As I type I'm watching a program that chronicles the lives of a couple that have, over the years and as a result of watching/responding to a CBS News broadcast in 1975 regarding the fall of Saigon, adopted 21 children. Part of the program also deals with a man that has developed technology that helps severely physically/mentally challenged people. And so my planned post to discuss feelings and show photographs of a recent trip to the Finger Lakes region of western New York state, seems seemingly mundane. Suffice it to say, I'm most appreciative for the many things I take for granted.
Spring Break 2011. Empty nesters. We flew to Buffalo, New York. Had a great experience attending LDS sunday services, meet a wonderful stake president that had his priorities together. Pres. Dayton lost his wife Kathy to cancer 7 years ago. But he's rooted and grounded and spoke of trials and agency as a way to help us "...develop the attributes of God." Good man. An older man there also shared the opposite of agency: his memories as a child in Siberia under the regime of Stalin. "I was a little boy and my mother and I were told to shop on Tuesdays. We were told how much we could buy, beans, wheat, milk, and how much we could not buy." Whew.
In 5th grade I learned about the Erie Canal, I've been so interested. So seeing it, running along it actually on an afternoon run, stopping and looking at the old locks, the new locks, etc., was of interest. This in "The Queen of Canal Towns: Palmyra" But there was a dark feeling there, one of "canal rats", profanity and meanness, that I didn't expect. And while the town of Palmyra itself did nothing for me, I did love the Grandin Building, a 3 story remodeled and restored printing shop and bookstore. I gained great respect for the young owner and printer E.B. Grandin and is business savvy wife. Here the Book of Mormon was printed. Great place in it's bright yellow interior paint and red brick exterior. Yeah, a very good place.
South of little Palmyra lies the farm of father Joseph Smith Sr. and his spirited little wife, Lucy Mack Smith. Here, the Sacred Grove is found. Here the little log cabin where Moroni appeared if found. Here, the larger Smith Home, orchard, coppers shed, and thrashing barn are located, as well as an original Black Elm (or black locust) tree planted at the time of the death of 24 year old son/brother Alvin Smith. We later found in Palmyra his grave. I certainly feel a feeling of love and respect for Alvin now. And I admire the work ethic of this family. On the floors of the Smith home are what appear to be rugs, but in fact are replicas of "painted oil cloths" Lucy Mack hand painted. These table coverings were painted by her and sold for supplemental income. I've seen countless kitchens from this era in homes in Nauvoo, Kirtland, etc., but I was warmed by the replicated dried herb "spice rack" in that home.
I took a daily run for an hour up and down and around and around The Hill Cumorah 2+ miles south of the Smith Farm and the Sacred Grove. A new appreciation for Joseph was gained. It's a HUGE distance in forested hills, where he ran from evil men. We drove to Fayette, New York and saw the Peter Whitmer Sr. farm, toured the replica cabin where The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Church was restored/founded. It was an unseasonably cold, windy day. But inside, the chapel and visitors center were warm (exterior and interior completely white) and in the little cabin...an amazing feeling of peace.
I've gained a new respect for not only the Whitmers, including Mary,the mother, sometimes referred to as "the 4th Witness", but also of Martin Harris. We found his farm site, and understood for the 1st time why when everyone back in the day held a 100 acre farm, but Harris has a 200 acre farm: 100 acres were mortgaged to pay Grandin's cost for $3,000 for the publication of the Book of Mormon.
And so when after we attended a night session at the Palmyra Temple and then drove back to Buffalo for our flight the next day, we were surprised that we felt saddened to leave the area. Our "home" was a wonderful place: The Palmyra Inn. I brought back flat glacieral split flat rocks and green growth material from The Sacred Grove. But mostly I brought back a memory of a place hollow and sacred.
Niagara Falls and the Buffalo Botanical Gardens (designed by one of my favorite landscape designers Fredrick Omstead, designer of Central Park in NYC) were fun to see, yes, but the highlight was the area south of Palmyra. Nauvoo, Illinois and Winter Quarters (Omaha area) remain my favorite Church historical sites. I've seen tons of them: Vermont's birthplaces of both Joseph and Brigham, Independence (Kansas City) and other Missouri sites (Hauns Mill, Adam-Ondi-Ahman, Gallatin, Liberty Jail, RLDS - Community of Christ temple and tabernacle replica, Temple Lot); Nauvoo, Illinois, Kirtland & Hiram, Ohio, etc. But I'm really glad we went on this trip, it was great being with my wife. We gained a huge understanding for geographic distances. We understand now things like distances from Palmyra to/from Harmony, Penn. And so the story of Martin Harris and the lost 116 transcript pages takes on new meaning for us.
Be well. Do good.
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