Week 2 of the Temple maintenance break. This week we explored Pennsylvania and learned about Milton Hershey, the prophet Daniel and enjoyed time with the DeVore family. We returned to Palmyra in time to commemorate the 201st anniversary of Joseph Smith receiving the golden plates at the Hill Cumorah. Each of these visits were inspirational to us. We are thankful for good people everywhere. We also said our mission good-byes to our daughter and grandsons for the last time before finishing our mission.
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| With the translation of the Golden Planets at the Hill Cumorah, 201 years after Joseph Smith received the plates. |
As we came to Palmyra for this mission, I had the desire to relive as many experiences as possible in this land of the restoration. I had planned to visit the Hill Cumorah on September 22 and was able to do so. As I sat on a bench on the Hill Cumorah, I read Joseph Smith's testimony of what occurred on that hill so many years ago from the printed copy of the Book of Mormon. I imagined his encounters with the Angel Moroni each year from 1823 to 1827 on this very date. This hill is where Joseph Smith received much of his tutoring.
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| On that holy hill, pondering those magnificent encounters with the Angel Moroni |
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| An area near the top of the west side of the hill. This was how Joseph Smith described the location |
While I was on the hill, Debbie waited below for my return. In our little reenactment, Debbie played the role of Joseph's wife, Emma, in the buggy, while Joseph was on the hill receiving the plates. As I returned down the hill, I was able to give the translation of the plates to my sweet wife.
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| Giving the translation of the plates to my eternal companion at the foot of the Hill Cumorah |
Time in Pennsylvania - Hershey:
We chose to spend our second week of the temple maintenance closure in Pennsylvania. We started out in Hershey, Pennsylvania on Tuesday and Wednesday. We had heard more about the story of Milton Hershey several months ago and have been planning to make this visit since that time.
On Tuesday we drove for 4+ hours to arrive at the Milton Hershey Museum by 1:00 pm. We then spent the rest of the afternoon in this amazing museum, learning more about "The Hershey Story". This was enjoyable, informative, and very inspirational.
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| In front of "The Hershey Story" museum on Chocolate Avenue |
Milton Hershey was born in this very location in 1867. He served as an apprentice at a print shop at the age or 14. Unhappy with this he changed to be an apprentice with a confectioner one year later. Milton eventually began two different candy businesses from 1876 to 1886, each ending in bankruptcy. In the process he continued to learn about making candy. In 1886 he began The Lancaster Caramel Company which eventually became very successful. While enjoying this success, he opened a subsidiary company, the Hershey Chocolate Company in 1894. By 1900 Milton Hershey sold the Lancaster Caramel Company for $1,000,000, retaining the Chocolate Company. He married Catherine "Kitty" Sweeney in 1898. By 1903, Milton Hershey broke ground for a new chocolate factory in Deery Church, which then became Hershey, Pennsylvania. This factory began operation in 1905.
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| Timeline of early ventures of Milton Hershey |
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| Milton Hershey failed multiple times, but kept coming back |
Chocolate had been a candy only for the rich. Milton went ahead and learned how to mass produce chocolates and make them available to the general public. He set up the town of Hershey, Pennsylvania to be an ideal corporate town for his company and his employees. As he developed the business and the town, Hershey nurtured a creative climate that welcomed ideas from those who understood the challenges best: the workers.
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| One of Hershey's secret of success was valuing the input of others, especially his employees |
Hershey received fresh milk from local dairy farmers who delivered milk daily to the factory through a trolley system which transported both milk and employees. Hershey developed a sugar company in Cuba to have needed access to sugar and imported cocoa beans from several different locations. All of this supplied the creative minds that developed processes and equipment to mass produce chocolate.
The museum told all of these stories in detail with actual machinery and examples. Even more, it detailed the efforts of Hershey to develop a community that would give quality living to his employees, including sports, theater, recreation, schools, and more. In all of this, Milton Hershey became a philanthropist and benefactor to many. We were very impressed with his efforts to help all involved in his enterprises, even his competitors. The Reeses chocolate was developed by a competitor with assistance from Milton Hershey. Eventually the two companies merged.
The information in the museum was unending. Let me just say that we left with very positive feelings about Milton Hershey. He is one of my new heroes. I will not include many of the photos that we took. The following are just a few of my favorites:
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| A list of trolley stops. Notice that Palmyra, PA is nearby. In fact, we ate dinner that night at a Texas Roadhouse in Palmyra. |
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| A photo from the marketing exhibit. I believe that Debbie believes this: "A Nourishing Food" |
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| A photo stop in the Hershey Museum |
The next morning we made a visit to Hershey's Chocolate World. We went for the free ride in the Hershey's Chocolate Factory and received a free candy bar when leaving. Much of what it showed us is what we had learned the previous day. But it was a good, informative ride, right in the middle of the shops, souvenirs, chocolate and other attractions.
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| At the entrance to Hershey's Chocolate World |
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| Debbie does love her Hersheys Kisses |
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| I love Hershey's quotes. "One is only happy in proportion as he makes others feel happy" |
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| Approaching the Hershey Chocolate Factory |
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| Entering the Hershey's Chocolate Factory |
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| Our free chocolates at the end of the ride |
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| The Hershey Park amusement park was right next door. They were closed on weekdays. |
The primary purpose for our visit to Hershey was to see the Milton Hershey School. We had heard about it before our visit and learned much more at the Museum. Milton Hershey had started an orphanage and an industrial school in 1909. By 1915, Milton Hershey put the majority of his assets in a trust that was primarily to support this school. At the time, it was valued at $60 million. Today it is worth billions. Originally it was created to care for orphans. It has now been expanded to include disadvantaged children from throughout the U.S. Currently they have over 2,100 students from kindergarten through High School. We were very inspired by this concept and wanted to visit it for ourself.
From the Museum:
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| 1923 Wall Street Journal article that first disclosed this tremendous gift. |
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| 1957 photo of a school founded by Milton Hershey for orphans in Cuba. It's first students were children whose parents died in a Hershey Cuban Railway accident in 1923 |
Our visit was to Founders Hall which includes a visitors center for the school:
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| In front of Founders Hall of the Milton Hershey School |
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| In the Rotunda of Founders Hall. Also the location of dances for the school. Notice one of the multimedia presentation of the school is displayed in the glass of the rotunda. |
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| Milton and Catherine Hershey |
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| The Statue at the head of Founders Hall. Inscription: "His Deeds are his monument. His life is our inspiration." Every child is taught to be a "Milt", to give back to others. |
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| In the middle of the Rotunda honoring the founders, Milton and Catherine Hershey. Each image reflects part of their life and their values |
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| With Juli, our host. She also spent over 30 years with her husband as house parents for some of the children in the school |
Juli told us that they are constantly looking for more house parents who care for 12 to 16 kids in each living accommodation. The availability of house parents is their greatest limitation to serving more children.
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| We watched more orientation on one side of the hall |
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| With more great quotes |
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| reflecting their desire to create a positive uplifting environment |
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| More stories to tell on the other side of the rotunda |
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| told by students at the school |
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| This was our favorite photo of the early days of the school. Look closely, this garden is full of students. |
Hershey is very close to Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania. After our visit we stopped by to see the newly announced temple site for the Harrisburg Temple. We had to put something about temples into our visit to Pennsylvania.
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| My location when taking the following photo of the temple site |
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| Selfie with the site of the Harrisburg Pennsylvania Temple |
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| Some of the autumn leaves captured on our drive back to Lehighton from Hershey |
Lancaster, Pennsylvania and "Daniel":
After leaving Hershey and Harrisburg, we drove to Lehighton, Pennsylvania, home of the DeVores, our daughter and grandsons. We picked up our grandson, Henry, the next morning and took him with us to Lancaster and the Sight and Sound Theater. We had heard about this theater from our missionary friends. They show the same bible oriented play all year long and then change to a different show the next year. Last year they showed Esther. This year is Daniel. Next year is Noah. Their theater seats 2,000 people and most shows are sold out throughout the year. They perform from March through December, five days a week, two or three shows per day. This is an amazing production. We invited Henry as his birthday present this year as he really enjoys stage productions. He was one of only a few youth and children in attendance. Most of those attending come in bus tours. We must have seen around 25 buses in the parking lot. The theater wraps around the main floor of the theater, allowing for multiple scenes simultaneously on stage.
We were not disappointed with the show. It covered the entire life of Daniel, from Jerusalem to Babylon, under Kings from Nebuchadnezzar to Darius. Actors and animals came down the aisles to the stage. This included a camel, mounted horses and sheep and pigs who left the stage after starring in one of Nebuchadnezzar's dreams. The intent of these plays is to increase understanding and faith in the Bible. Mission accomplished. After the show, we returned to Lehighton. That night we had a dinner just with our daughter Melanie. We had individual dates with each of her kids earlier in the year. It was her turn!
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| This year's show |
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| With Henry in front of the Sight and Sound Theater in Lancaster, Pennsylvania |
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| In front of the theater, with a lamb and a lion |
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| In the theater with Henry |
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Showtime. No photos allowed during the show. Note the aisles that were used for actors and animals to enter and leave the stage. Our seats were ideal!
Lehighton, Pennsylvania and the DeVore Family:
The timing of our mission coincided exactly with a new phase for the DeVore family, as we attended the funeral for our son-in-law the day before arriving in Palmyra. This mission has given us opportunities to visit them frequently and give as much support to their family as possible. This was our last visit to them before returning home from our mission. Since we were traveling during the week, they were in school. Henry took Thursday off of school to be with us. Melanie is now working at the middle school so she was also occupied. That left us with a Friday to use our time in the best possible way.
We started out the day with a visit from James before he went to his college studies in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He was kind to come and share breakfast and his patriarchal blessing with us. We really enjoyed it. It gave us an insight to God's perspective of this grandson, which hopefully will help us support him better along his journey. James is very talkative with us, willing to share all of his experiences. We are thankful for that.
 | | James sharing his patriarchal blessing with us in our hotel room |
After that visit, I was able to spend time at the bank to finish up paperwork on transferring the title to Melanie for their home. She paid it off with proceeds from life insurance. After visits to the bank, the county recorder, and the attorney's office, this mission was accomplished.
That night there were multiple activities going on. The boys and the youth of their ward sponsored a Board Game activity at the Church. At the same time Edward was marching with a color guard at an away football game. We chose to participate in both. We went to the ward activity with the family at 6:00 pm and then drove to the football game, arriving 2 minutes before the half-time show. We struggled to find parking, but it all worked out well. I was very impressed with the ward activity. Five of our grandkids were very involved. We saw more youth and children than we had previously seen at Church.  | | Multiple games going on. Charlie and Melanie playing Clue. A larger group playing Strategy in the back and others behind the piano. James and another youth joined Debbie and I playing Phase 10. We were just getting into the game (Debbie was winning) when we had to leave to go see Edward. |
Lehighton's football team did not do well at the game, but we thought that the band was awesome. Of course, we especially liked the color guard. Edward was carrying the American Flag which was very cool. He was so happy to see us supporting him. He gave us big waves and smiles and afterwards a characteristic hug! It was a bit stressful to get there on the mountain roads through uncharted territory in the dark, but it was worth it!
 | | Edward carrying the American flag in the middle of the marching band |
 | | Edward, the American Flag, and a friendly wave |
 | | Henry giving us a nice wave as he walked by |
 | | And a big hug after |
On our way home from the game, we watched this beautiful Harvest Moon 2024. The Harvest Moon is the full moon that occurs closest to the autumnal equinox. It was at its high point on September 17, but on September 20 it was still pretty amazing. This photo is not nearly as impressive as what we saw with our eyes.
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 | | Harvest Moon 2024 above the cornfields in Pennsylvania |
When I asked Melanie what I could do to help on this visit, she suggested that the Deck of their home needed some repairs and she wanted it to be water sealed. So I tried to be a handyman, which isn't my specialty. However, I was able to replace a broken board and replace about 40 screws in the deck on Friday, tightening down the boards. I did a little gluing and sanding. Then we were ready for the biggest job on Saturday morning. All the boys helped as we washed the deck and then applied a water sealing stain on the deck. We ran out and had to buy some more of a different color, but got the job finished by about noon on Saturday. It was fun to see each of the boys helping. I was very pleased with the end result. Hopefully the deck will last a little longer before additional repairs are needed.
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| Five of the boys helping wash and clean the deck |
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| Finishing the washing and preparation |
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| Let the staining and water proofing begin |
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| Making Progress |
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| Timothy doing the stairs |
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| And the finished product! |
Birthdays:
This is our biggest birthday week of the year. On Monday, September 16, we celebrated the birthdays of Lamoni and Pollyanna, our twins, and of our great granddaughter, Ofelia. We called our twins but were able to do a FaceTime visit with Ofelia, and her mother, Sabrina. We have not met Ofelia in person yet, but plan on visiting her in their home in Chicago on our way home from our mission.
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| Ofelia on her 2nd birthday |
On our complicated Friday night, September 20, we also celebrated two grandchildren birthdays. We were able to sing to Joshua right before the ward activity. We finally connected with Skylar, also turning two, right before the half-time color guard.
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| Joshua, turning 18 |
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| Sklyar turning 2 on FaceTime |
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| Skylar enjoying her birthday book |
