SPECIAL PEOPLE - SPECIAL PLACES

Our daughter and son-in-law, Kristi and Brent
visited us in mid June.
We were so glad they came to see these wonderful Church History Sites. And, of course we were happy to have them visit us too.

Here are the four of us with the Christus at the Hill Cumorah Visitor's Center.

Brent and Kristi at the Book of Mormon exhibit at the bottom of the Hill Cumorah.

We also visited and took a tour of the Church Girl's Camp on Seneca Lake. I think Kristi was adequately impressed with the facilities there, though she thought these NY girls must be pretty spoiled. Especially with having lake front property and swimming in this beautiful lake.

This is sunset on Seneca Lake -- note the fishing boat in the shine pattern of the sun.
Kristi took this picture and I thought she did a GREAT job.

Jaron and Heather and the 4 kids came up from Pennsylvania for a day to see their parents and us. We went to Niagara Falls and did the Maid of the Mist boat ride. It was pretty cold and VERY wet and rainy. Emmy and Ashton really didn't like all the WET,
but Lilly didn't complain nor did Carter.

Actually Carter gave it "Two Thumbs Up"
and he really LOVED it.

Catch Up Blog

It's Lilac Time

Early in May each year Rochester, NY has a Lilac Festival.
People from all over the world come to see the lilacs here. It is REALLY beautiful.
Lilacs of all different colors, and sizes cover a whole hillside.

This is us by some beautiful lilac bushes.

Elder Hamblin amidst the lilacs.

Some really pretty novelty hybrid.

A variety of bushes, different sizes and colors.

More lovely and different lilacs.

GReaT GranDKidS

WELCOME, WELCOME to the Simonson family!!
Shortly after Jaron & Heather moved to Pennsylvania, Heather and the great grandkids came to Palmyra for a quick overnight visit with us. It was so fun to see our precious little ones again.

This is Emmy, Carter, Ashton and Lilly standing in front of the Christus at the Hill Cumorah Visitor's Center.

And Heather and Lilly in the Resource Room at the Visitor's Center.

Ashton looking at one of the Book of Mormon story videos.

And Emmy and Carter discovering it was raining when we came out of the Visitor's Center. You'd think these were kids from the West who had never seen rain. HA! HA!

Earlier that morning we went to the top of the Hill Cumorah and saw the Angel Moroni Statue and the kids loved the lush green hill and all the things to see.
They also went to the Smith Family Farm while we were gone on our Site assignment, but it started to rain so they didn't get to go to the Sacred Grove.
That will leave us something special to do when they come next time. We hope Jaron will be able to come with them then.
Thank You for coming! We have missed all of you so very much
and we loved having you here.

Visit to NY -- Church History Sites - 2009

A BIG WELCOME to Clint, Katie and Corgin!
April 29, 2009
A visit to the Church History Sites in Palmyra, NY
and a fun visit with Grandpa & Grandma Hamblin.

The first morning here brought a walk in the Sacred Grove at the 

Smith farm.  It's early spring and the leaves are just beginning to appear.

A fun time on the golf carts at the Girl's Camp on Seneca Lake.
A nice visit with Elder and Sister Taylor from Pocatello, ID too.

Their visit to the Peter Whitmer farm in Fayette, NY

OUR VISIT TO NIAGARA FALLS:

Everyone loved the boat ride on the The Maid of the Mist,

But we did get WET, really WET!!

Grandpa and Grandma loved the
Falls, both the American Falls (right) and the Horsehoe Falls (left).

Corgin loved the tulips, too.

After our trip into the Falls on the Maid of the Mist, we went

over to the Hard Rock Cafe

for lunch, it was lots of fun.

THE HILL CUMORAH

l

Atop the Hill Cumorah is the 

Angel Moroni monument, 

it is a beautiful marker and 

has scenes from the Restoration period on each side.

Corgin loved the 

steps down to the monument.
"Look Mom, I can do it myself."

Corgin wanted to run down the hill so off they went -- it was pretty steep, but FUN.

At the bottom of the Hill Cumorah is the large stone monument of the Book of Mormon. A favorite picture spot.

Inside the Visitor's Center is a

large Christus statue in a

setting of the Sacred Grove.

A special picture spot.

What a treat for Corgin, to sit at the feet of the Savior!

And he is aptly awed and reverent.

Along the trail at Watkins Glen.
Beautiful waterfalls and pools along the steep narrow canyon.

The long walk back from the Watkins Glen waterfalls.

A free ride and jump along the Watkins Glen trail!

Corgin loved the big dry leaves, they tickled!!!

Corgin tried every morning to eat the glass fruit on Grandma's table.

And he proved he could run away from Grandpa.

We loved the visit and seeing our cute grandchildren and our great grand Corgin.
WE WISH YOU A SAFE JOURNEY HOME
WITH OUR LOVE.

SPrinG in the SAcReD GRoVE

Spring

Warmth has FINALLY decided to come to Western New York. 

The Sacred Grove is beginning to show signs of Spring.

Early spring flowers blooming,

buds are popping, geese are
honking, birds are singing,
ducks are swimming.

"Bees were humming, sweet birds singing
Music ringing through the Grove."

"When within the shady wood land
Joseph sought the God of love."

"Joseph's humble prayer was answered
For he saw the living God."

INTERNATIONAL DAY

A few days ago we were at the Peter Whitmer Farm in Fayette, NY and we had quite a day. I think we had about 36 visitors, but the remarkable thing about it was that in those visitors we had people from 9 nations!! There was a family from Sweden, a young couple from France, some from Australia, England, Ireland, Wales, So. Africa, Zambia and of course, the United States. And one of those from the U.S. was a native of Tonga. We could hardly believe what a host of different nationalities were represented in just that one day. Elder Hamblin (Dad, Grandpa -- whoever that guy is - HA!) said it was surely fulfillment of prophecy:

"And ye shall go forth in the power of my Spirit, preaching my gospel, two by two, in my name, lifting up your voices as with the sound of a trump, declaring my word like unto angels of God. . . . .
And I give unto you a commandment that then ye shall teach them unto all men; for they shall be taught unto all nations, kindreds, tongues and people."

Doctrine & Covenants 42:6 and 58

It's fulfillment of prophecy, except we didn't need to go anywhere else because the Lord was bringing them to us.

HOORAY FOR THE GOSPEL!!

6 April 1830 -- 6 April 2009

The Peter Whitmer Farm -- Fayette, NY





Today was the 179th Anniversary of the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Fayette, NY. We were there today holding a Zone Conf. and reviewed all the things pertaining to the organization of the Church, it was pretty neat!


(Sisters: Harris and Porter; Baez and Catalludi)

This is a picture of four of our young Sister missionaries -- this was taken last summer and some of them have already finished their missions and gone home. This is the sign at the Whitmer Farm which is the visitor's first introduction to this Historical Site.

Today -- 6 April 2009

It still looks like winter time at the Peter Whitmer log home -- rainy and cold. But we were there!

Cozy and warm inside the log home. We stood where the Prophet Joseph Smith stood as he organized the Church 179 years ago. What a wonderful blessing in our lives to be able to serve here at these Sacred Places! It is great to see how the Church has grown, from the foundation of 6 members and is now at 13 and a half million. This is the TRUE Church, Joseph Smith is the Prophet of the Restoration, and the Book of Mormon is true and going forth to the whole world by the work of the missionaries and members.

"For it shall come to pass in that day, that every man shall hear the fulness of the gospel in his own tongue, and in his own language" Doctrine & Covenants 90:11

It all started HERE in Palmyra and Fayette, NY. What a great blessing to the World!!