Our Visit into the Past...

The tourist girl in me finally got to stretch her legs this weekend! After a long week of twiddling my thumbs in our cute new apartment, Jake and I hit the road to Kirtland, Ohio to do a little sightseeing.

The temple was such an exciting site to bear as we drove into the beautiful historic town. Like most places in our new [temporary] home state, the tiny "corporation" [as they are called in Ohio] was so quaint. It was made even quainter when I began to recognize buildings pictured in the back of the Book of Mormon.

Our first stop was the Visitor's Center operated by the Community of Christ. Inside they have a little museum focused on information from the earliest church settlers in Kirtland. After a quick look around [really..it was quick. I wont lie, the place gave me a weird feeling] we waited for our tour of the temple to begin.

The tour starts with a video projection of information stating how Kirtland became the site of the temple. Once the video was over, the projector was lowered and curtains were opened to display the temple. It was such a breathtaking thing! Honestly, there were audible gasps from others on the tour with us [myself included]. It was so cool to see the temple up so close through the window!

We then were lead into the temple. Our tour guide was quite the guy...I don't even have words to describe him. Well, yes I do. Awkward. He was so awkward. I loved being in the temple and recalling stories I have read about that took place in the exact rooms I was standing in, but...the guy was just weird. Moving on.

We actually had a few gentleman on our tour that are something like the Apostles of the Community of Christ church. The following day was what could be considered our Priesthood session of conference in their church which was held in the temple. It was very interesting to me. I reallllly wanted to ask them a few questions on their beliefs, but I decided to just Wikipedia it when I got home instead. My shyness got the best of me. Dang.

At the time, I couldn't exactly describe to Jake the feelings I had while we were in the temple. It was so beautiful, yet something was lacking. It wasn't until we visited the LDS Visitor's Center and buildings owned by the church that I could pinpoint what was missing.

When we walked through the doors into the LDS Visitor's Center and were greeted by Sister missionaries, I immediately felt the spirit - the exact thing that was lacking in the temple. The temple is sacred ground for sure, but I think it was just being in the presence of people who know and believe the same things I do that really made the difference.

Jake and I got VIP treatment - we were given a tour by two sweet Sister missionaries from Utah all by ourselves. Just the four of us. It was so great. And they were so sweet. You could tell the tour was tailored to nonmember tourists, but I think that made it even better. They asked us a lot of questions about what each room they showed us meant to us and asked for examples of trials in our own lives. It was such a special experience to be in the exact room where the School of the Prophets met and to share with these sweet girls our story of little baby Maycie. It was a moment I don't want to forget.

We were able to see the exact Newel K. Whitney store where Joseph and Emma lived for a time. We walked on the same wood floor they did. We sat and shared in the room where the Word of Wisdom was first put into place. We even saw the exact table Joseph Smith used while writing some of the revelation in the Doctrine and Covenants. Can you say awesome?

We then toured the real Whitney home, and replicas of the Sawmill, Ashery, and Johnson Inn. We also took a stroll through the Kirtland cemetery.

Hey guys. Guess what? The Church is true. Really. And our weekend in Kirtland just boosted my confidence in saying that just a little bit more than I would have before.

Can you imagine how I will feel next weekend after we visit Palmyra, NY? Uh, can't wait!

Until then...