Kirtland: The Heavens are Opened

I always thought Nauvoo was Joseph's "city."  But really, he lived in Kirtland more than twice as long as he did in Nauvoo.   Just down the hill from the Kirtland Temple, run by the Community of Christ, the LDS Church has a wonderful visitor's center and restoration of the historic town.

Here we were joined with two manly men from BYU/Hawaii.  We followed each other through the rest of our touring.  They were lots of fun and I thought they made us look better so they joined us in many of our pictures. 

The Newel K. Whitney Store was significant because Joseph and Emma lived in the upper story for a time.  Joseph actually turned the upper room of the store into the School of the Prophets, the Church's first MTC!

The store on the lower level

The green nametag things we were wearing were actually the tickets into the Kirtland Temple courtesy of the Church of Christ.  We just continued to wear them without much thought the rest of the day.  Doesn't it make us seem official? Lori makes it look GOOD.

Okay. I didn't touch, but I wanted to.  Those checkers are slices of yellow corn and colored corn.  Cool!

Awesome meeting in the room known as the School of Prophets.  Tiny.  Red. Awesome.

Many many revelations received here.

It was thrilling just to be in this room.

Exit through the storage rooms . . .

and the homewares. . .

Another beautiful newly restored building.

This is a working sawmill powered by an honest-to-goodness waterwheel.
I love beautiful wood.

. . . coming out of the lye mill. Next stop:  Palmyra.