Hegsted's Mission - Week 76

7-January-2024-Sunday

Today was a little different. We had texts out to branch members as we were not copied on emails from the branch, and we worried that they would cancel church and not contact us. Before leaving, we received a text saying the branch might cancel meetings. This was verified moments before our planned departure.  We felt terrible not to see the branch members, but we were grateful at 12:30 when we drove up to the site. VT-14, a highway, was snow-covered, and we traveled at 35 mph. If the roads to Rutland were similar, it would have been a long trip home. Also, there were about 3 inches of snow when I cleared the car in preparation for leaving. When I recleared it to come to the site, it was 6 inches deep.  At the site, we had 11 inches.  Very light, powdery snow, but it was slick and hard to see the sides of the road. Vermont has numerous routes that have narrow shoulders. This makes driving more dicey and challenging, not slipping off the road's edge.  

Dede connected to our home ward's sacrament meeting through Zoom, and we watched a powerful fast and testimony meeting. We then had our own sacrament, having received permission from President Buswell.  I have not done this for Dede and me since COVID-19, and it was nice to perform this ordinance again.  

We shoveled a little, although the FM missionaries used the tractor to plow before us, so it was easy. We will clear everything up before leaving this evening. It is supposed to stop snowing before we leave, so the sidewalks should be clear of snow in the morning when we arrive. Hopefully, the contractor will have cleared the road to the site before 8:30 as the Hoopes vehicle is rear-drive only and not made for deep snow or slick roads.

We took some pictures. This is our first powdery snow, and the trees are beautiful. There are still two trees with lights close enough to the receptacles that we should be able to light them this evening.  We missed taking Christmas light pictures with snow, and this will make up for it.

Pictures of the lights on the single tree we could turn on. Sadly, we did not get this storm with the lights still lit. It was so light that snow stayed in the trees, enhancing the lights. 

Needless to say, with all the snow, we had no visitors at the site.

8-January-2023-Monday

Today, we were taught by Gary and Aaron from SLC for enlightenment. I appreciate their efforts, as it was 6:30 MDT when the meeting started. It was also the first day back for Gary. We reviewed teaching the key messages in the site guide. Apparently,  improvement is needed in this area as we continually focus on this subject. 

President Buswell covered many administrative points, including the upcoming turnover.  They plan to leave on the morning of 8 February unless told otherwise. The next couple out will be Knudsons, who will be replaced by the Browns.  This will occur in early June. Then the Cooks come toward the end of June to replace us. The president will be here for 24 months, and the two couples for 18 months. This will help with continuity at the site. This year, there will be no one at the site who experienced a December, and all of our nonmember guests. We will leave either on the 25th of June as scheduled or perhaps 1-3 days earlier to ensure the apartment is clean and ready for the Cooks.  The Cooks have lived in many places, but lately, they are from Inkom, Idaho.  He was a stake president in New England. June is too far in the future to think about in January.  

We had a beautiful, clear morning, and clouds did not appear until 3 pm. We took more site pictures with the new snow and brighter skies.  I walked for 30 minutes, and Dede worked on a hot pad. I did some editing but struggled to stay on task. I was glad when snow fell from the roof and covered the sidewalk, so I had an excuse to go outside. 

Unfortunately, we did not have anyone come during the entire day. We are moving the second king bed out of the spare bedroom tonight, and the Knutesons will take it. They say our extra bed is much better than theirs. I hope this helps them sleep.  We do not need two king-size beds and will still have an additional queen bed.

11-January-2023-Thursday

Catching up from our New York and Pennsylvania Historic Site trip.

Tuesday

We were blessed to have Elder Roberts' cousin and his wife come in for a tour.  The tour was complete; they were attentive and fun to talk to.  We also counted the Roberts. I walked 5 laps, knowing how long we would be cooped up in the car for the rest of the day.  President Buswell relieved us right after the Roberts left so we could go home, pack the car, change, and be out by 1:50.  

We expected rain and wind, but we hit snow on the New York border and drove through snow for 90 minutes.  Our GPS suggested a shorter way, and that extended our trip. We were put on backroads, and the traffic traveled very slowly due to the snow, and we could not pass slow cars. Had we remained on the expressway, it would have been better.  I was so relieved when we were able to return to I-90. After 30 minutes on the I-90, the rain began, and we enjoyed clear roads. We stopped at Texas Roadhouse, and since we knew what we wanted, we were in and out in 45 minutes and back on the road.  Palmyra has a lovely new Best Western Hotel, where we spent the night.

Wednesday

We had a blessed day. By 9:10, we were hiking up the Hill Cummorah.  The hill and the grove had been closed Tuesday due to high winds and snow. The site was not yet open, so we had the hill to ourselves. We walked up the back road, having to cross two fallen trees. The Hill has changed so much. We drove by it on the way to our mission, but walking and looking at the changes was good. The landscape has changed as they removed the berms that once held stages. Small trees have been planted on the hill, and long grass is growing where manicured lawns were used for seating guests.  They want to restore it to how Joseph experienced it during his four years visiting the Hill each September. I am unsure when it was cleared for farming, but apparently, after retrieving the plates.  Dede mentioned they discussed removing the statue of Moroni. I was glad they did not. It is a historical marker, but it was not part of the hill when Joseph retrieved the plates. It will soon be hidden from view as the new trees grow into a forest. Trees grow quickly in the east, so probably 10 to 15 years, and the monument will only be visible from the viewing paths surrounding it. We sang a song about the Hill as we hiked down.

Dede suggested we come to the Historic Sites. When we go home, we want to see our kids and plan to drive straight to Kirkland, Ohio, the first day missing the NY and Penn. sites, except perhaps the Whitmer Farm. With the curriculum change to the Book of Mormon, Dede was inspired to suggest this wonderful trip. We will be able to testify with renewed feeling about the prophetic mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith for the remainder of our mission. We listened to two Joseph Smith Papers Podcasts as we drove. One is about the restoration of the Priesthood, and the other is about the First Vision. This helped stimulate our thoughts and discussions. 

I am grateful for the missionaries at the sites. I see their job with new eyes. We had "greenies" as our guides, but their testimonies were mature, and we were grateful. After serving at the Joseph Smith Birthplace site, it was interesting to see these sites with "new eyes." I was attuned to rock walls, the age of trees, where paths should lie, and where we were as we hiked. This new "set of eyes" is a blessing from our service.  

In the pictures below. Moroni's statue from the top. Looking down from the top of the hill.  In the past,  the hill was a grassy slope; now, it is growing back and is planted with trees.  A close-up of the statue. A plague explaining why pageants were discontinued, and finally, two photos showing the statue from below.  The statue is prominent in stick season, but it will be hard to see in leaf season.

When we left, the site was not open, and we arrived at the grove before the visitors' center opened. Once again, we had the grove to ourselves.  The grove had also been closed due to high winds the night before, and the winds picked up as we left. We had come early to accomplish all we wanted in our short day, but being there before the winds started was a double blessing.  We sang How Lovely Was the Morning and Praise to the Man in the Grove.  This added to the Spirit of our time there. 

I am showing signage from the Sacred Grove. This was new since my last visit, or at least the locations are unique. One talked about rock walls. I would have missed the walls on previous trips, but I saw them before the sign announced them. One sign was about the 8 witnesses who saw the plates in the same grove made sacred by the visit of the Father and The Son. The last sign is the entrance to the grove. 

I love coming to the Grove in stick season. It is beautiful in the summer with leaves and the shade from the trees. However, Joseph said his prayer was early in the Spring. The leaves had not yet emerged. Perhaps the trees were blooming, and the birds had arrived from the south. However, it would be easy to see around the grove. The ground would still be covered in leaves, so walking would be quiet on this moist carpet. The Grove would be awakening to a new season, just as the world would soon be reviving from a long season of darkness and gloom.  God prepared the Grove to feel like the dawn of a bright new day.  We do not know where Joseph had this Vision. Their land included what we call the Grove today and the land up to the Temple. Thus, it is possible he could have been anywhere on the Smith's land. I love to think of Joseph near the current temple when he had the vision.  This is not doctrinal but the musing of an old man. However, I cannot claim originality to the thought as I read it from a scholar. Mark Staker said, "I like to think of the whole Smith Farm as the site made Sacred by the events that occurred there. It is truly a blessed place. One final note: the land where the temple stands was acquired during President Hinckley's lifetime.  The Church has had many years of thinking of the Grove in the place we now send visitors, and I should not be "stirring things up."  

We had a lovely tour of the restored log cabin with the Senior Sister Missionary. The log cabin was larger than the birthplace home. The fireplace is on one end and not in the center. The Smiths had left New England behind, and the home is probably influenced by the many early Dutch settlers of upstate New York. The Smiths added a lean-to room to the house. The log cabin does not sit on the Smith property and is in Palmyra Town, while the farm is in Manchester Town.  The cabin is in its original place. The Smiths had a thing about living on the town line.  

I love the log cabin.  It was built on the original foundations of the Smith home. Thus, Moroni appeared in the upstairs garret to the young boy during that first visit. It is a small space, and 4-5 others slept there, unaware of the angel. We can pinpoint where Joseph was born and where he first saw Mornoi. The other places are in a general area, so I find these two places especially sacred.  Our sister missionary (senior) bore fervent testimony of the first vision, Mornoi's visit, and the retrieval of the plates. There is power in being set apart to bear testimony, and we saw that during our visits.  

The first two pictures are in the Garret Room, where Joseph encountered Moroni.  The other three photos show the log cabin from various angles. The lean-too addition is evident in the third picture. This was the room added by Joseph Sr. when Lucy was ready to give birth. This is such a sacred place. Made holy by the events that occurred here during the life of Joseph Smith and his family, but also by the dedication of missionaries and Chruch Members who have had their own sacred experiences here.

We were sad to leave. They were a wonderful couple, but we had so much to see and do. So, bidding adieu, we drove to the Grandin Building. We have avoided the Grandin Building for many years. We went with our family once and were trapped by a local missionary who gave us a 2.5-hour tour. She was undoubtedly knowledgeable and excited, but we never returned. God allows everyone to repent, even me, and we enjoyed our visit with a senior sister missionary. How could we skip the Grandin Building in the year we are reading the Book of Mormon? God had prepared Mr Grandin to be able to publish the BoM. He may have been an unbeliever. He may have made it difficult for Joseph and Martin, but he could do it.  And like Dr Nathon Smith, he was there long enough to perform his assignment, sell the business, and move on.  I left the Grandin Building feeling much better about Mr Grandin. If God could use him, he can surely use me.  

I wanted to ask some detailed questions about printing. However, the Sister was new and did not possess detailed knowledge, so I listened to her and enjoyed her testimony.  God would have supplied a different missionary if God wanted me to get detailed printing knowledge. Instead, He provided us with the missionary that He did. And her testimony was delightful.  I had also forgotten the extensive collection of original art in the Grandin Building. It is lovely that the Church has this place to keep the originals. They are a source of pride to the missionaries. She closed by telling us of her husband's conversion to the Church. That was the best part for me.  I took only one picture at the Grandin Building. Shame on me. There were many things I wish I had taken for my use. However, these copies of the printer's and original manuscripts are powerful.  They also had an original BoM on display. It belonged to a Palmyra local, who gave it to the Church if they would keep it in Palmyra. 

We chose to drive to the Priesthood Restoration Site by expressway. This took us through Syracuse and avoided back roads that burdened us last night. Syracuse has good memories for us. Dede and I went there at least 10 times while Anna worked on her doctorate there. We drove by familiar places and took a picture of her lab from the road. It was pleasant to return down this memory lane. These memories are made sweet because they include a daughter whom we dearly love.  

We packed a lunch to arrive at the Priesthood restoration site by 3 pm. At one time, I thought this was the best Church Historic Site. I have repented and now acknowledge our current site is the best. This site has special meaning to us, partially because of two remarkable experiences. We went to the site with Anna the day it opened and two weeks before President Neilson dedicated it. The missionaries were brand new and tried to give us the entire book they had been given. But it remained a memorable experience. We went back with Anna and met the site leader's wife (they no longer have a site leader), and she told us about her experience with President Nielson and being called to the site. This was very special and will remain with me forever. Thus, we arrived with great expectations. I love these two statues that meet guests as they come.  We received the tour from the husband. Probably his fourth tour. We first went to the Hale Home. This is beautiful, but little happened here, so I did not take pictures. 

The action occurs in Joseph and Emma's home, the Sugar Bush, and the River. (As an aside, I was amazed at how little the missionaries talk about Emma. This is her home, yet she is not the focus of any message, and I find this sad. Dede and I emphasized the role of Emma more in our tour than I heard all day in Palmyra and Harmony.  In fairness, Emma is not stressed in our site guide or theirs, so I am the one in error and not them.)

The first two pictures are of Joseph and Emma's home. They bought the red, and Joseph added the blue lean-too portion to the house. Next is a copy of the original manuscript of the BoM.

Next row.  The first two pictures show the translation. There is a small table, and the plates are wrapped in a cloth but lying next to the work. The white hat Joseph used to darken the area around the stones is shown. Finally, the writing tools and a manuscript page. The first time I saw this, I was thrilled. This matches descriptions by witnesses of how the translation took place. Most Church art is just wrong. I felt terrible; they did not have a stone in the hat, but what would you put there? We do not know what the interpreters looked like, and there is debate over the use of Joseph's seer stone or even which seer stone he might have used.  

The final picture was a friend we saw twice while walking.

Our missionary bore testimony of the BoM and the restoration of the priesthood. We let him head back to the VC and walked to the cemetery. Here are the grave markers of Isaac and Elizabeth Hale and the marker for Joseph's and Emma's son. The missionary mentioned that Isaac was buried on his property, and the railroad company moved his grave when the railroad was built. I did not ask if the same was true of the other two graves, but since they are very close together, I believe they were all moved to their present sites in the McCune Cemetery. 

The placement of Emma's and Joseph's son's grave is of most interest to me. In the movie they show, the grave seems to be right out Joseph's and Emma's back door. I thought this merely made filming easier.  However, the firm makes more sense if he was buried on the Smith's land and later moved along with Isaac.  When we first saw the film, it was gripping. (May I add that the Witness Film does the same thing?) Having the child buried near the home, as portrayed in the two films, is so touching. Watching these films made Joseph and Emma very real and, I think, enhanced my connection to this historic site.

This is the gravestone from Baby Smith. The first is the original headstone, which was encapsulated in granite, and the writing from the original stone was copied in granite, making it more permanent. This was placed three graves away from Isaac and his wife, making me think all three were moved at the same time. I did not look, but I am guessing the graves in between were Hale's family members. Something about cemeteries always touches my heart and helps me realize these were real people. 

From the cemetery, we walked up to the Sugar Bush, so named because Joseph's maple trees for harvesting maple syrup were here. Here, John the Baptist appeared to Joseph and Oliver to restore Aaronic Priesthood authority. Historically, people supposed this happened on the banks of the Susquehanna River, but this would have been a busy time on the river and not a place to find seclusion for prayer.  They would have gone to the river in the evening to be baptized.

The Sugar Bush is smaller than the grove but large enough to wander and feel the Spirit. The trees of the Bush are young, less than 50 years old. I know this from experience at our site. I did not see maple trees and suspect they might have been further up the hill. We visited as the sun went down and were totally alone. Pictures below show the sign going into the Bush. A bird's nest along the trail. Dede and I are in the Sugar Bush with the VC in the background.

We spent a few minutes visiting with the missionaries.  They have been there less than a month.  We suggested eating a Spiedie in Binghamton and visiting Watkin's Glenn to see the waterfalls.  They will be there for 18 months. They will be wonderful missionaries. Next week, they get another missionary couple. We did not ask about their shifts. It sounds like other missionaries have come down to provide a PDAY for them. This differs from what we covered for Ewers, where we just worked a full day for PDAY.  This worked out well enough. But I am glad they will have another couple before the summer rush. However, they will be busier than us and have young sister missionaries to help. We were told by another couple that they have a PDAY and a service day when they do not serve at the site.

It was dark as we left, and we did not drive down to the river's edge. We have seen this before, and the exact site is ambiguous, but it would have been nice to see it again. Buswells gave us the name of an Italian restaurant in Schenectady, and we went there to eat dinner. It was two hours out, and after driving 90 minutes, I knew I did not want to drive another 3 hours to reach home that evening, so Dede booked a nearby hotel. It was the best choice.

I love these photos from the VC at the Priesthood Restoration Site:

11-January-2023-Thursday

Left the motel by 8:20 and headed for West Rutland, where we shopped for items needed for the dinner tomorrow night. We then ate at Mary's Cafe, which was recommended by both Buswells and Ewers.  It was perfect. We headed home as our shift started at 1:30.  On the way home, we were informed that one of the senior missionaries fell on the slick ice and hurt her ankle.

We had one visitor, it was Bob Dunkle. He came in to tell us the Church would send a regional director to his Family History Day in March.  He was so excited to tell someone, and we were available. We visited for an hour and enjoyed talking with him. He is a great soul and does so much good with Family History Work in the stake. We are lucky to know him.

It snowed for an hour while we were working, but the weather app on my phone did not recognize this. Came home, and I ate leftovers from last night.  Definitely better the first time. It has taken most of the evening to complete my blog. We had such a great trip to New York. Joseph and Emma became alive for us.  I am so grateful.

12-January-2023-Friday

After a slow shift yesterday, we were so blessed this morning. After sweeping the monument and putting out ice melt, Dede sent me to the FM shop to get ice melt for Knuteson's doorstep. I went down and spread it liberally so they could get out, and as it worked out, they went to get a kneeling scooter for her, so it was good to have the ice cleared. While I was gone, Dede had a man from Belarus. His English was poor, and Dede's Russian lacked substance, but she gave him a Russian BoM, so something good came of the visit.

I returned and worked on the paper for a short while, and we had 4 people come in from Las Vegas. They were members, and we had an excellent tour with them. Before they left, six missionaries came in, and I talked with them a bit and took a few pictures. Seeing the missionaries as we often do on Friday morning is fun. They have district meetings, and the district includes the Rutland and Royalton Elders whom we know.

We ended our shift with a couple from Wyoming.  Both nonmembers wanted to know Joseph's history, and we were happy to oblige. We spent 15 quality minutes with them. The world is filled with such wonderful and kind people. 

 We spent an hour with President Buswell, experiencing our last interview with him before their release on 8 February. Dede and I will sorely miss them. I'd like to know what changes the new mission leaders want. I hope I do not make it hard on them to make the changes they are inspired to make, but I am an old dog and do not like new tricks. I  pray I learn to accept the Lord's doggie biscuits to make my training less painful.

Tonight, we had our monthly dinner. All the missionaries attended, and we enjoyed tacos and conversation. It is a blessing to have a tight-knit group of missionaries.

13-January-2023-Saturday

Another wet day. It has rained most of the day. It snowed a bit last night, but the rain blunted the impact of the snow. It also remained above freezing all day. However, that will change. The temperature will not rise above freezing for at least 10 days. It is too bad it was not colder; the snow we could have gotten would have turned Vermont into a winter wonderland instead of a soggy land. The cold and damp kept me working inside while Dede shopped in Lebanon.  

We had three people come to the site. I feel guilty. The Hoopes have not had a visitor this week, and we have had at least one daily for the last three days. Today, we had three young men from Dartmouth who just wanted to learn a little.  One had been at the site before and had a question, but his associate had the most questions. Only 15 minutes, but it was a fun meeting. There is such hope when young people are willing to listen and learn.

At the end of our shift, Sister Buswell wanted to show us two books she was studying. We spent an hour with her. These are choice moments, with the end of their mission coming too quickly. She showed us the history of Royalton, and it will be a great read. But first, I need to finish the document.