palmyra, new york

Over Spring break I got the awesome opportunity to visit Palmyra, New York with my parents. It was a really great trip filled with so many spiritual highs despite the temperature being very low. (30-40 degrees with some serious windchill) 

I'm pretty sure that I cried at just about every site we went to, the spirit is just so strong! We were able to see the Book of Mormon Publication Site, the Whitmer Farm, the  Joseph Smith Farm, the Sacred Grove, the Hill Cumorah, and perform baptisms for the dead in the Palmyra Temple. 

My testimony was strengthened ten-fold. It is one thing to hear and read about these places, but to be there in person is another experience altogether. 

The Sacred Grove was so peaceful and beautiful. To be in the place that the first vision occurred is difficult to put into words. It is a very special place. 

Wow do I look like my Dad or what? Everyone used to say my mom and I looked like twins, but as I'm getting older I'm definitely starting to see my Dearden side showing in my face. 

We had a really special experience getting to do baptisms for the dead in the Palmyra temple. 

It is a tiny, tiny temple.  The smallest I have seen. There was just us and two other people doing baptisms. Compared to the hordes that attend the Bountiful temple it was definitely a change. 

It made it a very personal and sacred experience as my Dad baptized me in the name of our family members already passed on. 

We also met some really great senior and sister missionaries that work at all of the sites. Since we were there during the off season we were usually the only people at the sites and so we got to have private tours and some great conversations one-on-one.

 Nearly all of the missionaries there are from Utah, like all of them. Except one sister missionary from Tonga and a senior couple from Washington, the Beans. 

The Beans were a super amazing couple that were our guides at the Whitmer Farm and then ran into again at the Hill Cumorah.  We had some really great experiences with them and shared testimonies. 

They will have a special place in my heart. 

We also made some stops to see the Erie Canal (completely frozen over) and Niagara Falls (partially frozen over). Niagara Falls was seriously so cool to see, but most everything there was closed due to it being covered in snow. 

And we were right on the border of Canada and guess who didn't bring a passport? Yep, this girl. 

I was so bummed. 

But, we were there on St. Patricks day and a rainbow showed up just over the falls in honor of the holiday! At least I was pretty excited about it. 

I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to visit the place where the Restoration of this Gospel took place before I head out on my mission (a post to come about that later). 

I know that Joseph Smith really did see Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I know that he was a prophet called of God to restore His church on the Earth. I know that he did translate the Book of Mormon and I know it to be true.  I am so grateful to Joseph Smith for the trials and sacrifices that he had to go through to bring the world this truth. 

I know that with the experience that I had and the testimony that grew I will be able to teach those people on my mission about this restored, true Gospel. And what a great, happy thing that will be.