Church History Tour 2025

We were able to travel with Corinne, Ben and Richard back east to tour some of the church history sites. Corinne did the planning because their family had been back east a year ago for a MCO concert series. She wanted Richard to have the same opportunity since he was serving on his mission at that time. We were happy to join them. 

We met up at the Detroit Airport. Corinne arrived ahead of us because she had been on a work trip to the Ivory Coast in Africa. We ate at Arby's and then went back to our hotel and relaxed for the evening. 

Our first morning in Detroit we went to the Detroit Temple to attend an endowment session. A nice little temple. 

After the temple session, we stopped for sandwiches at Jersey Mike's and headed for Niagra Falls on the Canadian side. Ate at Dairy Queen so we could have ice cream.

The next morning we bought our tickets to tour out to the Falls. It was a very wet experience, but still very fun. We walked up the street and rode on the Niagra Skywheel. and ate at McDonalds. 

Here we are up in the Negra Skywheel.

Fred and Richard bought matching hats.

We left Canada and drove to Palmyra New York. We checked into our hotel room that we shared and got ready to go to a session at the Palmyra Temple. Corinne actually ran into a co-worker from Puerto Rico in the temple. How amazing is that?

We ate at a local Pizza place and went through the Grandin Print Shop where the Book of Mormon was published. Quite a time intensive process. Over seven months from start to finish. 

Mark's Pizza

I got BAD heartburn after this meal.

From here we drove out to the Welcome Center at the Sacred Grove. The weather was not great. We put on our rain gear and hit the paths to the 

Hill Cumorah Monument.

This is the first Smith Home where Joseph went to the Grove (The First Vision)

We walked through some of the out buildings and we found this wheelbarrow that we needed a picture of.

                                      

Hyrum was building this house before he was killed. The Smith Family finished it and moved in. 

On Sunday, we got up and went to church in Palmyra.

The chapel filled into the first few rows in the gym. It was fast Sunday and most of the testimonies were born by ward members.

We ate lunch in the car and then headed to the Whitmer Family Farm.

We headed to Harmony, PA next.

This is the Whitmer's Family Home.

From that site we walked down the road to the Hale's home and Emma & Joseph's home was across the street from the Hales.

Joseph & Emma's home down the street from the Hales.

Up the hill from their home is a cemetery. One of their son's died in infancy and this is the headstone. 

Cemetery

Walking back from the cemetery on the hill.

Here is the Susquehanna River where Joseph and Oliver Cowdery were baptized and the Aaronic Priesthood was restored.

The Church does not have record of the exact date or place where the Melchizadek Priesthood was restored, but this monument is here in Palmyra..

We ate at Applebee's tonight. It was definitely a step up from 

where we've been eating.

The next day we packed up and hit the road to Kirtland, Ohio.

In Kirkland we visited the temple site, Smith Home, Whitney Store, Ashery and Sawmill. 

                                       

                                       

After these sites, we went to Texas Roadhouse to end the day.

The last day we headed towards the airport. We stopped at Lakewood Park along Lake Erie. The shoreline looks like an ocean, not a lake. 

Before the trip, I was pretty much freaked out about sharing a hotel room for two nights with all of us sharing one bathroom. It was totally just fine. Other than quite a bit of rain, the trip was really wonderful. Fred and I would like to go back and see more one of these days.

Corinne dropped us off at the airport and they were able to spend a little more time exploring. 

Mother's Day Weekend with Corinne's family

Here are some of my best peeps. I organized a lunch for us to wish our good friend Pat Fuhriman happy trails to Utah. Pat and I simply clicked when she moved into our ward a couple of years ago. I was her ministering sister and from there our friendship grew. I was so pleased that so many could come to celebrate Pat. 

Shannon gave us tickets for this Rockies game for Christmas.

Our seats were fantastic and the weather was perfect when we were under the cloud cover. When the sun peeked through the clouds, the sun was so powerful that I got a bit sunburned around my neck and arms. 

It was a really good game. The Rockies actually won against the Atlanta Braves. That is the first time we've attended a game that the Rockies won.

Corinne and her family came for Mother's Day weekend. Marissa made a birthday cake for Corinne and found ways for Clara to help.

I always ask Ben to do the dirty jobs for me. Ben is always very supportive, helpful and puts everyone else's needs before his own. He is always game to do whatever comes up. I appreciate these qualities in him.

Of course, there is always games to play. 

We have a Super Nintendo that actually entertains the grandkids. 

Marissa was very sweet with Clara. I was happy to see my two granddaughters doing some things together. 

Blake enjoyed teaching Spencer and Richard how to use his airplane simulator. 

Clara got to help Grandpa with his gardening chores. 

The seven of us adults left the kids at home to entertain themselves while we went to the temple for a sealing session. After the session, we drove them by our cemetery plots for fun. 

Next we went to Ajuua Mexican Restaurant for dinner. It was a very enjoyable and beautiful day. 

My girls. 
It was a lovely time together. I love that they came to us. 

Colorado Auto Show

Fred bought tickets for us to go to the Colorado Auto Show in Denver. 

We decided taking the train would make it a bit more fun. 

Also avoid the horrible traffic and then parking.

We are standing on the train platform waiting for our train. 

Here we go!

It took maybe 45 minutes. We missed our stop so we had to turn around 

and ride the train back a stop.

Proof of our ticket.

The train station was right outside the Convention Center doors so that worked out.

Big Bad Bear at the Convention Center.

We are interested in a Hybrid. We have our eyes on on a Toyota Rav4, 

Subaru Forester or Hyundai Tucson.

We started out with Toyotas, but I found this Forester 

and already made up my mind.

This is the Subaru Ascent - I would really love this, but we don't have enough garage space. 

Fred really like the Toyota Rav4. They are nice too so I wouldn't make a stink if we got one of these instead of the Forester.

Our train ride back to our car did not go very smoothly. By this time of the evening it was cold and windy. We got off for the first transfer and the train didn't come and we waited at least 20 minutes. We finally got on a different line that took us to the next transfer. Again, it was cold and windy and we waited longer than we wanted. Finally got on the last train and made it back to the parking lot. I only wore a sweater so I was so cold. Other than the challenges on the train, it was a perfect outing. 

Bremerton March 2025

We made an unscheduled trip to Washington. Brian's mom Shari passed away while we were on our family cruise. Fred and I wanted to support Brian so we flew to Seattle and drove over the Cheney to attend the service.

We left there and drove over to Bremerton so we could do some visiting.

I was able to organize a lunch with some of my dear friends. Chris Martone was there also, but she left early. I asked the waitress to take a picture. I love it.

From left to right: 

Suzie Webb, Lorraine Butler, Leila Wilkins, me and Wendy Allred. 

One night we took the ferry over to Seattle to eat some Ivar's seafood 

and do a little souvenir shopping.

We did this trip at the end of the day, so it was dark by the time we got to the 

Ferry to cross back. That's our ferry in the background.

In the background here is Mariners T-Mobile Stadium and 

Seahawks Lumen Field are in the background here.

Here we have the huge ferris wheel on the pier. We have been on that two times, but tonight we couldn't fit it in.

Here's our food treasure.

Ivar's has a covered eating area. They had heaters running thank goodness. 

It was a very cold night.

I asked Fred to take me to the Tahoma National Cemetery to visit my parent's gravesite. Fred has spent a lot of time and energy visiting several of his family gravesites over the last few years. He will take flowers. I decided my parent's deserved us to decorate their spot too. It's so beautiful at that cemetery. 

I'm so glad they were buried here.

A must do is eating at Noah's Arc in Bremerton. Favorite burger place.

This is the first home we bought when we got married. At the time it was painted red. The owners since we sold it have done a lot of work to make it look better. 

We had a huge backyard that was untamed. 

We got to attend Stake Conference on the Sunday we were town. It was so fabulous. We saw so many former friends that day. It was a highlight of the trip. We were able to visit Bill Butherus. Fred was his counselor in the Bishopric. We also stopped by the Pitcher's home. It was so wonderful to visit with Frank and Sandy. Such good people. We went to dinner with Lorraine and Allan at Azteca (another restaurant we have to eat at when we go back to Bremerton) 

 

I think we accomplished all that we wanted to on this visit. I do love to go back to see friends, but the area is starting to feel unfamiliar. Beautiful memories of our life took place here. I identify and growing up in Bremerton, not San Luis Obispo.