Palmyra Trip--Part 6: Palmyra Temple & Hill Cumorah

Dustin and Bridgette were good enough to babysit Grace for us so we could go to the temple with my parents (BLESS THEIR HEARTS!). It was so special to be in the temple with my mom and dad, who were actually the witness couple for the session. It's always so good to be in the House of the Lord.

The Palmyra temple was beautiful inside and out. It overlooks the Sacred Grove, and uses the Grove as it's theme, incorporating tree-themed stained glass windows throughout, as well as stained glass pictures and oil paintings of the Grove and the First Vision.

Here we are in front of the temple:

The Hill Cumorah Visitors Center, which had some neat displays on the Restoration and the Prophet Joseph Smith:

The Christus:

Inside the Visitors Center:

I just thought this stained glass portrayal of the retrieving of the Book of Mormon was so beautiful!

A replica of the gold plates and fascimile of original transcripts of the Book of Mormon:

After touring the Visitors Center, we headed up the footpath to the top of the Hill Cumorah:

We climbed, and we climbed, and we climbed! =)

At the top, we found the Hill Cumorah Monument and plaque:

The Monument:

In front of the Monument:

The view from the top of the Hill:

Though the climb was steep, it was worth it to be able to stand on the same hill where the Book of Mormon was buried and finally retrieved.

Our trip to Palmyra really made the events of the Book of Mormon and the Restoration so much more real and personal to us. We had a great time!!