Missouri

We took a quick trip to Missouri last weekend to see the church sites.  It was such a great trip.  I have to admit that I wasn't thrilled about the idea at first.  As the trip got closer and Dad was telling me about all the places we would visit I started to get excited.  It ended up being one of my best trips ever!!  I learned so much and felt more connected with the pioneers of the church.  The trip changed my life.  We stayed in a hotel near Kansas City and visited Liberty Jail, Independence visitors' center, the Community of Christ temple, the new Kansas City temple, Far West, Haun's Mill and Adam-ondi-ahman.  It was two days of driving and two days of site seeing.  Just the right amount of both for this family.

While there we also celebrated Lady K and Dad's birthdays.  We went out to dinner (a big deal for us!), swam in the hotel pool, popped popcorn and watched movies in our hotel and just enjoyed the time together.  It was a great trip.

The reconstructed Liberty Jail.  For the most part, this was the most memorable site for the kids.

By the Liberty Jail.

A random pencil that was probably 40 feet tall.

An old printing press at the Independence visitors' center.

The play room at the visitors' center.

Our tiny little pioneer eating his hands.

An intense game of checkers.

At the Independence Visitors' center we ran into our old MTC choir director.  Do any of you recognize him?  What  a great guy with such a strong spirit!

The Community of Christ Temple (formerly known as the Reorganized  Chuch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  They have a cool museum on the first floor with some of Joseph Smith's personal items and the original door to the Liberty Jail.

Independence visitors' center.

The new Kansas City temple.

Celebrating the two birthdays at Red Robin.

They got super balloon hats for their birthdays!  Haha.  A certain girl was really embarrassed to wear hers.

The placard at Far West temple site.

The original city map of Far West.

This is the temple site at Far West.  There are four corner stones there within the gates.  The spirit when we stepped onto the temple ground was unmistakable, like when I step into a real temple.  It was truly a sacred place.

This is believed to be a mill stone from Haun's Mill.  

And this is the thriving metropolis across the street from that mill stone.  It was a terribly run down place  but people still live there.

This is Adam-ondi-ahman.  Wow, what an amazing place.  So much has happened here and is yet to happen.  You can't even come close to capturing the beauty and magnificence of this place with a camera.

Hallowed ground!!  I could feel it.  Adam blessed his children here, Nephites built altars here, Christ will come here.  It was amazing to be in this place!!

I think what these guys will remember from Adam-ondi-ahman was the unlimited supply of sticks to throw, fight with and use as walking sticks.  

A smiley, bundled baby at Adam-ondi-ahman.