September 10, 2010 - Palmyra to Mendon to Niagara Falls, NY

Pondering and Pondering

While I participated in a long teleconference board meeting, Dad spent over three hours in the Sacred Grove by himself. Then we drove to Mendon, NY to see where the homes and farms of Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball were located. Then we went to Niagara Falls, NY and saw the American Falls and Horseshoe Falls just after sunset. We will spend more time at the Falls tomorrow.


It was very late tonight before we started looking for lodging and so we took about the first place we came upon . . . the Sunrise Inn. As we stepped through the red door into the small room, Dad shook his head and commented by way of observation, not complaint: “This is by far the worst motel we have stayed this entire trip.” For Dad to say that, you know the place has to be pretty awful.

Hill Cumorah

We travel by the grace of God and the goodness of strangers.

Dad says:


This morning Mark was occupied by a 3-4 hour telephone business conference call. This allowed me to go alone for a second wonderful visit to the Sacred Grove. In all that time, I saw only two other people – a couple who walked by hand in hand and disappeared down the path.

As I sat alone pondering the beauty and significance of the place, I felt almost absorbed by the silence, a great feeling welled up within me of love for each blessed member of our family. I pondered a moment on each of you individually feeling nearly overcome with gratitude. I couldn’t help but make a cell phone call to each of the younger four: caught Andrew at work, left messages for Rosie and Philip, and had a wonderful conversation with Angie. Finally, I called Mom again to tell her what I was experiencing. Later in the day, as Mark and I drove away from these precious sites, Philip called and I was delighted to have a one-on-one with him.

Martin Harris Home

My thoughts while in the Grove were just reinforcements of my thoughts the day before, namely that I was not yet ready to receive direct spiritual answers to some of my questions, and that I should focus on living worthy of these answers in some future time.

The more-than-three-hours in the Grove this morning were another spiritual treasure – never to be forgotten nor likely repeated in my time.


Love to All,


Dad