Ohi-Yo!

Okay, I'm really going to give you a blow-by-blow of our Labor Day weekend. It's going to be long, I'm not going to lie. But if you manage to make it to the end there will be a little visual treat for your patience.

We took a trip to Ohio to meet the Wessmans (from Michigan) for camping and visiting church sites. We had a great time. And that's an understatement.

Let me first say, I'm not much of a camper. It has something to do with my extreme aversion to public restrooms, dirt, mosquitoes, etc. This trip, however, has begun to change my mind. My kids loved it; which made me love it. And of course, it is always more fun to be with friends. Plus it helped that there were showers.

In the room of the Johnson Farm
where Joseph Smith received many important revelations.

We visited the Johnson farm first. There I realized I'm completely ignorant when it comes to church history.

Things I didn't know:

With the gift of prophecy back on the earth, Elsa Johnson wondered if the gift of healing had also been restored. Having never spoken of this, she met the prophet for the first time where he commanded her to be healed. Her incapacitated arm was instantly healed.

I'm familiar with the story of Joseph Smith being drug into the yard by a mob of men and tarred and feathered. I did not know it was while he and Emma were living at the Johnson's home. The next morning he preached from the steps of the home during Sunday service.

Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ not only appeared to Joseph in the grove, but here at the farm as well. It was here that the 76th section of the Doctrine and Covenants was revealed.

I didn't know that the wealthy Johnson family donated all their land and their beautiful home to fund the building of the Kirtland temple.

Near the Johnson farm is a u-pick raspberry patch. We couldn't resist fresh raspberries.

The campground where we stayed has a lake boasting a man-made beach. Let me just say, it's a nice thought to create a beach where there is none, but I think lakes should remain lakes and beaches beaches. The water was just too slimy. But then the kids did have great fun in the sand. And a splash park later on in the trip more than made up for the less than inviting lake water.

Perhaps the greatest part of the trip was Sunday. My aunt and uncle are missionaries at the Kirtland visitors center. We first attended Sacrament Meeting with them. And true to our Barker blood, Aunt Sheryl and I got a little teary when we saw each other. It's always great to be with family.

After church Elder and Sister Crosby were able to take us on the tour of the Kirtland site. And what an awesome place it is! The Newel K. Whitney store and home, the ashery and the Johnson Inn are just a few of the places to see.

Again, I did not know that both Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith in the upper room of the store as well. Others were able to see the Lord too. While we were sitting in this upper room, Uncle Norman (Elder Crosby) had us read the testimony of John Murdock:

"During the winter of 1833 we had a number of prayer meetings in the Prophet's chamber. In one of those meetings the Prophet told us, if we could humble ourselves before God, and exercise strong faith, we should see the face of the Lord. And about midday, the visions of my mind were opened, and the eyes of my understanding were enlightened, and I saw the form of a man most lovely. The visage of His face was sound and fair as the sun. His hair a bright silver gray, curled in most majestic form, His eyes a keen penetrating blue, and the skin of his neck a most beautiful white. And He was covered from neck to the feet with a loose garment, pure white, whiter than any garment I have ever before seen. His countenance was most penetrating and yet most lovely...And while I was endeavoring to comprehend the whole personage from head to feet, it slipped from me. but it left on my mind the impression of love, for months that I never felt before to that degree."

Even though Adelaide was whining to be carried and asking non-stop for drinks, I really felt the spirit of this place. It was an integral period in the Church's history. I loved it.

And in the spirit of missions, I was able to talk a bit with a foreign exchange student from Russia. Man, does my Russian stink after nearly eleven years! I don't get too many opportunities like that. It wasn't until the end of our conversation that I realized she may not be a member of the church. I wish now I had asked her a few more questions. But then if I did, I probably would not have remembered how to ask them. (Sigh.)

We headed up the street to see the Kirtland Temple owned by the Community of Christ (RLDS). It was beautiful. We toured the inside. Changes have been made over the years; such as the temple, apparently, was not originally white. Much does remain the same and it really was a remarkable place to see.


Monday we packed up and parted ways with the Wessmans. Mike and Marinda, thanks for such a great weekend. Your kids are adorable. I think Ethan and Adelaide would have preferred Abby and Briton come home with us by how much fun they were having together. We look forward to another trip next year!

The rest of you are probably wondering about that treat I promised.

Well, on our way home we stopped in a town heavily populated with Amish, to gawk. We saw lots of horses and buggies. The kids were both excited and disgusted by all the horse poop along the sides of the road. They were so concentrated on it that they sometimes missed seeing the horses completely. We even stopped at an Amish yard sale (but alas, junk is junk no matter whose yard sale it is).

Your treat is this: the local Walmart has a special parking area, a buggy parking shed. I snapped a picture before this buggy's owner came out from the store. I love the irony of the nearby shopping cart.