courtney with me and the three of us looked out the window, across the gully, and to the Sacred Grove. As I was explaining to Thomas and Courtney this lovely unique feature, I noticed tears welling up in Courtney’s eyes. I sensed she was deeply touched by where she was, what she was doing and what she was seeing and was feeling the spirit. I did not question her, or say anything to her to interrupt what she was enjoying but I could tell she was touched. 

We then went outside, changed and did a tour of the Joseph Smith Farm. It’s incredible to see how small and confined the living and sleeping spaces were, but I could see the family enjoying activities like reading, school work, scripture study and fun family games around the small dining room table, which is part of the kitchen. You walk up a small staircase, so mall in fact that I almost touched the sides with both my shoulders, into the sleeping area for the children. It was in this small area that the Angel Moroni appeared to the boy Joseph. Although this house is a replica, it was built on the very foundation of the original Smith Home and when they were excavating to build they found over 2000 artifacts. 

We then walked down to the Frame HHHHhhome which was much more expansive. This home was built by Joseph’s brother, and at one stage homed all the family. Under the fireplace in this home was where the Golden Plates were hidden from mobsters. We then did a tour of the barn and the Coopers Shop, the latter being another area where the plates were concealed from people wanting to steal them. We then continued along the path and up into the Sacred Grove. Earlier in the day I had asked the children to bring a pen and some paper, and it was my hope and desire to have them sit by themselves, spread out in various areas of the Grove, to reflect upon the Sacredness of the place to get a feel for the fact that this was where God the Father and his son Jesus Christ visited the earth. To my understanding there has only been three areas on this planet where God the Father himself has pierced the Heavens and spoken to man, they being, Mount Sinai, Jerusalem and Palmyra New York. So you can understand now why the Sacred Grove is one of my favorite places on earth. We walked up into the Grove and took time taking pictures and talking quietly amongst ourselves. 

Tamzyn spotted a deer in the thicket. We then followed the trail to one of my favorite areas in the Grove. I don’t know if this is entirely true, but last year when I was here with Jodie, I felt in my heart of hearts that it was somewhere close to this area the First Vision occurred. It was here that I asked the family to spread out and to write their feeling and reflect upon the possibility, if not the reality, that God did appear to man in this place. I was thrilled that they all willingly agreed to do this, that none of them felt uncomfortable. They all went off for a good 20-25mins. 

Having had my own reflective time, I then walked around, seeking out the family and with my extended lens, took some great shots of them in their reflective moments. I have not asked any of them, except for Jodie, to share what they have written as I would like them to keep this experience personal and sacred to be shared later when moved by the spirit. We came out of the Grove around 7pm and went into the local Palmyra Township to get some dinner. This was going to take way too long so we decided to drive back to the Hill Cumorah to watch the Hill Cumorah Pageant. 

I must confess that I expected this to be cheese personified, like a giant roadshow. You see, families volunteer from all over the country to come and perform n the pageant for the two weeks that it is on. I must confess I was really impressed with its professionalism, the magnitude, the staging and special effects. It told tem stories from the Book of Mormon to its restoration. It was a great night and the end to one of my favorite days. We then went back to the hotel and again retired to bed, after midnight. 


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Thomas on the 2nd floor of the Smith Log Home, in the same room Moroni would have appeared to Joseph Smith
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The family outside the Palymra Temple in front of the 'famous' Hinckley Window
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The Family @ the Palmyra Temple over looking the Sacred Grove in the background
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A fence on the Smith Farm similar I suppose to the one Joseph collapsed over when trying to climb after the First Vision
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Joey & Tammy in the Grove
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Courtney in the Grove
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The Family in the Grove
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We just bumped into the Cooke family an American family who used to live in Brisbane at the Hill Cumorah Pagent.
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The Smith Log Home
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The Sacred Grove
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Thomas in the Sacred Grove
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Genna records her feelings while sitting in the Grove
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Tamzyn in the Grove

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