Here are the pictures from our Church History Tour in July 2000.

Each day one of the tour participants was asked to write an account of the day. Mine (under a pseudonym, of course) is shown below. As soon as I can find the full diary, I will put it on this page.

Wednesday, July 12, 2000

Day 5 of the "One and Only True Church History Tour", or "How I learned to stop worrying and learned to volunteer."

By
Obadiah Dogberry


It was a dark and stormy night. Oops, wrong story.

The always perfectly coifed Don the bus driver fired up the bus at 8:15 a.m. and we sadly departed the beautiful Canandaigua Inn on the Lake in upstate New York. The temperature was cool but the skies were clear and beautiful as we said goodbye to the beautiful region of Palmyra.

The tyrannical "Travel Guys" immediately commenced the daily harangue for diary writers. I, like everyone else on the bus, had been pleading since the tour started to be allowed to have the opportunity. Sensing my distress, Marsha, Sharon, Bill and Jane, stood and shouted "We want Obadiah, We want Obadiah". Soon everyone was on their feet in total agreement, whistling and yelling and pleading to the tyrannical Travel Guys that I be allowed to add my humble submission to the "daily diary". Sensing, apparently, the huge groundswell of sentiment, they acquiesced. Ok…nobody stood up, and nobody whistled and yelled, but it is true that I was "volunteered" by the aforementioned quartet (who shall be assessed a fine of $21…inside joke).

At approximately, 8:51 a.m., Margaret strolled down the aisle for her hourly exercise. Upon her return, she offered the scribe a Snickers Bar. He accepted.

Because the hotel for the next evening didn't have enough non-smoking rooms, the tyrannical Travel Guys asked for a few volunteers to occupy smoking rooms. Following discussion of various incentives by the Senior Tour Director (which would have earned them the title of "the Liberal Travel Guys" and for which decorum prohibits their discussion herein), Bill Harvey volunteered, but only if he could smoke.

After finally regaining control of the group the Travel Guys put in a video on the First Vision which we watched as we continued through the countryside of hayfields and cornfields.

Dave Wheeler then told the story of Willard Bean, his grandfather's uncle, who had been asked by the Brethren to move to Palmyra. He related a special experience that Willard's wife Rebecca, had the details of which apparently didn't make it into my notes.

We sat back and relaxed until we reached Buffalo and headed to Niagara Falls. The tyrannical Travel Guys indicated that Bill Harvey had volunteered to buy dinner for the first person to see the falls. Bill indicated that they had misunderstood and that the offer was that the first person to see the falls would have the privilege to "eat dinner with" Bill Harvey. Jane Harvey was the first person to see the falls whereupon Bill rescinded the offer.

The Senior Tour Director then related the story of his San Francisco friend who went to Hoover Dam. The friend's poodle fell over the side of the dam and as the dog rolled down the concrete dam, it rolled with such velocity that it burst into flames. A veritable plethora of bad puns then ensued…"french fried", "doggone", "hot dog", "dam dog", "scrapes suzette"….

The less senior Tour Director then related a poem:
Here is a place that will grab ya,
It is a place called Niagara,
He said he didn't have an ending to the poem (nor any meaning as far as we could tell).

Mercifully, we arrived at Niagara Falls.

A boat tour on the famous "Maid of the Mist" was next on the agenda. We departed the bus at 10:20 and walked through a beautiful little park to the edge of the canyon to take a long elevator ride down to the river to board the boat. We were each given a blue plastic poncho which if you put it on too soon turned into a sauna but which if you put it on too late also turned into a sauna. The mist from the water pouring over the falls (202,000 gallons per second on the American side and about 600,000 gallons per second on the Canadian Falls - or in the inimitable words of the Travel Guys - "Folks, that's a lot of water!) was refreshing but wet.

By 11:45 a.m. we were back on the bus and at approximately noon, the Senior Tour Director handed out free postcards in lieu of lunch. We voted him off the bus.

By 12:15 p.m., Margaret's muscles must have stiffened up because she was again seen heading down the aisle. Upon her return, she offered the scribe a Mento. He accepted.

At 12:30, the Travel Guys indicated that they had arranged for Boston Market sandwiches. Minutes later we pulled over and the Travel Guys ran into the Boston Market and came out with chicken, turkey, meatloaf, and BBQ chicken sandwiches along with Snapple and chips. We voted the Senior Tour Director back on the bus.

Our route for the afternoon generally followed the Erie Canal to the southwest. Along the way we passed mile after mile of vineyards through western New York and into Eastern Pennsylvania.

One of the many enjoyable things about this tour is that the Travel Guys had some neat videos. About 2:30 p.m., they showed us a video about Parley P. Pratt and the Book of Mormon. Ezra Taft Benson made the comment in the video that "Every Latter-day Saint should make the study of this book a lifetime pursuit."

The highlight of the day, of course, was our arrival in the Kirtland area. Before arriving in Kirtland, we passed through Painesville, 10 miles to the northeast. A hotbed of anti-Mormon hysteria started in the Painesville area, along with the Spaulding controversy. The Travel Guys shared an article from the Painesville Telegraph from May of 1831 about the arrival of 200 Saints from New York.

We arrived at the Newell K. Whitney store in Kirtland around 3:00 p.m. and after a tour were treated to thoughtful comments from the Travel Guys. Another good thing about the tour has been the appropriate and timely comments prepared for us about each location that we visit.

We then traveled up the road a bit to the Isaac Morley farm, site of the second sacred grove. Following more commentary in the shade of huge tree we made our way up the hill to see the area where the little log school house once stood in which Joseph and others saw the Father and His Son Jesus Christ sitting on the right hand of God.

By 4:50 we were back on the bus headed back to the Kirtland Temple arriving at 5:00 p.m. Since we had a tour of the temple scheduled for the next day, we just strolled around the grounds and did a little shopping in the RLDS bookstore situated adjacent to the temple grounds.

The tyrannical Travel Guys had us back on the bus by 5:35 for a quick visit to the Temple Quarry in the Chapin Forest just up the road from the Temple.

Back on the bus at 6:00 p.m. to head to the Fairfield Inn by Marriott in Willoughby, Ohio. On the way, Steve Cornwall told us of his experience doing the stone work on the outside of the Manti Temple Annex, a project that was expected to take 6 months and which instead took 2 1/2 years, a project which he completed despite significant personal financial sacrifice.

We settled into our room after arriving at 6:20 p.m., and because of the paucity of protein purveyors in the area, most chose to eat dinner at "Damon's - Famous BBQ'd ribs." Those eating dinner with Obadiah only had to pay $21 each for their meal (Obadiah, in his magnanimous way, picking up the difference.)

Random Reminiscences of the Day
1. Chad and handcuffs. RM's, what are you gonna do?
2. Senior Tour Director forced to sit in back of bus because less Senior Tour Director was asleep and Senior Tour Director didn't want to climb over him.
3. Jeremy Runnells sneaking up the aisle and grabbing his dad's pillow. Dad, of course, promised retribution, since Jeremy and his dad had the same room that evening.
4. Jane on the cell phone talking nonsense to her granddaughter at a $1 per minute
5. Seen on the back of Troy's t-shirt; "I don't know if we each have a destiny, or if we're all just floatin' around accidental-like on a breeze - Forrest Gump".
6. Tim Orr trying to figure out how to lock the bathroom door.
7. Snapple drinkers had chances at prizes by looking under the bottle cap. Dave Wheeler was the lucky winner of a portable CD case - as long as he sends in $15 for shipping and handling.

And thus concludes my narrative, and it was called the Fifth Day.

2000 Church History Tour


aaa 1 Las Vegas airport (Small).jpg

aab 1 Sherrie and the Harveys in LV airport (Small).jpg

aac 3 Downtown Boston park (Small).jpg

aad 4 Sharon Burt Jane Harvey Marsha Vannah and Sherrie in downtown Boston (Small).jpg

aae 5 Keith in old cemetery in downtown Boston (Small).jpg

aaf 6 Sherrie in old cemetery in downtown Boston (Small).jpg

aag 7 Harveys and me eating lobster at Fanueil Hall in Boston (Small).jpg

aah 8 Sherrie at motel in Lexington (Small).jpg

aai 9 Keith in downtown Salem (Small).jpg

aaj 10 Jane Harvey and Sherrie in fron of witches store in Salem (Small).jpg

aak 11 On the Minuteman Trail at visitors center (Small).jpg

aal 12 Keith on Concord bridge (Small).jpg

aam 13 Sherrie at Concord bridge (Small).jpg

aan 14 Sherrrie in Sharon Vermont (Small).jpg

aao 15 Sherrie at Smith farm in Sharon VT (Small).jpg

aap 16 Keith on old stone bridge Sharon VT (Small).jpg

aaq 17 Sherrie at Smith monument in Sharon VT (Small).jpg

aar 18 Sherrie and Sister Gubler from SG daughter of Murray Gubler who works at FSB (Small).jpg

aas 19 In visitors center with parts of original fireplace (Small).jpg

aat 20 Sherrie in store at Tunbridge VT (Small).jpg

aau 21 By swimming pool at motel in Rutland VT (Small).jpg

aav 22 Sherrie crashed early (Small).jpg

aaw 23 Sherrie at place JS married EH (Small).jpg

aax 24 Susquehanna River (Small).jpg

aay 25 Hart gravestone in Susquehanna cemetery (Small).jpg

aaz 26 Thomas gravestone in Susquehanna cemetery (Small).jpg

aba 27 Keith by AP restoration statue (Small).jpg

abb 28 Banks of Susquehanna (Small).jpg

abc 29 Banks of Susquehanna (Small).jpg

abd 30 Chad Ramos on banks of Susquehanna (Small).jpg

abe 31 Chad Ramos and his mother Nola Harbor on banks of Susquehanna (Small).jpg

abf 32 Sherrie at Peter Whitmer farm (Small).jpg

abg 33 Keith at Peter Whitmer farm (Small).jpg

abh 34 Peter Whitmer farm (Small).jpg

abi 35 Sherrie at Peter Whitmer cabin (Small).jpg

abj 36 Sherrie at Peter Whitmer farm (Small).jpg

abk 37 Canandaigua Inn clockwise Sherrie Marsha V Sharon B Jane H (Small).jpg

abl 38 Canandaigua Inn clockwise from Sherrie KT Marsha V Sharon B Jane H Bill H (Small).jpg

abm 39 Sherrie at JS home in Palmyra (Small).jpg

abn 40 Sherrie in Sacred Grove (Small).jpg

abo 41 Keith in Sacred Grove (Small).jpg

abp 42 Sherrie in Sacred Grove (Small).jpg

abq 43 Sharon Burt in Sacred Grove (Small).jpg

abr 44 KT and SH in Sacred Grove (Small).jpg

abs 45 SH in Sacred Grove (Small).jpg

abt 46 SH in Sacred Grove (Small).jpg

abu 47 Sherrie between Sacred Grove and JS house (Small).jpg

abv 48 room in bldg at JS Palmyra (Small).jpg

abw 49 Sherrie in front of Palmyra Temple (Small).jpg

abx 50 Sherrie in front of Palmyra Temple (Small).jpg

aby 51 Keith in front of Palmyra Temple (Small).jpg

abz 52 Sherrie in front of Grandin Building in Palmyra (Small).jpg

aca 53 Sherrie with Four Corners behind her (Small).jpg

acb 54 Sherrie on Hill Cumorah (Small).jpg

acc 55 Keith on Hill Cumorah (Small).jpg

acd 56 Sherrie coming out of br on bus (Small).jpg

ace 57 Sherrie on patio at Canandaigua Inn (Small).jpg

acf 58 first of panarama shots moving to the left (Small).jpg

acg 59 Second of panarama shots moving to the left (Small).jpg

ach 60 Third of panarama shots moving to the left (Small).jpg

aci 61 Fourth of panarama shots moving to the left (Small).jpg

acj 62 Fifth and last of panarama shots moving to the left (Small).jpg

ack 63 Sherrie at HC Pageant (Small).jpg

acl 64 Sherrie at HC Pageant (Small).jpg

acm 65 Keith at HC Pageant (Small).jpg

acn 66 Sister Langston and Sherrie at HC pageant (Small).jpg

aco 67 Sherrie and King Noah at HC Pageant (Small).jpg

acp 68 Joe Ankenman at HC pageant (Small).jpg

acq 69 Joe Ankenman at HC pageant (Small).jpg

acr 70 Joe Ankenman at HC pageant (Small).jpg

acs 71 Sherrie overlooking Niagara Falls (Small).jpg

act 72 On the boat Maid of the Mist (Small).jpg

acu 73 Sherrie on the boat Maid of the Mist (Small).jpg

acv 74 Sherrie on the boat Maid of the Mist (Small).jpg

acw 75 From under the blue plastic on the boat Maid of the Mist (Small).jpg

acx 76 Marsha Vannah and Sherrie on the boat (Small).jpg

acy 77 Throwing me over the side (Small).jpg

acz 78 Vampire bite (Small).jpg

adb 80 Martin and Sheila Bunker (Gary Crowes sister) (Small).jpg

adc 81 Sherrie at Newell k Whitney store (Small).jpg

add 82 Jane Sherrie Drasso Leah Hanson Teri Rodriguez Chris Paulos Sandra Abbott at NKW store (Small).jpg

ade 83 upstairs at NWK store (Small).jpg

adf 84 Sherrie in front of NWK store in Kirtland (Small).jpg

adg 85 Isaac Morley farm Second Sacred Grove (Small).jpg

adh 86 Sherrie in front of Kirtland temple (Small).jpg

adi 87 Keith in front of Kirtland temple (Small).jpg

adj 88 Sherrie at Temple Quarry in Kirtland (Small).jpg

adk 89 Sherrie and 3g grandson of JS at Kirtland Temple (Small).jpg

adl 90 Keith and 3g grandson of JS at Kirtland Temple (Small).jpg

adm 91 Sherrie in front of Kirtland Temple as we were leaving (Small).jpg

adn 92 Sherrie and Margaret Miller a direct descendant at John Johnson farm (Small).jpg

ado 93 John Johnson farm being restored (Small).jpg

adp 94 Sherrie on balcony outside our room at Walnut Creek Ohio (Small).jpg

adq 95 First of panorama shot left to right outside room at WC Ohio (Small).jpg

adr 96 Second of panorama shot left to right outside room at WC Ohio (Small).jpg

ads 97 Third and last of panorama shot left to right outside room at WC Ohio (Small).jpg

adt 98 Our room (Small).jpg

adu 99 On the road to Charm OH farmer cutting hay with horses (Small).jpg

adv 100 Covered bridge in Charm Ohio (Small).jpg

adw 101 Sherrie in Berllin Ohio with carriage for hire in background (Small).jpg

adx 102 Buggy in Berlin R2L Joe and Doris and Chuck Ankenman and Teri Rodgriguez (Small).jpg

ady 103 lookin gup street from our motel toward buggy parking lot under tree (Small).jpg

adz 104 up street from our motel toward buggy parking lot under tree (Small).jpg

aea 105 Sunset in Walnut Creek Ohio after my jog in Amish countryside (Small).jpg

aeb 106 Marsha V Sharon B Sherrie and Jane H with Drassos in background (Small).jpg

aec 107 Sunrise in Walnut Creek Ohio (Small).jpg

aed 108 Same sunrise in Walnut Creek Ohio (Small).jpg

aee 109 Sunrise outside of our room in Walnut Creek Ohio (Small).jpg

aef 110 At a rest stop on the bus ride (Small).jpg

aeg 111 Sherrie and Jane H in St. Louis getting on boat for ride on Mississippi (Small).jpg

aeh 112 Sherrie and Steve on the boat (Small).jpg

aei 113 Sherrie on Becky Thatcher looking at the Tom Sawyer boat (Small).jpg

aej 114 Sherrie in RLDS Temple (Small).jpg

aek 115 Sherrie on plaza by RLDS temple (Small).jpg

ael 116 Corner of Temple Lot (Small).jpg

aem 117 RLDS auditorium first of panorama shot moving right to left (Small).jpg

aen 118 RLDS auditorium second of panorama shot moving right to left (Small).jpg

aeo 119 LDS visitors center third of panorama shot moving right to left (Small).jpg

aep120 RLDS temple fourth of panorama shot moving right to left (Small).jpg

aeq 121 RLDS temple fifth of panorama shot moving right to left (Small).jpg

aer 122 Church of the Temple Lot sixth of panorama shot moving right to left (Small).jpg

aes 1223 Church of the Temple Lot seventh and last of panorama shot moving right to left (Small).jpg

aet 124 Liberty Jail (Small).jpg

aeu 125 Liberty Jail (Small).jpg

aev 126 Far West (Small).jpg

aew 127 Sherrie at Far West (Small).jpg

aex 128 Keith at Far West (Small).jpg

aey 129 Tour group at Far West (Small).jpg

aez 130 Overlooking AdamOndiAhman (Small).jpg

afa 131 Sherrie verlooking AdamOndiAhman (Small).jpg

afb 132 Keith in cornfield at AOA (Small).jpg

afc 133 Joe Ankenman in corn field at AOA (Small).jpg

afd 134 Joe Ankenman in corn field at AOA (Small).jpg

afe 135 Sherrie out bus window at Spring Hill at AOA (Small).jpg

aff 136 Sherrie at visitors center in Nauvoo (Small).jpg

afg 137 Sherrie at visitors center in Nauvoo (Small).jpg

afh 138 Original sunstone at Nauvoo visitor center (Small).jpg

afi 139 Bill Harvey driving bus (Small).jpg

afj 140 Rotarians veterinarian (space monkeys) methodist minister staying at our motel in Keokuk (Small).jpg

afk 141 Nauvoo temple stone quarry (Small).jpg

afl 142 Bldg on RLDS land used as dorms (Small).jpg

afm 143 JS homestead on RLDS land (Small).jpg

afn 144 JS mansion house on RLDS land (Small).jpg

afo 145 JS HS ES graves on RLDS land (Small).jpg

afp 146 Red brick store on RLDS land (Small).jpg

afq 147 Sherrie preaching in Seventies Hall (Small).jpg

afr 148 Sherrie outside of Seventies Hall (Small).jpg

afs 149 Sherrie in blacksmith shop (Small).jpg

aft 150 Brigham Young home (Small).jpg

afu 151 Printing office (Small).jpg

afv 152 Scovill Bakery free cookies on tour look who is waiting (Small).jpg

afw 153 Sherrie baking at the Scovill bakery (Small).jpg

afx 154 Model of Nauvoo Temple with construction in background (Small).jpg

afy 155 Wilford Woodruff home looking at different bricks used on bottom three layers (Small).jpg

afz 156 Sherrie in Lyon Drug and Variety Store (Small).jpg

aga 157 Sherrie at work in Lyon Drug and Variety Store (Small).jpg

agb 158 Sherrie and Sister Ewell from Toquerville in Post Office and Mercantile Store (Small).jpg

agc 159 Sherrie and Sister Ewell from Toquerville in Post Office and Mercantile Store (Small).jpg

agd 160 Sherrie and Brother Ewell from Toquerville in Brickyard (Small).jpg

age 161 Sherrie and Brother Ewell from Toquerville in Brickyard (Small).jpg

agf 162 Sherrie and Brother Ewell from Toquerville in Brickyard (Small).jpg

agg 163 Sherrie and Sister Hutchinson (Small).jpg

agh 164 Keith and Sister Hutchinson (Small).jpg

agi 165 Sherrie getting hickory sticked by Sister Hutchinson (Small).jpg

agj 166 Sherrie in Printing Office (Small).jpg

agk 167 Sherrie with Sister Ewell and souvenir bricks we bought for 50 cents each from Brother Ewell (Small).jpg

agl 168 Sherrie in Browning Home and Gun Shop (Small).jpg

agm 169 Grinding wheels behind the bakery (Small).jpg

agn 170 Performers at Visitors Center play (Small).jpg

ago 171 Sherrie and one of the performers (Small).jpg

agp 172 Jeff Miracle and one of the performers (Small).jpg

agq 173 Some of the performers after the show (Small).jpg

ags 175 L2R Marsha V Steve Fotheringham Jane and Bill H Sheila and Martin Bunker (Small).jpg

agt 176 CA showing us one of the big windows (Small).jpg

agu 177 Temple plans on the wall notice small copy of old plans in center (Small).jpg

agv 178 a couple of clowns (Small).jpg

agw 179 Keith and some of the forms (Small).jpg

agx 180 Sherrie back in the room (Small).jpg

agy 181 Back in room finally (Small).jpg

agz 182 With Nauvoo Restoration Inc historian at crossing of Mississippi (Small).jpg

aha 183 Trail of Hope monument (Small).jpg

ahb184 Nauvoo cemetery (Small).jpg

ahc 185 Monument in Nauvoo cemetery (Small).jpg

ahd 186 Sherrie at Carthage Jail (Small).jpg

ahe 187 sherrie in courtyard at Carthage Jail (Small).jpg

ahf 188 Keith at front door of Carthage Jail (Small).jpg

ahg 189 Guide Sherrie and Tim Orr in downstairs room of Carthage Jail (Small).jpg

ahh 190 Sherrie by upstairs door in CJ (Small).jpg

ahi 191 Sherrie by upstairs window in CJ (Small).jpg

ahj 192 Troy Runnels by upstairs door in CJ (Small).jpg

ahk 193 Keith by upstairs door in CJ (Small).jpg

ahl 194 Sherrie in rocking chair in upstairs room at CJ (Small).jpg

ahm 195 Sherrie in upstairs dungeon room (Small).jpg

ahn 196 Keith on pathway to CJ with visitors center on right (Small).jpg

aho 197 Keith on pathway to CJ with visitors center on right (Small).jpg

ahp 198 Keith in front of Hannibal HS in Hannibal Missouri (Small).jpg

ahq 199 Sherrie in St Louis airport (Small).jpg

ahr 200 Sherrie in airplane on way h ome (Small).jpg

zzz on ship on mississippi with joe ankenman (Small).jpg