Week #47, 1 and 2 November 2017

Wednesday, we woke up to overcast skies, wind, and rain.  Gone were the two days of plenty of sunshine.  As we left out on the next leg of our trip, we reflected on when we were stationed at Fort Benjamin Harrison, right here in Indianapolis.  Bob was in Finance School during the month of May 1969.   Fort Ben has been closed.

We traveled most of the day, leaving Illinois, skipping through Ohio, and then entering Michigan.  It was a new adventure for us.  We passed a Nestle plant, the National FFA (Future Farmers of America) Headquarters, and Duck Tape Headquarters.  Leaves are turning and every now and then we saw vivid fall colors scattered here and there among the trees.

We checked into a Fairfield Inn and then headed to the Detroit Temple.  We were stopped at the corner and knowing we were close, I looked around and found Moroni.

It sits in a stake center parking lot and it was a bit surprising at how it seems to be sandwiched in between buildings.  It was hard to get a picture, so this is what we got.  I was impressed with the beautiful flowers, though.

Selfies are always fun.

We enjoyed our time in the temple.  The workers were very kind and happy to see us.  We got a tour of the baptistry and they wanted to show us their teeny tiny laundry.

On the way back to the hotel, we found an Ihop and enjoyed a delicious breakfast for our supper.  We were happy to be back at the hotel and able to relax.

Thursday brought another morning of clouds and rain.  We left Detroit, heading for Kirtland, Ohio.  As we got out of the Detroit area, the rain stopped and the clouds thinned.  We had a spot of sunshine here and there and the temps got up to the high 50's.  Gees, we felt like summer had arrived!

Our first stop was the Kirtland Temple.  

We took a tour and enjoyed all we learned while inside.  At the end of the video we watched, the screen went up and the curtains opened and this is what we saw.

It was a beautiful sight.  We then walked to the temple for the tour.  Our guide was most informative with facts and details about all we saw.

The tour began inside the front doors and then we went to the second floor (the second row of arched windows) where the construction and the furnishings were explained in detail.  We then went to the third floor (the dormer windows) and sat in Joseph Smith's office as more information was given.  We learned that the windows were built such as to let light in in abundance for study and such.  We then went to the first floor where there are choir lofts in each of the four corners.  There were not musical instruments used in the temple and the Saints sang acapella.

 You can see the stair cases through the corner windows.  The building is about 85% as it was when it was dedicated.

The temple was begun in 1833 and completed in 1836.  Joseph Smith called her the "House of the Lord," when he gave the dedicatory prayer, 7 March 1836.  The Saints sacrificed their worldly goods to build of local materials this impressive Gothic Revival and Classic style temple.

 As the tour ended on the first floor, the guide asked if anyone played the piano.  I said I did and was invited to play the piano while we all sang "The Spirit Of God."  Wow, what an awesome experience.  I could only think of the early Saints singing that very hymn in this very temple.

 When the tour was over, I went across the street to get a picture from the front of the temple.  Well, I was disappointed to see so many telephone and electric wires in the way.  The temple does not sit parallel with the road.  The guide said Joseph had intended the road to run parallel to the temple, but that did not happen.

 As we walked back to the car we saw children getting off the school bus and walking through the temple grounds on their way home.  That was fun to see.

 Our next stop was the Visitor's Center.  We took the tour of the buildings there.  We crossed Stoney Creek, so named  because the bottom of it is stone, not sand.  It runs into the Chagrin River, you can see it at the end, and that is where the first baptisms were held in Kirtland, up to the left on the river.

Across the bridge and up to the right is the Newel K Whitney Store.

 It was through these very doors behind us, the prophet Joseph Smith entered and said:  "Newel Whitney, thou art the man.  You prayed me here.  What do you want?"  The building is 80% original.

Newel kept accurate records of everything he sold each day.  It is from that book the church was able to supply the store with authentic merchandize.

This is the "barter room."  Here is where Newel traded in kind with customers.  After he was ordained bishop, it used it for the bishop's storehouse.

Upstairs, this is the dining room.  Emma would prepare meals and bring them up here to serve them.  It was in this room the prophet went and prayed with the question about the tobacco using and spitting men needed a solution.

Here, in the School of the Prophets, Joseph came in and  revealed to the men the Word of Wisdom.  He asked if they could live it.  21 of the 23 brothers said they could.  The last two thought and then said they could too.  All 23 threw their pipes and tobacco into this very fireplace.

The room was also known as "The Revelation Room," for it was here Jesus Christ revealed himself individually to those who sincerely sought his presence.

We also toured Newel K Whitney's home and the Johnson Inn.  Whitney's home is original and the Inn has been rebuilt.

This picture is in the Visitor's Center.  It demonstrates the hard work and unity of the Saints as they constructed the temple.

We toured two other enterprises owned and operated by Newel K Whitney.  They both burned down and these are replicas:  The sawmill,

 and the ashery.

The day had come to an end and we sought food and shelter.  We thought we knew where we were going but took a wrong turn and ended up on the freeway.  It went for quite awhile before we got turned around.  We found our destination and ready to relax.