Vermont, the Green Mountain State

We were hosts at the Bethel Vermont Post Card and History Fair.
  We met some interesting locals who shared their stories with us.

We took a round trip through Vermont to see where Church

 leaders were born or buried.  Oliver Cowdery was born in Wells, Vt.

Brigham Young was born in Whitingham, VT

There was no way we were going to pass this by!
My little See's Chocolate gal in her personal heaven!

There are bear and moose warning signs along many of Vermont's highways.  We have yet to see either.

Joseph Smith's maternal grandfather Solomon Mack is buried in Gilsum NH with 4 of his family.

There are dozens of old covered bridges in Vt.

These two are in Tunbridge a few miles from our visitor center.  

Mothers' Day beauties!
South Royalton Ward chapel

Mothers' Day dinner for two
Woodstock Inn, Vermont

Lynne's brother Bob Barlow stayed a couple of days,
 so we rode this John Deere Gator up Patriarch Hill
 behind the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial.
  He lives in Cape Cod, MA about 200 miles SE of us.

First month of mission

Senior Missionaries in MTC Provo UT

Our first month as visitor center guides is almost over.  We were trained at the Missionary Training Center in Provo UT from April 7 through April 16 with 126 other senior missionaries, then traveled 2,400 miles to Sharon VT where we've been trained as tour guides.  We visited our home one last time on the way across country.  Our plumber graciously accepted a copy of the Book of Mormon to read after he blew out the water in our pipelines!

Cathedral of the Sacred Heart

We walked and drove around the University of Notre Dame in South Bend IN on Easter Sunday. The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart was filled to overflowing with worshippers.  We then toured the Kirtland OH LDS visitor center where we got to watch how other visitor center missionaries handled their assignments- hoping to pick up some pointers on how its done.






We made a whirlwind stop in Susquehanna (Harmony) PA where Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery were baptized and received the priesthood from heavenly messengers.

John the Baptist ordaining Joseph and Oliver

We then made our way to Sharon VT.  It was an exhausting week of training, tours, meetings, Church services and get-acquainted gatherings with the locals.

The people of Vermont are hardy, friendly and aggressive drivers on narrow, pock-marked roads.  The whole area is a paradise of trees, hills (they call them mountains), rivers and streams.  It has rained at least every other day and tends to be bone-chilling cold when the wind blows.  The harsh winter of 2013-14 was just beginning to release its grip when we arrived.  Hooray!

Learning more about our founding prophet Joseph Smith has been a great blessing.  He was an unbelievable man of strength, character and spirit.  In his brief 38 1/2 years on the earth (1805 - 1844), he accomplished more than any other man save Jesus Christ only.  He spoke with God the Father and His Son, was visited and taught by numerous heavenly beings,  translated the Book of Mormon from golden plates in only 90 days of actual work, and organized The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  He colonized Nauvoo, the largest city in Illinois at the time, built temples, sent missionaries to far-flung places, and sealed his testimony of Christ with his own blood.  Why was he able to accomplish all that with a 4th grade education? Because he was taught everything he needed to know by heavenly beings.

Massive wagon wheels for wagon being built in 1905 to haul monument up to visitor center site.

We're loving this place already!  On sunny days the polished granite obelisk tip reflects the sunlight right into your eyes.

The Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial granite obelisk