Church in Erie, Pennsylvania
Today is Sunday, and we were excited to spend our Sabbath in Kirtland, OH where much of the restoration of the gospel occurred. On our way there we stopped in Erie, Pennsylvania to attend church. It’s always fun visiting different wards.
Kirtland, OH
Our visit to Kirtland was an incredibly spiritual experience for me. We first toured the Kirtland temple which the saints used more as a meetinghouse and schoolhouse at the time. It’s a gorgeous building and stands as a testament to the faith of the saints at the time.
We then visited the historic Kirtland visitors center where a senior missionary guided us through the Newel K Whitney store, house, sawmill, and ashery. The NK Whitney store is 80% original, which is pretty spectacular. Joseph and Emma Smith lived here for several months while the church was being restored. We got to sit in the room where the prophet received numerous revelations and was visited by the Lord. I felt the truthfulness of these things during my visit. I believe that these things happened for the spirit testified of them to me.
This was my first visit to Kirtland and some day I want to return with my future children to let them feel the spirit there as well. I feel like our visit to Nauvoo earlier in our trip helped me get to know the early saints more and recognize their trials and sacrifices. Whereas today’s trip to Kirtland helped me to get to know my Savior more and strengthen my understanding of the restoration. This visit to Kirtland will forever be a sacred experience for me.
