Sharon, Vermont -- Birthplace of Joseph Smith

Well, it looks like it has been quite a while since we have posted anything, we have been very busy...but things have been good.

I have been meaning to post these pictures for a while. During the first week in April, I was back east for some meetings with my company. We went to Albany, NY; Burlington, VT; and then Portsmouth, NH. They were beautiful places to see, in between our Albany and Burlington meetings my co-worker and I stopped by Sharon, VT and went to the birthplace of Joseph Smith. It was an absolutely amazing experience!!!

Here are some pictures:

This is the original hearth from the Smith house, still in place

This is the original step into the Smith house, still in exactly the same spot...so it gave you a good indication of where the house was and how it was angled, etc.

This picture is kind of dark, but I wanted you to get an idea of the height and size of this monument. It is 38.5 feet tall for every year of Joseph's life. It was dedicated on the 100th anniversary of Joseph's birth...so that means the dedication took place on Dec 23rd, 1905...imagine how cold that dedication service was. December in Vermont...brrrr!

This is me standing by the monument, in case you couldn't tell :)

This trip really inspired me to learn more about the first 11 years of the prophet's life, which were spent here in Sharon, Vermont before the family relocated to upstate New York. It has also inspired me to study more about Lucy Mack Smith, it took a great woman to raise the prophet of the restoration. It is a tradition in our ward for the Bishopric to speak on Mother's Day, I spoke a lot about Lucy Mack Smith and what an amazing woman she was.

It was a great and inspiring trip!!!