Hello All,

Just a report on our trip back East.  New Jersey was a bit scary; the motel equaled or was worse than the one we stayed in Quincy, Illinois several years ago.  We went to Burger King and there were many shiny black cars all around it with drivers who didn't go anywhere.  It was probably my over active imagination, but I kept conjuring up drug dealers, especially when the next morning we saw two guys loading 3 plastic bags full of something in the trunk of their car.  We were happy to leave there even if we did have to drive in to NYC, which was crazy!  Our GPS couldn't even keep up with the twists and turns of the freeways.  But we made it, parked in a parking garage, went on a bus tour with one other couple from Australia and saw all the sights Clair cared to see.  I don't think he'll be going back.  We drove into Conn. that night and the next day went to Sharon VT, Joseph Smith's birthplace.  It was beautiful!  And wouldn't you know it?  We ran into Clair's friends from Hill Air Force days, the Johnsons, who are serving as directors of the visitor's center.  We had a good visit and lunch with them and learned some wonderful church history there.  We drove on to Palmyra that day and the next morning we were up early and hiked to the top of Hill Cumorah, the only ones there and the same with the Sacred Grove.  Spring is certainly beautiful in the north east (as I'm sure Autumn must be).  As we walked into the Grandin Print Shop, I ran into Sue (Huff) Muir from Pocatello who used to live in Marsh Valley.  Her son Jeff liked Jen in high school.  She remarried about 12 years ago.  They are there for 23 months and are loving every minute.  We also saw our friends, the Fullers, from Clifton.  They will be home in September and are hating the thought of leaving.  They are on a "mission vacation."  We continued on to Fayette and enjoyed a tour by two young sisters, and then drove on to what used to be Harmony, where Joseph and Emma lived and their 1st baby and her parents are buried.  The church is planning to build a Visitor's Center and a replica of the house they lived in.  They say that will happen in about 3 years.  The next day we drove to Loysville to try and find Bernhisel names in an old cemetary.  The headstones are so old, they are impossible to read, but someone at the diner told us there was a "Bernhisel Road" north of Loysville, so we went out there and took a picture of what we think is the Bernhisel house that I visited when I was 11.  We drove on to Jenkintown and spent a wonderful weekend with Shawn and Torrey and Kanyin.  They took us to Valley Forge, which I knew very little about.  It was so good for us to learn about that place.  Then they took us out to Amish Country and we enjoyed the scenery, the homemade pretzels and sticky buns and lemonade.  We drove on some less "touristy" roads and found a farm that sold raw milk and cheese.  The kids looked at us like we were freaks.  They are pretty offish, but I think I would be too, if all these tourists drove around gawking at me!  I enjoyed Mother's Day attending the Palmers' nice ward and listening to Torrey give the R.S. lesson.  We took a stroll through a nearby park which had natural scuptures made out of anything people decided to use and had a picnic.  On Monday morning we got word that our call had come, so that was just a bonus.  We're excited about going to SLC cuz then you can all come and stay with us!  It was a long flight and drive home and we were pooped, but glad we went. 

I'm e-mailing everyone about the reunion which is fast approaching! 

Love to all - Mom/Grandma