PALMYRA SPRING
April 1st and Tiffani's birthday. What a special woman she is. She is not only an amazing daughter but also an amazing wife and mother. She serves her Savior in so many ways. She is always willing to help others and does so much to make others happy. Glad she's ours.
the group
We went to the Navy Museum and were able to tour a battle ship, a war ship and a submarine. It was amazing what those wonderful men have done for our country and in such dangerous and uncomfortable situations. We admire them so much more. Our guide was a retired petty Officer and gave us a great 3 hour tour.
old fighter planes
torpedoes in the sub
missile on the destroyer
track that brings the torpedoes in
on the USS Sullivans
torpedo
Home evening that night was President and Sister Miller telling us of their histories. They are in the temple presidency. They are so helpful in every way at the temple. When we got home we started packing for Provo. It was very hard to do.
Tuesday was the last day to do a session in the Palmyra Temple. Not an easy thing to do. We loved it there.
We walked in the grove again. Find the deer by finding the gray head and black eyes.
The four
These trees white and iridescent. They glow in the sun.
That evening I was in the baptistery laundry for 5 hours without a break. When we got home at 9:30, I was very weary. The next day dad was in the baptistery all day.
April 6th, was Easter and
General Conference. How does one describe
how filling, powerful, and just what we needed.
We loved every talk. We loved
knowing that our families were watching too.
What a blessing. It was also the day George’s parents were
married many years ago, in the SLC Temple.
wind in the grove
That evening was the last home
evening with Brother Morey at President Miners.
This was his last lecture on the ancient temples. It was more about the early temples in
Jerusalem and the writings in Egyptians.
He makes it all so understandable.
This sweet Sister Iris Titsworth from Arkansas made this beautiful table runner for us.
The next day was final packing,
washing linens, final cleaning and final packing the car.
We took the tour with incredible
Sisters.
We loved everything. We were so hungry and the couple missionaries
told us the best place to eat was at the Kirtland Tavern.
The hamburgers were
yummy but the hotel was so needed. We
were very tired.
The next morning we went to the
graveyard by the temple and then took the temple tour and enjoyed it but they
have it all wrong. We loved seeing all
that the early Saints had done to see that a temple was built on that spot and
for all the sacrifices they made to have one.
It was so important to them. So
much happened in that sacred place at that time. What a legacy they left us. We even got to the third floor but it was
empty of the Spirit felt in other temples.
In our hearts we felt the Spirit of truth. In the tour there was a little 2 year old
girl who just ran to me with her arms open.
I cried and wanted to hurry home a little faster.
We then went to the Johnson Home
where the Prophet Joseph was tarred and feathered. The Spirit was full and the movie reminded us
of the things Joseph had to endure to see that the Kingdom could roll forth. We just hurt for what Joseph and Emma had to
endure. We love their strong testimonies
so much.
behind my head
on top of my feet
We headed for Kirtland at 10:00 and arrived at
4:00. We checked into the Fairfield in
Mentor, Ohio and went right to the visitors Center in Kirtland.
We drove on to South Bend and
another Fairfield. We had
to see Notre Dame and the Golden Dome.
The bridge to get there was very old and fun.
We hurried on to Nauvoo. This old,old bridge did not look welcoming.
Ruth opening our dresser drawer
This was the knob and lock to our door.
It was just so fun. We had dinner at the Nauvoo Hotel which was a
smorgasbord. 
The next morning we went on the
wagon ride through the old part of the city.
It was so very cold and the wind was blowing so strongly that I’m not
sure I have ever been that cold. They wrapped
us in quilts but it was still very cold but fun.
We then went to the Pioneer Living Center
which is a fun place for all ages. You
just go from area to area and learn about living in the days the Saints were
there. Everything is done by the site
missionaries and so well done. We went
to the blacksmith shop next because Erik and Shanelle had a friend who was
serving there that day.
I can’t remember
his name but he was so informative and showed us how things worked. He even gave us a horseshoe ring and a tiny
horseshoe.
The Nauvoo Temple
Joseph and Hyrum, knowingly going to their death.
April 12th we went to the lands office and found out where our ancestors had land. We didn’t realize that some had more than one plot. We were the first ones there so they took a lot of time with us. We then went to the Family Center again because we wanted to see how to make barrels. People worked so hard in those days. We couldn’t leave without walking the Trail of Hope. Talk about a Sacred place. There are signs along the way of writings of the people found in journals. We cried the whole walk. Those wonderful ancestors and others were so valiant in their testimonies and left such a heritage for us to follow. We have been asked so little. We are so grateful for those wonderful people who followed without wavering.
There is a protected place where the names of those buried are recorded. The Partridge names are listed with Bishop Partridge first, Dad's great, great grandfather.
How we love the Prophet Joseph and those who served with him. We went to the room where the Prophet and
Hyrum were killed. (Dad and I had been there when we were first married and
slept on the floor of that room.) Joseph
and others endured so much because of their faith. We are asked to do so little. How we love the restored gospel of our
Savior, Jesus Christ. When we were
finished the missionary asked us if we wanted a picture through the gun shot
hole in the door that killed Hyrum. It
is a constant reminder of what happened there.
Our testimonies continue to grow daily.
This is also Kolton's birthday. He is such a good and faithful young man. His friends are also good young men. We love him. He loves his family and the Lord. Who could ask for more?
Eyes Westward
Mississippi ''River, Nauvoo
Our last view of the temple and thinking about all these faithful people had to endure. We love and honor them so much.
On our way we wanted to go to The Old Nauvoo Burial Grounds. It is a few miles out of town but so humbling and sacred.
The old marker is gone and now this one.
This little rock school house was right next door.
The next stop was Carthage. What a sacred strong Spirit is there. The tour of the prison we took was so well
done and brought tears to our eyes.
The nest day we traveled to Kansas.
April 14th was Sunday so
we headed to the closest church only to find no one there. We couldn’t figure it out and finally decided
it must be Stake Conference so we waited an hour and sure enough it was. We then drove to the Kansas City Temple and
were so surprised at how huge it is.
We
had been in such a small one for a year and this one was so beautiful and the
grounds just enhanced it. Because it was
Sunday we couldn’t go in but so enjoyed being at a holy place.
We then went to the Liberty Jail. What a name for a jail.
Next was Adam-ondi-Ahman. This is such a most holy place. This is where Adam and his family gathered
before he died.
I never realized it is
such a huge area of land. There was such
a silence and reverence. We drove to
several areas to see different views. It
is absolutely beautiful.
This is where Adam,
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will be at the gathering of Israel and the beginning
of the Millennium. We then went to Far
West where the temple site was dedicated and the four corner stones laid by
Joseph and the leaders of the church but was never built.
We then headed for Winter Quarters
where we stayed in small town called Bethany.
Monday, April 15th we went to Elkhorn, Iowa where Ruth had Danish ancestors. We stayed a long time at the museum. It had much information about the hard times the Danes had surviving in the USA. The authentic wind mill was so beautiful.
Many of Dad’s ancestors migrated from there along with other Saints.
It was a littler easier as we traveled and I had more foot room.
We ran upon this old Pony Express Station and because Ephraim Hanks rode for several years we went in. It was very interesting.
Along the highway we saw this. Not sure if it was interesting or strange.
April 17th we traveled to Laramie and the next day arrived home.
The
house was in great shape but the gardens were hip high in weeds.
Why did we ever tell our renters not to
weed? We were so tired but so glad to be
home. We went to In-N-Out for dinner and
went to bed.
April 25th we went to
Kolton’s Lacrosse game and then finished unpacking.
The next day we worked on the berm
and that evening went to Camden’s school play, “Into the Woods”, which was so
well done. Camden played Rapunzel’s
prince. He played the part very well, right in character.
Saturday was Kristin’s birthday.
She amazes me in every
way. She accomplishes everything she
puts her mind to. She was an answer to
my childhood dreams in becoming a mother and is a wonderful mother for the
children the Lord has given her. We love
her so much.
Monday, April 15th we went to Elkhorn, Iowa where Ruth had Danish ancestors. We stayed a long time at the museum. It had much information about the hard times the Danes had surviving in the USA. The authentic wind mill was so beautiful.
home
We traveled to Kanesville, Iowa
where a tabernacle had been built when the Saints settled there. This
is where the First Presidency was organized after the death of the Prophet
Joseph. Dad’s grandpa, Amasa Mason Lyman
was called as one of the 12 Apostles.
Ephraim is my gr,gr, grandfather
The next day we went to one of our
most favorite places, the Pioneer Monuments in Omaha, Nebraska, in honor of the
people who crossed the USA headed West.
Much of it was done by our friend, Blair Buswell. He calls it his Mt. Rushmore. It is a long trail of huge bronze statues
larger than life showing wagons and people on their difficult journey.
Next was Winter Quarters Visitor
Center where a brother showed us how to go into a program which showed us ancestors
who were in Winter Quarters. It is a
program being done by BYU students. We
then went to the cemetery next door to look at the few stones left there. We changed clothes and went to the Far West
Temple, and enjoyed the 6:00 session.
How we love any temple.
You know me and barns. I just had to put in a few.
Along the highway we saw this. Not sure if it was interesting or strange.
April 17th we traveled to Laramie and the next day arrived home.
Friday we unpacked the car and put
everything on the garage floor. We could
not believe we got all of that in our little car. Scott came over with Nixon and Rowan. They were so much fun. Nixon couldn’t believe I had white hair. Bethany came later with Ava. How we love our family. Later we brought the things we had stored
downstairs up and found their places.
The next day we went to Nixon’s baseball
game and then unpacked more of the basement.
We have way too much stuff.
Easter Sunday was so wonderful to
see our ward friends. They are such
faithful people who love to serve one another. It was unreal to see more than
85 people, which is what Niagara Falls was. It was a beautiful meeting and the choir
was outstanding. Our Bishop Hoopes was the
director. Young Eli Brown who is in high
school gave such a powerful talk. Our
testimonies were lifted. He talked so
much about Brother Sandstrom. I bawled, shocker.
That evening we went for a delicious
dinner at Clark and Di’s and just enjoyed one another. It is so good to be able to be with our own
family. We didn’t realize how much we had missed that. It was a perfect Sabbath. As usual, I took no pictures.
Monday the 22nd, was a
huge weeding day. At noon, Bethany came
and dug up the weeds from the patio to the cherry tree. It was so full of very tall grass that she
just dug through the black liner and rolled it up and carried it to the
wheelbarrow.
She has amazing strength
for such a tiny person. She worked until
2:00, when Eric, Camden and Kolton came to do the lawn. They have done it for years and do a great
job. Later Clark and his family came and
weeded the rest of that row of roses and then did some of the apple tree. They brought left-overs from yesterday, which
were still so yummy. Again our family is
the best and we love them so much.
We feel like all we have done since
we got home is go to doctor’s appointments. Tuesday Dad got his new C-Pap. We went to Lily’s track meet and Nixon’s
baseball game. We were so excited to go to Swig because I have been waiting
over a year for a cookie and pomegranate Slurpee. They quit making it. I couldn’t believe it. They lost our business and I am sad.
The next day was more of Lily’s
track meet. We had an appointment with
Dr. Gardnier, who gave us new prescriptions for our glasses. We then went home and finished bringing up
things from the basement. That evening, Parker opened his mission call. He was so excited. He is going to Kobe, Japan where his father, Erik, served. We think he had the whole senior class there to see him read the letter.
Saturday was Kristin’s birthday.
Again we work so hard on the
berm. Dad is also working in the
raspberries. We are always worn out but
we’ll get it all done.
Sunday we reported to the Stake
Presidency and the High council. We were
released as missionaries which was not as hard as temple workers.
We have had at least 3 doctor appointments every week since we've been home. Thank goodness we're healthy. Dad is certainly glad to be home and have homemade pancakes. especially with Maple Syrup.
The last day of the month we went to Nixon’s ball game and then worked some more on the berm.
Great month.
We are so blessed to be so healthy and to be able to do the things we
can. We love the restored gospel of
Jesus Christ more and more each day as we see such beautiful evidences of His
love. We must be faithful and rely on
His mercy. We again are so grateful for
our family and each time we can be with them.
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