Fisher Family Reunion--Palmyra (day 4)

 Wednesday we spent the day in Palmyra.  Our first stop was the Smith family log home.  Eleven people lived in this small home.  Although this isn't the original structure it is  in the same location and, under President Hinckley's direction, was built with period tools during the winter just as the Smith's built it originally.

From the back door you have a view of their small garden and, more importantly, the Sacred Grove.

On the kitchen table the Bible was open to James 1:5 which Alex read aloud for everyone.

Upstairs there were 2 bedrooms.  A small room for the 3 girls.

And a larger room where Joseph and his 5 brothers slept.  It was in this very "air space" where the Angel Moroni appeared to Joseph.

 

Next we walked over to the Smith's larger (original) frame home.

Joseph was in possession of the gold plates while they lived here and at one time the bricks were removed from this hearth to hide them.

 This tree was on the property when the Smith's lived here.

Near the house was the barn and cooper shop.

The plates were also hidden here at one time.  First, Joseph hid them under the floorboards but felt uneasy about that choice.  He decided to move them up onto a high shelf.  The mob came and tore up the floorboards looking for the plates... they never looked up to see the plates hidden in plain sight.

 And then we spent some time in the Sacred Grove.  It was so much bigger than I had imagined--you really could get lost in there.  With such a large family living in small quarters I wonder if Joseph came here often for some alone time.  It was so peaceful.

There were little benches scattered throughout the grove so you could rest and ponder.

 We had a hot, muggy lunch on the grounds outside of the visitors center.

And then we headed over to another sacred place... the Palmyra temple.

After a few pictures Mom, Dad, Amy, Rachelle, and I did a session in the temple.  Later on, my dad took Jacob to do baptisms and then Rich, Jeff, and Scott headed to the temple.

It was such an amazing opportunity to experience so many sacred places with my family.

That evening the siblings divided up some family history mementos.  We even tried on some of the earrings that belonged to Great Grandma Peterson.