Austin's Senior Trip

Spring break and having a senior in high school in our family means one thing.....a trip to the Sacred Grove and Nauvoo.  We started it with Kirstin and carried on the tradition with each of our children.  This was Austin's year.  I love the one on one time with each of them and especially enjoying the wonderful spirit of each of these sacred places.  So.....here we go...hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

We can't start any trip without a stop at the Golden Arches....

This was our rental car ..... we always seem to get a red one....Go Utes!  Austin was our designated driver.  

The Palmyra Temple is beautiful.

Dad, Austin and I in front of the Temple.

This is looking at the Sacred Grove from the Temple.  When Joseph went into the Sacred Grove to pray, it was early in the Spring....I imagine it looked just about like this.

Dad and Austin at the Temple looking to the Sacred Grove.

These windows in the Temple face the Sacred Grove.  When the Temple was built, President Hinckley asked that the center window be left without any stained glass so that those in the Temple could see clearly out to the Sacred Grove.

IThe Temple was closed for maintenance so we didn't get to look inside.

This is inside the farm house of Joseph and his family.  This could possibly have been where he sat reading in the Bible when he came upon the verse that inspired him to pray in the Sacred Grove.

This is upstairs in the farmhouse where Joseph and his brothers slept.  The little room in back in where his sisters slept.  This is where Angel Moroni appeared to him and gave him instruction.

Looking at the Palmyra Temple from the Sacred Grove.

THis is the frame house that the Smith family lived in for about 4 months before they had to leave.

I love this quote by Joseph's mother Lucy Mack Smith.  She sacrificed so much for the Gospel and never murmured......just endured.

This is a much different picture of the Sacred Grove than you see in the paintings.  This is how it truly looks in early Spring.

There is such a reverence and peace here.  This is truly where Heavenly Father and the Savior appeared to Joseph Smith.  We are so grateful for that knowledge and testimony.

This is Hill Camorah  where the golden plates were hidden.  A monument to the Angel Moroni.

The American Flag is also on the hill....so pretty against the blue sky and green grass.

Austin is putting together a Book of Mormon as the printing company would have done when the first Book of Mormon's were published.

We were going to do baptisms in the New York Temple, but the font had a leak so they had to close the baptistry for repairs.  It is right in the middle of Manhattan.  When you go in the doors, on the right is the Temple and on the left is the Family History Center.  The second floor on the right is the chapel.  We went and looked at the Chapel.  It had a wonderful spirit among the hustle and bustle of NYC.

Dad and Austin in Central Park....the only green in New York City.

We went to the memorial for the 9/11 victims.  This is in honor of the firefighters.

The number 343 represents the number of firefighters killed in the 9/11 attack.

Dad and Austin ran into Morgan Freeman......the wax sculpture of him that is.

We had to mix up the spiritual with a little fun so we went to Madison Square Garden to watch the Knicks play the Magic.

Dad, Me and Austin all ready for some basketball.

It was a great game and the venue was awesome.

Walking back to the subway we had to take a breath taking picture of the Empire State Building.

Everyone loves the NYC subway.

We flew from NYC to St. Louis to drive to Nauvoo.  We stopped to look at the Cardinals new stadium.

This is the famous arch in St. Louis from the stadium.

One of the infamous Cardinal players.  They moved this statue from the old stadium.

This is Austin standing next to the Arch of St. Louis.

Looking at Cardinal Stadium from the top of the arch.

God Bless America!  We are so grateful for our country.

We went on the carriage ride in Nauvoo.  It was amazing.  The stories that were told and the testimonies that were shared brought a very sacred spirit.  We stopped part way through and sang "I Am A Child of God" and there wasn't a dry eye.

Looking at the  Nauvoo Temple from the trail of hope....the road the Saints took as the left their beloved city to cross the river to the great unknown.

Early Saturday morning I ran by the Temple and couldn't help but take a picture.  It was so beautiful.

Austin and Dad did baptisms and I did initiatory at the Temple.

We stayed in a cabin in Nauvoo.  They were patterned after real cabins built by the early Saints.  They had their story for us to read in the cabin.  So humbling.....Austin was so excited!

I loved the swing and would sit out here and read in the mornings.

The flowers were beautiful at the Carthage jail.

Austin with the statue of Hyrum and Joseph.  They were together in life and could not be separated at death.

The bullet hole where the mob shot through the door at Hyrum and Joseph.

The window where Joseph fell from when he was hit.

Such a reverent spirit abides in this room.  A testimony sealed with the life of two great men.

This is looking through the hole in the door at the window.

Here is where they found John Taylor hiding so his life would be spared.

Four great men with solid testimonies of the Gospel.

A beautiful tribute and monument.

That is the end of our trip.  I love going on this trip.  My testimony is always strengthened and I am so humbled at the sacrifices of the early Saints.  I hope that I can always be as steadfast and true as they were to the things that matter most.  I am so grateful for the blessings of the Gospel and that we can be families forever!